There are wonderful signs of revival. Wherever God’s faithfulness is lived out, there is unparalleled growth of saved and restored souls for Jesus Christ. Consider these signs of hope and life:

In the past five years, the Florida Conference has led the general church with new church starts — 22 churches plus 13 new missions, including Hispanic, Haitian, Vietnamese and Brazilian faith communities.

During the past 3 years, $402,886 has been received from local churches for the Council of Bishops’ Initiative on Children and Poverty (BICAP). Grants totaling $375,154 were distributed to more than 104 local Florida churches. Thanks to you, marginalized children and their families are now part of church families, receiving love and reconciliation in Jesus Christ.

The Cuba Florida Covenant is energizing Florida’s 14 districts and participant churches as many return from Cuba inspired by the Cuban Wesleyan enthusiasts and wondering how they may energize their own churches in Florida.

Two new initiatives will be brought to this year’s annual conference event: The Florida Hispanic Ministry Plan, designed to reach the exploding Hispanic communities arriving into our conference, and the Urban Ministry Plan, designed to reach difficult areas for evangelism and ministry.

Disaster Response produced evangelism and growth in local churches. The 1998-99 disasters mobilized local churches to increase Sunday school and worship attendance with persons reached in love for Christ.

Twelve vital outreach community ministries across Florida are touching the lives of the "least of these," and local churches near them validate mission by sharing in the team.

With missionary recruitment now the responsibility of conferences, Florida organized the Committee on Missionary Personnel and is receiving candidates for interviews.

Total missionary personnel in the field is up by more than 1,100 persons.

More than 100 "Missioners of Hope" are trained and deployed mostly from Africa to Africa serving with children and families as challenged by the bishops’ "Hope for the Children of Africa." The missioners are serving in hospitals and schools built by the Bishops’ Initiative.

Florida will build a school in Mozambique with offerings given by churches for BICAP and "Hope for the Children of Africa" at the 2000 annual conference event.

900 new " Bishop W.T. Handy" Young Adult Missioners are being recruited worldwide.

New fields are open in Latin America, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the United States. The old "mission field" is the fastest growing area for reaching souls for Jesus Christ.

Often we get clouded by issues that divide us, and we forget the blessings that unite us. Let us remember that our mission is "to make disciples for Jesus Christ," to nurture and deploy laity and clergy into the Wesleyan ministry they have been called to do. Our mission sisters and brothers across the world are reminding us that all God’s children are missionaries and evangelists. The priesthood of all believers is our faithfulness.

No matter what happens at General Conference, we must remember the words of our baptism and be faithful: "The church is of God, and will be preserved to the end of time…" (Baptismal Covenant III p.45 UMH).