Giving thanks where it’s due

By Bishop Jonathan Holston

“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.”—1 Thessalonians 1:2 (NIV)

At 3:55 p.m., the 2015 Session of the South Carolina Annual Conference came to an end and a new conference year took flight. Our time in Florence was a glorious experience of Christian conferencing and celebration.

The graciousness of God and the generosity of God’s people were evident in excellent ways.

I simply would like to say “thank you” to those who were instrumental in making this time of conferencing possible. For so many, this has been a strenuous week of work. Oftentimes, we neglect to thank those whose gifts of hospitality made a difference to the many lay and clergy delegates in attendance.

So, kudos are extended to the Florence Convention Center staff, the Florence District laity and clergy, as well as the many volunteers that made our visit to Florence a productive one. We thank you for your commitment to excellence.

I found several quotes that speak to our appreciation of your efforts, namely:

“The quality of one’s life is in direct proportion to one’s commitment to excellence.”—Vince Lombardi

“Success is not a biblical concept; fruitfulness is.”—Lovett Weems

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”—Maya Angelo

Please know that you helped the members of this conference to have a wonderful Annual Conference experience. We’ll see you next year!