ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2010 “Lead, Connect & Resource” The Ministry of Making Disciples

DAY ONE—THURSDAY Bishop Bickerton preaches at the opening worship service.

DAY ONE—THURSDAY The Praise Band from Slippery Rock UMC helped lead music.

DAY ONE—THURSDAY Opening worship included Holy Communion

DAY ONE—THURSDAY Annual Conference is not always serious

DAY ONE—THURSDAY A former tradition returned this year— the strawberry and ice cream social

DAY ONE—THURSDAY

DAY TWO—FRIDAY A small portion of the 1800 lay and clergy members of annual conference

MISSION BARN Celebrating the Eastbrook Mission Barn’s new status as an official UMCOR facility Nearly 72,000 UMCOR kits (approximate value $100,102) were collected and delivered to the Mission Barn

DAY TWO—FRIDAY The highlight of Friday was the signing of our covenant with Zimbabwe Here the Conference Choir is singing “Jikelele”

DAY TWO—FRIDAY Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, Bishop Thomas Bickerton, the Rev. Gary Henderson

DAY TWO—FRIDAY The Conference Child Care Choir sang and stole the hearts of at least two bishops

DAY TWO—FRIDAY Bishop Tom prays for the children

DAY TWO—FRIDAY Bishop Nhiwatiwa was our guest preacher

DAY TWO—FRIDAY The Covenant is signed

DAY TWO—FRIDAY A year’s work of preparation is celebrated after the two bishops signed our covenant agreement—but, it’s really only the beginning.

DAY THREE—SATURDAY Bruce Griffith presented Bishop Bickerton with a plaque recognizing Western Pennsylvania for the highest increase in church participation in The Advance in 2009 in the Northeastern Jurisdiction.

DAY THREE—SATURDAY The Conference Youth Delegation reported on the activities of our annual conference youth ministries

DAY THREE—SATURDAY Since the youth delegation’s “gift” to the bishop was part of their fund-raising project for clean water in Africa… they made him pay for it!

DAY THREE—SATURDAY Part of every annual conference session is dealing with legislation

SOME OF THE LEGISLATION A call for action to end racially discriminatory sentencing Call to repeal PA’s gaming laws and to encourage abstaining from gambling A task force was created to propose a plan for realigning the districts and conference staff The 2011 Mission Share Budget is $9.57 million. (The 2010 budget is $9.95 million.)

DAY THREE—SATURDAY Bishop Nhiwatiwa also preached for ministry night

DAY THREE—SATURDAY Nancy K. Shute was one of 8 provisional elders commissioned during the ministry night service

DAY THREE—SATURDAY

DAY FOUR—SUNDAY Sunday at annual conference is the Service of Ordination and the Reading of Appointments This year’s preacher was Bishop Kurt Kusserow of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

DAY FOUR—SUNDAY

Here is the 2010 Ordination Class

DAY FOUR—SUNDAY

Bishop Kusserow is welcomed with a gift and applause

DAY FOUR—SUNDAY Eleven new elders were ordained

DAY FOUR—SUNDAY Stephanie Gottschalk, one of the new elders, receives the passing of the mantle

DAY FOUR—SUNDAY We who are many are one body.