Southeastern District holds 38th annual district conference.

The 38th annual Southeastern District Conference on July 28-30 was led by moderator Jim Hoffman on the theme, “Together in God's Presence.” A total of 94 delegates represented 27 congregations, and a total of 167 people were in attendance. Prayer was given for the youth and leaders who were returning home from National Youth Conference in Colorado, said co-executive minister Martha Roudebush in her report from the meeting.

Keynote speaker pastor Gilbert Romero of Bella Vista Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles, presented challenging messages Friday evening and Sunday morning entitled "To His Presence We Will Go."

A 2007 district budget of $80,148 was passed including increasing the position of the co-executive ministers to three-quarter time. The delegate body approved and passed a new business item allowing His Way Fellowship to seek out and purchase a larger facility, and to sell the current property. They also approved and supported the new district ministry education program "School of Spiritual Leadership.”

In elections, Jeremy Dykes, youth pastor from Jackson Park Church of the Brethren in Jonesborough, Tenn., was called to be moderator-elect.

The district churches were thanked for giving $70,674 to the Disaster Katrina Fund. The conference received a that some of this fund is still being used to help with small town situations along the gulf coast in Alabama.

The Witness Commission also had challenged each church this past year to collect money for Heifer International. Several churches in the district participated, collecting a total of $25,506. The donations purchased several “arks” of animals, heifers, llamas, and many others. The district youth visited the Heifer Ranch in Arkansas on the way to National Youth Conference, and presented the check from the district.

A time was held during the business to have small group discussions as part of the denominational study process Together: Conversations on Being the Church. Discussion focused on the question, "What does it mean to be the church?" This was a very productive time of conversation, Roudebush reported. Saturday night’s insight session provided leadership training for individuals to lead their congregations in this conversation.

A quilt auction was held with proceeds going to the John M. Reed Home.

Roudebush said that the district faced a “unique situation” this year. “The parliamentarian was at National Youth Conference,” she said, “and the moderator-elect was also at NYC. Donna Shumate, who will be moderator in 2007, was in the hospital with a new baby boy.”

Source: 8/16/2006 Newsline
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