Re: October 10, 2006 Ministers Conference of Winston-Salem & Vicinity

 

Devotional

Dr. Moses Edwards opened devotion with hymn #94 ‘Near the Cross” and Rev Willa Reed lifted up scripture from Psalms 105.  Devotion was closed with prayer.

 

Call to Order & Inspirational Talk

Dr. Edwards called the conference to order and welcomed the body to this week’s conference and business session. 

 

Dr. Sid Kelly provided the morning inspiration with a reflection on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s gospel.  Kelly says Jesus provided a different interpretation for the use of anger, especially as it relates to the way of Christ.  Christ’s way acknowledges the problem anger responses too but requires a non-violent action to such acts as the domestic altercations.  Kelly concludes, as Christians we are invited to follow Jesus’ lead of non-violent responses instead of anger altercations.

 

Reading of the Minutes

Minutes of the October 3rd conference were read and accepted with proper correction(s).

 

Reports New/Old Business

A.     Review of Conference Calendar

Rev. Edna West, Associate Minister Union Baptist Church is Women’s Preaching Order of the Day.  Next week is Theological Reflection Day with Dr. Rodney Sadler, Professor Union Theological Seminary Queen’s College.

 

B.     Review of Conference Projects

Dr. Edwards introduced Dr. Haywood Gray, Executive Secretary General Baptist State Convention.  Gray reported this year’s annual convention will be held here in Winston-Salem October 29th -Nov 2nd at the MC Benton Convention Center.  Dr. Bill Turner, Pastor Mt Level Baptist Church is one of the keynote preachers for the convention.  The conference is invited to come out and support this convention.

 

Chris Bauman and Dr. Steve Boyd presented the finding of the Forsyth county electorate.  The findings show definite disparities in representation both city and county due to the way voting districts are arranged.  A public presentation of these findings will be made Thursday evening, October 12th at the CHANGE Delegates Assembly at Knollwood Baptist Church.  The conference is encouraged to come out and support this important community act.

 

Sick Report

 

Community Presentation(s)

Phyllis Bond, Executive Director, Outreach Alliance, Inc. introduced the “Helping Babies” program that provides care baskets of necessities for parents who cannot afford to purchase them.  The program “strives to make a difference in the life of a child.”  Gift recipients are selected from families who receive assistance through local community agencies.

 

Dr. Irene Phillips, Candidate for WS/FC School Board introduced her candidacy by stating “she is not running for just for the board but for the community.”  Phillips shared her priorities if elected, profession and education background and how to leave no child behind.

 

Announcement(s):

Rev. Artis Smith reported Rev. Dr. JR Samuels’s retirement service would be in December.

 

Ephesus Seven Day Adventist Church invited the conference to share in their Pastor’s Appreciation Day on Saturday, October 14, 2006 at 11am.  Drs. Beal and Churn moved that the conference honor our president (Rev. Dr. Moses Edwards) with an appreciation plaque at the service.  The body accepted the motion and directed the financial secretary to plan for this important event.

 

Order of the Day

Rev. Willard Bass introduced Brother Marcus Wheeler, WFU Divinity School student as the Seminarian Order of the Day.   After the hymn #213, “Jesus is All the World to Me” Brother Wheeler acknowledged those who have influenced him as he prepares for ministry.

Wheeler says “He is a new school preacher with an old school message” lifted up scripture from the gospel of Luke chapter 12:35-38 and chose as a subject ‘Be Dressed—until the Master Shows Up.’  Wheeler says the theme of is message is taken from the movie, Karate Kid.  In this movie the master karate teacher who taught the karate kid was not the typical instructor.  Some would along with the Kid that this teacher was unorthodox in his ways of getting a message across.  Therefore, the Kid did not like the his master’s instructions.

Wheeler says today this is similar to the way we Christians expect a “right now God,” we don’t know how to wait on God or be patient as God works things out. We want God to act instantaneously.  However, Luke reminds us that God is not always a right now God and that we should always be ready—for we not the hour nor the day of Jesus’ return. 

Also, Luke’s message does not end in the book of Luke but continues with Luke-Acts, says Wheeler.   It is in Luke-Acts that we learn the work of the church continued even to this day.

But, Wheeler concludes by asking when the work keeps piling up and we are remaining good foot solids, how long will we have to continue to work?  The response in Luke gospel reminds us until the Master comes!

          The body rose to give Brother Wheeler a rousing vote of thanks for his encouraging and inspiring message.

 

Attendance & Offering

Attendance –27 persons

Offering - $100.00

Membership – 20.00 (Rev. Dr. Kendall Jones, Sr, Pastor New Bethel Baptist Church).

 

Adjournment (Prayer and Benediction)

Having no further business the conference adjourned with prayer and benediction.