February 2017


Periodicals Postage


PAID Lancaster, PA


Susquehanna Annual Conference 2017 - 2020


This phrase reflects what a connectional church such as ours is all about. It affirms and celebrates the stronger and bigger mission and ministry we can accomplish as a connectional church. It also points to the mandate of unity for Christian witness as it sums up the spirit and the focus of Jesus’ prayer for the oneness of his disciples. In the Gospel of John chapter 17, Jesus repeats these words of prayer: “They may be one as we are one.”


Prayer connects the people of faith to God’s way and God’s future. Prayer is an unequivocal expression of faith that, no matter what we go through, we put our trust in God and we know that God is in charge. As we face the unprecedented challenge of the unity of our church, we are to rely on God for a breakthrough by the gift and power of prayer more than anything else.


In sync with the ardent prayer of Jesus for oneness, each year we will lift up a prayer that we offer at the Lord’s Table as a theme: 2017 - “Better Together: Make Us One” 2018 - “Better Together: One with Christ” 2019 - “Better Together: One with Each Other”


2020 - “Better Together: One in Ministry to All the World”


I ask you to begin your prayers for our holy conferencing to be held May 4 - 6, 2017 at the Hershey Lodge and Conference Center. I believe that God has plans to give our church hope and a future. I am already beginning to excitingly anticipate what God has in store for the Susquehanna Annual Conference.


May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in God, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)


With You in Christ’s Ministry, Bishop Jeremiah J. Park


February 2017


THE CHURCHES OF THE SUSQUEHANNA CONFERENCE, THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH


“He will cover you with his feathers. He will


shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your


armor and


protection.” Psalm 91:4 (NLT)


Emma Dickinson is a seventh grader with a heart for God, the people of Zimbabwe, and farming, She has discovered a new way to feed chickens. Emma is sharing her knowl- edge of raising chickens where there isn’t much rain. Read her story beginning on page 1.


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