Amazing Week in Ontario!

The Ontario, California meetings ended today.  The Pacific Union Conference Constituency Meetings provided few surprises, but they did provide me an opportunity to watch the church structure work the way it’s supposed to work.  All the Pacific Union officers were voted back into office.  The only development out of the ordinary was the retirement by the Union Asian Pacific Coordinator, Elder Atiga.  This giant of small stature gave close to fifty years of service to the church.  He still has quite a sense of humor—amazing man.

The Constituency Meeting was followed by the Pacific Union Ministerial Meetings in the same location.  The seminars were stimulating.  The exhibits were interesting.  The networking was extraordinary.  Bumping into old friends in ministry who I had not seen since the last millennium was priceless.  But I must confess that what I will remember most are three of the best sermons I had heard in a long time. Elder Dan Jackson, President of the North American Division gave the opening night presentation.  It was a moving call to uplift the Cross of Jesus.  His conviction and passion was visible.  The next night Carlton Byrd, of the Breath of Life Telecast, preached a sermon entitled, “Do Something!”  I would rank it amongst the best five sermons I have heard in my life.  I wanted to stand up and start shouting and jumping down the aisle—of course my emotionally retarded self just smiled a lot and felt convicted in my heart.  Amazing message—enthralling delivery!  Finally, this morning, Pastor Chris Oberg, Senior Pastor of the La Sierra University Church preached on the parable of the “wheat and the tares,” with a very surprising and timely punch line that had many of the hearers shouting amen and breaking out in spontaneous applause.

I was blessed beyond measure, and even now, at the end of the day, I am compelled to acknowledge that God is good to me beyond measure.  I can’t wait to get back to TAA after the weekend is over.  A lot has been taking place in my absence.  I need to be there.  But I need to be here too!  I hope I have good news to share tomorrow regarding a principal for TAA.