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Print The United Pentecostal Church International’s (UPCI) 80th annual General Conference ran from September 22-26, 2004 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Herewith are our observations, summations, and statements overhead, all compiled in one simple manifest. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this article, even if you didn’t realize it at the time you talked to us. Conference Facts &
Figures This was most apparent in the booths, which often suffered by their distance (about a block) from the Delta Center, the main venue for services. Probably, waning attendance is due to the proliferation of regional and district conferences (many offering the same speakers at less cost and closer travel) Apostolics now enjoy. While this no doubt makes for a healthier church body, it brings pangs of nostalgia for those good old days of seeing everyone you know at least once at General Conference. With Bible Quizzing now exiting the scene (see below) and few centrally located General Conferences in the near future (unless you see Columbus, OH as central), attendance will no doubt continue to flutter until the next major election. The Services ■ Bro. Anthony Mangun’s and Bro. Bruce Howell’s messages should be heard over the entire constituency. ■ Hooray for the live streaming and archiving of the services which makes it nice for those who cannot come to GC. ■ The lengthy offerings in the evening services felt…lengthy. (Think of this if we ever have someone on a television ministry. How would we like the world to see these offerings if we had our GC broadcast on television. Do we really want to be identified with these appeals for money?) Did the apostles make these lengthy appeals for money? The Bible speaks of those who came to them and gave. Looks like it was Spirit-led. ■ People getting more excited Saturday night about the offering taken up than about the one man who was baptized while the offering was going on. Granted, it was approximately $2.3 million pledged, but still… ■ Uniquely Apostolic music—may we never grow cold to its power. ■ One correspondent noted: The standard of dress seems to fall lower and lower for our young (and sometimes not-so-young) Apostolic women every year. The modest length skirt with the immodest length slit has now been replaced with the immodest length skirt with the even more immodest length slit. Also there seemed to be a lot of spiked-high heels where the heels went two or three inches. (Given the history of high-heeled shoes I wonder that our women wear them at all.) Form-fitted skirts and dresses were also popular, where little was left to the imagination. Is this how we portray our separation from the world? As one preacher’s son once mentioned, “If you’re a young man with active hormones, General Conference is the place to be.” I know the burden of dress falls on our ladies, but they can be so powerful in their presentation of separation from the world in how they look. To be fair, there were also a number of modestly dressed women present at the Conference. They should instruct the others. ■ Did any of the service speakers even acknowledge the Conference’s overall theme of “There Shall Be Light?” When someone brought this up, we wondered if that’s the usual, with speakers focusing on the individually themed service and letting the overall theme lay as an invisible banner over everything. (If that’s the case, then why have a Conference theme at all?)
Business Meetings ■ Many said that the discussion of television programming should have been separated from advertising in Resolution 5. Advertising probably would have passed if that had happened. ■ The conduct of both the ministers present and the leadership chairing the meeting were exemplary. The business sessions went very smoothly. The City & Surroundings ■ The weather was outstanding and there were many restaurants, and two malls, within walking distance of the hotels. Also, the Great Salt Lake was not too far away for those who wanted to see it. ■ The general politeness of everyone, both the Apostolics and the non-Apostolics of SLC was great to experience, as was seeing a great Apostolic presence on the streets of SLC. ■ Most hotels had no airport shuttle so you had to pay to get to and from the airport. Capitalism—isn’t it great! ■ This was not a good used bookstore city. In fact, quite unimpressive if you were seeking first editions or fiction. Oh well, Richmond, VA is only a year away and there’s always the Internet.
The Booths ■ The Foreign Missions display, as always, was well-done and special kudos to Bro. Mokhle Sedra of Egypt for so enthusiastically working his display area. ■ The PPH display area was well-done and they had plenty of staff to help the customers out. ■ One correspondent wondered: Why is it that most of the best books are written by non-Apostolic authors? Well, I guess we have to start someplace and the PPH has come a long way. The UPC’s Greatest
Generation Retires Also leaving national positions will be Bro. Marvin Curry, General Manager of Pentecostal Publishing House, and Bro. Jack Leaman, Director of Promotions for the Foreign Missions Division. Bro. Mervyn Miller, Director of Faith Promise Ministries, of the Foreign Missions Division, also recently departed. Harvestime No More? After the General Board presentation, Harvestime co-speaker C.M. Becton “walked up like the prince that he is” and asked the older ministers to listen. “We’ve had our day” was his message, stating that these changes were not personal, and that he would be fine if the broadcasts continued in whatever format without him. From our accounts, everyone was enthusiastic about the possibilities, but the measure was tabled until the March General Board meetings. Mormon Central Of course, there were reports of other Pentecostals behaving badly during the Q-&-A sessions with Mormon missionaries, but… Modest Wedding Attire
Mandatory An Embarrassment of
Riches Individually, William Burke was (senior) Quizzer of the Year, while Lauren Matthews was (intermediate) Quizzer of the Year, (from the first place team), while Megan Mosher was the (intermediate) highest individual scorer, (from the fourth place team). (Special ninetyandnine.com connection: this first place team was the last group of quizzers our own Shirley McDonald coached before exiting Bible quizzing for the exciting world of web zines and Ph.D. theses. So a special salute to everyone’s favorite “grandma coach.”) Toledo, OH, pastored by Bro. Mark Jordan, placed second for the second straight year. Also, ninetyandnine.com sometime-contributor Russ Faubert was announced as the new (senior) National Quizmaster. As the National Tournaments are now switching to August / Youth Congress, two quizmasters are needed to officiate. Rev. Nathan Reever will become the intermediate National Quizmaster (by his choice). And On a Personal
Note…
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