Midweek Moment

This past week was a very important week in the life of the Florida Annual Conference. This past week Jurisdictional Conference was held at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. Delegates from all of the Conferences represented in the Southeast Jurisdiction convened to take care of a few business matters, but more importantly, they convened to elect five new bishops.

In our system, you are only allowed to serve in any one Conference for two quadrenniums, two four year terms. Our bishop, Rev. Timothy Whitaker, retired this year, after serving the Florida Conference faithfully for the last ten years. We have been so blessed to have this man lead us through some very difficult and transitional times. Bishop Whitaker came into this Conference mid term, as our previous bishop had passed away. He was allowed to finish that bishop's term and then serve two of his own. Bishop Whitaker is a very gracious man of incredible vision, with tremendous leadership qualities, and a vast intellect. He is one of the most well read and learned men I have ever had the chance to work with or meet. Bishop Whitaker had two choices at the end of his quadrennium; he could make himself available to serve another conference, or he could retire. He chose to retire. While I am sorry to see this relationship come to an end, I am so excited for him to be able to relax and enter into this next chapter of his life with his wife Melba.

Therefore, we needed a new bishop, a new person to lead the Florida Annual Conference. After several days of debate, voting, and discernment, five new people were elected as bishops, to take the places of the five that retired. Once they were elected, they were appointed, and our new bishop is the Rev. Dr. Ken Carter. Bishop-Elect Carter was nominated by the Western North Carolina (WNC) Conference, where he has been serving as superintendent of the seven-county, 69-church; Waynesvllle district. His wife, Pam, is a missions specialist with the WNC Conference and mission interpreter with Encounter with Christ in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Based on information from an article posted on the Florida Conference website, he is the author of eight books, including reflections on the power of prayer, stewardship, spiritual gifts and the Wesleyan means of grace. He is a graduate of Columbus College in his hometown of Columbus, Ga., as well as of Duke Divinity School, the University of Virginia and he received his Doctorate of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from the United Methodist University of Liberia, where he serves on the board of trustees.

If you would like to know about Bishop-Elect Carter, you can visit his website at http://revkencarter.org.

Bishop-Elect Carter is expected to join us on September 1st. So I ask you, to join me in prayer for Bishop-Elect Carter that as the years pass, and as we grow together, the Kingdom of God would be expanded and God's love would be realized by all we encounter.

Have a great week!