When a Bishop Comes to Visit, part 4.
Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton, resident leader of The Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United Methodist Church, was recently the guest preacher at Effingham Centenary UMC.
We had a Reception for him between worship services.
If you know me at all, you know that I introduced as many people as possible to him. A quick story about this person, the leadership responsibilities of that one, and how this guy and I have gone to rock concerts together…and Bishop Keaton met many, many people this way during this hour.
It was fun standing by him and shaking hands at the door after the final service. He greeted several people by name. He thanked more than a few for their work here, for example as a Trustee or a Sunday School Teacher. He bragged on various involvements outside of the church, such as academics and pets . He asked questions of individuals that followed up on their brief introduction almost two hours earlier.
When this Bishop comes to visit, be aware that he takes people seriously.
I love that.
May you and I follow that example, and may it reinforce what we already know about the inherent care and compassion of The Gospel of Jesus the Christ.
joescheets 
When in 6th grade Confirmation Class with Reverend Jim Nettleton (I love his honorable place in my “Cloud of Witnesses” (Hebrews 11?). At a Saturday morning class (yep, our Confirmation Classes were in addition to Sunday school), Reverend Nettleton (never used “Pastor John, etc.” back then) announced that the Bishop was coming (forgive me, his name escapes me). My hand immediately went up and he called on me. I blurted out, “What does a Bishop look like?” I had them in some kind of reverence my Catholic friends reserved for their Preists. (Never did understand the concept of having to have someone else talk to God FOR you!) There were tittering laughs around the table (loud ones from Marlon) and his status in the Methodist Church (no United yet) was explained.
When he arrived a few weeks later, I have to admit I still stared at him a long time. These “When a Bishop Comes to Visit” segments have revived some reverent and some very funny (and about half of the were, probably still would be, quite embarrassing for Marlon!). A thankful for me today!1 Thank You, too!
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