{"id":4108,"date":"2019-07-17T13:02:14","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/?p=4108"},"modified":"2019-07-15T22:02:31","modified_gmt":"2019-07-16T03:02:31","slug":"appalachian-conference-annual-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/2019\/07\/17\/appalachian-conference-annual-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Appalachian Conference Annual Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was my privilege to serve as the presiding officer for the 109th<\/sup> Conference Session of the Appalachian Conference on June 15, 2019.\u00a0 The conference was hosted at the Appalachian Conference Campgrounds in Dublin, Virginia.<\/p>\n

The Appalachian Conference continues to show excellent growth. Bishop Mathena\u2019s State of the Conference Report describes that.\u00a0 Excerpts follow:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a new rise of energy and momentum ever since last year\u2019s camp meeting where we had a wonderful move of God, and there continues to be a marvelous wave of God\u2019s fresh anointing. From that, we continue to get reports of healings, salvations, and various miracles. We are seeing in many places a fresh awakening to the dynamic power of God\u2019s Spirit.<\/p>\n

Our church membership is now at 25,415. We are the second largest conference in membership and the third largest in number of churches.\u00a0 We have approximately 160 churches.\u00a0 Salvations reported exceeded 4,000. Church tithe is up almost $82,000.\u00a0 Clergy tithes are up by $51,000. Operation accounts have $410,000; and total reserves, investments, and liquid assets exceed 2.5 million.\u00a0 With the completion of the most recent renovations, our grounds are valued in excess of 5 million.\u00a0 Provident Fund is over 1.1 million. As I stated earlier, it\u2019s your faithfulness in ministry and financial resources that continues to allow our conference to advance.<\/p>\n

Missions had a banner year in the quest to become the next million-dollar conference. Overall missions giving was $854,919.\u00a0 Our Global Outreach [GO] offering totaled $158,412. This was the largest GO offering in over a decade.<\/p>\n

Training is a vital part of our calendar.\u00a0 Each year about 60+ days are committed to training:\u00a0 Revitalization training-EVUSA, Fall district meetings, Discipleship training events, Maranatha College classes, Ministers\u2019 Summit, Camp meetings & classes, Women\u2019s Ministries, Men\u2019s Ministries, and Girl\u2019s Ministries, etc.<\/p>\n

While I am thankful for the good stats, wonderful stories, and a full calendar, we should always be focused on the future \u2013 on moving forward. There are five things we must do to continue to move forward:<\/p>\n

1. We must continue our church planting emphasis by establishing a ministry presence in 75% of the counties in our four-state region; partner with WMM to develop ministry in 50 new nations globally; and to be a leading part of the 50-church launch that is being planned next year.<\/p>\n

2. We must expand the developmental and educational programs for ministerial candidates. We must be on the cutting edge in training and equipping God-called leaders for the task for many years.<\/p>\n

3. We must, with great fervor, embrace our heritage of Pentecostalism. The growth factor of Pentecostal churches must be the true dynamic of God in our midst.<\/p>\n

4. Recognizing the need to strengthen our districts, we have appointed district directors to help us, serve each local church more effectively, communicate and promote better, and keep stronger connections locally and conference-wide.<\/p>\n

5. Creation of a program to recognize emerging leaders in your churches called from Pew to Pulpit. This initiative will recruit, mentor, and train young men and women in their 20\u2019s and 30\u2019s for ministry.\u00a0 Once selected for this three-year program, the participants will be raised up, licensed, and sent out.<\/p>\n

These commitments will cost you and me something.\u00a0 As a conference, we are pledging $100,000 over the next five years to implement these programs and to raise up 50 young pastors.<\/p>\n

Now would you pray with me as we pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers to our fields.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Great report and well received by those in attendance!<\/p>\n

Rev. Wanda Myers led the conference in memorializing and honoring the lives and ministry legacies of the following conference ministers in the Memoirs Report:<\/strong><\/p>\n