Soon our annual conference, The Wyoming Annual Conference (NE PA & Southern Tier of NY) with be no more. We are in a time of change, exciting and challenging and a little fear thrown in. God is telling us a new thing is happening. But sometimes even when we are doing that new thing memories return and call to our mind people, places, events which remind us of that past, brought to the present and thrust us in the future. For all you English majors, sorry about the LONG sentence.
This past weekend my co teacher for confirmation and I took seven our our eight confirmands to Sky Lake. It is a camp which has been associated with our conference for a long time. www.skylakecenter.org Through my candidacy process this place became a touchstone. When I was commissioned to begin the process toward elder in the UMC, we had a retreat for those being commissioned and ordained. I am still in contact with many who were commissioned/ordained in 2002. Again in 2005 my commissioned colleagues and I would be ordained. Through that three year process we had two years of short retreats with our leaders, Rev. Lynn Snyder and Rev. Bill Highfield. We always had a great time and learned a lot. But one of the things that I remember is Bill always sitting in the rocking chair in the lounge we spent time in while learning. We all joked that it was Bill's place. No other chair would do. Within the last year, Bill died and went to be with the Lord. But before then, I was always reminded of his ministry with us. One of the folks I was ordained with and I were asked to lead the probationer's class. While budget constraints would not allow a retreat every time. We had one day meetings but were able to have two retreats, one to begin the fall and another to close out a year of meetings. When we met we went to Sky Lake. The same building, Underwood lodge in the same lounge. While I would sit on the "comfy couches or chairs" I often sat in the rocking chair. the very same rocking chair that Bill sat in. I did so initially with a little bit of fear and trepidation. I mean after all that was Bill's chair. But soon I realized that my sitting in that rocker was more of an honor, in remembering Bill, and a duty, in passing on what he passed down to myself and so many others.
That whole idea came to light even more so this past weekend with the confirmands. Here my partner n teaching, Barb and I were discussing the UMC and sharing history and "language" with them. Each time we got together I sat in that rocker. Only thing missing was the pillow Bill often used as lumbar support but I didn't mind. I even sat in it as we watched our movie. The more we sat and talked the more I felt that I was following not just in Bill's footsteps but so many that went before me. I was taking time to help lead, guide and teach young people not only about the faith, the role it can play in life but about the church and what kinds of roles it can and does play in lives here and around the world.
I am so thankful for the many who have touched my life and journey of faith. But today I give special thanks to two people; First, Lynn who is still faithfully passing on the faith, serving the people of God in parish ministry; Second for the life of Bill Highfield in his ministry to so many. I will never look at that particular rocking chair at Sky Lake or any rocking chair for that matter in the same way ever again. that chair and all those rockers will remind me of the story telling and passing on of faith Lynn and Bill did for us and now I am called to do for others.