After the session was started, one of our new East Ohio friends Rev. Chip Freed did a very stirring Bible Study on the theme of the conference “The Lord is My Shepherd”, Psalm 23:1-6. He had the members very energized. Afterwards the Conference Secretary read several pieces of correspondence giving greetings to the Bishop and the Conference. One was from Illinois Great Rivers Conference who had been unable to send a delegation due to conflicts at home. They have had teams coming at different times already this year but not over Conference. A few students attending Africa University in Zimbabwe sent a letter of appreciation. One letter was from our friend Rev. Albert Barchue who had just visited us in January and is attending seminary in New Jersey.
Many were very concerned about the nomination and election process for getting a Bishop candidate. The rules were read again in English. Then there was complaint because some members of Annual Conference understood their tribal language better. So four persons were called up. They represented Bassa, Gio, Manio, and Kpelleh languages. The Rules person started again in English a sentence or two each time and the four translators went right down the line and translated.
The order of the day was the Hour That Inspires and Challenges. Bishop Yambasu asked Rev. Freed to say the benediction and then adjourned the session. Bishop Hopkins came up and spoke first about the election and the need for remembering that the election was about the Church not individuals. He continued with many references saying that this Conference was on Holy Ground. We don’t always know it is Holy until we look back. Rev. Scott Walsh sang the song “Holy Ground” a capella. Bishop Hopkins continued discussing Romans 5: 12 – 17. He also talked about the beginning of Operation Classroom in Indiana in 1985. The group has worked with churches connecting to the spiritual side of life, classrooms for mental aspect of education, and clinics for the physical aspect of health.
We were taken back to the guest house for lunch at 1 pm. I used Tom Robinson’s phone to call Mother’s nurse. It was 8 am there. Nikki was on duty. She explained again how Mother was doing and said the doctor would be checking her on Friday to see how things were progressing. The pneumonia seems to be less but she is on oxygen to make her more comfortable. I will probably wait until they call Nelson again.
Duane visited with some sellers of wooden carvings who had come in the guest house compound. They really weren’t supposed to be there. There were several outside. It was an interesting time.