Annual Conference 2008                                 

Sermons:  Bishop Lyght (Service of Worship & Ordination)

                  Walter Kimbrough (Opening Worship)  (Commissioning Service)

Bible Study message:  Marjorie Kimbrough

Sharing the Spirit - Business and worship were woven together with songs of joy and faith led by Jorge Lockward and singes and instrumentalists from inside and outside the Conference.  Spontaneous responses were common throughout the Session.

Bishop Lyght invited all to come to the table during the communion service.

(Above left) Conference music leader, Jorge Lockward of the General Board of Global Ministries leads the band and singers during a worship experience.  (Above right) Bishop Lyght and Rev. Bill Dawson accompany others from throughout the Conference to pray over the 4,321 names of persons not yet reached by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

(Above left) The Rev. J.F. Lacaria, Conference Connectional Ministries staff, presents A Church for All God's Children certificate to members of Wayside UMC, Vienna, and the church's pastor, the Rev. Mike Richards, far right.  (Above right)  Rev. Cliff Schell is recognized during the retirement celebration.

(Above left) The Rev. Linda Glass delivers the sermon on Thursday evening during the Memorial Service.  At right, Rev. David Erenrich provides the children's sermon during opening worship.

(Above left) The Rev. Dr. David Peters, outgoing president of the United Methodist Foundation introduces Kim Matthews as the new associate director following Jeff Taylor who succeeds Dr. Peters as president.  (Above right) Alma Page of Cross Lanes UMC received the lay Denman Award for coordinating welcoming ministries at her church.

(Above left) Eleanor Lyght is greeted by the Conference body and presented a nice bouquet of roses by Midland South District Superintendent, Chuck Pullins, while David Jasper, Mon Valley Superintendent and Dean of the Cabinet, looks on.  Pictured at right is the Rev. Bobby McClintic from East Greenbrier Charge who was presented the clergy Denman Award.

Bishop Lyght and Eleanor present Rev. Richard Gibson of Monterey, Va. and Martha Jane Ware of Charleston with canes for most senior retirees at the retirement luncheon at Annual Conference.

The altar was beautifully decorated as a free flowing water fall for the Memorial Service.

Above, Tom Burger is presented a certificate of recognition for 28 years served as the Conference Communications Director by Rev. J.F. Lacaria.  Tom will retire at the end of June.  At Tom's right is wife, Bettijane.

Teresa

Teresa Yeon Choi is shown in left photo and at right with Dorothy Smith Stewart.  Both were ordained Deacons in Associate Membership.    (Right photo by Tom Burger)

(Left photo) Rev. Jim Malick is congratulated after being ordained an elder. (Right photo) Probationary elders are presented before the Conference after being commissioned during the service on Saturday.  From left to right are Amanda Reed, Ken Peters, Greg Markins, Brian Long, Annette Carper, Mary Brumley, Tim Bleigh, and Barbara Rogerson who was commissioned as a probationary deacon.

Newly ordained elders:  Harley Scalf, Adam Justice, Steve Hamrick, James Plyburn, James Malick, Mark James, Judy Vetter, Paul Helmick and William Linhart. (Photo by Tom Burger)

Cabinet Members seated:  Royce Lyden, Conference Lay Leader; Dallas Forren, Potomac Highlands District; Helen Oates, Southern District; Bishop Ernest Lyght; David Erenrich, Northern District; Ed Grant, Midland South District.  Back row:  Mark Flynn, Greenbrier District; William Wilson, Director of Connectional Ministries and Assistant to the Bishop; David Jasper, MonValley District; Ken Ramsey, Wesleyan District; Ken Krimmel, Little Kanawha District; and Mark Conner, Western District.  Not pictured is James Berner, Conference Treasurer.

Photos by Barbara McDowell