Native American Ministry Moment:
Rev. Jim Jones, Jr., a member of the Lumbee tribe and Chair of the Conference Committee on Native American Ministries, shared how important mission is to his community and gave examples of missions they have served beginning with home improvement and growing to sending mission teams to expand a Red Cross clinic into a hospital, constructing churches in Bolivia, providing safe drinking water to the Guaranei Village on the Amazon. These missions have built community and broadened the view of what it means to be “in church.”
Jones ended with a challenge to all churches to celebrate Native American Ministries Sunday, appoint a Native American Ministries representative to the church council, and have a Committee on Native American Ministries.
Duke Endowment Impact:
Bishop Ward recognized the Duke Endowment and many folks stood who had received benefit from the Endowment including funding, attending events, or Duke Divinity pastors or interns.
The clergy voted on their last delegate to General Conference but none were elected. The laity elected their first three delegates to Jurisdictional Conference, Jacob Beasley, Ellen Beasley, and Tom Walden.
Information about resolutions can be found here.