Tuesday Afternoon, Brazil, Offering, Kits, Retirement

Woodlawn Choir

Conference Members were revived with the music of the Woodlawn United Methodist Church under the direction of Gregory Wright when they returned from lunch on Tuesday. (Listen to the choir)

Brazil Celebration
The bishop introduced Bishop Joao Alves de Oliveira Filho from Brazil who is the president of the College of Bishops. Bishop Oliveira addressed the conference through interpretation by his son. "What can we do for thousands of kids facing starvation. The church will only be church when it comes out of itself,  when it donates itself because the church that saves is the church that heals and forms human beings' hearts. The church will only be church when it inflames the world with the word of salvation."

Bishop Filho and son.

The mission representative from the Brazilian Church explained the structure and social programs of the church from Brazil.

Woodlake's Power of One choir.

Denise Honeycutt and Ann Davis, members of the conference staff, explained to the gathering the three areas that this year's conference offering would be funding. This year’s offering goal is $250,000 — $100,000 designated for Brazil projects, $50,000 each designated for Mozambique, Russia, and the Virginia Projects of the Children’s Initiative. The "buckets were passed" as the children's choir, Power of One, from Woodlake United Methodist Church performed. Children with red wagons helped with the collection. As of Friday, July 7, the conference offering stood at over $269,000.

The Holy Rollers a group of clergy and lay people who pedal their way to conference to raise awareness and funds for the offering, also assisted in the collection. The Holy Rollers were able to donate over $13,000. They presented a Holy Rollers shirt to Bishop Kammerer with her name on it.

The Rev. Frank Jennings, the conference's "disaster pastor," presented the response to Hurricane Katrina. He said that no pictures or videos could really convey the devastation that occurred. A flood of response also came into the area with blood, sweat, and tears. The Virginia conference was part of that response. Many individuals have traveled there even if to tell someone they have friends who care. Jennings introduced people who have been crucial in assisting with relief efforts, including Bishop Kammerer, Terry Woods, Martha Stokes (conference staff), the Petersburg District who created a shower trailer. He also thanked the 153 people who took early response training. More events are scheduled. He thanked the district and conference disaster response people, and the more than 3,000 people who have actually traveled to the gulf. A video was shown of the destruction that occured. In the video, Martha Stokes introduced a Hurricane Katrina Church Appeal that will take place this year. It will help churches rebuild to be sustaining forces in their own communities. Special helps about the appeal will be available on this Web site later this summer.

Bob Sharp loads the last kit onto the truck.

The Rev. Denise Honeycutt segued from the work that has been done in the gulf to the conference kits that were donated this year. Honeycutt traveled to India and areas that had been hit by the tsunami. She told about seeing the children using their school kits. She assured that they are being used far away and next door. The kits were dedicated and totals given. An extra tractor-trailer had to be brought in to transport the generous donations. The Rev. Bob Sharp, coordinator of this year's collection, gave the numbers and thanked those who assisted in the massive collection.

The numbers this year are:
Health - 18,126
School - 19,564
Bedding - 1, 297
Flood - 1,120
Layettes - 1,220
Sewing - 32
Total kits donated: 41,359
Monetary Donations - $54,387

Ron Hardman guided the gathering through the Elections of Boards and Agencies. Kristen Hart brought a resolution to the floor to have the communications and ministry areas study the feasibility of having electronic voting at the  2011 conference.

Resolution 1 requesting that Resolutions be posted on the conference Web site failed as amended.

Retirement Service (Listen to Don Carlton's sermon)
The Rev. Donald Carlton, senior pastor of Centreville UMC, preached on "Great to Good." The Woodlawn Choir again provided the special music that accompanied the service. Don Rogers, executive director of Pensions and Related Benefits, stated that the 36 persons retiring this year represent 982.5 combined years of service. Each retiree was introduced to the conference as a brief statement from each was read.