The 15 ladies elected were: Missy Denney (Diocese WTX), Peggy Denny-no relation (Upper SC), Kimberly Ferguson (SC), Sheila Gerth (TX), Ann Holmes (CO), Phyllis Larson (WMA), Jennifer Mariano (MD), Vanessa Menz (nominated by the Catholic Archdioces of Galveston/Houston, although she is Episcopalian), Marjorie Rogers (Long Island), Pam Runyon (E Carolina), Grace Sears (Lexington), Nancy Sheffield (Central Gulf Coast), Chelsey Vohden (SWVA), Keeva Harmon (WA) and Lana Valenta (Dallas). The Council will elect from within this group who will be our DOK President for the next 3 years.
Although there was discussion and even voting on some of the by-laws changes, nothing passed and much was referred to next time.
Bishop Howe's teaching today was on the Gifts of the Spirit--how God provides Different Gifts for Different Christians. He repeated the question he posed on Thursday--"How much of YOU does the Holy Spirit have?" Then he went on to highlight a few instances where our Lord demonstrated one of the Gifts-the Word of Wisdom that confounded his questioners who asked "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Cesaer?" and his Word of Knowledge with the Woman at the Well when he told her "You have had 5 husbands and the man you have now is not your husband."
The Bishop urged us to believe God can us you, be available to God, date to try using Gifts as prompted by the Spirit. There are 4 questions that you can use to determine your gifts:
- What do I like to do?
- What does God bless when I do it?
- What does the Body of Christ affirm in you?
- What need can I meet? (Never notice a problem in order to complain--you notice because God wants you to do something.)
This teaching tied into Mary MacGregor's final talk about Having the Courage Live into God's Will. Mary reminded us of Ps. 139 which says your "days were ordained before you were born." Each of us has gifts that are uniquely our own and we are Gifted, Passionate, Purposed, Called. Too often we let distractions keep us from following our Passion for Ministry.
She says, God has given you a Passion for Ministry, Giftedness to cary it out and a Calling to use your Gifts in Ministry. The Passion for Ministry compels you to make a difference in a particular area, through which God is glorified, people are edified, and you come to a closer understanding of God's call in your life.
There are 3 areas where most people find passion for ministry: In service to people; in making functions work (administrating, leading); or in resolving causes.
According to MacGregor, a call fuses your passion and giftedness and can be discovered through prayer, discernment, and often comes to you before you realize it. Signs that you have discovered your calling include Clarity, Persistence, Peace, Conviction, Progression, Ecstacy, Converging life events, and is often born of pain.
Tonight the closing banquet starts at 8 and tomorrow we head home. The new president will be announced tonight. Over the next 3 years, a new by-laws committee will no doubt re-look at how to amend the by-laws to clarify membership for Sr. and for Jr. Daughters, as well as some of the other issues that there was not time to discuss this time.
As the Jews say--"Next year in Jerusalem", so the Daughters will meet again before General Convention 2012 in Indianapolis.
