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BY LINDA WORTHINGTON

When the laity gathered for their executive session Thursday evening, they began by learning how to electronically vote. Within 45 minutes the approximately 450 laity had elected six of the seven delegates to General Conference.

But there was much more to do at the session. Delores Oden, the conference lay leader, introduced seven conference leaders who gave short reports.

• Some 40-50 men and women responded when Richard Keller, director of lay speaking ministries, invited those who were lay speakers to stand. He encouraged the audience to listen to the podcast devotionals lay speakers had made for the Advent and Lenten periods.

• Kelly Robier, CCYM president, showed a video the youth had made, filled with song and dance, highlighting their ministries.
• The presiding officer of the Conference Council on Young Adults, the United Methodist Women and United Methodist Men also all gave positive reports of their ministries.
• Sandra King Shaw gave a status report of the new Certified Lay Ministry, saying nearly 75 men and women are finishing two full years of training that leads toward certification; they then can work under pastoral supervision in ministry in churches.

The highlight of the laity session was shared with the clergy, who were called back into the ballroom to hear Betty S. Katiyo, Oden’s counterpart as conference lay leader for the Zimbabwe West Conference, speak about "Connect as One." Katiyo is a child of United Methodist missions, educated at Old Mutare mission and a delegate to the past two General Conferences.

At the beginning of her remarks, she invited Kennedy Nhondoro, Zimbabwe East lay leader, to join her in singing "Amazing Grace" in Shona.

"Do we look at one another and see Christ?" Katiyo said. "We should get connected and we should stay connected … we need to transform the world (so that) the world becomes a better place to live in."

"Thank you for being with us in Zimbabwe."