Weekly Greeting - June 12, 2026
Today I am the kind of tired that one can only be after four days of Annual Conference.
But it was worth it. We worshiped, visited, prayed, communed, laughed, and cried together in a way that we only get to do once a year. Part of my exhaustion is my own fault — I stayed up too late every night, visiting with my colleagues and sharing stories and laughing until our bellies hurt. When we only get to do it once a year, we have to make it count.
This is the heart of connectionalism, the hallmark of United Methodism. We realize as United Methodists that we never work alone and we never walk alone. We share our lives together in a web of relationship that is bigger than any one of us. And so while we might disagree with each other, we also know that we need each other. We hold each other accountable, we challenge each other, we look out for each other, and we pray for each other. And this is just as true for laypeople in the United Methodist Church as it is for clergy.
I know that both Karen Ward and Rebecca Little joined other lay and clergy for learning sessions held during the lunch hour, and I am excited to hear from them what they learned, as well as from Dianne Holland. We will be hearing more from them in the weeks to come about their experience of Annual Conference — after we all get a little bit of rest!
One of the best parts was seeing the appointment list — confirming that I will be returning to Bethlehem UMC for another year.I am so grateful for this congregation and for its ministry. It is truly a joy to be with you and I’m looking forward to even more! The best is yet to come!
With deep love,
Mary Beth Bernheisel
