In a brief online meeting Tuesday night, Charis Fellowship executive director Phil Sparling, incoming fellowship coordinator, Tim Hodge, and assistant executive director, Andrew Saunders walked delegates through issues that will be considered during an official business meeting on August 31, 2021.
There were 38 callers logged in, including several churches who had people gathered around a conference table.
Tom Avey, outgoing fellowship coordinator, highlighted the reports that are already online and available to delegates. (Printed copies of the final packet will be available at Access2021.) He noted that they didn’t collect stats for 2020 because of the pandemic, but used figures from 2019 for membership fees.
He also noted there are no new churches to be accepted into membership. That is the first he’s seen that in many years. He also stressed that several new churches will be introduced at conference. “They aren’t ready for membership,” he said.
Tim noted several highlights from recent Fellowship Council meetings that will be voted on at the August meeting. Among the items are: approving a proposal for the merger of BMH/Grace Connect into the Charis Fellowship; 2021 resolutions from the Social Concerns Committee; adjustments to the constitution and Manual of Procedure; and accepting both the Eagle Commission and Assist Church Expansion as National Ministries. There is also a recommendation that the three-year term of Phil Sparling, as executive director, be extended one year.
An additional delegates information meeting will be held on Thursday morning (July 29) at Access2021. Phil noted that he chose to separate Charis Fellowship business from the Fellowship luncheon, which is the last event of the conference. His desire is to use the lunch as a time to celebrate what God has done in the Fellowship, allowing delegates and attendees to leave the week on a high note.
Votes will be taken at the August 31 online meeting. Churches are asked to re-submit names for delegates for that meeting.
Access2021, the national conference of the Charis Fellowship, will be held July 27-29, 2021, at Grace Community Church, Goshen, Ind. The theme of the week is “Biblical truth.” For more information, see access2021.us.