The Ministers Meeting was prefaced by fifteen new ministers being ordained. I was blessed to participate in that sacred ritual.

The ballroom was beautifully prepared for the Ministers Meeting with the Ani-Hu playing and ministers coming in early and chanting their tone. Fellow Ministers from Bogota and Cali, Colombia, and Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Jillabee, Australia were connected on audio via a telephone line. In the sacred place created by the chanting, Steve Shepherd began the meeting, calling in the Light and announcing the new Los Angeles Ministerial Board (English and Spanish), and the Minister of the Year awards.

The house stood in appreciation of our dedicated fellow ministers, Joey Hubbard and Maria Teresa Kelber.

MSIA Volunteer awards were given to standing ovations for Theresa Hocking, Carol Barger and Mike Feeney. One person who received an award captured the essence when she shared how she’d just been thinking that these awards are really for all who serve.

J-R came up on stage to thunderous applause. He had us all laughing, talking about how “hard” it was to get up in front of “you people” for thirty years and say something different every time. He had us laughing until we cried with his antics. I found it to be one of the funniest J-R seminars ever, and as usual, J-R wove the profound in with the humor. We all received a beautiful booklet from Heartfelt called “The Ministering Angel Handbook,” and I was reminded by J-R’s actions to have a good time being a minister, to move into the heart of a child inside and not be afraid to say, “I love you.”

Kate Martin, a minister from Lexington, KY, said, “It was so beyond words.”

Joe Ann Cain, a long time minister said, “This Ministers Meeting took us to a higher level than we’ve ever been able to enjoy before. Thanks to the Travelers and us. Thanks to all our beautiful family!”