With this historic General Conference Special Called Session, we thought it might be helpful for me to send to our California-Pacific Conference personal updates and observations. I will try to do this daily and look forward to being in communication with all of you.

Some of the bishops started early on Thursday to gather to prepare for the presiding function. We have employed a professional parliamentarian, Dr. Len Young to work with us and support us as we preside over this Special Called Session. We agreed to work in triads of bishops with a main presider and supportive backups. Our hope is to work as a cohesive team and model a collaborative leadership.

Yesterday, on Friday, we gathered to prepare as a full Council of Bishops. It was a rich time of worship, prayer and discussion of the task before us. We concluded with an appreciation dinner for the members of the Commission on a Way Forward team and it was joyous for me to be reunited with the members who had grown and worked together for the past two years.

Today, (Saturday) we prepared a six-hour time of worship and prayer for the entire General Conference. This is the first time we started with such an intensive time of prayer and devotion and our hope was that it sets the stage for the entire conference together.

There will be many “first’s” at this Special Called Session. My deepest hope and prayer is that these “first’s” will counter the prevailing culture of General Conference and we will surrender our will to God’s will. If the General Conference delegates can set aside their own will and accept God’s will we shall have a chance for a true future with hope.

Let us live in that hope!

Be that Hope,

Bishop Grant J. Hagiya
Los Angeles Area Resident Bishop