1. Bishop Day on the District Pen-Del Annual Conference Fall 2015 Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

2. Luke 4:16-19, 24-30 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

3. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

4. …And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widos in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.

5. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

6. Devotional Thoughts

7. Conference Mission Statement: C.A.L.L. C – Connecting A – Acting L – Leading L - Loving

8. Good News!! Churches are reaching out to their neighborhoods more Churches are offering VBS Camp Pecometh is increasing in new offerings and participation. Churches are giving more to missions and Volunteer in Mission Trips are on the increase Young people continue to be called into the ministry Pastors and laity are growing in their faith Conference staff and boards and committees are resourcing our churches Apportionment giving is making a difference in this world!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK PDC!!!

9. General Conference 2016

10. General Conference There are 864 Delegates, 42% of them are from other countries and 30% of the delegates are from Africa. The conference will be held in Portland, Oregon from May 10 until May 20, 2016. There are 2 lay and 2 clergy going from PDC. Technology at GC will allow for better use of resources: tablets with electronic versions of materials in several languages will be available.

11. Some issues before GC: Creation of a Global Discipline that includes the basics: the Constitution, doctrinal standards (theological task), Ministry of all Christians, Social Principles Human Sexuality conversations – numerous proposals Restructuring the denominations with the goal of more nimble operations, more regionally appropriate– numerous proposals World-Wide Social Principles Constitutional Amendment to expand the purpose of GC to include worship, prayer and fellowship Proposals concerning exiting congregations Proposal to require some level of endorsement for petitions beyond that of a single individual. Conversations rather than all Parliamentary procedure

12. Northeast Jurisdictional Conference

13. Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference July 12-15, 2015 at the Lancaster Marriott Penn Square in EPA More area volunteers are needed to assist with the hospitality (see Boyd Etter if you want to help: bbetter@msn.com) We will send 4 clergy and 4 lay delegates and two youth delegates with voice and not vote We will elect one or two bishops depending on the decision about downsizing the jurisdiction Bishop Matthews will retire (mandatory age) and the late Bishop McLee’s interim (Bishop Middleton) will resume retirement NEJ will receive reports, conduct elections of General and Jurisdictional Committees, establish budget, celebrate the retirement of Bishop Matthews, consecrate the new bishop(s)

14. Down-sizing of the number of Episcopal Areas in the NEJ

15. Down-sizing of Episcopal Areas in the NEJ In 2014 we fell below the threshold of total members by 5,000 that was require to maintain 9 Episcopal Areas. An area must have 300,000 members We may keep all 9 areas. We may go down to 8. We may put PDC with BWC and still keep 9. We don’t know how it will turn out. More conversations will happen in October.

16. Imagine No Malaria

17. Progress in the fight against Malaria We have raised $66 million so far! We have reduced the mortality rate in half We have purchased radio transmitter and cell phones and sent out public nurse educators to teach people about malaria We have built and rehabbed clinic and hospitals We have trained nurses and doctors We have provided testing equipment and medicines We have distributed over 44.2 million bed nets We are the only faith group working with the UN Foundation This disease is totally treatable!!

18. Goal: $5 per worshipping member; 100% participation by all churches Strive to host at least one additional event Resources available at imaginenomalaria.org; contact Amy Botti at abotti@epaumc.org

19. “Enough is Enough” by Erin Hawkins of GCORR

20. Actions Steps: Be accountable: building relationships among the whole human family Be inclusive – show love, respect and acceptance for people of all races, classes, genders, age, and identity Be courageous – have conversations about race and “isms” even though they are difficult Be prayerful Issues statements of solidarity: demand no more violence and death because of race, call systems accountable for oppression when it is evident, demand that there be no more dehumanization of people who are different from oneself

21. Native American Act of Repentance

22. Giving Substance to Words: Establish relationships with Native and/or Indigenous people Learn the history and culture and what has happened in your area in the past Host an “Act of Repentance” at your church Take a special offering on Native Ministries Sunday Support efforts to repatriate ancestral remains Commit to advocacy for land rights, better health care, education and employment Support relationships with partnering congregations with indigenous congregations

23. Act of Repentance at Annual Conference – June 9, 2016

24. New Director of Connectional Ministries

25. New Superintendents

26. Camp Pecometh

27. Upcoming Dates to remember

28. Sat. October 10 th – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – “The Well” at St. Luke’s UMC in Denton, MD Fri. October 30 – Sat. October 31 st – Strengthening the Black Church for the 21 st Century Sat. November 7 th – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Laity Stewardship Event (Calvary UMC in Milford, DE) Sat. November 14 th – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Laity Stewardship Event (Cornerstone UMC in Bear, DE) Sat. December 5 th – 9:00 – 2:00 pm – AA Pastors Summit St. Luke in Cambridge, MD Fri. January 8 th – Sun. January 10 th – Youth Rally – O.C. MD Tue. January 12 th – Thu. January 14 th – Mid Winter Retreat - Doubletree Hotel, Lancaster, PA

29. Mon. February 8 th – 8:30 am – 11:30 am – Area Lenten Day Apart at Aldersgate UMC – Wilmington – with Bishop Young Jin Cho Sat. March 5 th – 10 am – Confirmation Rally at Barratts Chapel Thu. March 17 th – Sat. March 19 th – Restoration Fri. April 8 th – Sat. April 9 th – Young Adult Summit Sat. April 9 th – Area Order of Deacons Mon. April 18 th – PDC Order of Elders Sun. April 24 th – Tue. April 26 th – Local Pastor’s Retreat at Black Rock Retreat Center

30. Annual Conference Thu. June 9 th – Sat. June 11 th – At UMES in Princess Anne, MD Preachers/Speakers: Rev. Dr. Thom White Wolf Fassett, Dr. Eric Law and, Bishop Peggy Johnson Theme: “Racial Justice: The Tree of Peace” Ordination: Fri. June 10 th at 7:00 pm Candidates for bishop will be nominated