COGIC District Meeting 2024 – Day 3 Summary

Services

Here’s a breakdown of the event:

Opening:

  • The service began with calls to praise and expressions of excitement to be back in church. (Lines 1-9)

  • The speaker introduced Superintendent Edward J. Parker, the main preacher for the evening and highlighted the excitement for his sermon. (Lines 10-18)

Music & Praise:

  • A long section of musical praise and worship led by an energetic leader who encourages the congregation to sing along and express their faith. (Lines 23-373)

  • This section included repeated phrases like “My soul loves Jesus,” “He’s the wonder in my soul,” “Thank you, Jesus,” “You are worthy,” and culminates in a call for worshiping God in spirit and truth.

Prayer:

  • Pastor Sammy Radford leads a prayer, followed by a scripture reading from Hebrews 4:11 by Pastor Timothy White. (Lines 34-51)

Greetings:

  • The district missionary greets the congregation, acknowledging the power of previous messages and expressing anticipation for Superintendent Parker’s sermon. (Lines 374-395)

  • Emeritus Superintendent Gipson leads the ministry of giving. A special presentation of gifts is made to Superintendent Parker and his First Lady by Pastor Tony Howard from Spirit, Faith, Church of God in Christ (Lines 405-469).

Superintendent Gipson’s Address:

  • Superintendent Gipson speaks about Superintendent Parker’s dedication to the church and community, highlighting his many roles and responsibilities. (Lines 411-524).

Final Song:

  • The choir performs a final song about being “on the battlefield” for the Lord (lines 526-542).

Superintendent Parker’s Introduction:

  • Superintendent Parker expresses his gratitude for everyone’s presence and joy at seeing all the pastors in the district. He acknowledges the passing of older members and encourages those present to be thankful for being there. (Lines 543-563)

  • He briefly explains the purpose and structure of district meetings. (Lines 564-612)

  • He introduces and recognizes the attending pastors from various churches in the district. (Lines 612-651)

Introduction of Pastor Tony Howard:

  • Superintendent Parker introduces Pastor Tony Howard, the chairman and his assistant, praising his dedication and personality. (Lines 652-786).

Superintendent Parker’s Sermon:

  • Superintendent Parker delivers a sermon titled “Time for the Church to Go to Work,” based on Luke 10:1-2 and John 9:4. (Lines 787-1455)

  • Key points of the sermon:

    • Jesus’ compassion for people: Highlighting Jesus’s concern for the lost and urging the church to follow his example. (Lines 787-808).

    • Critiquing judgmental attitudes: He calls out the church’s judgmental attitude toward those who haven’t “arrived” yet, emphasizing the need for compassion and understanding. (Lines 809-860)

    • The church as a hospital: He emphasizes that the church should be a place of healing and restoration, welcoming those in need regardless of their past or current state. (Lines 855-862)

    • Responsibility of every member: He stresses that every church member, not just the pastor, is responsible for evangelism and winning souls for Christ. (Lines 893-910)

    • The power of the Word of God: He uses the story of Ezekiel and the dry bones to illustrate the power of the Word of God to bring life to a spiritually dead world. (Lines 1100-1420)

    • Personal Testimony: He shares a personal testimony about his own conversion and his wife’s salvation experience, highlighting the importance of simply calling on the name of the Lord and allowing the Holy Ghost to work. (Lines 1481-1530)

Closing:

  • The service ends with a final song (lines 1539-1542), a prayer by Superintendent Parker (lines 1543-1551), and closing remarks from Superintendent Parker. He thanks Pastor Howard for supporting him, expresses gratitude for the pastors and elders, and gives logistical information about upcoming services and offerings. (Lines 1552-1625)

  • Chairman Howard delivers the benediction, ending the service with a prayer and reminding the congregation of the urgency of God’s work. (Lines 1626-1663)

Overall, this livestream recording captures a lively church service focused on the importance of actively participating in God’s work, particularly soul-winning. Superintendent Parker’s sermon challenges the congregation to examine their hearts and actions, urging them to move beyond judgment and embrace compassion and love in reaching the lost.

Here is the full transcript:
TRANSCRIPT LINK