By: Brenda Grembowski
The 243rd session of the Virginia United Methodist Church Annual Conference was held June 12-14, 2025 at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia, with Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson presiding.
Pastor Brian Johnson, Kim Johnson (General Conference Delegate), Deb Angerman (Northern Virginia District Delegate), Travis Angerman (District Member-at-Large Delegate), Ren Kinnard (District Member-at-Large Delegate), Kailey Thom (Youth Delegate) and myself (Haymarket Church Delegate) attended the Conference from Haymarket Church. Our new pastor, Chelsea Morse, attended as well. It was a wonderful time for your delegates to get to know Pastor Chelsea better, break bread together and talk about the exciting times ahead for Haymarket Church. We also got to celebrate Kailey’s 18th birthday with her!
The theme for this year’s conference was “A Movement of the Heart.” This is the first of three movements being looked at in depth in the coming years to focus on the church’s work moving forward as a conference. This year we looked at the theological movement from prevenient grace to sanctification. This is the movement of the Holy Spirit in the human heart, so we focused on how God transforms us and how God molds and shapes us and allows us to be agents of change in and around our community.
We had wonderful teaching sessions led by two very different speakers: Rev. Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric, Dean, Duke Divinity School, and Scott Erickson, an artist, author, and performance speaker creating a visual vocabulary for the spiritual journey.
Rev. Colón-Emeric spoke eloquently about Methodism as a religion of the heart—grounded in Trinitarian doctrine (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and deeply rooted in personal and spiritual transformation. He also reminded us that early Methodism was a Eucharistic revival, encouraging frequent communion. This made me reflect on Haymarket Church and how, unlike many United Methodist congregations, we celebrate communion every Sunday. That tradition began on the very first Sunday our church opened its doors under the leadership of Pastor Matthew Smith. Weekly communion has become a central part of our identity, and I believe it will continue to shape our worship for years to come.
Given the transition our church is currently experiencing, I was especially moved by Rev. Colón-Emeric’s reminder that the Eucharist is not about nostalgia, but about hope for the future of the Church and for Christ’s return. It’s easy to find ourselves reminiscing about our previous pastors (for some of us, that’s three!), but while it’s good to treasure those memories, I believe the most faithful way to honor our past is to look ahead. God is not finished with Haymarket Church! As Rev. Colón-Emeric said, we are called to plant seeds, lay foundations, and trust in God’s greater work. So, the next time you receive communion, I invite you to do so not merely as a tradition, but as a bold declaration of hope—a hope that our church’s future is alive with possibility, filled with the Spirit, and guided by God’s unfolding purpose. Let it be a moment of trust in the adventure that lies ahead, a recommitment to being the hands and feet of Christ in our community, and a joyful anticipation of the day when Christ will come again and all things will be made new.
Scott Erickson, also known as “Scott the Painter,” gave a powerful talk about how the Holy Spirit brings transformation and spiritual growth. He used art to effectively support his message. At the start, he seemed to speak directly to the pastors in the room. He pointed out that ministers are often expected to remain unchanged, even as life changes around them, but that is not realistic. When pastors feel pressure to hide their personal growth or struggles, it can lead to burnout and emotional distress. At the same time, church communities can struggle to accept their pastors’ changes. Ministers often carry the congregation’s doubts, memories of how things used to be, and expectations of how things should be. That is a lot for one person.
Erickson reminded us that change is not only inevitable but necessary, and it often comes through difficult experiences like illness, grief, or major life shifts. He shared that none of us stay the same, and as we evolve, we become a mix of different, sometimes even opposing, qualities. Jesus himself is the ultimate example: fully human and fully divine. He suggested that we are walking contradictions, and that is not something to fear. Erickson challenged congregations to welcome the messy, complicated parts of ourselves and others so that real transformation can happen. Our faith must leave room for mystery, questions, and the welcome of change.
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