Two of my life partners

"Delegates to 2008 General Conference were treated to a Texas-sized party April 28 -- their one night off.
A member of the Texas Boys Choir performs during a night of entertainment hosted by the Fort Worth Area.After a concert by the Texas Boys Choir, delegates spilled out onto the Water Park courtyard at the south end of the Fort Worth Convention Center for food, music and fellowship. Visitors from all over the world were treated to Texas delicacies including empanadas, quail eggs and Blue Bell ice cream."

Now here is the combination of two entities that I love dearly, but don't always agree with; Texas and United Methodists. After the sessions I streamed today regarding approval of legislature with financial implications, this was a well-earned gathering of the flock and the herd...

As I was streaming this afternoons sessions I heard a matured but still familiar voice arise. My brother's best friend growing up and a child I often took care of, now 21 and speaking quite eloquently. After a moment, of wow, that was a long time ago (10-12 years) I started to think how interesting it is that so many people I was close to growing up are widely connected in the church. My brother and I were both chairpersons of our conference youth councils, as I believe Devin (the now 21 yr-old) was as well. Had I not been in my last two weeks of Grad School I would have found some way to hang around conference this week. More than half of the articles or sessions include a name of someone I've served with or known along the way. It is this connection, these long-time relationships that embody one of the aspects I love most about being Methodist. It was like pulling teeth to get some of the legislation passed today (I particularly think of the legislation to create a committee to do a study which was quite the ordeal) and I do wonder about the course of change, but I wouldn't give up our connectional system to repair either of these. The fact that I can sit at my computer in California, writing papers and hear familiar voices in Texas, making decisions as elected representatives of my little part of 'the church' (whatever that means) makes me feel truly like a part of the body of believers.