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Midsouth Conference Reports Growth on All Fronts
RIO GRANDE, TX (April 17, 2002) - The 2002 Midsouth Conference annual meeting
April 12-13 was "more than all we ask or imagine," according to Supt. Garth
Bolinder, as delegates from nine churches celebrated unprecedented growth
during the past year.
The weekend event, which was held at three churches in the Rio Grande area,
included a mission meeting last Friday as each church had an opportunity to
share what God had done in each congregation. "It was very moving to hear
these testimonies," said Bolinder. "We chose as our theme 'More than all we
ask or imagine' from Ephesians 3:20. We
celebrated that reality last weekend."
According to Covenant statistics, worship attendance in the Midsouth
Conference increased 52 percent in 2001 and conference giving to the
denomination increased 43 percent. "And God has brought several gifted and
godly Covenant pastors to our conference as pastoral vacancies have been
filled," Bolinder said in reflecting on the year.
Last Thursday, the conference ministerium held its annual meeting at
Peoples Covenant Church in San Juan, Texas, with former Covenant President
Dr. Paul Larsen presenting the keynote address. He also spoke at Friday's
mission meeting at Iglesia Del Pacto La Trinidad in nearby McAllen. Carol
Lawson, director of staff ministries for the Department of the Ordered
Ministry, presented the new rules for ordered ministry to the ministerium.
Bruce Lawson, staff associate for the Department of Christian Formation,
presented a seminar on leadership development in the local church. Mark
Olson, representing North Park University, Rose Cornelius, representing
Covenant World Mission, and Jerry Reed,
representing North Park Theological Seminary, also attended the Midsouth
event.
For much of the day last Friday, delegates and other conference and
denominational representatives drove to Reynosa, Mexico, with Dale Lusk,
director of Merge Ministries, a Covenant short-term mission organization.
The group visited several Covenant churches, a camp and a children's home.
"This short trip set the mission tone for the weekend and created wonderful
community in the process," Bolinder said.
The Midsouth Conference has had much to celebrate during the past year.
Journey Covenant Church, pastored by Clark Mitchell in Norman, Oklahoma,
began six months ago and is currently averaging more than 1,000 in worship.
And a new Spanish-speaking fellowship group is being planted by Peoples
Covenant Church under pastor Noel Cisneros.
Established in 1985 as a region for the denomination, the Midsouth
Conference is finishing its first year as an official Covenant conference.
Bolinder estimates that the average worship attendance in the conference is
about 11,000. During the past seven years, five congregations have
blossomed in and around Oklahoma City and Norman and
10,000 worshiped at those churches on Easter weekend.
For more information on the Midsouth Conference, call the conference office
staff at 918-481-9097 or email Bolinder at gtbolinder@juno.com.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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