To the top of the hill

The first time I came to Lake Junaluska, where the Council of Bishops often meets, there was a grey and rainy weather the first few days. The clouds we very low, and when I ran around the lake in the morning, I saw not much more than a milky fog around me. When I woke up on Thursday morning, I looked out and saw the surroundings that had been hidden in the gray before, hills in the most beautiful fall colors and a clear blue sky, all reflected in the mirror of the lake. This morning I just could not run my usual route around the lake. I have this weakness; I always feel drawn to heights and hills. I simply had to find my way to one of the mountain tops. I asked a girl who was waiting for the early school bus, if there was a road or path up the mountain. “Yes, there is,” she said and pointed in the direction I should take.
 Well, I found a gate and what you could call a suggestion to a path. I believe the girl knew the gate and the direction, but had never been to the mountain top herself. There was no road; I had to invent it as I was running. It became steeper, and I had to slow down. There were thorn bushes all around; afterwards I looked as if I had been in a cat fight. I was running out of time; did I have to turn around? I was very near to give up more than one time. But I wanted to reach that top so badly. I wanted to reach it, and I was ready to fight for it.
 Eventually I reached it, and I consider that to be one of the highlights of my life. Not for the physical achievement, but for what waited for me there: the landscape of the Great Smokey Mountains, a breath-taking view of hills and valleys that God has made, a beauty I believe I never saw before or after. I ran fast back to the conference center. I missed the breakfast, but what had I missed if I had given up half-way?

2015 is a mountain top
 What is ahead of us as a church in Eurasia from today to, for example 2015, is like finding a road up to the mountain top. It is obvious that we are not today where we would like to be, and there is a steep and probably thorny way from here to where we want to be in 2015! It will take sacrifice and giving up personal comfort; we may be tempted many times to give up; but it is worth it all. The beauty and blessing of following Jesus where he wants us to go is more than all the grandeur of the creation.
  When the delegates to Eurasia UMC Conference were gathered in a day long Road Mapping Session last week in August, we were all very aware of this. A couple of times in the process we thought, maybe we have taken on too big a task, identifying long term goals and ways to reach it for the whole Eurasia area. But towards end of the day, the thorny bushes were pushed to the side, and the amazing view of the beautiful future opened for our inner eyes:

We see The United Methodist Church in 2015
- dynamically growing,
- recognized by the society,
- helping people to become deeply committed Christian

Along the road
We are on our way towards 2015, but it is not just any road that leads to the realization of our vision. We need to be careful where we walk, and focused on the matters that bring us to the goal. The Eurasia UMC Conference indentified them in a fivefold description of the road:
  Quality in ministry
                                Education
 Self-sufficiency
                                    Mission, evangelism, growth
  Social service

As the local churches continues to work according to their plans related to “the five expectations,” we will now look into these matters on annual conference and area level, and see what we need to do to strengthen and guide the development of The United Methodist Church in Eurasia.

Hans Växby September 2009