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1:18 PM Thursday’s Business Session adjourned.
1:16 PM Brother Haney explained the resolutions on which the Conference will vote, including the new resolution submitted by the General Board. The Conference will vote on the resolutions on Friday morning beginning at 9:00 AM EST.
1:15 PM Brother Don Hanscom promoted Filipino ministry in North America.
1:14 PM Brother Slaydon accepted his election as Foreign Missions Secretary.
1:07 PM The Conference elected Brother Scotty Slaydon as the Foreign Missions Secretary.
1:00 PM Brother David Bernard, President of the Urshan Graduate School of Theology (UGST), announced that UGST has attained candidate status with the Association of Theological Schools. UGST will continue for two (2) more years in order to receive full accreditation. Visit the website
12:53 PM Brother Norm Paslay promoted Media Missions and announced Brother Dannie Hood as the speaker for A Message of Hope.
12:47 PM The Conference voted on the last two names for Foreign Missions Secretary.
12:44 PM Brother Darrell Johns challenged the Conference to be a giving church, and not just a selling church.
12:40 PM Brother Ken Gurley challenged the Conference to share our vision and our ministries with the next generation.
12:38 PM The Conference ratified Mark Jordan, Clark Lott, Clifford Readout, Thetus Tenney, Ted Wagner and Albert Skaggs to the Board of the Urshan Graduate School of Theology.
12:36 PM The Conference ratified Norm Paslay as the Director of Media Missions.
12:34 PM Brother Daryle Williams accepted the election as the Secretary of the Youth Division. Brother Williams announced that we have officially crossed the $100 million mark in Sheaves for Christ giving since 1952.
12:24 PM Brother BJ Thomas, Superintendent of the Arkansas District, promoted the Ministers’ Retirement Fund.
12:19 PM The Conference voted on three names for the Foreign Missions Secretary.
12:09 PM Brother Ron Libby promoted “Points of Refuge”, a support network for ministers.
12:04 PM Brother Stephen Drury promoted the Stewardship Division.
11:58 AM The Conference ratified Rick Craft, Raymond Woodward, Dan Segraves and Royce Andrus to the Board of Publications.
11:57 AM The Conference ratified Robert Frake to the Division of Education Board.
11:57 AM The Conference ratified Darrell Johns as the Secretary of the Division of Education.
11:56 AM The Conference ratified Francis Mason and Jimmy Shoemake as Foreign Missions Board members.
11:56 AM The Conference ratified Bryan Abernathy as Director of Promotions for Foreign Missions.
11:55 AM The Conference voted on and ratified Ted Wagner as Honorary Presbyter.
11:47 AM Brother David Elms accepted the election as Regional Executive Presbyter of the Eastern zone.
11:46 AM Brother Robert Henson accepted the election to the Ministerial Appeals Council.
11:45 AM Brother Granville McKenzie accepted the election as Regional Executive Presbyter of Canada.
11:44 AM Brother Mark Fogarty accepted the election as Regional Executive Presbyter of the Southeast zone.
11:33 AM Brother David Hudson accepted the election as Regional Executive Presbyter of the Northeast zone.
11:31 AM Brother Ron Mullings accepted the election as Regional Executive Presbyter of the Southwest zone.
11:19 AM Brother Mark Christian, Director of Marketing for the Pentecostal Publishing House (PPH), promoted products and services offered by PPH.
11:12 AM The Conference is voting on Foreign Missions Secretary, Home Missions Secretary, Sunday School Secretary and Youth Secretary. Brother Carl Varnell has announced that he will not allow his name to stand for Foreign Missions Secretary.
11:09 AM Brother Jones accepted the election as General Secretary.
11:00 AM Brother Jack Cunningham promoted Global Impact.
10:53 AM Brother Jerry Dean promoted Give Me 5 involving 1) pray 10 minutes daily 2) read 1 chapter of the Bible daily 3) faithfully attend church 4) give financially 5) build our families, churches, and friends.
10:51 AM Brother Michael Williams, Director for Apostolic Man, promoted Apostolic Man working in foreign countries to bless the church.
10:37 AM The Conference began voting for Ladies’ Ministries Director.
10:32 AM The Conference began voting for the General Secretary.
10:31 AM Brother Haney prayed just preceding the voting.
10:20 AM Brother Copple explained the rules for voting.
10:16 AM Brother Keyes read the voting requirements.
10:13 AM Brother Stephen Willeford read the Roster Report for voting which the Conference passed.
10:11 AM The Conference passed the reading of the General Secretary’s report.
9:58 AM Brother Jones read the General Secretary’s report.
9:57 AM The Conference accepted the General Superintendent’s report.
9:49 AM Brother Haney read the General Superintendent’s report.
9:47 AM Brother Randy Keyes, Assistant General Superintendent of the Western Zone, called for the General Superintendent’s report.
9:44 AM The Conference passed the Reading of the Minutes.
9:29 AM Brother Jerry Jones, the General Secretary, read the minutes of the 83rd annual General Conference held in Tampa, Florida.
9:29 AM The Conference passed the printed program as the Order of the Day.
9:27 AM After a time of “Meet and Greet”, Brother Haney called the Business Session to order by appointing Brother Ernest Breithaupt as Recording Secretary.
9:18 AM Brother Kenneth Haney led the ministers in prayer for the Business of the Conference as well as for personal needs in the lives of our ministers.
9:15 AM Brother Paul Mooney opened the Business Session, reading from Ephesians 4.
Posted by Randy P.
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News •
The Rev. Paul H. Welch was only 3 years old when his now deceased father, the Rev. D.L. Welch established the First Pentecostal Church in Pensacola. How time flies.
Now, nearly more than a half of century later, Paul Welch, 78, who serves as pastor emeritus, and other members of the congregation are poised to celebrate the church’s 75th anniversary.
The Rev. Jimmie Shoemake of San Jose, Calif., guest speaker, will deliver the sermon, and four of the church’s longtime members —— Welch; Bertha Garret, 92; Ruth Myers, 89, all of Pensacola; and Loretta Richbourg, 85, of Pace will be honored.
Posted by Randy P.
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News •
From Tyler Texas
A federal jury in Tyler convicted Derrick Van Hodges, 34, and his half-brother Paul Edward Thomas, 40, of 18 felony charges after about four hours of deliberations in U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider’s court. The verdict came Friday.
They had robbed 15 banks (only went to trial for five) and until they stole the United Pentecostal Church van they had never got caught. Their crime spree went on for two years…that is until they stole God’s property.
Police reports in the bank robbery that occurred on July 6, 2007 indicate two men armed with guns entered the Bank of America branch on Loop 287 in Lufkin. Witnesses say the robbers wore long sleeve shirts, long pants, hats, sunglasses and bandannas over their faces. They reportedly stole $50,000 from that location. They were seen fleeing the bank in a pickup truck.
Police investigators say the robbers were later spotted jumping out of the truck and into a church van with a United Pentecostal Church logo written on it. Police say both vehicles had been stolen, the pickup truck from Knight Motor Company and the church van from the church parking lot.
Posted by Randy P.
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News •
By Robert Patrick/ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
A woman was fired from her job at the Hollister clothing store in the St. Louis Galleria for refusing to wear short skirts, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.
The suit says that the Hollister clothing company refused to allow LaKettra Bennett to wear a skirt that covered her knee, in keeping with her Pentecostal religious beliefs.
Hollister’s “Look Policy” requires employees to wear skirts that fall above the knee, the suit says.
Bennett, now 23, worked for Hollister from June to September last year, said Melvin Kennedy, senior trial attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which filed the suit in federal court in St. Louis.
Representatives of Hollister could not be reached for comment. David Cupps, general counsel for the parent company, Abercrombie & Fitch, would not comment directly on the suit, but said the company “has a long-standing committment to fostering diversity and inclusiveness.”
Kennedy said Hollister’s policy did not spell out clothing length but required employees to “wear clothes that kind of look like the clothes they sell” and said Hollister at the time did not sell long-enough skirts.
Bennett now attends Indiana Bible College in Indianapolis, Kennedy said. She could not be reached for comment.
The suit asks for back pay and compensatory and punitive damages, and says Hollister and the EEOC were unable to work out a settlement. If successful, the suit would require Hollister to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs.
Federal law requires employers to make reasonable accommodations of workers’ sincerely held religious beliefs.
“Allowing a sales associate to wear a skirt that covers her knees will not injure Hollister’s business,” said EEOC regional attorney Barbara Seely in a prepared statement.
Posted by Randy P.
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News •
By Martyn Ballestero Sr.
This is just a line to let you know how things are since you’ve gone. It’s not the same without you, nor will it ever be. Although our lives seem shallow and empty when you’re not here, we’ve learned to make up for you in other ways. We’ve learned to live without you. We now run the aisles, leap for joy, jig to the music, sing catchy choruses, and tap our feet in time to the rhythm of the drums. We use sticks, banners, black lights and our sign teams do a tremendous job acting out recorded music. We’ve learned to worship without you. The prayer rooms are mostly silent now. Those that do go there, for the most part, come away dry-eyed. A lot of praying now is chanting and singsong style. That’s how we know we’re in the groove.
We pray memorized phrases that come automatically. We love what we call Prayer Walks. Most of us don’t even close our eyes anymore during prayer. We just walk and pray while we look around. We pray because it is required. No one prays till they break through anymore. We just pray till our ten minutes are up. Family altars are almost unheard of now. You can’t imagine how busy we are and how hectic our schedules have been. It’s unbelievable. We get up in the morning and never stop till we go to bed at night. We do try to make it to church most services and get some praying in there during the service, but prayer at home is kind of out of the question. That may be another reason you haven’t heard much from us. Oh sure, we still believe in prayer, as such. But not very many of us are anxious for you to come back. (You were always the polite type, you know, never forcing yourself on anyone. You never came uninvited. You only left because you were ignored.)
The sad truth is you’re not really needed anymore. You see, most of us have hospitalization insurance now. (It sure takes away that old desperate feeling we use to have.) So now, there’s no need to pray more than the few minutes it takes to drive to the Emergency Room. Also, we don’t have to ask for our daily bread like we used to. We now have better jobs with good benefits and government programs to fall back on. If we lose our jobs, there is always Unemployment or Welfare. If we retire or become disabled, Social Security now supplies our needs. So, you can see, we’re doing OK. Other things have filled the void in your absence. Sure we miss you. But we’re getting over it some how. Actually, we’re too busy to entertain you right now, even if you tried to come back. I hope you understand. We are having revivals now without you. It’s not hard. The pastor fasts and prays, along with a couple others. The evangelist preaches mostly just to sinners now. Most of us try to get to church in time for the first song or two. We justify the fact that the number of new converts is down.
Yes, there seems to be diminished conviction, less lasting victory, fewer miracles and many young people are backsliding. We agree, however, that it’s not us that are at fault here; it’s just the times we’re living in. It’s like this everywhere. As your friend, I’m writing this to you, knowing how much it must hurt you to have folks say they miss you… and yet in their material and intellectual progress, they’ve weaned themselves away from the haunting memory of you. What hurts, I know, is that we were children you personally raised. You were always there when we needed you. (But now… we don’t.) You taught us about faith.
You taught us about miracles. You taught us about a move of God. You taught us about revival. You taught us about how to touch God. Thank you for that, but you see, this is a new day and we are trying to go to the next level. Our services are structured differently now. Do you know… can you believe, that now when you are ever mentioned in church, everyone gets real quite? They all feel guilty I’m sure. It’s like they experience a momentary twinge of guilt while they consider their part in your disappearance. Once in awhile some even get misty eyed when we talk about the old times you shared with us. But all that feeling vanishes along with the pizza right after church. No, Intercessory Prayer, your coming back really wouldn’t work right now. We’re too blessed. We’re doing too well. We’re comfortable. In your day, you served your purpose, but the sentiment of most today is that we can manage OK without you now. We’ve got better clothes, cars, homes and prettier and bigger churches than ever.
By the way, do you remember all the folks of yesteryear coming into the sanctuary with red-rimmed eyes? Remember the baggy looking knees in men’s’ suits? Remember all night prayer meetings? Remember the depth that was in worship? Remember when sinners couldn’t sit in their pews any longer, and would run to the altar? Remember when you could feel unity and brotherly love? When folks helped bear one another’s burdens? When the saints didn’t watch the clock? When they could hardly wait to enjoy the after service atmosphere, praying around the altar until the wee hours of the morning? Boy, those were to good old days. We call that “Old School.”
Well, it’s pretty much all gone now. But you ought to see our new Hammond C-3, our new drum set with a cage and everything. Electric bass guitars are just awesome and the electric guitars too. We use Praise Singers to help cover up the fact that our congregations don’t sing like they should or used to. We let them do most of our worship for us. Our Choirs just do terrific on the new style songs. Old saints don’t like the new songs much, but the younger crowd seems to like them. Many music directors don’t even know some of your old favorite songs, so they don’t get played much anywhere.
You would be proud of our church buildings. Carpet on the floors, there are pews now instead of benches and they are padded too, besides. The arched beam are beautiful, we also have the loveliest of imported chandeliers. Our pastor has polish too. He doesn’t preach long. We are more concerned about sermon length now, than content. Our pastor spices up his sermons with cute sayings… but I guess that’s progress for you. “Win some, lose some.” Speaking of “lose some”, we’re losing a surprising percentage of our young people. An unbelievable number of marriages have gone on the rocks. Many lives have been in jeopardy. But that’s to be expected I guess. Teenagers seem to be at war with their parents and want to dress more and more like the kids at the public school. Our youth meetings may not have much in the way of prayer, but we have great icebreakers, skits and games. We have plenty of medicines nowadays to help our aches and pains. What more could we ask for? Sure we miss you, but I guess we really don’t NEED you right now. I hope you’re not offended. I don’t mean for you to be. You’ll always have a special place in my memory. You were very kind and generous to me. You sure got me out of some hard times. I can’t thank you enough! Still, this is a generation now that doesn’t know you at all. Your coming would probably scare them.
Remember the night when my mother sat at the piano bench and you joined her there? Remember how she wept and groaned in the Spirit and slumped to the floor during the revival service and how some tried to call the ambulance because they thought she was sick? They never knew you and her were talking. That’s what I mean. A good many never got to know you well. And most never knew you at all. Those that knew you personally have waited so long to talk to you that they are now, to say the least, embarrassed.
So while we are trying to work out our feelings about you, and see where you might fit into our plans in the future, you might try your luck someplace else. Try Brazil, Ethiopia, or how about the Philippines? You might have better luck in Third World Countries, or behind the iron Curtain. You might even luck out and find someone to talk to you in some little storefront on the other side of the tacks. Surely someone somewhere needs you.
We’re terribly sorry, Intercessory Prayer, we miss you, but we really don’t NEED you… right now!
Posted by Randy P.
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Stories •
