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Risk-Taking Love:
Celebration and Commitment for Embracing the Vision

Annual Conference Lay Leader: When asked by the lawyer which commandment of the law is the greatest, Jesus replied; "You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. "

When Jesus commissions his disciples to worldwide missions he tells them "All authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

In focusing our vision for ministry in the Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church, we must make Christ's vision for ministry our vision. Christ gives us the guide for how he wants us to live by giving us the gifts of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

Our Laity: In living out Christ's vision for ministry, we take responsibility for living out our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. We confess that the Church belongs to God and we are to live as ambassadors for God's Kingdom. We will glorify God and love our neighbors by reaching out to all those outside our walls and will nurture one another in the faith within our churches. We will partner with the clergy to shape a vision for each church as a vital center of worship, outreach, evangelism and growth. As we live out our faith, we covenant to uphold one another and hold one another accountable in Christian love, always remembering that our ministry belongs to God.

Our Clergy: We, too, take responsibility for living out our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ, and as leaders in equipping disciples for ministry. We dedicate ourselves to working for the cause of God's Kingdom on earth, and in so doing we will turn to God for guidance and empowerment. We will partner with the laity to shape a vision for each church as a vital center of worship, outreach, evangelism, and growth. As clergy, we will covenant to support one another and hold one another accountable in Christian love rather than competing with each other.

Our District Superintendents: We, too, take responsibility for living out our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ, and as leaders in overseeing churches. We will approach our calling with humility and will take seriously the responsibilities given to us by God, our Discipline, the Church, and the people. We will love the churches and institutions under our care and will be in prayer for the ministries of each of our churches. We will challenge ourselves to do what is best for the churches, learning their strengths and weaknesses. We will use every available resource to bring them to new levels of vitality. We will challenge the leadership in churches to be dynamic servants; we will challenge each church to be a dynamic force living out the Kingdom of God in its community, and we will challenge each member to reflect God's dynamic light and love for the world.

Our Bishop: I, too, take responsibility for living out my calling as a disciple of Jesus Christ, and as the leader of this Annual Conference. I will approach my calling with humility and take seriously the responsibility given to me by God, our Discipline, the Church, and the people. I will pray earnestly for God's guidance and will seek Christ's vision in leading our conference. With God's help I will nurture this Conference in living out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. I will endeavor to move our Conference to set aside the comfort of habitual action and safety and take up the challenge of being a vital and relevant presence in the world. I will nurture each pastor, each church, and each member in love. I will earnestly seek to lead in such a way that Holston Annual Conference will move forward in faith, witnessing to the power of God's mercy and love.

Lay Leader: As children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, and members of the Holston Annual Conference, let us unite our hearts and voices, proclaiming God's vision for our ministries.

All:

God envisions
bold, passionate, and joyful communities of faith
where the spiritual hunger to worship God and to serve Christ
sets disciples on fire
with Spirit-filled, risk-taking love for all God's children
until Holston Conference reflects the saving grace
and redeeming justice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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