It came to me like a flash about a year and a half ago. I was just beginning to imagine what the “holy things” of General Conference could be. We already had the logo of a tree and I was planning on using that image extensively in the worship design. The idea of having the altar, communion table, pulpit and font made of wood that would still evoke its tree-beginnings was playing in my mind. And then a conversation with Mollie Stewart, a General Commission member and on the board of Gulfside Assembly spurred the lightning-like revelation. Use trees from the Katrina-ravaged shores of Gulfside Assembly in Mississippi! It would draw attention to the devastation of one of United Methodism’s important historic sites (it was one of the only retreat grounds for African Americans in the days when the Methodist church was segregated). And so it began – the process to get the wood and make the holy furniture. I think these symbols will be one of the most-remembered aspects of General Conference as people touched the beautiful wood of the round communion table that resided as the centerpiece of our space. Here is what I put in the program book:

“The liturgical furnishings were graciously created by Clay Smith, John Freeman, Rufus Stark, Mike Garitta, Kirk Hatherly, Mollie Stewart, and Lloyd Calcote at the Hinton Rural Life Center out of wood from trees at Gulfside Assembly, an historic Methodist center originally part of the Central Jurisdiction, destroyed by
Hurricane Katrina. These pieces serve as a sign of our commitment to continue to dismantle
institutional racism and they will once again reside at Gulfside Assembly when it is rebuilt.”

See more pictures of the furniture in the GC 2008 Photo Album to the right and watch a video piece about its construction by clicking on the link below and scrolling down to “Table from Katrina Trees” under “Wednesday, May 30”
Link to Video clip of making “Table from Katrina Trees”
Download consecration_liturgy_gc_2008.pdf