PRESIDENTIAL

By Carlos J. Craig, Texas Conference President

As we gather together to recognize the Lord’s bountiful blessings and recount His diligent care for His people here in Texas during COVID-19 and other challenges, our hearts are full to the brim with gratitude and profound appreciation.

I want to give a Texas-sized “Thank You” to our teachers, pastors, church leaders and members in general for your steadfast faithfulness during these trying times. It is a testimony to your love for God and His Church!

We have seen our educators adapt under the most trying conditions to meet the needs of our children with love and care. They have exhibited exceptional professionalism and patience to minister both in person and virtually to the future leaders of God’s work.

Our pastors have held the torch of the Gospel high during these past two years, transitioning from the pulpit to the camera to sustain the dissemination of the Word of God.

God’s work in Texas and around the world has not only weathered the storm but flourished in the midst of it.

Miraculously, despite the restrictions to in-person meetings, we have seen our average online attendance mushrooming to triple and even quadruple our average in-person and online audience before the restrictions began on any given Sabbath morning. The growth has been astounding!

I have seen church leaders from Eagle Pass to Sherman and from Brownwood to Lufkin stretching themselves to meet the need of the day, thus enriching the work in ways unimagined just two years ago!

God is good, and His people are amazing. Although a piece of the downsizing exercise we went through a year ago involved discontinuing a full-time allocation for children’s ministries, it has been so inspiring to see the local church grab up the torch and carry it forward in the interim.

In addition, we were no longer able to continue a full-time Family Ministries director but assigned that resource into the field and continued to address the important family aspect on a half-time basis (see page 46).

We wholeheartedly express our gratitude to Dr. Errol Bryce for his pioneering leadership in the area of Health Ministries on a volunteer basis. Many strides forward were undertaken through his leadership. As of March 2021, Dr. Randy Phillips, a member of our Executive Committee, has accepted the responsibility of overseeing health and wellness for the conference moving forward.

In all honesty, our Women’s and Men’s Ministries have taken quite a hit during the pandemic and we look forward to a rebound in the months and years ahead! We want to recognize the outstanding and visionary leadership of Sandy Reyes, who led Women’s Ministries with distinction for the past 14 years. As of June 2020, she relinquished her responsibilities.

Pastors Sergio Rodriguez and Sean Harris continue to give leadership to Men’s Ministries. Letty Craig continues to provide leadership to our Ministerial Spouses’ association. Thank you, Letty, for 10 fine years of devoted service!

I conclude by letting you know that currently I am extremely privileged to serve with the finest team I have ever served with in ministry! They are such a joy to collaborate with—dedicated, positive, visionary, stable, zealous, prudent and honest. I thank God for each and every one of them every day! I speak of our ADCOM (Administrative Committee) group: David Montoya, Randy Terry, Osvaldo Rigacci, Nathan Krause, Kisha Norris and Kenn Dixon. Pray for them often because the challenges they face and the burdens that they shoulder are at times stifling. The presence and direction of God is their greatest need on a daily basis.

Thank you for your prayers. We never take them for granted. They are our lifeline to heaven!

Carlos J. Craig, President

Nilsa Johnson, Executive Administrative Assistant