THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO GOD

by Conrad Duncan
Florida Conference General Vice President
In spite of the increased ministry activities and the growing challenges of 2014, you joined our pastors and other employees in faithfulness to God.
We started the year with much faith and prayer that God would bless His work in Florida Conference, and He answered greatly. You allowed Him to work through you in mighty ways. You gave your service to your church. You also consistently and generously returned His tithes and faithful offerings. These enabled us to keep 100% of our staff on their jobs, sponsor new church plants in our state as well as in China, expand our education system, support evangelism, enable several churches to acquire a place of worship, and conduct training/equipping seminars.
Many of our churches, though not all, reported that 2014 was one of their best years in the areas of local giving and tithes. To God be the glory!
While not funded by tithe, rather based on steadily firming up finances, the Conference effectively responded to the State of Florida’s upcoming Interstate 4 improvement, necessitating our relocation to Altamonte Springs. God knew the needs for serving a doubled membership that grew during 22 years in Winter Park and “forced” us, in a manner of speaking, to transition to a more spacious and ministry-accommodating headquarters in which to manage a growing membership.
The year 2014 also included completion of another nontithe-funded project at Camp Kulaqua. After five years of planning, the housing expansion became a reality.
We pause at this time to thank you for your faithfulness in stewardship. As Benjamin Maxson and Jean-Luc Lezéau said, “Effective stewardship takes place at the local church level, and what is done at the other levels can only support what is done at the local church.” Scripture makes it clear that faithfulness at any level is dually rewarded by God. As we rightly manage His resources to us, He will entrust us with more and more. (Matthew 25:15-24)
As you continue to model what it means to be faithful in every aspect of the Christian life, you will see God’s response to you, your immediate family, and your church. Continue, therefore, to be faithful.
This year will not be less challenging, yet God will still provide for His work. He will use you, and us, to accomplish His will.
I pray that 2015 outshines 2014 in your Christian experience. We pledge to be faithful managers and participants in the work God has entrusted to us.