PAUMCS visitors get plenty of Richmond highlights during national gathering
Nearly 170 United Methodist church secretaries representing 31 annual conferences gathered at the Hilton Hotel at Short Pump in Richmond. Twenty-four members of the Virginia Chapter of Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS) hosted the 30th annual meeting of the national organization April 12-15.
The conference opened with a presentation from the Rev. Marc Brown and the Rev. John Briggs, along with their co-author, Kathy Merry, from their book Does Your Church Have a Prayer? In Mission Toward the Promised Land.
Bishop Charlene Kammerer and Richmond District Superintendent the Rev. Steve Jones led the conference in worship and Holy Communion. Participants had dinner at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
On Saturday morning the Rev. Al Horton, in character as circuit rider “Jacob,” told about the history of Methodism in Virginia, including stories of John Wesley’s visit to the Georgia colony and Francis Asbury’s preaching in Richmond. The Rev. Dr. Dan Garret presented a preview of General Conference 2012.
Saturday afternoon free time included a bus tour of historic Richmond including Monument Avenue, the State Capitol and St. John’s Church for a Patrick Henry “Liberty or Death” reenactment.
At a banquet that night, 30 members of the July 2011 PAUMCS Certification Institute in Nashville were honored. Closing worship and the installation of officers was held at Trinity UMC, where the Rev. Myrtle Francis Hatcher preached and Bev and Don Myers provided special music.
The event began with a pre-conference Stop Hunger Now meal packaging event where 60 PAUMCS members along with other family members, took part.
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PAUMCS members pack meals for Stop Hunger Now.
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