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BY PEGGY JOHNSON

In the days leading up Jurisdictional Conference, the Rev. Peggy Johnson, of Christ UMC for the Deaf, reflects on her candidacy for bishop.

I have felt a slow but steady leading from God to seek the nomination for the office of bishop since General Conference 2004, when someone quoted Phillip Potter who said there are three qualifications for someone aspiring to church leadership. The first is a death wish; the second, a screw loose; and the third, a sense of humor.

Through faith in Christ I have exchanged my life for Christ's. ("You died. Now your life is hidden with Christ in God." - Colossians 3:3) God calls me to work with the whole body of Christ and not be so tightly wound that I lean toward one side more than another.

Ministry in multi-cultural, rural, urban and institutional settings, as well as diverse theological training, has given me this "loose screw" operating mode.

I have an overwhelming sense of joy in the servant work of ministry and I find in it sufficient strength for the task. In addition, my call has been confirmed through the unwavering encouragement of family,

fellow clergy and lay people; and I was honored to receive the endorsement of the members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

My vision for the church stems from my very soul. I believe the church is the Body of Christ, set apart to preach, teach and model the grace and salvation of Christ in counter-cultural ways.

The hallmarks of this movement include a high priority on ministry with those whom society margin-alizes, peaceful solutions to conflict, forgiveness in the face of injury, simplicity in the face of consumerism, sacrifice in a culture of greed, servanthood as a model of leadership, and support for social justice even when it means losing personal power.

As bishop, I would encourage congregations, first and foremost, to preach the Good News of Christ's salvation, to nurture people in the faith and then to live out that faith in missions and social witness.

I would nurture the gifts for ministry of all Christians in this endeavor. This is done by prayer, proclamation and being a prophetic voice in the cause of justice for all.

The Northeastern Jurisdiction is in need of encouragement from its leaders. In these times of discouragement, doubt, distraction and division in the church, if the church is to transform the world through the making of disciples, it needs to be transformed itself.

The following practices could assist in this transformation:

• Building a supportive community that meets the spiritual needs of the clergy and laity;
• Teaching our Wesleyan theology that appeals both to the heart and mind and sends our feet and hands into the world for service;
• Focusing on Christ as the main thing; and
• Encouraging dialogue, addressing divisions when they arise with humility and love.

Bishops in The United Methodist Church should model inclusiveness.

My style as a leader is one of a servant. Servant leadership involves a willingness to tackle difficult admin-istrative tasks and enable diverse groups of people to work together, empowering marginalized people to be in ministry, mission and leadership.

Conflict is best handled by bringing everyone around the table and listening. The goal is to bring consensus and understanding and find a way that everyone can "win." When there is no agreement, it is imperative that everyone feels that they were heard and respected.

Problem-solving is a "Body of Christ" issue, not something a bishop does alone. The body needs to do the hard work of working through the differences and finding grace and forgiveness where there has been injury. The centrality of Christ is our unity and our best witness.

I cherish the connectional system. We can do so many things better when we remain connected. I cherish the concept of holy conferencing, which gives us a collective strength for decision-making, worship and witnessing in the world.