It may seem like a long way away and right now all you can think about are the holidays, but July will be here before you know it, and with it will come the Covenant Brethren Church Annual Meeting and Worship Conference. The dates for our gathering are July 20-22, 2023.

The conference will be held in Fairmont, WV at the Fairmont State University. They proved to be such good hosts last time, and at a very reasonable rate, that the Executive Board felt that meeting there one more time was warranted as we work to get the bugs out of the meeting and settle on a long-lasting format.

This time the conference will span three days beginning Thursday, July 20, at 2:00 PM. There will be various break-out sessions from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM. One of those Thursday afternoon sessions will be Pastoral Ethics Training. Other topics will be announced later. Thursday evening worship will begin at 7:00 PM. Friday will be an all-day event with worship, business, and planned prayer times.

Friday will also be the main day for the youth conference. It will take place upstairs like last year and will also utilize the pool and the gym.

Registration for adults will be $75 and it will include three meals: Friday lunch, Friday dinner, and Saturday lunch. There will be no cost for any youth under 18 years of age. The conference will conclude on Saturday, July 22, around 2:00 PM.

This year we will have Dr. Dane Fowlkes from Samaritan’s Purse as one of our keynote speakers. He is the Senior Regional Director at Samaritan’s Purse and co-founder of The Unfinished Task Network, a ministry that trains indigenous leaders in Africa to plant churches and provide leadership. Dr. Fowlkes served as a missionary in Africa for several years. He is also the author of “Ordinary Glory: Finding Grace in the Commonplace.” His book provides a glimpse into the life of a man with an inexorable calling to global ministry. He has a passion for the Lord and the spread of His gospel. We are excited about his willingness to come and share all He has seen God do, and to challenge us as to what we can become.

We will also be blessed by Stafford Frederick, a charter member of the Executive Board. Stafford is now retired from active ministry after 36 years of service. He started his ministry in Trinidad, one of the southern most islands in the Caribbean. He now lives with his wife in North Carolina to be near his daughter. He continues to serve the Lord through his leadership as part of the Covenant Brethren Executive Board. He is an accomplished preacher and avid photographer, providing much of the photographic records of denominational events.

The conference outreach project will once again be collecting food for the local food bank. Last year an overflowing pickup-load of food was donated causing the workers at the food bank to comment on the size of the donation.

Registration will open after the first of the year on the CBC website. Watch for more information. However, we urge you to mark your calendars now, and make sure your delegates are selected. Bring your youth and other interested people from your church and join us for another time of national fellowship, denominational business and worship. A blessing is assured.

The location of the conference will be the Falcon Center, pictured below, at Fairmont State University.

Craig Howard – CBC Publications Committee Chair