I’ve been following what’s happened at the Conference Office as they have been a God send to my ministry. I was unable to attend last nights “Listening Session” (mostly due to a “real job” and being 1 1/2 hours away), did you come away with hope?

Thanks for your time…
amanda

Thanks for your post & prayers for Monday evening. Here is an email that Gavin and I are sending out on behalf of the CCYM. Feel free to forward to anyone your feel appropriate.

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

This email is a reminder email for the “Listening Session” with the Bishop & Cabinet scheduled for Monday evening, April 7th at 6:00 pm. The Listening Session will be moderated by Tom Laney & held at Arlington UMC. Everyone is welcome to attend. The current CCYM and Design Team Chairs met this past Tuesday to discuss all that has transpired and a direction for the CCYM for 2008. The status of Fresh & other summer events was discussed along with current plans for Hands & Feet & Warmth in Winter.

Considerable time was also spent in discernment for what the CCYM hopes to accomplish at the Listening Session on Monday. The time of discernment gave way to a list of goals for the meeting. The CCYM hopes that individuals will have a chance to speak the hurt that has been felt by members of past, current, and future CCYM members, the youth of the TN Conference, children’s ministry leaders, camping ministries, and the other relational ministries. The CCYM also hopes to hear apologies from the Bishop & Loyd as to how this “change” was handled. The CCYM also hopes to hear a commitment that youth will never be left out of conversations of this nature ever again.

To communicate these feelings effectively, the council encourages anyone and everyone that has been a part of TN Conference connectional ministries to attend this meeting. A large attendance will speak volumes. The members of the CCYM are also hoping to present a stack of stories to the Bishop & Loyd. Please help the CCYM, whether or not you can physically attend, by writing a letter. Please describe what the ministries of the TN conference has meant to you and how these ministries have developed you as a Christian, disciple & leader. These letters/stories can be long or brief… whether we have 20 people at the meeting or 200 at the meeting- we would like to be able to present a large stack of stories that represent real people that have grown in love & faith through the ministries of the TN Conference.

Thank you for your time! And, we look forward to receiving your letters & stories.

***Please forward this email to as many people as you possibly can. You can print and bring letters to the meeting yourself… or feel free to email letters/stories to Erin or Gavin Richardson. They are more than happy to print all of the letters and deliver them on Monday. Act soon! (We have heard that many people have written letters and told their story to Loyd & Bishop Wills already- please send us a copy of that letter also well. We’ll reprint it and deliver along with the rest).

Peace,
Erin