Mid-America and Lake Union ASI Chapters Unite for Spring Meeting in St. Louis
The Mid-America and Lake Union chapters of ASI combined forces March 22-23 for a joint spring conference at the Northside Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Louis. Two union chapters and two keynote speakers provided a double blessing to the 1,000-plus attendees.
Chaplain Barry Black, 62nd Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, and Elder Mark Finley, well-known author and evangelist, alternated to share four stirring messages. The meetings were telecast live on 3ABN, allowing many more thousands to be blessed by tuning in online or via television.
Pat Humphrey, ASI representative for the Southwestern Union, who watched the event live from Texas, commented via text, “The program was awesome. We watched Friday evening and were so blessed that we decided to stay in to watch the Sabbath meetings as well. What a great idea for the two unions to combine for their meetings. This was on par with the National ASI Convention.”
It is one thing to be blessed by watching an ASI meeting on television. What happens when the camera is turned off, however, is most powerful. One must be there in person to experience it. The connections made, the ministries introduced, the stories of how God is working in lay members’ lives, the fellowship and food—all these are vital aspects of the ASI experience.
“When I hear the reports of what ASI is doing around the world; when I talk to people who are not just happy, but joyful to be working for Christ; when I run into old friends and make new ones who share the same yearning to see Jesus, my heart is full. That’s ASI!” said Barbara Weimer, an ASI Lake Union officer from Woodridge, Illinois.
Sheryl Romrell, an active ASI member from Franktown, Colorado, shared, “The whole weekend was spiritually uplifting, and exhilarating. I’m so glad we came!”
On Sabbath, the Northside Church sanctuary was filled to capacity with cars lining the highway for blocks. A church member who had stopped attending happened to drive by on Sabbath morning. When she saw the many cars and the 3ABN uplink trucks in the parking lot, she thought, I’d better stop in to see what’s happening! She expressed to one of the event’s organizers that she now plans to return to church and is thankful for the prompting of the Holy Spirit that caused her to drive by.
Jesse Johnson, ASi Mid-America president, and Debbie Young, ASi Lake Union president, both expressed appreciation to the Northside Church family for their hospitality, and for the extra effort that went into making the event a success. Numerous volunteers and ASI personnel traveled many miles to assist and participate as well.
“We couldn’t have done it on our own, and we give God the credit and the glory for such an amazing event,” said Young.
Jesse Johnson added, “It was a huge team effort, and we are so thankful for our speakers, musicians, volunteers, the 3ABN team, and all the people who turned out and tuned in.”
The messages presented by Chaplain Black and Elder Finley will be available to download or stream at www.ASImidamerica.org or www.ASIlakeunion.org.
Reported by Mark Bond, communication/family ministries director and ASI representative for the Rocky Mountain Conference.
