08 July 2011 Watford, United Kingdom [BUC News] “I am very humbled,” Pastor Ian Sweeney told delegates, immediately after being elected to the office of President at the Seventh Quinquennial Session of the British Union Conference on Sunday, 3 July at Stanborough Park church, Watford.
A wise President from many years back, Pastor O M Dorland, stated that “the best person for President is the man who does not want the job!” This is an apt description for Pastor Sweeney, a preacher and a church pastor who, for the past three years has served as President in the North England Conference, and who, as he told BUC News this week, is a man who gives permission for directors to dream a dream to see the work of the Church move forward. Pastor Sweeney describes himself as self-effacing. “I don’t claim to know everything,” he told delegates, “but this much I will say. When all is said and done here, the world out there needs to be impacted by what we talk about in here.” His emphasis for the next five years is clear, “We must reach out and bring a greater impact for a world that is dying in sin!” He added, “it is not about me, it is about everyone of us seeking to make a change and to have our message reaching the people who don’t know.”
He will be supported by another new officer. Pastor Paul Lockham has served as Executive Secretary in both the North and the South Conferences, before that having gained pastoral experience in the South England Conference as well as the Irish and Welsh Missions. Along with his wife, Helen, he also spent time as preceptor at Stanborough Secondary School. As a man of broad experience he was thus the logical choice to take on the Executive Secretary role at Union level. Standing on the platform he noted that Stanborough Park church is a special church for him. It is the church he grew up in and where many momentous events had taken place. “Today,” he said with an emotional tear in his eye, “this one has to be the greatest.” His greatest hope for the next five years is that our Church can “move closer to being a place where the love and grace we see in Jesus’ ministry is seen in our churches and members’ lives.”
Well-known to all delegates, the third member of the leadership team, Mr Victor Pilmoor, was returned to office to continue as Treasurer. Delegates appreciated his financial stewardship of the Church through recent difficult economic times. For the future he recognises that we “are on a life long journey to the kingdom, whatever the battle – God is in control and He wins.” Looking at the big picture, he adds, “Too often we lose ourselves to the passion of clauses and sub-clauses, the tyranny of small numbers, fickle personalities and trifling behaviour. But if God is for us, who can be against us?”
A full report of Officers and Departmental directors voted was in the previous edition of BUC News and will be in MESSENGER. More background to the Session can be found on the Session website.
In retiring from office, former President, Pastor Don McFarlane stated, “The past five years have been challenging years… but God came through for us anyway.” He then noted that for perhaps the first time in 38 years of ministry he did not know what he would be doing tomorrow. However, he expressed that he is sure that God has something exciting planned, and that “where He leads, I will do my best to follow.” As Pastor Eric Lowe steps into retirement from the role of Executive Secretary, he shared with delegates that he never expected to be in some of the roles where God has led but that he could only be successful because of “the marvellous teams we have worked with.”
Teams are now in transition. In the coming weeks the North England Conference Executive Committee will be meeting to select a new President. Pastor Lockham will carry the mantle of both the BUC and SEC Executive Secretary until the SEC Session in September, supported until then by Pastor Lowe. There will also be a time of transition for directors who are leaving, and new names who are coming in but it is anticipated that the full team will be in action by September.
In concluding the weekend of meetings, Pastor Sweeney stated that “the tone set for the weekend is a powerful one, it is one of love.” He added, “it is scary for me, but it is my passion and I’ve not always been successful: we must never lose sight, to love the people who don’t know Christ.” To achieve that would undoubtedly be success.
Delegates listen to Pastor Tapp’s challenging morning devotional on unity in the ‘love church’.
A photo gallery from the Session, plus an audio recording of Pastor Tapp’s Sunday devotional is available from the BUC Picture gallery. The Session Report and supporting documentation is on the BUC Session website. [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Miroslav Pujic, director; Deana Stojkovic, editor
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