A Personal Invitation to Exploration 2017 from Rev. Christina Thompson
Rev. Christina Thompson is currently pastor of Whitney UMC in Boise. Before that she was pastor of Seaside UMC in the Cascadia (then Western) District. And a few years before that she was a young adult, member of Caldwell UMC, feeling a nudge from God.
Christina says, "My sister Becky and I had the opportunity to attend Exploration 97 which was held in Dallas, TX that year. It was the place where my call to ministry was both affirmed and strengthened. It was the place for my sister where she knew that God was not calling her into ministry. I was able to attend this event because my local church, Caldwell, ID asked if I wanted to go and helped provided the resources for both Becky and I to go."
EXPLORATION is a 3-day event for young adults to listen, discern, and respond to God’s call to ordained ministry and explore their gifts for service as a deacon or elder in the UMC. It is held every two years, in a city somewhere in the US. This year it will be held in Portland, November 3-5.
Christina feels that "This is an amazing opportunity for us to help get young people in our churches and communities who might be feeling God call them to ordained ministry to an event where they can listen, discern and respond to God’s call in their lives. I invite us all to pray for the young people whom God is calling into ministry and for this event to provide an avenue for that call to be strengthened."
Do you know someone ages 18-26 who needs to attend this event to explore their sense of calling? Please talk with them about this opportunity. And let us know in the district office if we can help in any way.
You can get more information at www.explorecalling.org/exploration. The early bird deadline is September 14!
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