United Methodist Bishops, Missionaries, and Denominational Leaders Bring Messages of Hope to Western NC

On Sunday, April 28, the General Conference paused for a Sabbath day of rest. After five days of worship, plenary sessions, and legislative committee meetings, the hallways of the Charlotte Convention Center became quiet as the delegates dispersed for 24 hours of respite and rejuvenation. While many took the time to get out in nature or explore the city of Charlotte, numerous United Methodist bishops, missionaries, and denominational leaders hit the road to worship with local churches across the Western North Carolina Conference. Below are some of their stories. 

View photos of guest preachers during the General Conference day of rest.
 

Worship Celebration with Asheboro Cooperative and Bishop LaTrelle Easterling
By: Beth Crissman, Uwharrie District Superintendent, Western North Carolina Conference

In John 13, as Jesus gathered with his disciples on the night before his death, his message was clear through his words and actions: I give you this commandment: Love one another. If you do this, they will know you are my disciples. On Sunday morning, members from Cox Chapel, Mitchell, St Mark’s, Charlotte, St Luke’s, and First United Methodist churches, the six congregations of the Asheboro Cooperative Parish, gathered for their first combined worship service together. Although the preacher for the day, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, episcopal leader of the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences, might have inspired them to come, it was the Spirit’s movement that transformed hearts in the room to know that God is at work in the United Methodist Church!

Worship was beautifully led by a combined choir, instrumentalists, and pastors from all six the congregations. In her powerful message entitled It’s All About Love, Bishop Easterling challenged all present that “Love is not an emotion. Love is ACTION” and reminded us that the key to Jesus’ final commandment was the IF that holds it together: The world will know we are his disciples IF we love one another.

Across the aisles and among all those present, love was embodied and experienced as evidenced by the worship, laughter, embraces, and fellowship around the table in the community lunch, served by youth of the churches following the worship service. Repeatedly throughout the day, those present looked at one another and said, “THIS is how church is supposed to be!”

"It Comes Down to Love": Bishop Peggy A. Johnson, New England Conference, Preaches at FaithBridge UMC, Blowing Rock
By: Beth DiCocco, Director of Communications, New England Conference of The United Methodist Church

As the second week of the postponed 2020 General Conference was about to begin, Bishop Peggy A. Johnson, who leads the New England Conference, made love the topic of her sermon.
 
“The longer I am in ministry and in ministry in The United Methodist Church I realize it comes down to love: The love of God and the love we have for one another,” Bishop Johnson said.
 
“It is the most important measure of success of a church or an annual conference or a General Conference – or your very life,” she said. “Without it you are a clanging cymbal or a noisy gong.”
 
Bishop Johnson and her spouse, Rev. Mary Johnson, joined Lead Pastor Ben Carson and the members of FaithBridge UMC in Blowing Rock, NC, for worship and lunch on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
 
In the scripture she chose, I Corinthians 13:4-7, Bishop Johnson said there are “practical kernels of love.”
 
One of those, she said, is that love does not insist on its own way.
 
“Who doesn’t want to win? Who doesn’t think they are right? Who doesn’t want to quit when we don’t get our own way? All of us!” said the bishop.

“But love doesn’t think about winners and losers. Love is willing to find a win-win solution and event allow ‘the other’ to win,” she said.
 
Bishop Johnson urged FaithBridge to “continue to be a mission oriented, diverse church. Faith, hope and love abide forever,” she said, “but the greatest of these is love.”
 
“Choose love and there is no end to the wonderful things you can do,” she said.
 

"Has God not been your refuge?" Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño gives message at St. Andrews UMC, Charlotte NC 
By: Selby Ewing, Director of Communications, California-Nevada Conference of The United Methodist Church

 

On Saturday April 28th, St. Andrews UMC in Charlotte, NC welcomed guest preacher Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño to give a message rooted in the General Conference 2020 theme, Be Still and Know That I Am God (Psalm 46). St. Andrews is a multi-cultural congregation, featuring both English and Spanish languages during worship. 

Bishop Carcaño invited those gathered to go to God with prayers for the General Conference and gave thanks for reunions of all across the United Methodist connection gathering in Charlotte for the multi- week, global event. 

She recognized retired Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, who served the church from 2005 – 2017, the General Conference delegates, the Western Jurisdiction Young People’s delegation, as well as staff members from across the UMC connection who were present. 

Bishop recalled as a child, the many ways that The United Methodist Church saw her family through hard times via welcoming arms, in her small rural hometown on the Texas border. That welcome rooted her own call to faithful ministry and what would become an historic career, becoming the first Latina bishop elected in the UMC. 

Crediting the 46th Psalm, Bishop Carcaño listed all there was to fear in the time of the scripture’s writing and in our current day context. She reminded those gathered that God has the last word, and is the one who walks with us through all of our dark valleys, including times of war and disastrous weather-related incidents. 

She shared, “I can’t help but praise God’s holy name, even in times of trouble because God is our refuge. God is ever faithful. Has God not been your refuge?” The congregation responded to her query with a resounding “Amen.” 

“We in the United Methodist Church have been in a civil war for 42 years”, said Bishop Carcaño, referring to the deliberation around LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Noting the many disaffiliations, she said she has stayed because of her hope that one day the church will overcome our hierarchy of power defined by skin color and all of our ‘isms’. 

She reminded those gathered that this is not our church – that the church belongs to God. 

Bishop Carcaño was also present for the baptism of Royalty Rose Brown-James. Baby Brown-James delighted the congregation with her enthusiasm for our baptismal waters. All present were in awe of God’s love. 
 

"What's Love Got to Do with It?" Bishop Bingham-Tsai Delivers Powerful Sermon at Providence UMC
By: Liz Winders, Director of Communications, Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church

Bishop Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai delivered a powerful sermon on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC. In her sermon, "What's Love Got to Do with It?" Bigham-Tsai emphasized the importance of love in our daily lives and challenged attendees to put love into practice.

At the Providence UMC Contemporary service, "The Net", the praise band played "What's Love Got to Do with It" as Bigham-Tsai took the stage and danced along.

Bigham-Tsai, speaking to the shared values of United Methodists, referred to the song by Tina Turner and declared that love has nothing to do with violence or any form of aggression. She condemned the societal and global conflicts that plague our world and highlighted that love is central to the United Methodist faith, with God being the epitome of love and our greatest commandment being to love God and our neighbors. 

Referring to John 15:9-17, Bigham-Tsai said "Now, what these passages suggest, is that as various branches that come from Christ, who was the true vine, we have the same root system as he did. We have the same sap running through our veins as he did and we are to provide the same fruit that he did. We are to produce love. That's because our root system is grounded in the love of Christ. The sap that runs through our veins is synced in the love of Christ.

Bigham-Tsai urged the congregation to consciously choose to love, even in the face of adversity. "We must remain committed to loving others as Christ loved us," she said and reminded them that our actions, not just words, demonstrate our love and have the power to make a difference. 

Emphasizing the importance of love in their daily lives, Bigham-Tsai stated, "Love identifies us as followers of Jesus Christ and directs our very being." She encouraged the congregation to continue feeding the hungry, housing the unhoused, and supporting the marginalized, fulfilling the mission of the United Methodist Church to transform the world through love. 

Bigham-Tsai also discussed the "Sent in Love" document, which outlines the United Methodist Church's understanding of the church's nature and mission. She highlighted that as a community restored by divine love, believers are called "in love with all Christians to participate in the one saving mission of God."

In her conclusion, Bishop Bigham-Tsai's sermon served as a powerful reminder to United Methodists that love is the guiding force in their lives and that they must live out their faith through compassionate and transformative actions. She emphasized that love is the most powerful and enduring force for good, especially in a world often filled with division and conflict. Her message encouraged attendees to continue spreading love and hope in their daily lives, fulfilling the mission of the United Methodist Church to transform the world through love.