Lake Neuron

Ever since I’ve been a United Methodist layspeaker, I’ve received an invitation to the ceremony at Annual Conference during which layspeakers are honored. I’ve never gotten the chance to go until this year. It was a fine service. Bishop Sally Dyck of Minnesota was the guest speaker tonight, and her sermon was electrifying. It was based on the definition of the word “go” and about how we should take Jesus’ imperative in the Great Commission to heart as a church in our local communities. She ended with a story about reading a newspaper article about a First Church of God in which there was, at one point, a misprint making it “First Church of Go.” She challenged us to make our churches, and our denomination, the “First Church of Go.” A rousing sermon.

I ran into all kinds of people, including Bill Niles, Don Ladd, David Adams, Gerry Fanning and Mark Ashley. I saw Tom Nankervis and wanted to thank him for all he’s done helping to publicize Mountain T.O.P. in the Tennessee Conference Review, but I never got the chance to speak to him. I know that my own pastor, Lloyd Doyle, had been at conference earlier in the day; if he was there tonight, I didn’t see him. That’s possible, though; Murfreesboro First UMC has quite a large sanctuary.

One person I was delighted to speak to was our songleader for the evening, Tommy Vann. (He goes by “Thomas” now, but I will use the diminutive as a convenience in order to differentiate him from his father.) Tommy and I were friends as children; His father, also named Thomas Vann, was my father’s pastor at the time my father made a commitment to enter the ministry. My youngest brother, Thomas, is named for Thomas Vann. The last time I saw Tommy must have been eight or ten years ago when I was doing a Wednesday night roundtable meeting at Mountain T.O.P. and Tommy had brought a group of youth from his church.

Tommy has an incredible singing voice and is a great songleader, if tonight was any indication.

Tags : United Methodist