2015 Atlantic Northeast District Annual Conference
The Atlantic Northeast District 46th Annual District Conference was held on October 3, 2015, at Elizabethtown College. LCOB’s delegates that attended were Donna Lunger, Jamie Nace, Eric Ramirez, Alix Sable, Ellen Weaver, Calvin Wenger and Pastor Jeff Rill.
The Moderator this year was Robert Kettering, and the theme he chose for this year was “Come to the Water” using the scriptures of Isaiah 55:1-3a and John 4:5-15. Kettering quoted, “District Conference is an opportunity to worship together, pray together, seek God’s guidance together, network together, and grow together into the like-ness of Jesus, who invites each of our congregations to come to the water drink from the well that will never run dry.” Each congregation brought a container of water from their church and poured it into a small pool that was in front of the stage to created a fountain of all the congregations of ANE District.
Reports from agencies, retirement centers, colleges, committee’s commissions, and the District Executive, Craig H. Smith were given. The ANE District Youth Cabinet gave a presentation of their experience of when they were baptized, and then they sang a Christian song called “ Oceans.” Three of the Youth Cabinet represent our congregation, and they are Ava Bowser, Gabriella Rodriguez (not present) and Edison Rodriguez.
The delegates voted and approved the 2016 Slate. Our senior pastor, Jeffrey Rill, was voted in to serve on the Annual Conference Standing Committee as a representative of Atlantic Northeast District.
The worship service speaker was Tom Zuercher, Pastor of Ashland Dickey CoB, and he spoke on “Water Testing.”
The ANE District’s budget is in the red as a result of congregations struggling with their budgets. As of August 2015, the district is behind over $65,000. Statistics of the 79 congregations giving in the ANE District, 17 congregations have contributed nothing to the budget. 48 congregations have contributed less than the $55 Fair Share per member, and 14 congregations have contributed their $55 Fair Share or more.
Stats for the day, 71 congregations out of 79 of the ANE District were represented at the Conference. Attendance in the morning session was 270, afternoon session was 208, and at the worship service was 273. The offering collected was $2,672 and that was designated for “District Projects” outside of the budget. 203 delegates were registered, and 190 attended the Conference. As for the slate, 160 ballots were counted, and 159 accepted the 2016 Slate.
At the end of the conference, Pastor Pam Reist of Elizabethtown came to the microphone and asked to reopen the agenda, to talk about the Annual Conference resolution from about 5 years ago, that was about “Ending Gun Violence” because of all of the gun violence that is happening at this time. A ⅔ vote was needed to reopen the Agenda and it did not pass. Then moderator Kettering suggested the ANE District Board to address this topic and report in 2016.
On a last note, Craig Smith asked that the delegates keep the District in their prayers, for there are a very high number of congregations looking for pastoral leadership at this time, with many pastors retiring.
–Ellen Weaver