| Bishop Matthews feted at farewell celebration By Linda Worthington
UMCONNECTION STAFF 'We are justice carriers, justice seekers and justice keepers,' said Bishop Felton Edwin May as he preached to nearly 500 people gathered to celebrate the ministry of newly elected Bishop Marcus Matthews. Justice 'is the one word that undergirds all an episcopal leader ought to be about.'  | | Bishop Edwin Felton May, right, presents a gavel to Bishop Marcus Matthews during a farewell celebration Aug. 2. | Leaders from the Baltimore-Washington Conference and the Washington West District, where Bishop Matthews was superintendent the past five years, read the Scriptures and spoke during several presentations at the nearly two-hour worship celebration at Woodside UMC in Silver Spring Aug. 1. 'We have a colleague in the Council of Bishops who will be a community developer, after 32 years of training, second to none,' Bishop May said. 'We will have a brother, friend, and justice keeper, seeker and anchor,' he added, as he asked the congregation to 'greet the bishop of the Philadelphia area.' A long round of applause followed. Bishop May presented Bishop Matthews with a gavel, one he said was crafted from an under beam at Barrett's Chapel in Delaware, where Bishop Francis Asbury preached some of his most important sermons. 'Please pass it along when you are done,' Bishop May said, 'or deposit it in the Barrett's Chapel museum. It's a loan, a gift of God. Use it and pass it on in the name of Christ.' 'God has truly blessed me,' Bishop Matthews responded. 'We take to the Philadelphia Area nothing but good memories. …We know our God will be with us in this place.' The two bishops presided at the closing Communion service.  | | Polly DeHart, left, and Barbara matthews share a hug during a time of giving gifts. | The theme for the celebration was 'Bloom Where You're Planted.' Guests were handed blank cards and asked to write their messages to Bishop Matthews, which were collected during the love offering. Lydia Munoz, a student pastor at Colesville UMC, sang. The Rev. Andrea Middleton King read an original poem of the same title, which she said was 'inspired by the words, life and ministry of Bishop Marcus Matthews.' The Rev. Wayne DeHart, dean of the Cabinet, said he went to Jurisdictional Conference where Bishop Matthews was elected, 'not as a delegate, but to give my friend support through the long balloting process.' He then added, 'But he was elected on the first ballot.' Following worship, congregants gathered in the fellowship hall to receive the new bishop and his wife Barbara Matthews, and to help them celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. The Mass Choir of Goshen UMC sang several times during the service. Bishop May called the choir 'one of the best kept secrets in the conference,' and said he'd invite himself to services there in the few weeks remaining until his tenure is officially over Aug. 31, 'So I can hear you one more time.' | 
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