Clergy offer encouragement at AC through Prayer and Praise services

The Rev. Luke Rhyee shares a word at AC2025. Photo by Matt Brodie.

By Allison Trussell

GREENVILLE—Annual Conference attendees received daily encouragement through the Prayer and Praise Services led by three different clergy members.

‘What would be your epitaph?’

The Rev. Luke Rhyee, an elder of the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church serving as a missionary to Healing Guatemala/Bethesda Hospital, led Monday evening’s service, sharing his story of becoming a missionary.

As a child, he had huge life questions and tried to find the answers in books and even in Buddhism, but was unsuccessful. While in high school, he decided to try Christianity and found a church nearby.

“God embraced me so tightly that I found myself bursting into repentant tears but smiling in great joy,” he said.

One of his favorite places to wander and ponder the big questions was a nearby missionary cemetery that had become a park, where he found an epitaph on a tombstone, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). He knew with certainty that he’d found the answer to his question.

The verse struck him not because it was from the Bible, but because it was a testimony of this person in this grave. This was that man’s epitaph, and it struck Rhyee deeply.

After finishing medical and pastoral training, Rhyee arrived in the Columbia District and served local churches before going to Guatemala.

While he feels blessed with his calling, he acknowledged the difficulties of living apart from his wife and sons, who cannot live there for health reasons. His friends wonder why he continues to serve in this way, and he admits his own doubts. However, he knows “it’s because when I see the Lord face and face and have to reflect on my whole life, I want to make the confession, ‘By your grace, it is done.’”

He said he’s not suggesting everyone sell everything and follow him to Guatemala.

“I am saying there must be something God wants to achieve through your willing and loving heart, your talent. I ask you again, “When your day comes, face to face with God, what confession do you want to make? What would be your epitaph?’”

A promise of the seed

The Rev. Kathryn Bariou, a deacon in the conference serving as associate pastor of Trinity UMC, Anderson, led the second service, A self-admitted geek, Bariou said she loves everything from “Star Trek” to “The Hobbit.”

Bilbo Baggins, she recalled, was a hobbit who was called on a journey. During his journey he passed through a forest of huge trees and pocketed an acorn to plant when he returned home. A simple acorn with a promise of huge trees was Bilbo’s treasure.

“Why do I share this with you?” Bariou asked. “It’s because we know that inside every acorn is a promise of something greater. God created it for that purpose, and it’s a promise we can trust.”

The Scripture in the morning service, 2 Corinthians 1:18-20, told of Paul’s plans and his recognition that his promise of returning to Corinth would cause more harm than good.

“While people may give us yes and no [promises],” Bariou said, “in Jesus Christ, God’s promises are always yes!”

Everyone experiences times when a “yes” is needed. These last few years, watching friends and colleagues suffer have been hard on everyone, and some felt like walking away. But God is not walking away; he’s not given up on us or our churches, she said.

“There is a promise that every acorn contains a mighty oak. And we are promised that faith the size of a mustard seed is enough.”

‘Let that light shine’

The Rev. Adrienne Stokes, a provisional elder serving the Ruffin Parish, Ruffin, provided the message during Wednesday morning service.

One of her favorite places to visit is Hunting Island State Beach and its lighthouse. Lighthouses were designed to shine a powerful light visible over long distances to guide ships to safe routes and warn them of potential hazards. But they are also a sign of safe havens.

Surprisingly, she said, the bulb for a lighthouse is rather small and doesn’t take much power. It isn’t the bulb that works, it’s the Fresnel lens.

“Think about this: the Fresnel lens doesn’t shine by itself,” Stokes said. “Without a light source, it’s completely useless.”

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”

“We are the lens,” Stokes said. “Christ shines through us a powerful beam that reaches people far beyond what we can imagine.”

She encouraged attendees to live their lives as beacons in their families, communities, workplaces and the world.

“The light has come,” she said, “Now let that light shine in us and let’s reach far places, shining the light in every corner.”