School Reunions Are Assembly Tradition
In addition to worship services and business sessions, delegates gathering at the 77th International Church of God General Assembly next month can look forward to many special events and fellowship gatherings.
In what has become an Assembly tradition, Church of God-affiliated educational institutions will be holding receptions for alumni. To avoid overlapping for those who attended more than one of the schools, receptions will be held on three different nights.
Following the opening night service of the General Assembly on Tuesday, July 31, alumni of the Pentecostal Theological Seminary are invited to an event being hosted by President and Mrs. Michael Baker. The gathering will take place in Room W209, just across the entrance to the Exhibit Hall in the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). It is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. and conclude at 11:00 p.m. Alumni of PTS also includes anyone who attended when the institution was named the Church of God Graduate School of Christian Ministries, School of Theology or Church of God Theological Seminary.
On Thursday August 2 alumni of the former West Coast Bible College, Northwest Bible College and Patten University are invited to a reception beginning at 9:15 pm, also located in the OCCC Room 209. The location is just down the corridor from the worship venue. As with the PTS reunion, anyone associated with the institutions, no matter the name at the time, is welcomed to attend.
This year, Lee University celebrates their 100th birthday and the reception at the General Assembly will be a highlight of the year-long celebration. At the August 1 Wednesday evening worship service, a portion of the featured music will be a centennial reunion choir of Lee alumni. Hundreds are expected to join in the mass choir, which will be followed after the service by a gala reception in the Valencia Ballroom of the OCCC. Valencia is located one floor above the worship and exhibit halls.
“On Wednesday night we will first hear the Alumni Mass Choir, followed by our alumni reception,” stated Dr. Jerome Hammond, vice president for university relations at Lee University. “You can be sure that when 650 Lee alumni are in the same room, we’re going to have a great time. Plus, we’ll have a few surprises to celebrate the Centennial.”
Admission to each of the alumni receptions is free of charge and does not require an RSVP.
