Photo © John Weese
Good Morning Readers,
Photo © Bob Walker
It’s been a wonderful week here at Conference and it’s almost over. There is a two hour legislative session today followed by the closing worship service. You can tell that even yesterday people had begun trickling out of here. A few more seats were empty as the day went on. Today there will be a few more seats empty. But most – the true Conference fans are still here.
Photo © Bob Walker
Yesterday started with two hours, from eight to ten, in Quorums, Caucuses, and Meetings to consider the document bought by Steve last Sunday night. You may remember that when Steve brought the “Words of Counsel” to the church he said he wanted some time to “discern with the church” the meaning and impact of the words before deciding when they might be presented for inclusion in the book of Doctrine and Covenants. Most thought that might not be until next conference in 2010.
Photo © John Weese
From Sunday on through the week Steve has received words from people around the world, e-mails, conversations, and people sharing about the impact on them reading the words. The Children’s and Youth Caucus sent him a letter describing the feelings of hope that came to them as they read the words. Several young adults wrote Steve with similar feelings of hope and purpose for the church. Folks who had been using the forty day of preparation for conference talked about how the words and the vision of the counsel had impacted them. Steve spent many sleepless nights in prayer and received Divine confirmation that the time was right to ask the Conference to consider the “Letter of Counsel” for inclusion as Scripture.
In the afternoon business session the conference did go through our process of reading, discerning, and voting on the appropriateness of these words being included in the Doctrine and Covenants as Scripture. Most shared words of affirmation and confirmation. A few shared they felt it was too soon for inclusion as scripture. They felt Steve had given in to pressure even after Steve had shared his testimony. This counsel is now Section 163.
Photo © Jim Doty Jr.
I hope you’ve had time to read the “Words of Counsel” for yourself (you can read it here), and I hope that in your families and circle of friends and your congregations there is much discussion about the implication of the words Steve shared with the church. It has been called powerful in it’s vision. It was called by several yesterday dangerous, because if we will actually flesh out this scripture it has the potential to radically change the communities in which we work and play and study and live. May God bless you as you read the words.
Photo © John Weese
After the business session the World Plaza at the Temple became an International Bazaar and market. There were food booths of all sorts. One of this reporter’s favorites was the funnel cake booth. I’ve only seen them here in this area although they may have them at Six Flags or places like that.
Photo © John Weese
They are dough squirted out of a funnel shaped container directly into hot cooking oil. The dough is drizzled, criss-crossed into a circle about the size of a paper plate that looks sort of like lace. After it is cooked, it is sprinkled with powdered sugar, or cinnamon, and topped with cherry or apple pie filling. Quite a treat!
Photo © John Weese
There were also cultural souvenirs from many of the nations and countries around the world for sale at the Bazaar. Folks were shopping and sharing stories with other church folks who brought them.
Photo © John Weese
Colorful woven cloth items, beautiful hand carved wooden items, painted, stained, pottery items were on display all around the entrance areas of the Temple complex.
Photo © Bob Walker
Last night was the Hymn Fest. It was much different that any this reporter had attended. It actually started outside of the Auditorium where large drums from the Orient were set up. The drumming was powerful and loud and called the church to come together in Worship. (Pictures can be found at Jim Doty's album site or at the conference photo gallery at the Community of Christ website.) Moving inside the Auditorium, we were greeted with colors, and sounds from the choir, the organ, piano, and smaller drums, from possibly Africa .
Photo © John Weese
We started out with campfire songs familiar to any who have ever attended a church youth camp or reunion; spirited singing and clapping. We then moved through a worship program of readings and hymns in various languages. Sometimes we all sang one language, English, Spanish, or French. Other times we each sang the same song in the language of our choice. The music hung from the high, arched, ceiling of the Auditorium. It was a spirited and vibrant worship and this reporter will float on the wings of it for some time.
Photo © Bob Walker
Well, it has been awesome sharing with you this week. As I said there’s about two hours of business left and then the closing worship service. But one of the images in the new Section 163 of the Doctrine and Covenants comes to mind. There are additional sacred ministries that will spring forth from the Temple as rivers of living water to help people soothe and heal the pain and brokenness in their lives. I think of a spring of water, high in the mountains, bubbling clear refreshing water out of the ground and spreading in all directions bringing life giving nourishment to the land around it. I see the Temple as the center of that life giving spring, and the cars and people leaving Independence today and the next few days as streams flowing out away from the spring, some not going far, some going around the world all with the potential to be the Living Water of Jesus to parched communities of work and play. Can we – will we become all that our name implies, “Community of Christ”?
Photo © Bob Walker
Thank you for letting me share with you Conference according to Bob. I know there are other interpretations and insights and I hope you get a chance to hear them from the folks in your area who attended. May God bless our efforts to listen and discern how we can truly become a sacred community of healing, safety, peace, affirmation, welcome, encouragement, hope and peace for a world so very much in need. Share Christ, Share Peace!
Photo © Jim Doty Jr.
This is your roving reporter saying, that’s a wrap!
Seventy Bob
Photo © Jim Doty Jr.
These conference reports are also online here (scroll down to March 2007).
