Brothers and Sisters,

I want to thank all of you who attended our 30th Annual Session of the California-Pacific Conference. Special thanks to the Sessions Committee and our Worship Team who planned all year long and led us so very well.

There were, however, many, many persons who took on the leadership of the numerous pieces that went into our session. We are thankful for everyone’s hard work. Many of you have expressed thanks for our session and especially for God’s faithfulness for we could surely feel the presence of God among us! I know that God goes before us as well as we journey into our 2014-2015 annual conference year.

I came back to my desk from our session and found that the beautiful giraffe that Bishop Dr. Zablon Nthamburi from the Methodist Church of Kenya presented us with had traveled all the way to my office. Did you notice how it traveled among us during the days of our session blessing us and watching over us?

Now standing regally on the credenza to the right of my desk in my office, I noticed something I had not noticed before. This is not just any giraffe, but a pregnant one! Its belly is round in a way that shows that it is bearing life. I was amazed, but knew that it was yet another sign of God’s grace for all of us.

Pregnant is the life of the California-Pacific Conference of The United Methodist Church! Pregnant with possibilities, dreams, hope, vision and life as the people of God! What a faithful God we serve! Thanks be to God and thanks be to God for all of you, God’s faithful.

Blessings,

Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño
Los Angeles Area Resident Bishop
The United Methodist Church
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