Deciphering the Convention

We are about to wrap up the convention and sometimes the pace of the last days can play with your mind. On the surface, the speeches and greetings and comments about bylaws and points of order and reports and all, can make it hard to follow, ie. boring. At the same time, the pace is frantic. There is so much so take in, so much to talk about, so many friends to visit, so many new friends to make.

Its tough to know what has all happened in the end. My convention looked like this:

• Thursday - work with the Tech team to run the powerpoint and sound. Try to organize Jam session... fail at Jam session.
• Friday - continue all tech and sound work with teammate Pastor Sean. Co-lead Youth Ministry workshop with Pastor Tim Wray and Pastor Sean Bell. Play the cello for evening worship. Co-lead an epic Campfire with Pastors Tim, Sean, Jason Anderson and Kristian Wold.
• Saturday - continue with Tech work, adding musical intros to duties! Great Fun! And tech work for the Banquet is to come.
• Sunday - Back to St. John of Golden Spike to preach Bishop Ron's sermon for congregations on the Sunday of the convention.

The most important business that we have worked on this convention, in my humble opinion is:

• Conversations about Re-Structuring, which will hopefully become a platform to re-examine what we believe and confess the Church of Christ to be, and as the ELCIC to reform ourselves according to this belief and confession.
• The motion to grant $50,000 to Martin Luther House - Campus Ministry's student residence in Edmonton - for renovation of the basement to help the continuation of this ministry.
• Conversations about Water and its conservation in Alberta. The approval of a motion that asks our Bishop to speak on our behalf to the Government. These issues are important to our context and important for our future.
• Conversations about Youth Ministry. I think I have said enough about that.

Discovering what the results are of this convention is still ongoing, and in the days to come the impact of what we have done here will come to life. Nevertheless, we have worshipped and sang and prayed and remembered and cared and debated passionately and so much more. These are all good things, and I can say now, that this convention has been a good thing for us.

Thanks be to God!

Pastor Erik Parker