Attending CMC’s summer gatherings has been an annual event for much of my life. When I was a child, my dad, Nathan Miller, served as president of Rosedale Mennonite Missions (now Rosedale International). This meant that every summer our family of seven would pack up and drive to “Conference,” as we called it. Each year we stayed with a host family and there were always new friends to run around with. I looked forward to going every year.
As a kid, there was so much to love about our annual conference trip. We had the freedom to be on our own, as long as we were sure to attend the children’s programs—which we did find fun and engaging. Singing in the children’s choir sticks out in my memory as a big deal. I would get butterflies in my stomach when we would walk out onto the big stage in front of that huge audience, hoping we’d remember the songs we had worked so hard to learn. But every year, after we walked back off the stage, I was so glad that I had participated. As a child, it was meaningful to take part in leading the entire congregation in singing praise to God.
I filled my journal with notes about radical hospitality and dreamed of how I could put it all into practice.
I attended Rosedale Bible College in 2009-10. That following summer a large percentage of my classmates went to Annual Conference for what was essentially a weekend reunion. We missed many of the sessions in favor of catching up with close friends and enjoying the tight community that we had formed together. As the years passed, I realized that while community is a big part of annual conferences, the teaching and learning that takes place in the workshops and sessions is just as valuable.
I vividly remember attending the annual conference in 2014, held in Castorland, New York. By then, fewer of the friends that I had been used to attending conference with were there that year. I attended every session and workshop possible and was struck with how much I learned and was encouraged. I filled my journal with notes about radical hospitality and dreamed of how I could put it all into practice as a new nurse living in Columbus, Ohio. That was my favorite conference to date. At that time in my day-to-day life, I was not around many Christians, and I was so touched by the entire weekend of worshiping, learning, and fellowshipping with other believers. I felt that I had a little taste of what heaven will feel like.
In the following years—among moving, job changes, and having children—my husband Andrew and I have continued to value attending annual conference (now called Multiply). The weekend packs in many beautiful elements of the church, including community, fellowship, prayer, discipleship, and worship. We want our children to grow up feeling connected to this larger body of Christ and to have godly role models to learn from. It is a privilege for all of us to learn from those who have gone before us, and to connect with people from all walks of life. This year, the annual gathering—Multiply 2021—will be held in Goshen, Indiana. Hope to see you there!
*Header image: Annual Conference 2010
For information on Multiply 2021 and to register visit our website here.
One Response
Thanks for sharing this reflection! We are all looking forward to conference as well.