Conference News & Views

The 2008 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference concluded with the joyful news that Bishop Richard Wills, Jr., has been reassigned for another four years to the Nashville Area of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Wills has gained support across the country from persons who have appreciated his strong emphasis on Spiritual Preparedness through the reading of scripture and prayer. He leads by example through Faith Journaling – a technique for studying each daily scripture reading, reflecting on how that scripture passages applies to the situation in which the reader finds him or herself, and praying that that God will make the scripture passage come alive in the lives of the reader.

“God’s ways are not our ways. This is where I can often get tripped up,” notes Bishop Wills. “If I do not stay daily in scripture and prayer, I find myself adopting the thinking of the world and trusting my own ‘good ideas’.”“Trusting God and trying to live the way Jesus would live if he were in my body is hard work. I would much rather trust in what I can see rather than trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit which I cannot see. I spend my day searching for God’s Will and here it is right in scripture each morning.”

In addition to Bishop Wills’ strong emphasis on Spiritual Preparedness, he has also found major support throughout the Tennessee Conference for his focus on the following:
·An emphasis on the wholeness of persons which includes the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of life. Wills stresses healthy life-styles, reflection and renewal.
·Renewed stress on the importance of the small church
·Strong emphasis on reaching out to the un-churched (Bishop Wills often does his journaling in public places like Starbucks—because he finds that strangers note what he is doing and ask him about it (a major conversation starter)
·Restructuring of the conference to enable a more effective relationship between the Annual Conference Staff and the more than 600 local churches – all to augment each local church’s mandate “to make disciples.”
·Strong support of special offerings to help recovery from natural and man-made disaster – from Katrina recovery on the Gulf Coast to medical defeat of malaria through “Nothing but Nets.”
·Sponsorship of the Bishop’s Convocation for Church Renewal – with one day specifically for lay leadership, and a three day retreat for clergy – a Convocation that drew over 500 people.
·For pushing the conference-wide reading and discussion of pivotal books such as Restoring Methodism by Dr. James B. and Dr. Molly Davis Scott.

We welcome back Bishop Richard W. Wills, Jr., as Episcopal Leader for the Nashville Area of the United Methodist Church

The 2008 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference concluded with the joyful news that Bishop Richard Wills, Jr., has been reassigned for another four years to the Nashville Area of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Wills has gained support across the country from persons who have appreciated his strong emphasis on Spiritual Preparedness through the reading of scripture and prayer. He leads by example through Faith Journaling – a technique for studying each daily scripture reading, reflecting on how that scripture passages applies to the situation in which the reader finds him or herself, and praying that that God will make the scripture passage come alive in the lives of the reader.

“God’s ways are not our ways. This is where I can often get tripped up,” notes Bishop Wills. “If I do not stay daily in scripture and prayer, I find myself adopting the thinking of the world and trusting my own ‘good ideas’.”“Trusting God and trying to live the way Jesus would live if he were in my body is hard work. I would much rather trust in what I can see rather than trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit which I cannot see. I spend my day searching for God’s Will and here it is right in scripture each morning.”

In addition to Bishop Wills’ strong emphasis on Spiritual Preparedness, he has also found major support throughout the Tennessee Conference for his focus on the following:
·An emphasis on the wholeness of persons which includes the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of life. Wills stresses healthy life-styles, reflection and renewal.
·Renewed stress on the importance of the small church
·Strong emphasis on reaching out to the un-churched (Bishop Wills often does his journaling in public places like Starbucks—because he finds that strangers note what he is doing and ask him about it (a major conversation starter)
·Restructuring of the conference to enable a more effective relationship between the Annual Conference Staff and the more than 600 local churches – all to augment each local church’s mandate “to make disciples.”
·Strong support of special offerings to help recovery from natural and man-made disaster – from Katrina recovery on the Gulf Coast to medical defeat of malaria through “Nothing but Nets.”
·Sponsorship of the Bishop’s Convocation for Church Renewal – with one day specifically for lay leadership, and a three day retreat for clergy – a Convocation that drew over 500 people.
·For pushing the conference-wide reading and discussion of pivotal books such as Restoring Methodism by Dr. James B. and Dr. Molly Davis Scott.

We welcome back Bishop Richard W. Wills, Jr., as Episcopal Leader for the Nashville Area of the United Methodist Church