Mario Seiglie gave the keynote address of the annual meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, which was attended by over 300 elders. At the meeting, church business was balloted on by the elders, educational seminars were conducted, reports were given on the state of the church internationally and a question and answer session with the Council of Elders was held. For a general overview of each day of the GCE, visit http://realtimeunited.wordpress.com/category/general-conference-of-elders.

Mr. Seiglie reminded those gathered that their service as elders and ministers is not ultimately to men, but to God and Jesus Christ. The disciples of Jesus had many arguments about who would be greatest in the Kingdom to come, but Christ corrected them, setting the example of what true Christian leadership looks like—service to God and service to men.

As Mr. Seiglie explained, Jesus gave eight different titles to those in the Church, all of which have origins in servitude:

1. 1. doulos, the lowliest in a household, who would wash the feet of guests,
2. 2. diakonos, one who waits tables, and the origin of our word “deacon,”
3. 3. huperetes, which literally means “under-rower,” referring to one who works in the galley of a ship, and which is the Greek word translated as “minister;” one who brings people out of darkness,
4. 4. poimen, one who is a shepherd,
5. 5. episkopos, literally, “overseer;” one who takes care of the sheep,
6. 6. presbuteros, meaning an older man; one who has spiritual maturity and insight,
7. 7. euaggelistes, one who brings good news to others and the Greek word from which we receive the English, “evangelist,”
8. 8. apostolos, one sent by authority. It is Jesus Christ’s authority on which the gospel is sent, not that of the apostles.
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Mr. Seiglie finished his keynote by encouraging all the elders to follow the example of service set by Jesus, who continues to serve us to this day, by serving Him and others in the spiritual body of Christ of which the United Church of God is a part.