Leadership Convocation Update

Friday, October 18, 2024

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Last evening, about 135 community members from 20 People of Praise locations gathered at our Servant Branch facility in Eagan, Minnesota. They came from Allendale, Appleton, Buffalo, Colorado Springs, Corvallis, Evansville, Indianapolis, Indianapolis South Side, Kingston, Muncie, New Orleans, northern Virginia, Oahu, Rockford, Saskatoon, Servant Branch, Shreveport, South Bend, Tampa and Vancouver-Portland. Also attending are members from the board of governors, the Branch Relations Council, program coordinators leading the program offices for Action, Christian Life Movements, Communications and Mission, and the convocation steering team.

Mary Brickweg created this welcome sign

to greet us as we entered the building.

They will spend the majority of the three-day convocation in small groups discussing these topics: issues and challenges facing the community, sections from the Spirit and Purpose and the entirety of the Principles of Structure and Government and Policies and Procedures documents. The small discussion groups will share their reflections with all the attendees and with the board of governors as input for consideration and discernment regarding future actions for the good of the community.

Overall coordinator said in his opening remarks:

"Being in person provides a significant advantage for patient mutual communication, discussion, one-to-one conversations, mutual listening, mutual hearing, and respectful discourse, no? Let’s pray that at the end of these three days we will concur that

it was important for us to see each other physically, greet each other physically, make eye contact, listen to each other attentively, and converse with each other as we strain to hear

the Lord in so doing. Lord, grant us this grace!"

Friday night the sisters and brothers joined in praise of our Father and stormed

the heavens that the convocation would bear fruit in the life of our community.

Sessions Friday and Saturday will run from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Sunday session begins at 11:00 a.m. and concludes at 8:30 p.m.

Please continue to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance and wisdom during these next three days and in the days that will follow.

Photos by Andy Bowar and Jim Mysliwiec.