With Paul, I write, “I give thanks for my every remembrance of you.”  These last 23 days in Portland have reminded me again of the joy of the work of ministry among the people of the Memphis and Tennessee Conferences.  Already I am hearing wonderful reports of what God is doing on the Sunday after General Conference. Baptisms, professions of faith, celebrations of graduations, mission teams planning for ministry.  Thank you for your faithfulness over the work to which God is calling us.

Many, many of you have followed General Conference day by day, vote by vote, via the internet.  While the headlines captured much of the drama around the surface of the Conference, the real work occurred in legislative sessions led by lay and clergy men and women from across the world.

The faithfulness and tenacity of the delegates from the Nashville Area was inspiring to me.  In…