The Restored Church of God’s field ministry serves congregations around the world.
Each summer, they travel to the Church’s World Headquarters in Wadsworth, Ohio, USA,
to participate in the Ministerial Conference.
This crucial week-long event provides pastoral training, news about the Work, and opportunities
to bond together.
This year, the Conference took place from June 8th to June 15th.
Louis Grey: Fellowshipping just in that sense with other
ministers is certainly one of the, one of my favorites.
And also, exploring the campus.
You know, the campus has in the last few years developed into much more than just the campus.
You almost get a sense of, it's becoming like the garden of Eden.
Brian Kaidannek: Well the Ministerial Conference has, well,
there's tremendous benefits in many ways.
Obviously, all the golden nuggets that we get from Mr. Pack.
And secondly, the brotherhood that you feel with the rest of the ministry.
Salasi Jezhi: It was just a wonderful thing to be able to
come into a room filled with leaders and to get to have that exchange from people all
over the world, and see the great things that God was doing across the whole world with
His leaders.
So that experience in itself put me on a track that made me want to serve much more in God’s
Work.
Church Administration spent many hours planning this event.
The landscaping department and local volunteers worked hard to prepare the Campus grounds.
Registration was the perfect opportunity for attendees to greet one another.
Ken Orel: I think for once a year, you have a really
good opportunity to gather everyone in one place for focused learning and lab, different
workshops and so forth.
It's just a great opportunity to do it.
Brian Jackson: It can sometimes be a little lonely out there
in the pastorate, but others that are going through the same thing and sharing those ideas
and what certain things are working in their pastorates, and just iron sharpening iron.
Brian Kaidannek: You meet with men all over the world, and
you discuss your challenges and their challenges, and there you go, they’re all the same,
no matter where they come from.
Raymond Garb: Becoming more effective fishers of men and
also more effective shepherds.
So it's those two aspects and they're both so very different.
The first day of lectures, which featured Pastor General David C. Pack’s Keynote and
State of the Work, was foundational for the rest of the time that followed.
Much effort and teamwork were required for this large event to run smoothly.
Staff and volunteers performed duties that included setup—ushering—meal prep—sound—photography—videography—and
video switching.
Each day’s events were streamed over the Internet to remote attendees who could not
be present.
Helpful lectures were delivered by a variety of leaders.
Brian Jackson: Everything that comes off the Keynote Address,
all the way through the elements from the Work, being able to expand upon that and taking
it back to the pastorate has been golden.
Al Vigneault: Iron sharpens iron, and we all learn from
each other, we all draw from each other, and we bring that back to our pastorates, and
we share that with, those skills and what God is doing through us, through His Spirit.
Salasi Jezhi: Just the minds that you have to share knowledge
with, what they impart to you from what they have learned in their pastorates.
And the things that you get to take away from the leadership at Headquarters to take back
home.
Just that interaction in itself is amazing because that’s really what grows you.
Louis Grey: More so to take back the inspiration, and
to try to capture the inspiration and to capture all the motivational tools that we are given
here at the Conference, to take that back to our pastorate and to share that with the
brethren, and to inspire them.
Hands-on speaking workshops offered valuable training.
Women appreciated a series of presentations that focused on their role as half of their
husband’s ministry.
A walking tour of the Campus gave everyone the chance to observe the surrounding beauty.
One of the Conference’s richest benefits is the many opportunities for attendees to
fellowship together.
The Sabbaths preceding and following the Conference were very memorable.
Visiting ministers presented pastorate reports and sermons.
Musical performances were also enjoyed.
Raymond Garb: Just the whole Conference is just fantastic,
it’s a great opportunity to be updated on how the Work is progressing.
Jaco Viljoen: It's almost like a mini Feast for us.
The meals that we share, the fellowship that we share, getting to have time with other
ministers that you do not in the field when you are isolated in that area.
Ken Orel: Probably one of my favorite activities is
something that's away from the actual day’s activities and that's spending time with the
ministers after hours and getting together and just talking and sharing stories.
Al Vigneault: We learn the tools, we learn to sharpen our
skills, to better serve the flock, to better serve the people.
And in that way we serve God because God wants all to be in His kingdom.
The Ministerial Conference is a highly edifying occasion.
It gives pastors and wives priceless knowledge, replenishing their “toolboxes” for the
year ahead.
The many facets of this week directly contribute to them being able to better care for members
and prospective members in their pastorates.
And this promotes unity, brotherly love, and harmony in the Church's local congregations.
To learn more about the congregations of The
Restored Church of God, contact us online.