Exodus 12:16 ~ "And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you no manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat that only may be done of you"
As a special guest of the Bishop Robert R. Sanders during the 16th Annual Holy Convocation of the Illinois Third Jurisdiction Church Of God in Christ, General Board Member and Bishop Of Western Michigan Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Bishop Nathaniel Wells delivered a dynamically tactful, powerful, profound and challenging message which, in part, regarded the Church Of God In Christ Inc., what it has accepted, and the direction in which the church is headed as it pertains to its most holy annual gathering of saints called the Holy Convocation.
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The Rt. Rev. Bishop N. Wells
General Board Member
COGIC |
In a message entitled, "We Must Keep The Covenant Of The Fathers" Bishop Wells not only delivered a solid and biblically profound exegesis of the Covenant that God established with Abraham and his seed, and ultimately with all believers through Jesus Christ, but he also took time to examine the covenental styled relationship which was delivered to the Church Of God In Christ Inc.by it's founder, the late Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, encouraging us not to forget what has been set before us as a church and what we are to do with it.
Some COGIC History
"As the Chief Apostle, he (Bishop C.H. Mason) immediately dedicated twenty days, November 25th through December 14th annually as a meeting time for all the followers to fellowship with each other and to transact all ecclesiastical and secular affairs pertinent to the growth of the National Organization. This segment of the year was chosen because the majority of the communicants of the church lived in farming districts of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. By this time of the year, they had sufficient provisions and financial resources from the harvesting of their crops, to enable them to attend and support a national meeting" [1973 Official COGIC Manual Reprinted 1991]
Under the original application of the vision of the church, Convocation was to be held at least annually in Memphis, TN. under certain dates and times as specified in the prior statement. This time was dedicated to the Lord and the people were dedicated to the Lord's use. In part, as the statement notes, there was a consideration given to the constituency and makeup of the members of the church in general as to the ultimate location and time of the Convocation. So there was an element of meeting the "natural" need of the people, but there was a greater element of obeying and following the will of God for our church on a corporate basis and level.
The concept was that there would be a specific place date and time dedicated to the Lord's service according to the concept of "Holy Convocation" found within scripture and the basis of that Convocation was the requirement of the Lord upon HIS people.
