By Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner
I had the distinct honor of serving as the presiding officer for the Pacific Western Network Ministries Annual Conference [PacWest] Session on May 20, 2017. What a special privilege to serve Bishop Stan and Kathy Reynolds and be with our family members in PacWest.
The Conference was hosted at the beautiful Fremont Marriott hotel in Fremont, California. Fremont is home to the Tesla automobile manufacturing plant in addition to other Fortune 500 companies. A little over 200 delegates and special guests attended the two-day event.
Preceding the Saturday Conference Session, the Conference hosted a day of training on Friday, May 19. Dr. Hans Finzel author of the award-winning and bestselling book, The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make, taught three sessions. Hans’s focus was “All Things Leadership.”
During the Friday evening service, the Conference was challenged by the inspiring testimonies of Maryham Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh. Held captive in Iran, Maryam and Marziyeh recounted how God used their 259 days in Evin Prison to bring about a miraculous reversal by “shining light into one of the world’s darkest places, giving hope to those who had lost everything, and showing love to those in despair.” If you have never heard their testimony or read their book I encourage you to visit their website at www.captiveiniran.com.
Clergy Credentials Were Issued as Follows:
Ordination [1]
- Rev. Martin Manning
Minister’s License [2]
- Rev. Alejandro Ibarra
- Rev. Frank Cabrera, Jr.
Local Church Minister’s Certificate (4)
- Rev. Jacqueline Guerra
- Rev. Jacqueline Bustillos
- Rev. Salvador Peral
- Rev. Jonathan Jackson
It was an honor as the presiding officer to recognize the following Conference attendees:
- Conference Superintendent and his wife, Bishop Stan and Kathy Reynolds. Bishop Reynolds currently serves as a member of the IPHC Council of Bishops, vice chairman of the Advantage College Board of Regents, and General WMMD Council member
- Roger and Lennie Halvorson, former conference superintendent & Council of Bishops member
- Bill Terry, former conference superintendent, former General Board of Administration member, acting president & chairman of Advantage College & the Advantage College Board of Regents, and director of Men’s Ministries, DMD/IPHC
- Susan Bagley, General EVUSA Division Council member & member of the 28th General Conference Bylaws Committee
- Anthony Holmes, General DMD Council member
- Edgar Banaga, influential in helping the IPHC birth and develop our ministry to Filipinos in the U.S.
- Marty Delmon, IPHC Career Missionary to France
Bishop Reynolds’ State of the Conference Report was exhaustive and articulated his vision for PacWest with passion.
I admire and commend Bishop Reynolds’ emphasis and commitment to planting churches. PacWest has also developed a culture of honor. Bishop Reynolds modeled this as he honored seven church planters, the Conference Executive Council, and conference ministry directors/leaders publicly.
Several videos were used to highlight different conference ministries. Susan Bagley produced one in support of Mission: M25 Ministries that was hilarious and allowed us all to see a totally different side to “saintly” Susan. General M25 Director Gary Burd would be smart to use Susan’s creation for his denominational promotion of Mission: M25.
This was my second presiding assignment this year in which I have witnessed something in both Conference Sessions [Pacwest and Northwest Latin] that I have never witnessed before; and that is that the Conference took the time to honor Bishop Reynolds and his wife Kathy with a special time of recognition and presentation.
May every benefit and gift that comes from God, be graced on Bishop Stan and Kathy Reynolds. The Reynolds are choice servants and the Pacific Western Network Ministries Conference has tremendous growth potential for the kingdom’s sake!
It is always a privilege to serve this part of our family. They are welcoming, loving, and affirming. I have never left PacWest without feeling refreshed in my spirit!
