Join us for New Room!

Dear Friends,      

Wade, Jordan, and I want to express our deep appreciation to each of you for your prayers, texts, calls, cards, memorial gifts, food, and other expressions of love as we grieve the loss of Wade’s mother, Shirley Hibler, and my aunt, Peggy Carr. We grieve, knowing we do not do so alone. As 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 says, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” You have lived this for us in many ways, and words cannot express our appreciation for your love during this really difficult time. We give thanks for the journey we share with each one of you. Thank you.        

As I’m grieving, and really as I go through whatever I go through as a pastor, it is essential for me to have my spiritual cup filled. Since on Sunday mornings I’m preaching or working in other ways to ensure everything goes smoothly, I often look for other ways to worship and spiritually fill my cup from time to time. One way I do that is by attending the New Room Conference …     

Several years ago, Wade and I traveled to Nashville to attend the conference held at a church there, and for the last two years, that same conference has been held at the Woodlands Methodist Church north of Houston – much closer! This year, it will be in Birmingham, Alabama. I’ve wanted the whole staff to attend for some time, but because it is so far away - travel expenses of hotel, transportation, etc. - it’s cost prohibitive.       

The good news is that while the conference is being held in Birmingham, we have the opportunity to attend a simulcast site in Blanco next Wednesday-Friday with several of our staff members. It is, by far, the best conference I’ve ever attended, and I always return home feeling refreshed and spiritually fed.        

What is the New Room conference? Organized and led by Seedbed Publishing, it’s described on their website in this way: “The New Room Conference is an annual gathering focused on Wesleyan discipleship and renewal, aimed at equipping pastors, church leaders, and lay people for spiritual awakening and mission.” Also from the Seedbed website: “John David (J.D.) Walt is the founder and sower-in-chief of Seedbed. He founded the New Room conference, which exists to gather, connect, and resource the people of God to sow for a great awakening.”       

Hmmm … sounds a bit like revival, doesn’t it? (😊wink) And the good news is, we don’t have to go far, and the cost is minimal. Blanco Methodist Church has paid for the cost of the simulcast, and they are collecting a love offering to help cover their expenses. What an unbelievable blessing!        

Would you like to attend the New Room Conference in Blanco with us next week? I cannot encourage you strongly enough to attend all or part of the conference. You will be blessed beyond measure. If you would like to attend or would like more information, please contact me or Pastor Kit. We will be excited to share the event with you - come join us! 

Blessings,  

Ellen