Julian Pridgen - Candidate For Bishop 2024 General Conference

My love for Christ and the church is longstanding as I have actually offered the church from a little young boy as an acolyte, usher, aide superintendent of the church school, Christian education and learning, priest, and even more. After finishing senior high school, I joined the United States Marine Corps, where I remained until my retired life. And while in the Marine Corps, I accepted the call to teach and offered Zion churches in the southwestern Delta Episcopal District and eastern North Carolina.

Over the years, I have actually completely delighted in offering along with the people of Zion as we have actually done the work of the Lord together. And I have actually been privileged to offer several progressive and growing churchgoers that continue to be great properties to their communities also today. With each other, we repaid debts early, earlier than expected.

We have actually acquired acres of land to include a whole city block plus. And in each situation, we have actually participated in community-related problems that involved matters of oppression and bigotry. As I have actually aided battling individuals, as we aided battling individuals hop on track and aided others preserve their lives and also expand in their walk with God.

On one occasion, I remember opening up the church doors as we got in touch with the regional family court system, the department of social solutions, the girls and young boys club. And in the annex of that church, professionals and concerned neighborhood participants offered parenting courses to battling moms and dads who had actually gotten in trouble with the legislation. It was a lovely point to see the church at the facility of neighborhood teaming up to meet the neighborhood requirement.

I can say extra concerning my very own experiences to include getting a call from the United States White House as they were checking out deceitful politicians in the neighborhood. And our regional AME Zion church was suggested as a trusted useful resource for that investigation. I might say extra concerning my collaborate with Duke Divinity Institution and my organization with prospering in ministry or job funded by Duke and the Lilly Foundation.

I might additionally say more concerning my cherished ecumenical links, however I'm here today to say to you that I have a vision for our church as we relocate right into the future. It is my hope that we are continually coming to be a spiritually and literally wholesome church, recognizing and standing for God as the devotees of Jesus Christ. I'm optimistic concerning the future of our church and believe that we can flourish with reliable communication to include tiny team dialogues at every degree of the church, constructive review for the objectives of sharing and adopting best practices that can assist us even more, be even more reliable devotees of Jesus Christ and guardians of Zion Methodism.

I'm extremely curious about looking for methods to supply more support to pastors and their families. And I am extremely aware of the vigor of an exceptional laypeople and regional church as the laypeople and regional church are the lifeline to the Zion connection. I'm wed to the fantastic, lovely, productive, and task-oriented Deborah Register Pridgen, and we have two grown-up children, Julian and Christian, and Christian who recently blessed us with Javante, our first grandchild.

Finally, I believe absolutely that it is words of God that has been and will be the only point that conserves and maintains the church. So wish the church. Wish Zion.

Wish those of us on this journey. My name once again, Julian Pridgen, candidate for diocesan, as I obtain your self-confidence and vote. The peace of Christ be with you.