Annual Conference 2010 Report
Written: 7/1/2010
By Lisa Streight, Director of Communications with John Henderson, Ken Schoon and Desirée Baird, Interns
Photography by Benjamin Derkin
The first day of Annual Conference was filled with many topics in session and covered everything from potatoes to feeding the homeless to UMCOR responding to tornadoes in the Toledo area. Morning worship kicked off as Rev. Jorge Acevedo, senior pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in southwest Florida, shared the story of that congregation's growth in the past decade. To attract new worshippers to church, Rev. Acevedo implored the conference to preserve the best of tradition while averting traditionalism. Conference business began as Bill Brownson was elected Treasurer/Director of Administrative Services.
After the introduction of the Love First Miracle Offering, Tuesday morning and afternoon, those at Annual Conference had the choice of nine different workshops focused on social justice and ministry with the poor. One workshop, "A Bridge Out of Poverty," was led by Cathy Hamilton. Hamilton, who came from poverty, told her story of overcoming poverty because of a hope for the future instilled in her by people at key times in her life. She spoke of the different human responses to life situations because of a need for survival and emotional memories
On Wednesday, the auction of Bishop Ough "bobble head" dolls raised over $6,000 which was one of many highlights of the day. George Howard, Director of Connectional Ministries for the conference, led the presentation of the Harry Denman Evangelism Awards. The Foundation of Evangelism has a vision to raise up generations of leaders who are passionate about evangelism. There were three different awards presented for a commitment to the world by evangelism.
Friends, family, and members of the West Ohio Conference met for the Celebration of Life & Ministry Service in the afternoon to celebrate commitments of leadership in ministry for the church and to honor those who have given much of their lives to leadership in the United Methodist Church.
Those being ordained filed in with their families in a triumphant procession. While it was a time to receive and celebrate new leadership and affirm answers to calls into lives of ministry, it was also a time for remembrance of leaders no longer with us physically.
Thursday began with the West Ohio Conference Leadership Team report. Members of the leadership team were introduced and Dean of the Cabinet, Rev. Dr. Randy Stearns, gave the report focusing on the team's key goal of supporting local churches in the development of partnerships. Each District Superintendent spoke via video of the important partnerships already developed in their respective districts. Rev. Stearns highlighted the value of partnerships to strengthen struggling local churches and to successfully move to an outward bound missional focus. He stressed how important it was for local churches to remember that they are not alone and should move from a silo mentality to one of cooperative mission with other churches.
Following the Leadership Team report was the Fixing of the Appointments and Nominations Report. Rev. Wade Giffin asked members to approve a list of new conference committee, team and board leaders prepared by the Nominations Committee, and to continue to make suggestions for new additions.The following is a list of the recommendations as approved at Annual Conference. You can view the original recommendations in the Book of Reports.
Recommendation #1:
Resolution To Support Abolishing Human Trafficking
For information contact Terry Heck at pastor@bellbrookumc.org
Recommendation #2:
Budget
For information contact Bill Brownson at bbrownson@wocumc.org
Recommendation #3:
Commission on Equitable Compensation
For more information contact Steve Judson at lefty2you@yahoo.com
Recommendation #4:
Board of Pension and Health Benefits
For more information contact Doug Johns at doug.johns@cos-umc.org
Recommendation #5:
Resolution To Support Fair Trade
For more information contact Dee Stickley-Miner at dstickley@wocumc.org
Recommendation #6:
Ministerial Sexual Ethics Policy
For more information contact Roger Grace at rogergrace@yahoo.com
Recommendation #7:
Encouragement To Respond To Convictions Related To Modern Times
For more information contact Lowell Bassett at ldbassett@netzero.net