Annual meeting delegates approve candidate

Delegates to the Southwest Conference 2008 Annual Meeting called the Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer as our next Conference Minister.

John spent time on Friday and Saturday helping us get acquainted with him and his family and preached an inspiring sermon on Sunday morning. His 2 sons, who will remain in the St. Louis area, entertained us with short videos introducing their dad to the gathering and wishing him and us an exciting future together.

The following message is from John:

Hello, dear friends in the Southwest Conference.

As I write this, Mimi and I are still riding high from what was an unforgettable weekend in Tucson. We shall never forget it. You have changed our lives already, and we look forward to discovering with you what the Holy Spirit had in mind by calling us to share ministry with one another.

So many new friends from the Southwest made a point of sitting with Mimi, sharing with us both their stories and their excitement about our arrival. We can’t tell you how much your hospitality and your enthusiasm has meant to us. We, too, are very excited. We know that many challenges face us, but we are not daunted. We are truly filled with joy that this opportunity to reshape our ministry with you has come our way.

Many have asked us when we will arrive. It looks like Mimi will be arriving sometime around May 24^th, hopefully a little in advance of the moving van – which will leave St. Louis late on the 22^nd. I will make my way west three days later, as I have a wedding in St. Louis.

We will only have a couple of days to unpack and set up the house before Mimi and I jump on a plane for Chicago, where we will attend the graduation of our first child – John Jacob. We will fly back, and I will take the rest of the first week of June to help Mimi establish our home, while at the same time I attempt to move into and set up my office. I will begin in earnest Monday, June 9^th.

I announced at the Annual Meeting that much of my task initially will focus on building relationships. You will hear more about that in the coming days, but what that means initially is that I will be using every Tuesday as a travel day – at least early on – to give me every opportunity to be present in your setting for ministry, and to get to know you all just a little better.

I covet your prayers – for me, for my family, and for our shared ministry. May it please God to bless us all on this new journey we undertake.

See you soon!

PS - I ask that any Cardinal fans in the area identify themselves to me early on – I like talking with intelligent people.