On September 7–9, 2025, more than 30 credentialed deacons and deacon students, along with members of the Commission on Deacon Qualification (CDQ) gathered at Camp Arcadia for their annual continuing education conference. Rev. Brian West served as the chaplain for the event, and Rev. Dr. Justin Rossow was the guest instructor.
Rossow challenged the attendees to consider the danger of pre-conceived notions when engaging our communities with the message of the Gospel. He gave insight on how to overcome these notions by exercising the power of godly curiosity and small, low-cost ministry experimentations to discover how God may want us to proceed in the present mission context.
This conference was also the primary opportunity for the required annual interviews with each credentialed deacon by a member of the CDQ.
To learn more about becoming a deacon, click here.
Photos courtesy of Heidi McClelland Photography
