Clovis church to host state convocation

Several hundred pastors, church leaders and worshipers from across the state will gather in Clovis this week for the New Mexico Churches of God in Christ annual Holy Convocation.

The convocation scheduled from Monday through Saturday will be hosted by First Church of God in Christ, 3400 Vinton St.

The public is invited to attend any or all services.

Bishop W. Charles Green, who also serves as the state prelate for the New Mexico Churches of God in Christ, is pastor of the Clovis church.

Theme for the six-day convocation will be “Consecrated for the Rapture.”

All evening services during the convocation will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The convocation will open with the Monday evening service designated as Public Relations/Music Night.

That service will feature greetings to the delegates from several community leaders as well as music from area choirs.

Tuesday and Wednesday class sessions will include prayer and devotion time from 8:30-10 a.m., followed by Children’s Church from 10 a.m. to noon and classes/training for all delegates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday has been designated as “Women’s Day,” and state supervisor of women Lula Kitchen will serve as the guest speaker during the evening service.

Friday has been designated as the Official Day, honoring Bishop Green as the church’s state prelate. Elder James L’Keith Jones will be the noon featured speaker. Bishop W.H. Watson of Lubbock will be the evening speaker.

Bishop Green was appointed as pastor of the First Church of God in Christ on March 17, 1957. Prior to becoming the pastor of the Clovis church, he pastored churches in Tucumcari, Artesia and Roswell.

He had the honor of being ordained as an elder in the Church of God in Christ at the hand of the denomination’s founder, the late Bishop Charles Harrison Mason.

In August 1996, Green was consecrated to the office of bishop and installed as the jurisdictional prelate of the New Mexico Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction by the presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ.

When asked to what Bishop Green and his wife could attribute the success of their marriage and ministry, the bishop said, “Being with Jesus and also the impact made on my life by the late Mrs. Essie B. Green (his grandmother).”

“Bishop and Mrs. Green have had a tremendous impact on the lives of many people throughout their ministry,” said Rhoden, convocation publicist and member of First Church of God in Christ.

A highlight of the convocation will be the W.C. Griffin Scholarship Banquet to be held at 3 p.m. Friday at The Landing on Cannon Air Force Base.

Banquet tickets cost $30 per person and may be purchased by contacting Frances Rhoden at 762-2050 or Dianne Nance at 763-3770.