Hugh's News & Commentary

It was It was my extreme pleasure to preside over the 100th session of the North Carolina Conference during their Quadrennial Conference session Friday and Saturday, August 6-7, 2010.

The conference convened on Friday at 9 a. m. at the Culbreth Memorial Tabernacle and recorded 401 registered delegates with a total attendance of about 500. There was a crisp air of expectancy as the conference began. I opened with a short devotional from Acts 15 regarding the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas and how the early church had the same problems with human personality differences that we still have today. Yet they maintained the unity of the Spirit through it all just as we must do even in business settings like the conference where differences are often aired out. It was well-received and followed by prayer.

The Friday morning session was taken up with reports from Bishop Whitfield, the Conference Executive Council, and the Ministry Directors. After lunch, the Resolutions Committee Report was read and the electoral process began. The process continued throughout the remainder of the conference and resulted in the following being voted into office:

Jimmy Whitfield – Bishop by acclamation

Danny Nelson – Assistant Superintendent by acclamation

Danny Nelson – World Missions & Evangelism portfolio by acclamation

Oris Hubbard – Secretary/Treasurer

Jon OIiver -- Director of Discipleship Ministries by acclamation

Louis Avila -- Hispanic Representative by acclamation

Board Members – Paul Brafford – re-elected

Dwight Dunning – elected for the first time to the Executive Council

Doug Bartlett -- elected for the first time to the Executive Council

Paul Evans -- elected for the first time to the Executive Council

Linda Thomas – Re-elected as lay representative

Prior to the reading of the Examining Committee Report, Bishop Whitfield had all of those receiving a Minister’s License and /or Ordination, as well as those who had transferred into the conference over the last 12 months, to assemble in the choir. Approximately 45 ministers accompanied by their spouses were present to respond. It was an impressive sight of diversity and growth as Caucasians, Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asians gathered side by side to celebrate their credentials in the N.C. Conference. The Mother Conference of the IPHC has become an “iconic” example of racial diversity. The conference witnessed 24 people receiving a Minister’s License and 8 ordained.

Guests included former Presiding Bishop James Leggett representing Holmes College of the Bible; Mr. Joey Leggett representing Falcon Children’s Home; Rev. Marvin Whitfield representing Alternative To Abortion; Mr. Bill Cox speaking on behalf of Martus Solutions, Rev. Reggie Till representing the IPH Foundation; and Bishop Chris Thompson speaking on behalf of the upcoming Celebrate The Merger Centennial.

Two interesting sidebars:

1. This was the 100th business session of the N.C. Conference

2. This was the first occasion of an IPHC non-Hispanic conference translating all of its conference business session reports from English to Spanish. That massive effort was accomplished by Rev. Louis Avila and a team of translators that he assembled for the purpose.

Without a doubt, the power of the Holy Ghost that was unleashed in and around Falcon, N.C. over 100 years ago is alive and well in Falcon today. Amazing things are happening in our maternal conference as God “quickens the womb of Sarah” so that she who is old can birth new children and fresh life in her old age! That is exactly what is taking place in the N.C. Conference!

The Conference will begin its Camp-meeting on Sunday night with Bishop Doug Beacham, Bishop Chris Thompson, Pastor Demetrius Miles, and Dr. Terry Trammel ministering. Join me in prayer for a powerful week as our brothers and sisters in the N.C. Conference gather to celebrate Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever”