Hope For A New World - CGGCglc.cggc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Focus-January-2019.pdf · 2016=...
Transcript of Hope For A New World - CGGCglc.cggc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Focus-January-2019.pdf · 2016=...
January, 2019 The FOCUS
.
Hope For
A New World 2019 glc
Conference In Session
June 8th
Winebrenner Seminary
Olive Branch and Sugar Ridge Church of God installed Marc Phillips as their pastor on October 21st. Marc and his wife, Sarah, come to the GLC from the Midwest Region.
During the annual White Elephant Auction fund raiser and fellowship event at Union Chapel, Bryan, OH, Pastor Denny Jones was recognized for 40 years in ministry. Union Chapel experiences Denny and Pam’s love for the congregation daily. The church is grateful for their ex-perience and leadership. Denny and Pam, have been committed to loving the people and they are loved in return..
Everyone had a great time bidding on things of little value as they recognized what has true value: the love
of God and each other.
Around 100 ladies were blessed at Mt. Tabor’s Align Women's Retreat on November 9 & 10. Fun and games had everyone laughing on Friday night and Deborah Lovett touched the ladies lives with her stories and wisdom.
December 9th, the Seville Community Church of God celebrated it’s 17th anniversary of the pre-sent ‘Worship Center’ and 134 years as a Churches of God Congregation. Pastor Lance Finlay was the guest speaker and invited guests included Pastor Jim Wilder, Gomer Church; Dr. George & Shirlee Whitson, Trustee, U of F and
WTS; State Rep., James Lower and State Senator, Rick Outman. Rev. George M. Showers serves as the Senior Pastor and Pastor Bob Fall is the Associate Pastor.
Nancy Yoakum, project leader of Operation Christmas Child, Hopewell Church of God, re-
ports that the church blessed 412 children this year with their shoeboxes. The church believes
it is an avenue to take the Gospel to the world. This year a garage sale/fundraiser for shipping
cost ended up with more than enough for another 100 boxes.
Mendon and Mt. Tabor churches went together for Christmas caroling in the town of Mendon.
Both churches met at the Mendon Church of God and then walked through the town and sang
Christmas carols together.
The Focus Page 2
Where It’s Happening!
Camp Dates and Cost
The Focus
Page 3
GLC
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Tally
Catalyst 70
College First 340
Hopewell 412
Leipsic 105
Mt. Carmel 150
Mt. Tabor 296
New Haven 423
Ney 12
Olive Branch 52
Pathway 102
Ridgeway 53
Risingsun 99
Sugar Ridge 36
Union Chapel 12
Vanlue 15
Wharton First 36
2016= 1,909 2017= 2,056 2018=2,213
Col lege Fi rs t served as Hancock County's Drop-Off Center for Opera-tion Christmas Child shoeboxes for the
3rd year. The total boxes they took in this year was 4,344. One of College First aims has been to minister to donors who drop off boxes. They take time to offer specific prayer for the individuals and churches as well as the chil-dren who will receive the boxes. Numerous volunteers from Col-lege First, as well as area churches, assist them in receiv-ing the boxes and praying for do-nors. They have been especially blessed by donors who shared their concerns about personal and church needs. They feel this prayer ministry makes the shoe-box collection a greater blessing for their church family.
In addition, College First sent a team of 24 persons to the Char-lotte, NC processing center. Per-sons from other churches are al-ways welcome to join them or send your own team.
The Focus
Page 4
On November 7, Monty
Harlan was introduced as
the new Executive Director
of Camp Otyokwah.
Monty has been Director at
Bear Lake Camp, Albion,
Indiana, since 1992. Dur-
ing his tenure of leadership at BLC, Monty
has seen God strengthening the impact of
this ministry by expanding their summer
camping program from 4 weeks to the pre-
sent 8 weeks, implementing the summer
staff and service crew program, the expan-
sion of the dining hall, cabin renovations
and other construction and renovations to
the facilities, the birth of a vibrant commu-
nity ministry, and the addition of two addi-
tional full-time staff positions.
Monty holds a B.A. from Taylor University
and an M.Div. from Winebrenner Theologi-
cal Seminary. Monty and his wife, Janette,
have four children; Ben (Karli), Abbey, Re-
bekah, and Caleb. Janette is also very active
in the camping, retreat, and community min-
istries
Monty would love to come to your church
and share about the ministry of the Camp.
Monty is an ordained pastor in the Churches
of God and would also be available to
preach. You may contact Monty by email at
[email protected]. You may also con-
tact him by phone 260-402-7001.
Dr. William (Bill) Reist has assumed the role
of President of the Foundation of the Great
Lakes Conference. We are extremely grateful
for the ministry and service of Tom Weaver
who served in this role for the past six years.
Tom provided excellent leadership and we
deeply appreciate his meaningful service to the
Foundation and the conference.
PRELIMINARY
GRANT APPLICATIONS The Foundation of the Great Lakes Confer-
ence is pleased to announce receipt of 17 Pre-
liminary Applications totaling $263,480 for
funds to be distributed in June 2019. The
Board will consider each of the Preliminary
Applications and will notify applicants by
February 1, 2019 whether or not they are ap-
proved to proceed with a Formal Application.
The Board will make a final review of the For-
mal Applications and award grants at its May
16, 2019 meeting, and will notify applicants
by June 1.
Thank you to each congregation and agency
that submitted a Preliminary Application. We
are extraordinary grateful for the resources in
The Foundation that provide this ongoing
grant-making opportunity and the vibrant min-
istries that are supported through this grant
making process.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Your Prayers Are Needed…
...for Pam Jones. Pam had open heart surgery
on January 9th at St. Vincent Hospital, Toledo.
If you would like to send a note or card, her
address is: 01-501 CR 18.75, Bryan, OH
43506.
IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITES FOR SERVICE
College First, Findlay is seeking an experienced full-time Senior Pastor with the nec-
essary skills to serve as the spiritual leader of the congregation. The Senior Pastor must
be ordained or meet the requirements for ordination by the Great Lakes Conference of
the Churches of God, General Conference. Applicants must submit a resume and cover
letter to [email protected]. To read more about the church, visit the church website https://
www.collegefirst.org/ or their FaceBook page. You may also request a job description from the church
office.
Pastor Linda Davison, Chaplain/Spiritual Care Coordinator for Birchaven Vil-
lage in Findlay, is in need of a volunteer pianist on Wednesday mornings from
10:30 am to 11 am, the first, third and fourth Wednesday of the month. This is
the mid-week service that Linda does for the residents. If interested, you can
contact Pastor Linda at 419-348-6640.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
CONGRATS TO…
Pastor John and Kris Dodds on the birth of Landon Warren, their first grandson and the first child for
Erin and Kyle. Landon was born on November 28th in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Pastor Marc and Sarah Phillips on the birth of a granddaughter, Sami Iris Renschen, born December
28th. She weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO …
...Pastor Jim and Lynda Bear on the passing of Jim’s father, Glenn Bear, on December 20th in Car-
lisle, PA. Cards may be sent to them at 5492 E Aster Lane, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858.
...the family of Todd Moore. Todd had been active on several GLC mission work teams. Todd was
the son of Juanita Moore, who served on the GLC Missions Commission for many years and his wife
Carol, has been Ridgeway’s Faith Promise Leader for many years. Pastor Doods ask that we pray for
the family and for the church. Todd was 55.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Flourish Conference
March 1-3
Winebrenner Seminary, Findlay
“Just Open the Door”
Great Lakes Conference In Session June 7, 8
Winebrenner Seminary, Findlay
“ Hope For A New World“
General Conference Churches of God Sessions July 22-24
Winebrenner Seminary, Findlay
“ Uncharted: Leading Where There Are No Maps“ ` `
Page 5 The Focus
Power in prayer- A story from CGGC Hooghan Nizhoni Church
(As told by John Thumma in his winter 2018 newsletter)
This is an encouraging story of how faithful prayer can make a difference and how
one of our fellowships in CGGC CCM Southwest field is making an impact and
being a witness in their community.
“Coro is one of the seventeen grandchildren of Grandma Caroline who are all less
than ten years old. He and his siblings had a rough life as alcohol was the only
constant when they were with their parents. When Coro was a little baby he was
choked in an alcohol induced fit of rage. At that point he just lay there with practi-
cally no signs of normal development. Grandma Caroline fought for and got cus-
tody of the children. She and Grandpa Davidson now have them to raise. Now this little boy was
in Hooghan every time the doors were open and naturally he was prayed for at every service. Coro
was on everyone’s mind and all prayed for him. He was anointed many times.
The IHS doctors told Grandma that he would never walk or talk, but the faithful at Hooghan were
not buying that. We continued to pray for his healing. After about a year and a half, the hospital
bought Coro a special walker for him to use. However, I never saw it because it was around then
that he started to walk! Certainly, at first he was looking up more than down, but walking nonethe-
less. This little boy who would never walk - was! Now with that many children in the service one
has to ride herd sometimes, but when Coro was “running around” in my mind I would think of the
movie Forrest Gump, and say “Run, Forrest, Run!” and that is why I call him Forrest. He just loves
the drum set that his uncle and aunt play, and he can get up the steps to the drums.
We are still praying for his speech since he is not talking yet. He is making noises and going to a
special speech class. We fully expect another miracle in the near future. Will you pray with us ex-
pecting the same?”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
THE LITTLE CHURCH THAT DID 423 Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes!
New Haven Church of God, Sumner, Michigan, had a goal of 200 Operation
Christmas Child shoeboxes. Then the Lord laid a challenge on a young cou-
ple’s heart to purchase and fill another 200 boxes. Also, a smaller local
church had tried to fill some boxes but were unable and
asked the New Haven Church if they would like to take
them. They said absolutely, we would love to. They
were very organized and had a monthly list of items
needed which got everyone excited and involved to
reach their goal. It was a team effort! On the night of packing the boxes they
had a pizza party and people came from all over and they were completely
packed in 1 1/2 hours. Praise the Lord.. He is so good!
Page 6
The Focus