Dear Friends in Christ,

     What would you do if God "spoke" to you and told you to build an ark? Now, by "speaking to you" I mean in such a way as you were firmly convinced that this was something God intended for you to do, and would not leave you alone until you consented to build that ark. Would your family think that you were nuts? And what about the neighbors as that ark began to take shape in the field across the street? No doubt the reaction you would experience from others would be very much like that depicted in the delightful movie, "Evan Almighty."

     The movie has been out for quite some time and available on DVD. (Sounds like a commercial, I know, but bear with me.) Linda and I watched it recently for the second time, and one particular scene caught my attention. The ark had been built, just before a power dam broke and flood waters rushed down into the developments below. And because the ark provided safe refuge for the people, they had all been saved—all except the corrupt politician who had cut corners in building the dam years before. (He would have to face the wrath of his colleagues and public outrage.)

     So Evan takes his family to a hillside near their home to enjoy a picnic, now that all the action was over. There, leaning against a tree that looked a bit like images of "The Tree of Life," was God, in the form of actor Morgan Freeman, who had been prodding Evan all along the way to do his bidding. Evan says that he really had wanted to change the world. Freeman responds by asking him, "How do you change the world?" Evan replies, "with one random act of kindness at a time."

     Just a few years ago, we adopted a new theme for our Western North Carolina Annual Conference Churches—"Follow Jesus, Make Disciples, Transform the World." And on Saturday, June 5, we are joining hands with other United Methodists all across Western North Carolina to engage our communities with "random acts of kindness." We call it MISSION IMPACT DAY. Wearing red shirts, many of the over 300,000 United Methodists in our Conference will work in soup kitchens, help build wheelchair ramps, package food for the hungry, volunteer at the Mission Response Center, build a tool storage shed on the site of the future UMAR home for folks with special needs, and much, much more. In our own Lake Norman District, there are 24,000 United Methodists, and we'll be meeting over at Broad Street United Methodist Church in Mooresville at 7:30 AM for a prayer breakfast and "sending forth." At 4:00 PM that afternoon, we'll gather over at Concord United Methodist Church on Monbo Road for a celebration. Plan to join us for this remarkable day of service to our communities. We may not build an ark, but through every random act of kindness, a life will be touched, and little by little our world will be transformed!

     Annual Conference will be June 10-13, so please remember the gathering in your prayers. Linda and I will be returning to Rehobeth for a fifth year, and we are delighted to continue having the opportunity to be part of the life and ministry of such a wonderful congregation! May God bless each of you with Grace and Peace ...

Yours in Christ,

Bob

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