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BY LINDA WORTHINGTON
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Annual Conference is six weeks away, May 25-27, but the behind-the-scenes work of organizing and holding the annual session has been underway for months. One small but important part of annual conference is the ministry of hospitality that makes the experience a wonderful one for each person who attends.

The successful experiment of having volunteer Highlighters last year prompted the Sessions Committee to have them again this year.

The Highlighters stood at strategic high traffic spots, dressed in easy-to-see neon yellow T-shirts, throughout the Baltimore Marriott Hotel. Serving in this capacity is a real mission and is an opportunity for individuals to participate in annual conference in the ministry of hospitality, said the Rev. Evan Young, the Highlighters coordinator.

'It was such a wonderful thing to do,' enthused Jeanne Parr, a member of Good Shepherd UMC in Waldorf, 'helping people find their way.'

Parr had never been to an annual conference and found the experience of helping so rewarding that she?s already signed up for this year, and plans to be there most of the time from Thursday evening into Saturday. 'God blessed me with the fellowship and I got to see what conference was like. It was a great time.'

For John Treiber, a candidate for ministry who is director of youth ministry at Catonsville UMC, it was a great opportunity to see friends he?d graduated from seminary with, and to hear what was going on in the conference. 'It?s not strenuous and you can be involved in annual conference in a new and different way,' he said.

Besides, what Highlighters did 'was make the experience for attendees much better,' he said. He expects to work mornings this year.

In addition to being friendly greeters, Highlighters direct people to places where thy need to be. They also answer general questions, and if they don?t know the answer, they find someone who does.

Recruitment for Highlighters needed this year has been slow, Young said. 'We need 50 more persons.'

Highlighters receive meals during their service time, Young said. Each shift ranges from two to four-and-a-half hours and orientation is provided prior to each shift. The shifts are mornings before the session begin and throughout the sessions.

MAKE THE CONNECTION
To volunteer as a Highlighter, any part of or all of the three days, May 25, 26, 27, contact the Rev. Evan Young at <mailto:revedyoung@comcast.net> or Michelle Miles at (301) 806-5664. All ages are welcome from high school to retirees. No prior experience is required.

Meals during service, T-shirts and fellowship provided.