Louisiana Annual Conference 2005

June 6, 2005

Louisiana Annual Conference

Centenary College

Shreveport , Louisiana

Bishop William W. Hutchinson

This past spring Kay and I had the privilege of traveling with about 100 other persons from Louisiana and some 400 others from across the United States to Italy , Greece and Turkey retracing the “The Second and Third Missionary Journey's of Paul.” It was a wonderful trip and, among other things, brought to life the scripture as it surrounds these journeys to the familiar cities of Corinth , Athens , Thessalonica, Philippi , Pergamum , Lystra, Derbe, Sardis , Ephesus , and others. The unique feature was that we were lodged on a beautiful ship for the entire trip and would sail at night and late afternoon, would dock early in the morning, and would do our land tours during the daylight hours. It was a perfect concept.

I had never been on a cruise ship before! I was intrigued with the formal dining at night, the sumptuous menus, the many amenities that can be had on a ship at sea, the entertainment at night and the smoothness of the sailing. At least most of the time!

We hit a couple of nights that were very rough at sea. The Aegean is not necessarily a calm body of water, especially in the early spring. In fact, they told us that most ships don't sail that sea for about four months out of the year because of the difficulty of the waters. Now we all know just how difficult those waters can be!

One night we hit rough weather fairly early in the evening. Many people headed for their cabins to get prone on their beds while trying to hold their “cookies” intact. Silly me. I had never had motion sickness before and I was sure it wouldn't affect me. So, I was up, wandering the halls, smiling at those who were green around the gills and who had gotten as far as they could go and were on the floor trying to stay alive! I got to the main lounge area and you never saw such a gathering of Methodists in your life. There they were gathered around tables, laughing and joking and seemingly doing fine. Then I found out why. The ship was dispensing their own special form of seasick medicine in little jiggers that were called “Pepper Vodka.” Even the life-long tee-totalers were coming out of the “sick bay”, more commonly known as the bar, with a smile on their face and exclaiming they were healed! “Why don't you take one, Bishop? Even though you're not sick right now it may prevent that from happening in the very near future.” “Oh no,” I said, “I don't need it. I never get motion sickness.” Besides, I too had signed one of those total abstinence cards on Abstinence Sunday when I was but a youth.

Having done my pastoral and hosting duties I wandered back to our cabin where Kay was stretched out on the bed groaning mightily. I sat down and talked to her a minute, and then I said, “You know, I feel kind of queasy myself.” No sooner had those words left my mouth than I knew what the whale that swallowed Jonah must have felt when he felt his stomach roll. I rushed for the bathroom and Jonah and everything else came up out of me! For the rest of the evening I too groaned and moaned, hoping I would live until the light of day and the safety of the land.

Smooth and productive sailing, rough seas, and safe harbor all mean something to me now that they didn't just a couple of months ago. No wonder they have been terms used of the great ship of faith, the church, for centuries. Now they make complete sense to me.

This past year we have seen all of those conditions in the “LA Louisianne AC,” our own ship of faith. Let me take you sailing for the next few minutes.

I. AT SEA (Smooth sailing and on our way somewhere):

A. Only this past October we gathered in Alexandria for a special called session of the Annual Conference in order to vote on a new proposed health insurance program for our clergy. In an overwhelming vote of confidence and approval, the delegates adopted a new program that secured a new carrier of our insurance and a new third party administrator. One of the unique features of this improved program was the new Health Savings Account that was put in place for every full time clergy person in Louisiana , and for some part-time persons serving at least ¾ time. The program went into effect on January 1, 2005 and to date seems to be working quite well. Participants have affirmed the move as a good one for them and their families and for that all are grateful.

The other decision that impacted this new decision was that every full-time charge in the Conference, whether the pastor chooses to participate in the insurance or not, is to pay the minimum payment of $7200 per year into the program. Even if the pastor has other insurance, this participation by the church is mandatory and will still provide at least the $100 per month contribution to a pastor's Health Savings Account. At this date very few full time charges are behind in their payments. Those that are have had their insurance benefits frozen. That will continue to be the practice, which means that the clergy participant is without health insurance until the arrearage is paid. Some four charges have apparently decided they will ignore the vote of the Annual Conference and will not participate in any way, including the payment of the $7200 annually. These will have to be addressed individually.

B. At the 2004 annual Conference session I asked for affirmation of the establishment of an Institutional Task Force, to study and make recommendation regarding the various institutions owned by the Louisiana Annual Conference and for which we have ultimate financial responsibility. That Task Force has been formed, has met several times and is in the process of doing some strategic work regarding our institutions, their health, their mission, and their future. There have been hearings with all and there are some follow-up hearings now scheduled.

We have encountered one near disaster over the past year that was narrowly averted. Lafon Nursing Home in New Orleans was facing an insurance bill that amounted to some $600,000 that the Home was unable to pay. The Annual Conference was contacted and, of course, we do not have $600,000 in cash reserves that could be used. Amid a flurry of activity, trying to keep the doors of the home open, an “angel of mercy” showed up on our doorstep one day and offered to help. With the expert advice of this “angel” and some lengthy hours by Mr. George “Buzzy” Anding, acting as our legal advisor, a transfer of responsibility for the home was accomplished and closing of the home was avoided. At this time Lafon is under the management of an outside source, all fiscal and managerial responsibility is in his hands, and the home is operating in a solid way. How much longer we will be able to keep this arrangement is unknown. There will be some enabling legislation presented to you on Wednesday afternoon of this week that will make it possible for us to deal equitably with the Home in the event we run into an insurmountable hurdle before our next Conference session.

The Institutional Task Force will come to Annual Conference 2006 with a full report on recommendations surrounding our ownership of our institutions, financial responsibilities, and organizational expectations.

C. I've spoken every year since I have been your Bishop about Strengthening the Black Church in Louisiana . I'm so pleased to report that the newly formed task force in that area is doing an excellent work. They planned and executed the first Strengthening the Black Church LA summit meeting last August at the Conference Center . Some 300 participants were present and we had a great meeting. Later in the year the W. T. Handy Convocation was held at Dillard University and some 200 black youth, along with another 150 adults converged on New Orleans and had an exceptional convocation that has led to a new emphasis on Strengthening the Black Youth of Louisiana for the upcoming W. T. Handy convocations.

A pastor's retreat for all African American clergy under appointment was held immediately prior to the all-conference “Tending Our Lives Together” event last February and we had an excellent turn out, as well as challenging leadership from Dr. Dorothy Watson Tatem.

A second summit that will involve all pastors of African American churches and laity from them will be held this coming September 8-10, 2005 at Southern University in Baton Rouge . Outstanding leadership has been secured and we are looking forward to even more participants than last year. This Task Force is “picking ‘em up and layin' ‘em down” and we are beginning to see very positive results. Yes, I continue to say, we are going to have the strongest Strengthening the Black Church program in the connection or know the reason why!

D. While I am at this point, let me say one quick word about our other ethnic ministries. Our new Asian ministries in Ruston and Monroe are doing extremely well, thanks to Rev. Joseph Guo, member of Trinity, Ruston 's staff. Our Korean church in New Orleans remains strong. El Mesias, our Hispanic church in New Orleans is growing and we are ready, when finances permit, to look at new outreach sites around the Conference for Hispanic work. The Vietnamese ministry in Baton Rouge will be renewed this summer and will hopefully have a new resident pastor housed in Broadmoor, Baton Rouge by fall of 2005. And our Native American church in Dulac is flourishing and has been chosen as one site for the VIM related mission work sponsored by “Our Kids”, a new outreach ministry of our Children and Poverty emphasis. You will see times for mission teams from Louisiana to participate in this ministry in the very near future.

E. The Conference Center is totally debt free!!! Hallelujah!!! On April 23 we gathered in Woodworth and joyfully burned the note and figuratively threw our hats into the air. It was a day for which we have longed. You will note that in the budget for the coming year, 2006, that the Conference Center 's apportionment asking has been reduced one more time and now stands at only $125,000. Hallelujah!!! There may be another $25,000 reduction in the future, but I don't believe this apportionment should ever go below $100,000, at least not in the foreseeable future.

On the same day we burned the note, the Conference Center Board of Trustees met and appointed the beginnings of a new study committee who is commissioned to bring some plans and proposals for further development needs at the center before the Annual Conference in 2006. Please be in prayer for their efforts and be in anticipation of their report.

F. Last year I spoke of the need for an urban study and initiative for the city of New Orleans . We have contracted with the General Board of Global Ministries to do a National Urban Academy in New Orleans in April 2006. This step, along with several other preliminary conversations and plans on the drawing board within the Appointive Cabinet, will be the first steps toward and urban initiative for our major city. When we come to Conference in 2006 there will be some definite proposals and plans ready for adoption in this regard.

G. In the area of lay involvement in the life of the church, we have had an active Board of Laity this past year, revising by-laws and preparing themselves to step into the future. There is so much that the laity and laity alone can do for the strengthening of the church. I call upon our laity, who are strong and supportive, to begin to be intentional about getting new laity involved in the work of the Annual Conference and in the provision of leadership training that they might be among the best equipped laity in the connection. Our church has a wealth of training and educational opportunities that we can incorporate into our Conference and that will strengthen our ability to be the church in the 21 st century.

I'm excited that 2006 is the year for the Laity Retreat with the Bishop. That retreat is scheduled for March 17-18, 2006 at the Conference Center . I'm hoping we will have as many as 250 – 300 present. With help from all of you we can make that happen and maybe exceed it! Please mark your calendars now and look for registration forms and publicity that will announce the program and leadership. I will be working with the lay leaders to accomplish this work.

H. I would be remiss if I didn't compliment you as an Annual Conference on your apportionment payout in 2004. Once again we were able to meet more than 95% of our askings for the General, Jurisdictional, Annual, and District apportionments. In addition to the $7,159,470 that was apportioned by the Conference, another $750,521 was apportioned by the Districts for a total of some $7,909,991 you were asked to give beyond your local church expenses and mission projects. You paid better than $95% of that! Give yourselves a hand and a pat on the back!

Now, look at each other and encourage one another to stretch just a little further and make that payment 100%! Three of our Districts did that last year – Alexandria , Baton Rouge , and Lake Charles ! Let's have the other four join them this year!

I. And another statistic of which you should be equally proud is that the Louisiana Annual Conference was one of only 13 Annual Conferences that showed membership growth in 2004. We grew by a modest 213, but we grew! Praise God! Of the total growth for the year, 1993 were by profession of faith – those persons who professed Jesus as their savior for the very first time. God has honored your efforts at sharing the good news!

The disturbing part of that for me is that of the 388 charges in Louisiana, representing some 530 churches, only 187 of those charges had even one profession of faith. That means 201 charges had no professions of faith at all! That is very disturbing! I continue to challenge you, clergy and laity alike, to get out into your communities and take the good news of Jesus to those who have never heard and who need the means of grace the church alone supplies. And there is such a person – at least one! – within the reach of every church we have! If we aren't fulfilling this part of the great commission, we simply are not doing the will of God and the direct command of Jesus Christ!

In the vein of church growth and winning new people to Christ, we all know that one of the most effective ways to accomplish this is by the starting of new churches. We have full intent of beginning a new church in the Slidell area in 2006. Rev. Steve Stephens, our Director of Church Extension and Transformation, will be working this coming year with the other churches in Slidell to put all things in place for a successful launch. Please be in prayer as we work toward this end and as we move forward in winning new souls for the Kingdom.

J. And the last thing I want to say about our time at sea on smooth and productive waters has to do with the whole area of spiritual growth and transformation. Our Academies continue to flourish. The Discerner's Academy just gets better and better. And, by the way, we have another one coming up in July at which Bishop Woodie White, truly one of the great leaders and spokespersons of The United Methodist Church, will be the leader. Those dates are July 8-10. At this time we need more participants. Don't let those young men and women in your congregation who are sensing a call, or who you feel should be in a setting to experience a call, miss this opportunity. They will seldom have such an opportunity in their lifetime, to be on a close personal basis with someone as spiritually gifted and inspirational as Bishop Woodie White. Carole Cotton Winn will be glad to talk with you and get you a registration form.

Our Academy for Spiritual Formation continues to grow and lives are being changed. The Center for Pastoral Effectiveness continues to offer sanctuary and support for clergy who are working on formative issues in their lives and for their ministry. I believe we are most fortunate among Conferences to have such opportunity at our doorstep.

A new emphasis in the area of Spiritual Formation that I will offer this year as your Bishop is what I am calling right now, “Faith, Fasting, and Fellowship Retreats.” We will follow the format of the Wesleyan Fast where Mr. Wesley ate his Thursday evening meal, and then drank only liquids until 3:00 pm the next afternoon when he broke the fast with tea and solid food. The purpose for the retreat will be for prayer support, sharing of our joys and concerns, and spiritual growth through study and conversation. My vision is to have these retreats available to both laity and clergy and to have them in every district over the course of the coming year. As details and times are worked out, you will receive notice of when this retreat will be held in your district.

And the last thing I want to say about Spiritual Formation is that we are going to be very intentional with our Conference themes this quadrennium to approach the fundamental foundations of our Wesleyan heritage, the teachings on grace that were so important to our founders. This year, of course, we are pursuing “Prevenient Grace.” In 2006 we will explore “Justifying Grace.” In 2007 we will engage “Rebirth,” and in 2008 we will pursue “Sanctifying Grace.”

As you can see, we are on a great sailing ship with many ports to visit. We are on our way and for that I say, “Thank you God.”

II. Rough Seas (Still on our Way, but battling wave by wave):

Fortunately, we have very few rough seas within our Conference boundaries. Oh, we have experienced our share of hurts and disappointments with certain church situations, certain persons, and have seen the usual numbers of preventable “blow-ups” take place. And those always hurt. But, for the most part, we have calm sailing waters and delightful cruising.

But our Sisters and Brothers in the Missouri Conference are suffering this year. They are in a court battle as we speak concerning what does it mean to give supervision to clergy leaders in the Conference. As I understand the entanglement, the Conference experienced a sexual misconduct case some four years ago. The letter of the Disciplinary law was followed and the case was brought to conclusion. Then recently, the case has been reopened in civil court with the charge being around inadequate supervision. The bottom line is that the conference leadership has been challenged with inadequate supervision because they had heard allegations, and read allegations, that the man in question had said and done some inappropriate things. When a rape was alleged against the clergyman in question, the supervisory response was followed and there was no commanding proof of the rape and the case was dismissed.

The new case, however, says that the supervisors – the Bishop and the District Superintendents – should have known the man had the propensity to commit a rape because of the statements that had been brought to their attention earlier. Thus the point in question is “What is adequate supervision.” The court has now awarded the plaintiff some $6,000,000 in damages and the Missouri Conference is appealing the case.

In talking with Bishop Robert Schnase, newly elected last summer, he said, “I'm probably the only bishop in history who has entered into their first annual conference session with lawyers coming to address us as to whether we will need to claim bankruptcy or not.” It's a serious concern for our brothers and sisters in Missouri. It's a serious concern for us.

Such accusation could be made against any of our Conferences. Should we know what a person is going to do before they do it, simply because we have heard statements and implications that the person might have a propensity toward a certain action? If the case is allowed to stand, it could open the door to many more such suits across the church and very few conferences, if any, can afford to pay such damages.

Rough seas surround us sometimes.

III. But Thank Goodness for the Port! (Where we are in safe harbor)

Now, having ridden those rough seas, I know what the hymn writer P.P. Bliss was alluding to when the words were penned, “Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across the wave, some poor fainting, struggling seaman, you may rescue, you may save.” I felt like I was “saved” by the port!

I'm glad to be safely in the port of the Annual Conference Session 2005. In many ways this was a difficult year just getting us to this point as far as the work of the appointive cabinet was concerned. The Cabinet worked extremely hard, and worked long, long hours on behalf of the churches of Louisiana. What started out as a year that looked like it would be wide open, didn't turn out that way. There was some very difficult work trying to match gifts and graces with needs. For some reason we had more clergy say “No” to us in our offers for moves, which always complicates things, and when all was said and done, we were at the end with several churches yet to be filled and no pastors to fill them. Even as late as May 26, when I was writing this address, I was on the phone with Superintendents trying to make appointments to our churches so that no congregation would go without a spiritual shepherd. It becomes more and more apparent that we are going to have to have a renewed understanding of what it means to be itinerant and to be willing to go where we are needed and where we are sent. It is our responsibility and our vow as clergy to fill the need of the larger church and to make the sacrifices necessary to meet those needs.

I want to say a special thanks to four departing District Superintendents – Dr. William Peeples, Dr. Ken Reed, Rev. Marie Williams, and Rev. Bill Youngblood - for their years of effective and devoted service. And a special welcome to Dr. Ramonalynn Bethley, Dr. Bob Burgess, Rev. Doug Cain, and Rev. Larry Miller who have worked right alongside the other Cabinet members all spring – doing two jobs really, as all of them are pastors of local churches – and who will be great additions to this special work.

But most of all I want to say it has been a great five years of traveling life's seas with all of you in Louisiana. Kay and I are grateful and thrilled that our ship is firmly docked at 527 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge for at least another three years. Many adventures await. Many a new sea is to be sailed. Many a new port is to be visited. Thank goodness the rough waters are minimal and the throwing up only lasts for a night, but joy comes in the morning and so does a new vision. Thanks for being willing to sail together – and together we'll ride the waves until all the ports have been visited and all the cities reached with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Amen and Amen.