650 attend National Black Nazarene Conference

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Atlanta, Georgia

Prefaced by prayer and fasting, the 2012 National Black Nazarene Conference drew approximately 650 Nazarenes to Atlanta, Georgia, July 5-8.

The theme of the conference was "The Power of One," and according to Church of the Nazarene USA/Canada Black Ministries Director Elmer Gillett, God's power was felt by those in attendance.

"The atmosphere was charged with the presence of God as we worshiped and asked his omnipotence to intervene," Gillett said. "God honored our gathering because our primary purpose as staunch Nazarenes was seeking God’s intervention in our communities and to gain insight to do ministry with a God-ordained passion."

Speakers included General Superintendent Eugenio Duarte, Bronx Bethany Senior Pastor Sam Vassel, Nu Nazion Nazarene Ministries Pastor and Executive Director Butler By’not’e, Nashville Community Fellowship Co-pastor Barbara Allen, and Randolph Avenue/Slaughter's (Pulaski, Virginia) United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Sharon Bowers. Gillett said speakers challenged and reminded attendees to do the mission of the Church in a spirit of oneness through which the Kingdom of God is advanced.

"The Word of God was preached with fervor, resulting in a distinct awareness of God’s supernatural power," Gillett said. "The God who comes at the right time came upon our gathering to bring change. His coming is not always a time of jubilation, but also a time of introspection. We rejoice that dozens of our people made a decision to be messengers of hope with a new resolve."

The conference also featured choirs from the Caribbean Diaspora and African-American churches.

"We celebrated our cultural distinctiveness, and honed our ministry effectiveness with workshops to reach our communities within their cultural context," Gillett said. "We celebrate what God is doing in our churches, but we are fully aware that we must reap the harvest with a new urgency. We celebrate the work of the Church of the Nazarene as our conference is designed to encourage our churches to share our distinctive holiness message with the pulse of God."

USA/Canada Regional Director Bob Broadbooks and his wife, Carol, USA/Canada Hispanic Coordinator Roberto Hodgson, Church of the Nazarene Education Commissioner Dan Copp, district superintendents, and representatives from Nazarene Theological Seminary, Nazarene Bible College, Eastern Nazarene College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and Trevecca Nazarene University were also in attendance.
--Multicultural Ministries

 

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