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Bishop's FIT Challenge

Join the FIT Challenge

 

 

Click here for the PDF of the FIT Challenge brochure

Is it well with your soul?

 

Is it well with your body?

 

Are you sufficiently surrounded by friends who will undergird you with prayer and hold you accountable by speaking the truth in love? 

 

As you care for others in accordance with the mission of the Christian Church, are you connected with the “True Vine,” Jesus who frees you to worship and live in ways that balance your call to transform the world and live healthy lives?

 

Will you join me and invite others to become part of our FIT Challenge in Iowa?  As we care for others during these difficult economic months, may we not forget to be intentional about self-care as a spiritual discipline.

 

At our upcoming Annual conference, I will invite lay and clergy to embrace a renewed focus on intentional disciplines of self-care as I introduce the Four Areas of Focus that the Council of Bishops and the General Conference adopted for 2008-2012.  The Four Areas of Focus are:

  • Developing Principled Christian Leaders
  • Creating New Churches and Renewing Existing Congregations
  • Eradicating Poverty and Embracing the Poor
  • Improving Global Health.

 

The FIT Challenge is a call to align our work in such a way that we focus on our commitment to:

  • Long-term recovery from tornadoes and flooding in Iowa
  • Embrace, in our own context, a sense of urgency to invest in new and innovative ways of doing ministry,
  • Reaching new people and telling the story of salvation and reconciliation in Jesus. 

 

The Four Areas of Focus are those ministries we believe the whole United Methodist Church must be engaged in for such a time as this. At the Spring meeting of the Council of Bishops, we were invited to lead and live with Sign/Acts that demonstrate our commitment to God’s people and God’s creation.  As we converge in Ames for our Annual Conference, June 4-7, consider the following Sign/Acts that you will commit to:

·        Prayer walks, running, biking for self-care and for charities

·        “Nothing But Nets” - this summer’s focus is on Sierra Leone

·        Environmental Justice - examine ways we are wasteful (live more simply)

·        Sacrificial giving for flood recovery - money and one day or week of labor

·        Celebrate the 20th year of Nigeria Partnership - Annual Conference Offering, Ingathering

·        Write your representatives in Congress - insist on humane immigration reform with a path to citizenship and to put an end to indiscriminate raids

·        Find ways for your church to directly engage the poor of your community with sign/acts of hospitality and justice.  Refuse to let children go hungry.

 

My wife, Racelder, illuminated for me a way of sharing my vision of the FIT Challenge (Focus, Invest, Tell) that it may be embraced by many over the next two years. She said what I really am attempting to do is use a triple AAA process…lift awareness, ask for action and build in accountability. 

 

I am looking forward to meeting many new people at my first Annual Conference and engaging many more through our conference website and district visits.  We have a bright future, because we have an Awesome God.

 

“See, I will not forget you,

I have carved you on the palm of my hand”

                                                                     Isaiah 49:15

 

Be Encouraged,

 

Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble