105th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
"Justice"
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The reports continue on Page 2
Thursday night Opening
Thursday night was the kick off to our 105th annual conference in Surrey BC at Green Timber church. We began with worship and praise for the one we serve.
Shelly Broad from Lighthouse Community Church in Sarnia discribed Thursday night this way. "Wow, a room full of people I’ve never met but I feel right at home. What a way to start the AGM!
To meet and see people from across the country who share a part of my larger church family is a bit overwhelming. 
We all come from different backgrounds and different churches but we all have the same vision of sharing God’s gospel wherever He has placed us.
Singing and worshipping together is a great honour but hearing how we are called as Christians into the arena of justice was eye opening. I thank God for His grace and may I continue to be open to sharing that grace with those who I may not have thought of before."
On Friday morning there were two meetings. One at Green Timbers and one down the street at Bear Creek park for the ministerium. Both were entusiatic meetings full of praise and encouragement.
Doug Stapleton from Ericson BC said of the pastors meeting
"Our Ministerium meeting this morning was much more than a doing of routine business. It is a punctuation in our week to week ministries to reflect on what it means to be in this community. As Supt. Jeff reflected on his recent sabbatical we were encouraged to engage the “power of less” – to learn the practices that allow us to connect with God more and the inbox less.
This meeting put us into new conversations that are vital to ministry, both within our own Covenant pastor community, and also voices from beyond: Yohanna Katanacho from Palestine, Wayne Metzger from World Vision, Dr Manno from Haiti.
Then we were sent out for an “Emmaus walk” in the morning sun. Groups of two or three circled the park. Talking as we walked about the Lord and His work. Jesus was in those groups as we walked."
Trudy McIntosh from Lighthouse in Sarnia said of the Women Ministries
"Real Life
Real women
Real Ministry
…was the theme of the message of the Women Ministries meeting this morning by guest speaker Trinity Abila, who is a Ministry Coach. These words also sum up the heart of what was shared throughout – starting with the business time where we were encouraged by the generous participation in WM projects over 2008. This was made obvious by the actual giving figure showing nearly double of the budgeted amount. Hearing reports, choosing new officers were all part of the order of the day. 
A highlight of the message for me was what Trinity dubbed “letter moments”. She handed out blank letters in envelopes which we addressed to ourselves and after each teaching session gave time to write our reflections in this letter which at some time over this coming year will be mailed to us. It seemed to me a very good way to avoid “information overload” and have opportunity to allow truth to sink in and thought given to application or just what god was saying to us personally. We also enjoyed her humorous skits illustrating her points. The morning concluded with a delicious lunch and prayer for our missionaries. Left us ready for another year encouraged and motivated."
On Friday afternoon there were seminars (all on different aspects of justice) and a good amount of time for connecting and networking with others from accross the country.
One of those seminars was lead by Dr. Yohanna Katanacho our speaker for the weekend. The title was "Owner of the Land" and Steve Waldschmidt from Strathmore summed it up this way. "Wow! What a compelling presentation, careful exegesis and biblical thought, on how Jesus is the centre of our hope and that he owns all the earth. 
The heart of God, revealed in Jesus and articulated in his sermon on the mount, is to be our passion. Not an intellectual puzzle about the end times and fulfillment of prophecy. God’s plan for the Jews is to love the Palestinians and same plan for the Palestinians – love the Jews. Yohanna inspired and challenged me. Now what? Speak out against dispensational theology? Write my MP? Befriend an Arab and a Jew in my neighborhood?"
Another one of the seminars was on social justice and Amy Wegner from Alberta who attended this worshop said
“Engaging churches to compassion and justice, how is this done? First, what are the possible reasons your church doesn’t get involved on a deeper level? Fear? Comfort? Lack of relationship or direction? Are we overwhelmed by the great need and our perceived lack of ability?
The history of the evangelical church is our evangelistic fervor, relevant in the 50’s when that generation was coming out of tough financial times. Today’s generation is pushing for a paradigm shift. Our affluence requires that we provide more than spiritual food.
Critical to the health of the church is to regain the lost discipline of sacrifice. Just as we all have an emptiness only God can fill, so we desire deep within to worship out of the character of God in which we were created – sacrificially. What is my sacrifice? What is yours? Empowering a group begins with each who trustingly step into a life-style change." What will your response be?
There was also a Multi Cultural experience lead by Keith Fullerton from Green Timbers in BC. He said of this time -
"About 18 people from the Annul conference visited the Seikh Geerdwara across the street from Green Timbers Covenant Church. We were given a tour of their facilities and told about Seikhism. We were also treated to delicious food. An equal number visited the Hindu temple on 140th St. We were told something of their religion. All in all we had a beautiful day for the trips."
The day was absolutely geat and many people enjoyed to breaks out side enjoying the sun and great weather.
The reports continue on Page 2
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