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Bob Fryling, our Vice President and Publisher of ��ñ���� Press, describes our triennial National Staff Conference gathering of 1,400 staff in St. Louis last month as the “best we’ve ever had since I’ve been on staff.” That’s saying something – Bob has been attending such events since 1969.

Thank the Lord
From the very first night, it was apparent that we were in for a special week. The Lord blessed us with His presence. The theme – Jesus the World Changer – set just the right tone. The prayer time following the talk by Paula Fuller, our Vice President and Director of Multiethnic Ministries, was remarkable. Many of us simply didn’t want to leave a place that felt like holy ground.

Personal Highlights
Each of us had our own special moments at SC14. Mine included:

• 
  In our 73 year history, 24 staff have served 40 years or more. Amazingly, 16 of them were present at SC14 (pictured above). The standing ovation simply would not end. They really felt the love!
• New Staff
  I must confess being caught off guard by the number of staff who stood during my welcome to newbies on the first night. SC14 was the first National Staff Conference for about a third of the participants. In this photo, staff are praying for our new Black Campus Ministry Director, Donnie Lawrence.
• 
  In describing the sadness of Good Friday and the joy of Easter, John explored what happened to the disciples on the day in between. This is one of the most profound messages I’ve ever heard. John is the Senior Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• 
  Brent is a student leader from University of North Carolina Wilmington. When confronted with racial hatred, he responded with remarkable grace in a way that drew national media attention. His comments were only six minutes long, but they left a deep impact.
• Roaming with Rudy
  One evening, our board chair, Rudy Hernandez, and I wandered around together. As we sat down to dinner, I watched him transform back into the staff member he was 25 years ago. It was a joy watching him engage with campus staff.
• 
  A Cornell graduate of 1955, Neal won us over with his very first line: “I’m an artifact.” His recollection of his peers and campus staff was touching. Remarkably, chapter members continue to enjoy reunions.
• 
  As a professor, I hosted international Bible studies for many years. Hence, the story of two students — one Burmese and the other Sri Lankan — co-leading a study at the University of Montana affected me deeply.
• La Fe Leadership Team
  Orlando Crespo invited me to lunch with the Le Fe Leadership Team. It was exciting to hear about Le Fe’s recent national conference (Mi Gente) in Tampa and future plans. The Lord is really moving in the Latino community.

Thanks to Our Conference Hosts
While there are many people to thank, I want to focus on three.

Paul Tokunaga served as Conference Director. Behind the scenes, his steady and wise touch was evident everywhere. Four days before the conference began, his mother passed. Given the option of missing SC14, he chose to come (the funeral was held post St. Louis). In addition, in December he tore three of the four muscles in his quadriceps, which impaired his mobility but not his spirit.

Kylene Hong led conference operations. Coping with the now infamous “polar vortex,” she had to deal with innumerable last-minute flight concerns. In addition, she had to solve a wide variety of logistical concerns in a new setting.

Lisa Espineli Chinn served as Program Director with an incredibly deft touch. Pastoral and Spirit-led, she created space at just the right times for reflection, confession, and healing. Her ability to combine rich spirituality with humor blessed us all. In this photo, with co-emcee Chris Nichols, she is showing off her “tattoo” (a creative promotion for our new arts ministry) and her muscles.

One final photo, here I am holding one month old Wally Fick. Wally is the son of Kimberly and Charles Fick, staff at Cornell, the alma mater of Neal Jordan. Charles, Kimberly, and Wally drove 25 hours through the “polar vortex,” in order to attend SC14. What a fabulous time we all had together at SC14!