Re: December 5, 2006 Ministers Conference of Winston-Salem &
Vicinity
Rev Carter, opened devotion with hymn #211 ‘Leaning on the Everlasting
Arm,’ and lifted scripture from the Book of Malachi 3:1-3. Devotion was closed with prayer and hymn
#164, ‘I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.’
Rev. Dr. Linda Beal called the conference to order and welcomed the body
to this week’s conference and business session.
Dr. Sid Kelly provided the morning inspiration on
the celebration of the birth of Christ as a human yet divine. Christmas songs like “Mary had a baby”
express that Mary participated in the bringing of divine life into the world.
Kelly say for a time, men had no idea they had nothing
to do with the miracle of birth. Yet,
these are births every woman can be a participant. And, sometimes the man find purpose and
meaning in life through the rearing of a child.
Kelly shared a story of a child custody case where
the father, a young man, fought for his son—a child that the mother was giving
up for adoption. The young man convinced
the judge that the child gave him meaning and purpose for living.
Kelly concludes the birth story of Jesus expresses
the many dimensions of life for both the child and parents historically as well
as today.
Minutes of the Nov 28th conference were read and accepted
with proper correction(s).
Today is Interfaith
Day with a dialogue on Middle East Issues—Darfur. Next week is men’s preaching today with Rev.
Dr. Churn as the order of the day.
Dr. Carlton Eversley reported Wiley Brown & Associate litigation with Mechanics & Farmers Bank is ongoing. Eversley stated a delegation of Ministers, including Dr. Mendez, Bishop Hash and Dr. Churn were planning a meeting with bank executives in Durham with hopes of resolving the property dispute.
Sick Report
Community
Presentation(s)
Louis Vincent,
Representative Full Circle Kids, introduced a Holiday Basketball Camp from
December 26th to December 29th, 2006 at Calvary Baptist
Church. The conference is invited to
support this youth holiday sports camp.
Rev. Willa
Reid-Cummings shared concerns regarding increasing police brutality with recent
shootings of three (3) African American men in New York, one fatally
wounded. Reid asked the body to be in
prayer about the growing injustices in our country.
Announcement(s):
Rev. Willard
Bass introduced Rev. Nathan Parrish, Pastor Peace Haven Baptist Church as the
alternate Order of the Day. After Rev.
Tony Sanders sang “It is Well with My Soul,” Rev. Parrish chose as a subject
“Baptist Christian Autonomy.”
Freedom, liberty, and autonomy or
self-governance has been at the heart of the Baptist faith from its
inception. Also, cooperation and
volunteerism have been an important reality in the life of Baptist in America. Baptist believe people ought to be free to
worship as their conscious leads them—finally established by the Separation of
Church and State legislations.
Parrish
says, “it is important to look and remember the stone our faith was hewn
from.” Baptists were a minority and
marginalized religious group that stood against the monarchial desires of the
early colonies of in North America. The
most important part of the Baptist faith are its congregants.
Within
the Baptist denomination there are connection groups that have no authority
over the Baptist churches themselves, such as associations, state conventions,
and conferences of NC. The Baptist State
Convention of NC is the older than the Southern Baptist Conference—formed
around issues related to slaver, autonomy and missions. The schism occurred when a slave-holder was
considered as a “Home Missions” candidate this issue resulted in the formation
of the SBC.
Parrish
concludes the real question for Baptist should be “how can we cooperate not how
can we divide?” Because, when the family
is divided no fellowship occurs—it is difficult to do doctrinal and vision
church work when there is a division. As
Baptists, we gather for fellowship, missions, and doctrine and vision work
while being led by our individual congregations.
The
body rose to give Dr. Steven McCutchan a rousing vote of thanks for his book
reflection of the temptation of the church.
Attendance – 17 persons
Offering - $56.00
Membership
– 0.00
Adjournment (Prayer and Benediction)
Having no further business the conference adjourned with prayer and
benediction.