Journal Entry for Monday
I am sharing about this past weekend. It was a very relaxing and blessed one. It was the Oklahoma Conference's 2nd Annual Super Sabbath week-end at the Dover Campgrounds. It was a success. I think we had fewer in number than last year. We had some new faces this year. Old but moved back from Oregon. Listened to a couple of great sermons. There was suppose to be three different speakers, but the service on Friday was canceled due to the fact the retreat got started late. So the ones in charge canceled Friday's Sermon and just had a visitation time. Had a great afternoon variety program on Sabbath afternoon. I missed most of it, but not on purpose. I went to lay down for just about 15 minutes to relax and dozed off. I woke up at 2:44 p.m. The program started at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday was the Annual Business Meeting for the Oklahoma Conference. The members voted on some by-law changes. In voting them in, some become aware of other amendments needing to be made. That will be taken care of at a later time. The main amendment was including the State of Arkansas into the Oklahoma Conference. Some members of the church in the state of Arkansas requested to be included in the Conference so they could be active members of the Oklahoma Conference be able to vote and serve on the Oklahoma Conference Board. That amendment passed.
There were four resolutions put before the Conference: One being having the board go into executive session not in front of the membership to deal with certain things concerning the conference as a whole that should be done in private. Second being letting women serve on the Conference Board. If that passes then the part where the board is made up of seven men would need to be changed. Also the scripture that is used to show the qualifications for a board member would no longer be applicable. It says the board member has to be the husband of one wife. That alone should show it needs to be men on the board. Otherwise it would mention a wife of one husband. Third to change the Annual Meeting date to June at the end of Dover Camp, if a quorum can be reached. That used to be the by-law. But it got to be where less and less were attending the business meeting, so they started having them in October usually at the Claremore church because that was the middle to the area of where from which most attended the meetings. Even before that they had them the first Sunday before camp. That didn't work out well. People would get upset and leave and not attend the camp. When they began having them the Sunday following camp, fewer and fewer attended and were no longer active. A few ceased to even attend at all. I am sure it was because of other reasons locally. Fourth was the election of the secretary and treasurer of the board instead of it being an appointed position. The only one I would see a problem with is women serving on the board. At the meeting I said I would not seek that position, but if others wanted to I wouldn't have a problem with it, but later thought about the scriptures used from the bible for the qualifications for a board member. There would be a conflict there.
It seems to be more and more of a struggle to keep the camp fees low and still break even at the end of camp to pay the bills. The committee to plan Dover Family Camp doesn't like to raise prices. But something needs to be done so the camp can run in the black. Last year was better by 20%. The use of the lanyards last year to be able to eat and stay in the dorms helped a lot. Don't feel ashamed to ask for help if you cannot pay the camp fees. Something can be worked out. The camp committee doesn't want you not to come due to the lack of funds. In the past individuals or churches have sponsored ones that do not have the funds to attend, or not enough. It was suggested to set up a fund that can be added to at any time to help sponsor ones who cannot pay. One person commented on the grounds in another state, that it remains at $85.00 for the week and they can still pay the bills. It would be a shame to have to up fees again at Dover to just break even. It was also suggested to give early bird discounts. To get the discount you have to register early and pay before camp. That is fine by me. You can also budget for camp next summer through out the next year. Many do that to be able to attend General Conference. My problem is with General Conference it continues to be to high to come up with the funds on top of regular bills.
There were a few other things discussed that doesn't have to be voted on by the membership. One being a donation has been made to the camp grounds for a basket ball court to be built where the old main building used to be. The rest of the old main building, the back porch and basement will be buried. Also the present dining hall building will be tore down and the old chicken house at the back of the new building being erected at the present time. It was brought up that the play grounds for the children should be moved to a safer place and new equipment purchased. The children run across the parking area between the Sanctuary building and the dormitories. Not a safe thing for them. It was discussed where the play ground might could be moved and done before the basket ball court is erected. The last place suggested was to put it over by the basket ball court.
That is something the board can decide and have done without the membership vote.
It was a very peaceful meeting. Over the past few years, the meetings have been more peaceful and people more loving toward one another which is better. People less offended and can get along even when they do not agree with the majority. Lots better than in the past. Even our local church has been through a lot of those kind of meetings, where some members get very upset and offended because the rest do not agree with them. They wind up leaving the church and starting their own. We are to serve in unity and not be easily offended. The scriptures bare that out. We should all continue to pray for unit in our organization as well as our local congregations.
There still needs to be fund raisers for more funds to finish the Dining Hall/Kitchen project. There might need to be a fund raiser for a little more in the Lane Event Center fund to finish the upstairs part of the building. Keep in mind of these needs and try to come up with good ideas for these fund raisers. Share them with the Dover Booster Ladies' Club and the Conference Board. Donations are always welcome, by a church group or a few together, and individual donations. God has blessed the Dover Campgrounds with needs over the years and the improvements for better dorms and sanctuary. He continues to bless Dover Camp property with safety to our buildings for many years, but there needs to be a fund for insurance in the near future for insurance on the buildings. God will bless us with that new fund also. We need to pray without ceasing for every aspect of our lives.
God Bless all of you,
*Starlight*
Sunday was the Annual Business Meeting for the Oklahoma Conference. The members voted on some by-law changes. In voting them in, some become aware of other amendments needing to be made. That will be taken care of at a later time. The main amendment was including the State of Arkansas into the Oklahoma Conference. Some members of the church in the state of Arkansas requested to be included in the Conference so they could be active members of the Oklahoma Conference be able to vote and serve on the Oklahoma Conference Board. That amendment passed.
There were four resolutions put before the Conference: One being having the board go into executive session not in front of the membership to deal with certain things concerning the conference as a whole that should be done in private. Second being letting women serve on the Conference Board. If that passes then the part where the board is made up of seven men would need to be changed. Also the scripture that is used to show the qualifications for a board member would no longer be applicable. It says the board member has to be the husband of one wife. That alone should show it needs to be men on the board. Otherwise it would mention a wife of one husband. Third to change the Annual Meeting date to June at the end of Dover Camp, if a quorum can be reached. That used to be the by-law. But it got to be where less and less were attending the business meeting, so they started having them in October usually at the Claremore church because that was the middle to the area of where from which most attended the meetings. Even before that they had them the first Sunday before camp. That didn't work out well. People would get upset and leave and not attend the camp. When they began having them the Sunday following camp, fewer and fewer attended and were no longer active. A few ceased to even attend at all. I am sure it was because of other reasons locally. Fourth was the election of the secretary and treasurer of the board instead of it being an appointed position. The only one I would see a problem with is women serving on the board. At the meeting I said I would not seek that position, but if others wanted to I wouldn't have a problem with it, but later thought about the scriptures used from the bible for the qualifications for a board member. There would be a conflict there.
It seems to be more and more of a struggle to keep the camp fees low and still break even at the end of camp to pay the bills. The committee to plan Dover Family Camp doesn't like to raise prices. But something needs to be done so the camp can run in the black. Last year was better by 20%. The use of the lanyards last year to be able to eat and stay in the dorms helped a lot. Don't feel ashamed to ask for help if you cannot pay the camp fees. Something can be worked out. The camp committee doesn't want you not to come due to the lack of funds. In the past individuals or churches have sponsored ones that do not have the funds to attend, or not enough. It was suggested to set up a fund that can be added to at any time to help sponsor ones who cannot pay. One person commented on the grounds in another state, that it remains at $85.00 for the week and they can still pay the bills. It would be a shame to have to up fees again at Dover to just break even. It was also suggested to give early bird discounts. To get the discount you have to register early and pay before camp. That is fine by me. You can also budget for camp next summer through out the next year. Many do that to be able to attend General Conference. My problem is with General Conference it continues to be to high to come up with the funds on top of regular bills.
There were a few other things discussed that doesn't have to be voted on by the membership. One being a donation has been made to the camp grounds for a basket ball court to be built where the old main building used to be. The rest of the old main building, the back porch and basement will be buried. Also the present dining hall building will be tore down and the old chicken house at the back of the new building being erected at the present time. It was brought up that the play grounds for the children should be moved to a safer place and new equipment purchased. The children run across the parking area between the Sanctuary building and the dormitories. Not a safe thing for them. It was discussed where the play ground might could be moved and done before the basket ball court is erected. The last place suggested was to put it over by the basket ball court.
That is something the board can decide and have done without the membership vote.
It was a very peaceful meeting. Over the past few years, the meetings have been more peaceful and people more loving toward one another which is better. People less offended and can get along even when they do not agree with the majority. Lots better than in the past. Even our local church has been through a lot of those kind of meetings, where some members get very upset and offended because the rest do not agree with them. They wind up leaving the church and starting their own. We are to serve in unity and not be easily offended. The scriptures bare that out. We should all continue to pray for unit in our organization as well as our local congregations.
There still needs to be fund raisers for more funds to finish the Dining Hall/Kitchen project. There might need to be a fund raiser for a little more in the Lane Event Center fund to finish the upstairs part of the building. Keep in mind of these needs and try to come up with good ideas for these fund raisers. Share them with the Dover Booster Ladies' Club and the Conference Board. Donations are always welcome, by a church group or a few together, and individual donations. God has blessed the Dover Campgrounds with needs over the years and the improvements for better dorms and sanctuary. He continues to bless Dover Camp property with safety to our buildings for many years, but there needs to be a fund for insurance in the near future for insurance on the buildings. God will bless us with that new fund also. We need to pray without ceasing for every aspect of our lives.
God Bless all of you,
*Starlight*
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