Southeastern Jurisdictional
Conference
Special Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference
February 26 - 28, 2001
Lake Junaluska, NC
|
Report from the SEJ Special Session #4
Delegates remember Henderson's life, ministry
By Tita Parham
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. --- Throughout the special session of the Southeastern
Jurisdictional Conference delegates have taken time to remember Bishop Cornelius Linton
Henderson's ministry, but they officially paid tribute to the late bishop during a service
of thanksgiving and remembrance Tuesday morning.
Henderson died Dec. 7 while serving in his second appointment as bishop of the Florida
Conference. The special session was called to elect a bishop to fill the vacancy in the
jurisdiction's college of bishops caused by Henderson's death and appoint a bishop for the
Florida Conference.
After Mary Alice Massey, leader of the Florida Conference's delegation, read the Gospel
lesson, Bishop James R. King Jr. of the Louisville Area shared his memories of the man he
called his mentor and friend.
"God speaks to some of us softly and tenderly and to others loud and clear,"
King said. "When I think of Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson, God was speaking to him
loud and clear."
King said Henderson taught him and the jurisdiction many lessons, three of which stood out
most in his mind.
He said the first lesson was "be the best you can be." "There was in him a
restlessness to go forward to work hard and do better," King said. "Something
happens to us when we become disciples, when we are children of God and know that God
loves us. A holy boldness comes over us."
He said Henderson had many positive characteristics, but underneath those was a man who
was "on fire for the Lord."
King said Henderson taught people to value every person. He shared memories of Henderson
publicly supporting and praising people. "He would say, 'Oh, this is a great
preacher,' whether the person was a preacher or not," King said.
Because Henderson understood "every person on earth is precious in God's sight"
he had an "evangelical zeal," according to King. Henderson was "about the
business of catching people for Jesus Christ," King said.
King praised Henderson for his leadership at Ben Hill United Methodist Church in Atlanta,
which grew from 400 members to more than 4,500 during Henderson's appointment there as
senior pastor.
Henderson's third lesson, according to King, was "anchor your dreams, work your plan
and plan your work." He said Henderson had a plan for every aspect of his ministry,
often carrying a note pad or sheet of paper with him so he would have something on which
to write notes.
"
he was always making notations," King said. "Not only did he know
how to get people into the net, but into the net one by one."
King closed his remarks by reminding delegates that the "human condition reminds us
that we have great work to do."
"Thank you Bishop Henderson for being such a great evangelist and showing us that
wrapped in the Great Commission is 'catching.' We love you."
Henderson's wife, Dorothye, and daughter, Leah Dor-Lyn Henderson Smith, also attended the
service.
The special session began Feb. 26 and is expected to end after the morning consecration
service for the newly elected bishop Feb. 28.
For daily reports visit http://www.sejac-umc.org/sej2001
and
http://umns.umc.org/sejspecialsession/default.
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