“Where two or more are gathered …” summarizes this past summer. Wesleyans gathered at 22 district conferences throughout North America, one Global Partners summit in Greece, one national conference in Canada and one General Conference in the Caribbean. Additionally, Wesleyans gathered in local churches and ministry settings, community squares, camps and college campuses drawn to worship, outreach, local and global missions, baptisms, study, prayer and discipleship. We have much to celebrate because of the Holy Spirit’s empowering of you!
Revs. Mike and Kiley Skor
Rev. Tim Jones
Two district superintendent (DS) transitions occurred: Reverend Mike Skor was elected DS of Pacific Southwest following Reverend Dr. Phil Stevenson and Reverend Tim Jones was elected DS of North Carolina East following Reverend Jonathan Lewis. The leadership batons were smoothly passed, and the new district superintendents immediately engaged in and with their districts.
Two district superintendents received extended calls with strong affirmation: Reverend Chris Conrad in Great Lakes and Reverend Tim Fox in South Coastal. A third superintendent, National Superintendent Steve Elliott, also received an extended call with strong affirmation.
District Superintendent and Higher Education Map PDF
Eighty-seven men and women were ordained: 58 men and 29 women. This is always a holy moment for our Wesleyan family, when we gather around to bless, encourage and declare our support of these women and men responding to God’s call. Please pray for them, the newest members of our credentialed clergy.
Consistent in every gathering was the focus on our dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s power and our passion to see lives transformed. Story after story was shared testifying to how God is moving. And, my friends, God is moving powerfully.
To honor and expand what is already a guiding influence in our outreach, an invitation was extended at every district conference for churches, ministries and individuals to participate in 50 days of prayer, seeking to receive an infilling of the Holy Spirit’s power and work toward fulfilling Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8. Acts 1:8 is our heart and fuels our movement to see lives, churches and communities transformed. May God find us faithful to fulfill Jesus’ command to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” A prayer guide and other resources are available at wes.life/a18-prayer-guide. I encourage you to visit the site and learn more about what is available to you there.
A lot of synergy is surrounding preparations for FOLLOW 2023, our quadrennial youth convention. This singular event has been a catalyst for young lives to be transformed. Many of our Wesleyan leaders today responded to a ministry call received at FOLLOW. Please pray for this event and encourage your youth to attend. For more information, visit followconference.org.
Finally, our Wesleyan institutions, so vital in helping fulfill our mission, were featured at district conferences. For those of you who were unable to attend your district’s conference or simply want to rewatch these inspiring videos, I invite you to view the following:
May God continue to fill us with the Holy Spirit so we CAN be his witnesses in every location to which we are called. God bless you.
Dr. Wayne Schmidt is General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of North America.
