Re:
Rev. JL Nance opened devotion with hymn #190, ‘Glory to his Name,’ and
read from the Gospel of John chapter 14:15-19. Devotion was closed with prayer.
President Moses Edwards publicly acknowledged the
thanked Dr. Linda Beal and Dr.
Dr. Churn stated the Sermon on the Mount was and is
an interesting message of what God expected and expects of us as
Christians. Churns notes Jesus
identified those who were the leaders by their deeds not their titles.
However, Jesus also stated ‘you are the Salt of the
earth,’ when speaking about the mission of a Christian. Matthew
Jesus speaks of salt because salt is something
people of that day could relate with—salt was abundant throughout the earth—in
the forest, in the desert and under the sea.
Salt was also used as currency and a man’s worth was valued with that of
a bag of salt. Roman soldiers were even
paid with salt.
When spoke of humanity he gave his humanity value
that is the value of salt for he knew salt gives flavor to life and his wanted
the same for his church and the world.
It is because we are alive that flavor is also expressed by a Christians
as joy and hope.
Jesus also knew salt has medicinal power and stated
that his followers are the salt that heals and preserves. Yes we are called to be the salt of the
earth, however, we are to beware to not become impure.
If we permit ourselves to become overly
acculturated we can also become impure.
But, it is salt that can make us pure again. Churns says “God gives us salt as Grace that
is a purifying process—an ongoing process of cleansing for us and our
lives—moving us toward perfection in Jesus Christ!”
After such a power inspiration, Rev. Edwards invited the body to be
prophetic by engaging the community thru intercessory prayer—we prayed for the
work of conference, for each other as ministers, for our churches.
The minutes of the January 3rd conference were read and accepted with
proper corrections.
The 2006 program calendar is not available.
Rev.
Edwards presented the conference with a service award from the Lott Corey
Foreign Missions Convention. The award
is the “Majestic Leaders Approaching Philippi award.
Dr.
Fulwood announced 2006 membership dues are now due and being accepted.
The
2006 MLK Day celebration of the Ministers Conference will focus on education
and worship against capitol punishment. The
event theme is “Renouncing Death and Embracing Life.” A petition seeking a moratorium on executions
in NC will be circled at all events. The
Youth Breakfast is scheduled for
Community
Presentation(s)
Representative
Womble also announced a “Mass
Community Speaks” Day, a conversation on the state of African Americans in
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. The event
will be held at
Rev. Tony
Sanders was keynote speaker at the South Carolina General Baptist State
Convention the first week of January.
Sanders reported the
Sanders
also says there is a need for “unity” in the pulpit and the messages from
preachers of social justice. There is an
apparent difference between the preaching of the “gospel” and the “gos-spel!”
Johnny Ray
reported a new government emphasis on tax abuses by church organizations over
the next 4 years. Ray introduced Rev.
Everett Scott as the new manager of the Northside Compro Tax office. Scott invited conference members to use this
service to ensure you are meeting government tax codes for churches.
Attendance – 25 persons
Offering - $58.00
Membership –
$120.00 (Reverends John Parks, and Rev. Roger Hayes, Church of the Holy
Fellowship were accepted as members; John Ray and Rev’s. James Fulwood, Everett
Scott and John Mendez renewed memberships).
Adjournment (Prayer and Benediction)
Having no further business the conference adjourned with prayer and
benediction.