May 21, 2008--District Council

We just got back from District Council. It was really interesting. We left Sunday after the evening service and spent the night with Erick's parents, and then went to council Monday and Tuesday, and came home this morning. We set up a tent at his parents' house but ended up only sleeping in it one night. The first night we slept on the floor because were too tired. The second night we ended up sleeping at a hotel, because our pastor from our old church had reserved two rooms (one for their assistant pastor and his wife) and they weren't able to make it at the last minute. Since they couldn't cancel the room, they let us use it. That was the first night Erick and I have ever stayed at a hotel together. We also went to Outback Steakhouse for the first time. It was pretty expensive, and since the church reimburses us for our meals when we go to a conference we decided to stick with fast food for the rest of the trip to make up for it.

The business meeting was really fascinating. I love a good debate. I didn't participate in it myself, but I enjoyed watching the others do it. I went as a delegate, so I got to vote. The biggest issue of the day was whether or not to separate the office of Secretary-Treasurer into two offices: Secretary, and Treasurer. There were some people who were in opposition, but it ended up passing.

The speaker was Alton Garrison, who is the Assistant General Superintendent in the Assemblies of God, and he was really good. They had various church groups, mostly from church plants, leading the worship.

I did want to share one funny story that happened. One of the groups was leading worship, and there were no words on the screen to the songs at first. I didn't know the songs, and it seemed that most of the others didn't know them either. After the first song, the leader was calling up the sound booth, asking where the words were. He said, "I know I gave them to you!" and proceeded to crack a few jokes about sound men and IT guys.

Halfway into the next song, the words suddenly came up on the screen. The leader called a quick "Thank you" up to the sound men in the middle of the song. We finished out the verse, and instead of the next verse appearing on the screen, it went dark. A few seconds later, up popped a verse: "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away; Blessed be the name of the name of the Lord." Everyone laughed. I guess the sound men must have decided to get him back for the jokes.

Yesterday we went to a CBC Alumni breakfast and a Missions breakfast. After the afternoon business session, though, I was tired, so Erick took me back to his parents' house. One of his sisters was having a birthday, so I went to her party and Erick went back to the last session.

It's been a really neat weekend.