Our theme and emphasis in the Kentucky Conference for the year of 2006 is "Blessed To Be A Blessing," based on the miracle of Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with a little boy's lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fishes. This is the only miracle of Jesus that is found in all four of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), and only in John's Gospel do we read about the little boy who willingly gave his lunch to Jesus. The Germans call this kind of story a Wundergeschichte, literally a "Wonder Happening," and this little boy teaches all of us the power, glory, and wonder of "giving away to others" God's gifts to us.

We doubt if the lad caught and smoked the fish; his father may have done that. We doubt if the lad had baked the bread; his mother probably did that. All the little boy did was to "receive" the blessing of food from his parents, and then passed that on to others. That's what God's amazing grace is all about; we don't earn it, we simply receive it and pass it on to others. We are blessed to be a blessing!

We critters (creations of God called human beings) are basically ego-centered and selfish (it's called 'sIn' with "I" in the middle), and unless we are touched and moved by the love and grace of God, we tend to keep our lunches (blessings) all to ourselves, with the fear that if we give our blessings away, we won't have enough for ourselves. By the lad's joyful obedience to Jesus, not only was he fed, but also 5,000 other hungry people, and we would like to thank that the lad took one of the twelve left over baskets home with him. We simply cannot outgive God! The Lord "oversizes" our blessings!

In the Greek New Testament, the verb "to bless" is Eulogeo, from which we derive the English word "Eulogy." It literally means a "good word." What a wonderful truth: God blesses us, gives us a "good word" so that we can pass on that "good word" to others. The Lord says to each of us, "I Love You," and then we can give that very same "good word" blessing to others. The Lord forgives us, and therefore, we can forgive others. The Lord is patient with us, and therefore, we can be patient with others. The Lord is generous with us, and therefore, we can be generous with others. It is more blessed to give than to receive. We are all blessed to be a blessing!

Our Kentucky Annual Conference theme in 2003 was "Let Our Joy Be Known," as our emphasis was Evangelism and Outreach. Our theme in 2004 was "The Least of These," as our emphasis was Ministry and Justice. Our theme in 2005 was "The Heart of Worship," as our emphasis was Christ-Centered and Spirit-Led Worship.

We are simply doing what disciples do, as Bishop King leads us in the "5 Missional Paths," that we simply call 'FLOWS' - Fellowship, Learning, Outreach, Worship, Service. These are never ending and on going disciplines for the rest of our lives.

Our theme for this Quadrennium (2004-2008) is "Growing a Christ-Like World," and we do that by living out the "5 Missional Paths."