Hugh, I want to express my appreciation for my inclusion in the chaplains conference at VA Beach and to give my impressions of the meeting and what it meant to me.
1st: The organization and content of the retreat was outstanding. With a time of introductions and fellowship at the onset of the event, it gave me an opportunity to get acquainted with some that I did not know and to reminisce with the majority of the group that I knew from the past.
2nd: The content of the meetings was inviting for the Holy Spirit to work in His own way to bring about a camaraderie among all who attended. First, in this vein, was the spirit that all the leaders exemplified, from you, as our director, the invited speakers, Chaplain Cecil Richardson, Dr. Vinson Synan,Chaplain Lou Shirey, and musicians and singers, who either rendered moving specials or those who led in these musical activities.
a. Chaplain Richardson's enthusiasm, knowledge and message delivery were truly unifying and inspirational in all of their aspects.
b. Dr. Vinson Synan's introduction to his latest book, by using the last chapter of it, certainly made me proud of his accomplishments and settled some questions for me of how his background in the P. H. Church related to the current wave of the Spirit in the general church of today. I am so glad that he has not compromised those principles that he embraced in his early years in the denomination, but has been open to the many ways that the Spirit moves in individual lives. I have devoured his book since I got home. He writes in a style which is both profound and also understandable by anyone at any level of education.
c. I particularly was moved by Lou Shirey's devotion and his demonstration of the yoke of Christ by using the physical yoke he brought with him for that purpose.
d. Also the message of greeting that the former Governor of Minnesota gave to us Wednesday morning was truly uplifting as he complimented the chaplains' group for their service to the nation. It was warming to hear his remarks when he had not expected to greet the group, but at the spur-of-the-moment invitation extended by Dr. Morgan, Bishop Russ, and Dr. Synan who introduced him, he spoke fluently and forcibly.
3rd: Our accommodations were excellent and the staff at The Founders Inn were outstanding, and I have already returned my reply to their questionnaire.
Thank you Hugh for the opportunity to attend and share these comments to the best retreat that I have attended! You have truly addressed every detail of the conference in a most thorough and quality manner in your overview of the retreat.
Posted on
Wed, June 29, 2011
by Hugh Morgan