Conference 2001
Held at Kalona, Iowa
August 9-12, 2001
The following information was taken from the September 2001 issue of Brotherhood Beacon, pages 8-11:
The Church - Expanding God's Kingdom in the Midst of Worldly Kingdoms
By Stan Girzzle and Lowell, Verna and Rachel Bender
Published in the September 2001 issue of The Brotherhood Beacon
The 91st Annual Conservative Mennonite Conference
It was that time of the year again. From Texas in the south to Canada in the north, and from Virginia in the east to California in the west, they all came, converging upon Kalona, Iowa, for the 91st annual conference of the Conservative Mennonite Conference. This year's focus centered on "The Church - Expanding God's Kingdom in the Midst of Worldly Kingdoms," and over the next three days, an estimated 1,500 individuals of all ages actively participated in various presentations, workshops, prayer, and singing.
While traveling through the gentle rolling prairies of the Midwest, seemingly countless fields of corn came into view and the smell of Iowa's large hog population gently wafted into innocent vehicles. In addition to being a farming community, Kalona is known as the "Quilt Capital of Iowa" and has the largest Amish community west of the Mississippi. Thursday, as many conference-goers entered this quaint town, they found themselves enjoying a myriad of activities. For some, it was a day filled with meetings. Others, namely women, had their own so-called "meetings" at local shops. And while the women shopped, many of their husbands entertained themselves in the first-ever CMC golf scramble.
Amidst the sweltering heat, people arrived for the Thursday evening "Ministers and Mission Supporters" meeting. Inside Iowa Mennonite School, the lobby buzzed with sounds of camaraderie as relatives and friends met or were reunited in what seemed to be the beginning of a grand reunion. Genuine friendship and fellowship was obvious as people moved into the gymnasium to join Paul and Grace Kurtz, who led the group in a time of praise and worship. The evening program was informative as several church planters related some of their experiences.
Friday morning dawned with bright sunshine, blue skies, and a refreshingly cooler breeze. Gone was the high humidity and the intense heat. A local person exclaimed, "Did you see how the Lord turned back the thermostat?" Fortunately, the Lord kept the "thermostat" at a pleasingly comfortable level for the remainder of Conference.
Continued:
» Ministers' Business Meeting
» Men's Meeting
» Women's Meeting
» Youth Sessions
» Conjoint Conference Sessions