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Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference
June 21-23, Philadelphia
The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference met in Philadelphia for its 220th session with the theme, “Living Connected as God’s People: Celebrating the Connection.”
The Africa University Choir sang for opening worship, beginning with “Ziyahamba” for the procession. In his sermon, Bishop Marcus Matthews affirmed the need to build the Kingdom of God, “to step out of our comfort zones in order to build our churches spiritually and numerically.” He added, “Our goal is not to finish first, but to hold onto the light and share the light until we cross over the finish line together.”
During the conference, 11 probationary members were commissioned. The conference also received an offering of $4,238 for scholarships for undergraduate students in Eastern Pennsylvania.
James Salley, associate vice-chancellor for Africa University, led two Bible studies. Accompanied by music and testimonies of the Africa University Choir, Salley said, “You have invested in Africa University. Here is proof positive that your investment is at work on the continent of Africa.”
Outgoing Lay Leader Lenora Thompson was honored for eight years of dedicated service, and the conference elected Mary White as new lay leader.
The conference received $82,496.66in an offering for the Katrina Church Recovery Appeal, and celebrated the United Methodist connectional response to the hurricane.
The 50th anniversary of full clergy rights for women was celebrated with worship and with preaching by the Rev. Melinda McKonly, who sang her own humorous blues song about being a woman in ministry.
The gifts and service of 14 retirees were recognized in a worship service, including the symbolic passing of the mantle to new ordinands.
The Honorable John Street, mayor of Philadelphia, greeted the conference. He expressed appreciation for the church’s work in promoting equal educational opportunities for all children. Street thanked Bishop Matthews for his leadership, and presented him with an engraved Liberty Bell.
The conference remembered 28 deceased clergy and clergy spouses in a memorial service, where Bishop Hope Morgan Ward preached. Quoting from the Book of Revelation, “The Lamb will wipe every tear from their eyes,” she shared a message of hope over life’s struggles and losses.
The conference celebrated its connectional ministries, including the presentation of awards
- Frances Sokso, member of Olivet United Methodist Church, and the Rev. Evelyn Kent Clark, pastor of New Life United Methodist Church in Upper Darby, Pa. received the Denman Evangelism Awards;
- LUMINA (Lancaster United Methodist Inner City Alliance) received the Kim Jefferson Award for effective urban ministry. It was accepted by the Rev. Sally Wisner Ott, executive director;
- The Rev. David Wesley Brown and Mertice M. Shane received Healing the Wounds of Racism Transformation Awards for promoting the “Beloved Community.”
The conference also affirmed support of its partnership with the annual conference in Nigeria in operating a mobile health clinic in Northern Nigeria. Camping ministries celebrated groundbreaking for a year-round overnight facility at Carson-Simpson Farm, one of four conference camps.
Three bishops participated in the service of ordination: Matthews, Ward, and Bishop Richard Franklin Norris of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Ward preached on the call to be servants of God, “who speaks the Word and worlds are created.” One person was ordained as deacon, five people were ordained as elders, and the orders of one deacon and one elder were recognized. The conference received an offering in the amount of $3,655 for Africa University.
In business, the conference:
- Approved a budget of $3.7 million for Eastern Pennsylvania ministries and almost $2.8 million for the General Church and World Service, totaling $6.5 million;
- Approved a new apportionment system in support of connectional ministries;
- Approved a total of 22 resolutions, of which 14 were voted to a consent calendar, including a resolution approving 31 Conference Advance Specials for second-mile giving; three resolutions designating new United Methodist Historic Sites: Tindley Temple United Methodist Church and the Charles A. Tindley Gravesite, Grove United Methodist Church, and Coventryville United Methodist Church; and two resolutions relating to lobbying disclosure and minimum wage increase presented by “A United Methodist Witness in Pennsylvania;” and
- Received a check in the amount of $11,946 from the Cokesbury Store, which will be contributed to the Central Conference Pension Fund in memory of the Rev. Robert Daugherty.
Membership stands at 125,902, down 2,594 from the previous year.
--Suzy Keenan
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