LAKELAND — Throughout the special session of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference delegates took time to remember Bishop Cornelius Linton Henderson’s ministry, but they officially paid tribute to the late bishop during a service of thanksgiving and remembrance Feb. 27 during the morning session.

Henderson died Dec. 7 while serving in his second appointment as bishop of the Florida Conference. The special session was called to elect a bishop to fill the vacancy in the jurisdiction’s college of bishops caused by Henderson’s death and appoint a bishop for the Florida Conference. Delegates gathered for the session Feb. 26-28 in Lake Junaluska, N.C.

After Mary Alice Massey, leader of the Florida Conference’s delegation, read the Gospel lesson, Bishop James R. King Jr. of the Louisville Area shared his memories of the man he called his mentor and friend.

"God speaks to some of us softly and tenderly and to others loud and clear," King said. "When I think of Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson, God was speaking to him loud and clear."

King said Henderson taught him and the jurisdiction many lessons, three of which stood out most in his mind.

He said the first lesson was "be the best you can be." "There was in him a restlessness to go forward to work hard and do better," King said. "Something happens to us when we become disciples, when we are children of God and know that God loves us. A holy boldness comes over us."

He said Henderson had many positive characteristics, but underneath those was a man who was "on fire for the Lord."

King said Henderson taught people to value every person. He shared memories of Henderson publicly supporting and praising people. "He would say, ‘Oh, this is a great preacher,’ whether the person was a preacher or not," King said.

Because Henderson understood "every person on earth is precious in God’s sight" he had an "evangelical zeal," according to King. Henderson was "about the business of catching people for Jesus Christ," King said.

King praised Henderson for his leadership at Ben Hill United Methodist Church in Atlanta, which grew from 400 members to more than 4,500 during Henderson’s appointment there as senior pastor.

Henderson’s third lesson, according to King, was "anchor your dreams, work your plan and plan your work." He said Henderson had a plan for every aspect of his ministry, often carrying a note pad or sheet of paper with him so he would have something on which to write notes.

"…he was always making notations," King said. "Not only did he know how to get people into the net, but into the net one by one."

King closed his remarks by reminding delegates that the "human condition reminds us that we have great work to do."

"Thank you Bishop Henderson for being such a great evangelist and showing us that wrapped in the Great Commission is ‘catching.’ We love you."