Annual Conference is this week. Janice Keeter is Mt. Bethel's lay delegate this year and in a couple of weeks, she'll bring us news from Athens. In the meantime, here is an update on what happened at conference today.
The morning started with Clergy Executive session, where the clergy members of the conference approve the reports of the Board of Ordained Ministry. Meanwhile, the lay delegates met for an orientation session to outline the business of the week.
The afternoon began with worship. Our Bishop, Mike Watson preached and the Hope for Africa Children's Choir sang. This group of 20-30 kids between the ages of 5 and 9 obviously love God and inspire others to worship with all heart, mind, and strength. Everyone present came together for worship and communion before the business began.
Reports this afternoon mostly consisted of the approval of the standing rules, establishing the bar of conference, and a few other miscelanious reports.
Worship tonight was the Ordination and Commissioning Service. Bishop Wandabula of the East Africa Conference delivered a powerful sermon from Jeremiah 1, 18 men and women were commissioned as provisional elders and deacons, four were ordained as deacons in full connection, and 20 were ordained as elders in full connection - including Rev. Stephen Walters and Rev. Geoff Grubbs who have both preached at Mt. Bethel since I came here two years ago.
Sessions begin at 8:15 tomorrow and on the agenda are more reports and the discussion and voting on of the 32 proposed constitutional amendments.
God bless you all in my absence. Thank you for your faithfulness in lifting the Annual Conference and all of its delegates in your prayers.
-Alex
