Evangelist THE BRETHREN
DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE LIFE AND MINISTRIES OF THE BRETHREN CHURCH
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light .… ~ Isaiah 9:2
Vol 130, No. 6 Nov/Dec 2008
Looking Ahead
Making the New Year New The vision of the Brethren Church is to embrace a NEW DAY of transformed leadership, resulting in transformed congregations, whose mission is the transformation of their communities in the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s hard to believe, but here we are again on the cusp of a new set of months arranged before us in familiar fashion. This is always a good time to review the past and plan for the future, if we can. So much of our forward thinking never gets beyond planning and into the action stage. Many of us are so familiar with this theme that we’ve stopped forward thinking altogether. Repeating the past is much easier, and sometimes it seems to work. But only for a while and only so long as there are others like us walking on the familiar path. The idea of a new year, however, requires that we think and therefore act in new ways. And vision requires that our preferred thoughts should pull us forward into a new day. Jesus had vision: My Father’s house will be called a house of prayer.… Jesus’ vision of a preferred future made him angry with the perpetuation of the present. Something had to give. He had to act, and act he did. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy, ‘Zeal for my father’s house has consumed me.’ Jesus’ vision, consistent with the prophecies of old was brought to bear on the present situation. He could be still no longer. Sometimes the passion of what could and should be causes us to rise up and act. Things must be different. And so it was this similar passion that pervaded our Executive Board and Council meetings last fall. As we shared, we saw that evidences of a NEW DAY were abundant. Lives are being transformed; our lives are being transformed. Individuals and churches are beginning to push away from the banqueting table for a season and look unto the harvest. Numerous churches are having the hard but fruitful conversations about who they are and where they are headed. The mission of the church is being re-embraced. The “Go Ye” spirit is coming back. We had taken hold of the vision. But now, as we prayed and examined our hearts we could see that the vision is beginning to take hold of us. It was what we sometimes call “a God moment.” We were humbled to the point of confession, tears, and fervent prayer. What we are discovering about vision is that it is a journey. We can only understand or grasp part of it at first. But as we are obedient to the journey, we begin to discover new things about how God is calling us
Thoughts from Executive Director Ken Hunn
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A Katrina Update NEW DAY News …
forward. We are learning that we cannot force a vision on others. We all must embrace it on our own terms. We are at different stages of the journey, and so our responses are different. We probably won’t all be on the same page, so to speak. But we should at least be in the same book together. We are learning that this vision is not a program, but rather a call to a process of discovering our own particular need for transformation. We could all, and should all, continually be more like Jesus. As a beginning point we are convinced that we need to work on our relationships. We need to give priority to our relationships with each other, and to honing our ability to relate to the unbelieving world for the purpose of demonstrating God’s love in action. It has been amazing that once we confessed this need, every week God has been bringing reports of reconciliation. Most of all we are convinced that we need to pray. Jesus’ vision for his Father’s house must be pursued in our assemblies as well. We need to learn to “cry out to God, with no agenda,” just as we were challenged at Richmond last summer. What this means for you is up to you to decide. Find a partner, a fellow warrior, an intercessor. Get on your knees; go to a lonely place, to a closet, to that place where God is near to you. Whatever you do, don’t be found passive on this one!
More than a year ago, a Hurricane Katrina-ravaged restaurant was to be relocated from Pass Christian to Long Beach, Mississippi. Mrs. Hua, a Vietnamese immigrant, proceeded to make plans for the new Rusty Pelican to be planted at 6174 Beatline Rd. This overgrown lot would need considerable development before construction could begin. Using every bit of the assistance that the government offered her, she contracted to have the site prepared, not knowing exactly how she would find the capital to finish rebuilding her life-long dream. What Mrs. Hua didn’t know was that her acts of tremendous generosity in allowing God’s Katrina Kitchen to use the site of her old restaurant for their base of life-saving operations would be revisited in the form of dozens of volunteers from the Brethren Church contributing countless hours of labor and personal resources to get her new restaurant up and running. In the months after ground-breaking, volunteers from The Center, Beacon of Hope, Smithville, Oakville, Lanark, Bryan, Elkhart, College Corner (to name a few) lovingly and passionately built the restaurant from the ground up, installed the concrete parking lot and even provided a beautiful sign! The great love that we Brethren have lavished upon Mrs. Hua and her family has continued to make an impact in their community. Not only has this former Buddhist become convinced of the claims of Christ but her generosity has now extended to Galveston, Texas as she uses the proceeds of her business to partner with the Kitchen in their relief efforts there. WELL DONE BRETHREN! The results of your efforts continue to transform communities along the Gulf Coast even after we’re gone!
I’m convinced that our times of prayer will draw us closer to the Father, will do the same in our relationships with each other, and will inevitably thrust us into the harvest. This New Year could be the beginning of a NEW DAY in your life and in your community!
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NEW DAY: A Progress Report
~ Tom Schiefer, General Conference Moderator
The following is a presentation given by Moderator Tom Schiefer to the United States and International Ministries Councils at their meetings last fall, following two full days of Executive Board meetings. This presentation gives insight as to our progress with the NEW DAY vision of the Brethren Church, and how our leaders are taking hold of that vision.
Presentation to Councils October 25, 2008
From the work of the Lord with and thru the Executive Board of the Brethren Church and National Office staff on October 23 & 24, 2008 We’ve been through a remarkable challenge with God these past few days! This has been “holy ground time” with tears, confession, fear, joy, laughter, prayer, confession, prayer, excitement, frustration, confession, prayer, awe, frustration, amazement, and commitment! (repeats intentional).
SS E R G P R O RT O REP
The NEW DAY vision of the Brethren Church is not a program; it is truly a vision — a vision to which we all have given input and a vision that we all began to embrace from day one. This was not a vision of one person, for the formulation of this vision came at the direct request of the Executive Board, and was reinforced by the Manual of Procedure. It was to develop, codify, and articulate a vision to move us forward toward all that God calls us to be and do. This vision was brought to the Councils and the Executive Board and we all are on record in regard to its approval. We are here today to state that after a time of prayer and seeking the Lord, we feel that instead of having a vision, we sense that the vision now has captured us and we are ready to move forward in the next steps of embracing this compelling future.
“The vision of the Brethren Church is to embrace a NEW DAY of transformed leadership, resulting in transformed congregations, whose mission is the transformation of their communities in the power of the Holy Spirit.”
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It is interesting to note that our international Brethren have embraced this more than we have in the United States. They get it and they are excited about all that it means and will bring, and they are already praying and thinking through its implications for their own cultures and calling. They see it as a God-thing — some here see it as the work of an individual, or just another program, but I want to let you know that we stand up and state that it is owned by us, those selected to lead. We have come to this clear conviction after these two days of searching our hearts. In light of that, a motion was unanimously approved and we go on record as adopting these Five Core Values as outlined by the Brethren Church National Office staff, and to embrace a new day and to align General Conference with the NEW DAY vision — with the goal of transforming individual lives, individual churches and the denomination. These core values are: • Relational (The essence of our connectivity as Brethren) • Missional (Outward-focused in our ministries) • Sustainable (Working toward self support financially) • Reproducing (Used of God to bring salvation, and birthing new ministries and mission) • Glocal (A holistic and balanced view of mission that is both local and global.) A newly-coined term, which may or may not be used in the future.
To use a metaphor, these core values are the lyrics, and the Brethren distinctives reflected in our Anabaptist-pietistic underpinnings are the tune, but the instrumentation and arrangements, the implementation of these values will likely be wonderfully different in each and every location. What this means in practical terms is that we realign our action, not with what has been done, but where God needs, wants, and is taking us. That means as we approach our meetings, our budgets, our efforts, it’s about the Kingdom work as given to this part of the Bride called The Brethren Church.
The Bible is a record of radical Obedience to the direction of God The broad areas which we might develop into goals — as outlined in the organization of the 2009 budget — which had been labored over when organized but re-labored over, prayed over and reaffirmed are the areas of: • • • •
Leadership Development Church Multiplication Church Mobilization BYIC/Bridge – our youth, and future leaders • Missionary — staff and operations — which reflects our activities here and overseas This means … General Conference will have a strategic goal in addition to being a family reunion. (We need relational, but with more of a strategic purpose). The goal will be developed to have the focus of transformation, of realizing the NEW DAY in our lives, equipping leaders to carry it to the multiple mission points we call congregations and beyond. We don’t know what that will all look like but are beginning to make plans, realizing that this will be a journey with more to come along the way.
This means … we will continue to fund world missions, but now we will be adding ideas and encouragement to begin moving to a level of greater self sufficiency, so they can be fully released and empowered to fulfill all that God has called them to be. This will lead to a greater sense of ownership and engagement in their mission of reproducing their own ministry in still other locations. This means … that we may have a transitional working budget still in keeping with General Conference parameters but reflecting the goal of incrementally building toward this vision at a Godhonoring pace. This means … we, the Executive Board, have committed to working alongside the National Office staff to identify and free up significant resources both in our current budget, and new funds raised from those who grasp the visionary dimensions of this undertaking. This means … we will support our personnel that we currently have, upon whom we have laid a heavy task. We will stand with and behind them. When there are concerns that are legitimately addressed, we will take the responsibility to stand up with them. This means … we will be serious and intentional about sharing the dimensions of this understanding throughout the denomination and to share the excitement of what this all means to the Glory of God! We invite you to pray with us in this visionary journey. Be sure to dialogue with your area representatives as we intentionally embrace the NEW DAY that the Lord is giving us!
This means … we have a target in our budgeting, to fund and align our resources with the goal of empowering and equipping the church to be the church. This may be some of the hardest work.
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A Call to Prayer
~ Mike Woods
…we can’t change simply by choosing to change. Lord knows, we’ve tried. Real change demands the power of God.
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The vision of the Brethren Church… a NEW DAY of transformed leaders, transformed churches, transformed communities. It is a powerful, exciting, passion-driven vision. But there’s one problem: it involves transformation, another word for change. And we all know how we feel about change. It might as well be a four-letter-word! Larry Crabb writes in connecting these words, “Until we realize that there are no legitimate longings in our souls beyond his power and intention to satisfy, all change is cosmetic. In other words, until we begin to honor and pursue the changes HE has in mind for us, we’re only applying makeup to our blemishes… but the blemishes remain.” In November as the United States Ministry Council met, we began to dream together about how to position ourselves and our denomination for genuine transformation. The kind of transformation that brings new life to us, to our churches, and to our communities. Understand — we can’t change simply by choosing to change. Lord knows, we’ve tried. Real change demands the power of God. At the risk of it seeming very predictable and traditional, as a team we came back to that place that God has led his people to for thousands of years, the place of prayer. It began with designating a day and soon became a call to prayer throughout the month of February. A time for all of us as church leaders to call our people to concerted, focused prayer. A time when all of us who call the Brethren Church home gather in small groups and large groups, at various times of the week. A call to fall on our faces before God, to humble ourselves as 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, and to seek his face. More details will emerge in the next few weeks. The council will provide materials to help you facilitate the prayer movement in your congregation. But right now, if you are a pastor, begin planning prayer gatherings for your church in February. If you are a deacon or deaconess, ask your pastor about the month of prayer. No matter WHO you are, begin now — think, plan, pray — for this month of concerted prayer. Who knows what temporal and eternal victories will be won through this time?
MOBILIZING
for the
NEW DAY
~ Bill Ludwig and Gary Diehl
He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13 from The MESSAGE) Pronunciation: \mō-bə-līz\ 1 (a): to put into movement or circulation (b): to release (something stored in the organism) for bodily use 2 (a): to assemble and make ready for war duty (b): to marshal (as resources) for action
trations created an unhealthy mistrust throughout their congregation of almost all denominational initiatives and leaders, but now senses God is calling their church into a NEW DAY in their community. They just aren’t sure how to redirect those critical attitudes. One pastor with more than 25 years in ministry indicated readiness to lead their congregation into a NEW DAY by saying, “If this is real, I’m in! Just tell me how.” Yet another pastor mentioned concern about the ebbing days of his ministry when he said, “I want to finish well, but I’m not sure how.” The common theme in all these comments? Every one of them was asking for help. They all longed for someone to come alongside them for a time to help them navigate a journey to places they have never been. They didn’t all use this word, but each was asking for a coach.
ers no longer see competition or feel intimidated by the ministry of others, but welcome the perspectives, insights, and guidance others can bring in uncharted territory. A culture of coaching can radically transform how individuals, small groups, congregations, districts, regions, and our entire denomination more effectively equip the saints for our works of service and the making of more disciples. The questions we ask have to change. Equipping-minded leaders will stop asking, “How do we get you to fit into our program?” Instead, equipping leaders will start asking, “How can I help you discover what God created you to be and do, and then how can I (and we as a church) equip and release you to do that?” Those are two profoundly different ways of thinking and acting, but they represent the shift now beginning to take place in many Brethren leaders. Transformed individuals can become transformed leaders. Transformed leaders can be used by God to bring transformation to collections of Christfollowers (congregations). Transformed communities of faith can be used by God to transform their communities when the Holy Spirit is invited to flow through God’s people to accomplish God’s mission. Faithfulness and fruitfulness, preparation and action are the hallmarks of a transformed people. Christ is calling you and your church to be a leader on this journey of transformation. The Mobilization Team wants to help. Connect with Gary Diehl at gary@ brethrenchurch.org for more information about how you can be part of the team, how you can pray, or how you and your congregation can receive guidance for your ministry journey.
NEW DAY
Did you notice the above definitions of “mobilize” include both preparation and action? Aligning our efforts to see healthy new churches birthed is called Multiplication. That won’t happen unless we first Mobilize existing Brethren leaders and congregations to rediscover their unique expression of God’s universal call to his people to “GO and make disciples of all nations.” That’s the drive behind the formation of the Church Mobilization Team which began at General Conference and continues taking shape. The Lord is showing many that it’s time to transform the way we relate to each other as Brethren leaders so that congregations can once again capture the heartbeat of that divine command. God’s call is to faithfulness and fruitfulness. It’s time to stop hiding behind the excuse of simply being “faithful” and mobilize for actions that God can use to bear kingdom fruit: more and growing Jesus-followers! IT’S HAPPENING There are exciting indications that we’re getting ready for this transformation. A young pastor said, “I now realize I don’t have a clue about how to lead these people.” A veteran pastor told some of his colleagues he was tired of the old, dysfunctional culture of isolation and ready to think and act differently, but isn’t sure how to get there. Another pastor admitted that their personal frus-
COACHING One crucial element for both church mobilization and multiplication is the development of a culture of coaching, as described in the last issue of The Evangelist. Because there is not “one” set of circumstances, there is no “one” magic answer. And no “one” person can do it all. Equipping the saints takes on extremely differing shapes, and is rarely a once-and-done event. By identifying and equipping good coaches, the goal is to have individuals capable and passionate about helping leaders like those mentioned above when they identify themselves as ready for guidance on their ministry journey. EQUIPPING Transformed leadership recognizes the things we don’t know and the gifts we don’t possess. Transformed lead-
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Campus Ministry at Ashland University Continues to GROW
~ Dr. Dan Lawson
The Campus Ministry at Ashland University has grown by students to work on a part-time basis 1000% in the past five years! That’s right, one thousand percent growth. The Campus Ministry programs, supported by the Brethren Church and Ashland University, continue to grow each semester, and in many cases, each week as lives are changed and students come to faith in Christ. Recently, two Ashland University football players made a first time confession of faith in Jesus Christ at the weekly Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting. The Well, a weekly worship event at the Center of Religious Life, has grown so large that it has outgrown the lower chapel and has moved into the upper chapel to accommodate seating for more students. Bible studies, called 242 Groups based on Acts 2:42, have grown exponentially all over campus as hundreds of college students study the Bible each week. The Center of Religious Life increases the discipleship, outreach, and service opportunities each semester as more Ashland University students seek spiritual growth through the campus ministry programs. Many students say they selected Ashland University specifically because of these campus ministry programs. The Call, a Kern Family Foundation Pre-Seminary initiative, has also grown significantly under the direction of Brethren pastor John Swope. In its second year of ministry, the Call has nearly tripled in size as more students experience a calling to full-time Christian service. Once again, most of these students selected Ashland University specifically for the opportunity to participate in the Call Pre-Seminary program. Thanks to a generous donation from Phil and Melissa Shaffer, the Center of Religious Life is now able to hire two more Ashland Theological Seminary
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in the ever-growing campus ministry programs. This gives these seminary students practical ministry experience while they are still in seminary and also allows them to financially support themselves and their families while they are students at Ashland Theological Seminary. When combined with the three scholarship interns provided by Ashland Theological Seminary, we now
With all this activity, it is no wonder that campus ministries at Ashland University have experienced a 1000% growth. Because of this phenomenal growth in ministry activity and evangelism at Ashland University I urge you to do one or more of the following: 1) Please pray for Ashland University daily. Intercede by asking for God’s blessing on Ashland University and the students who attend. Pray for spiritual protection of the new believers who continue to come to faith in Christ and for those who renew their faith while at Ashland. Finally, pray for those who are being called into ministry through the Call pre-seminary program. 2) Please consider making a financial donation over and above that which is given by your church and the Brethren denomination. Financial struggles are difficult for all of us, however God’s blessing is upon this mission field and lives are being changed forever through these campus ministries. Your donation will literally save souls for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ashland University Adventure Club have five seminary students working in campus ministry at Ashland University. In addition, campus ministries at Ashland University benefits from countless hours of volunteer service provided by members of the Five Stones Community (Brethren) Church and the Park Street Brethren Church. Members from these churches, along with several staff members from Ashland University, volunteer their time to serve as mentors to college students, arrange and organize weekend retreats and connection (fellowship) events, and serve as Bible study leaders on campus.
3) Consider sending your high school graduates to Ashland University. Every Brethren student automatically gets a $2,000 discount just for attending Ashland University. Children of Brethren pastors get a 75% discount on their tuition at Ashland University. In addition, there are approximately $60,000 to $70,000 of endowed scholarships given by faithful Brethren people and Brethren churches that are specified for Brethren students every year. More than $20,000 of that scholarship money is directed to Brethren pre-seminary students. This makes Ashland University very affordable for Brethren students. Please turn to page 13.
Women’s Outlook Newsletter A P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e Wo m e n’s M i s s i o n a r y S o c i e t y November/December 2008 Vo l u m e 2 2 , N u m b e r 2
The President’s Pen Dear Ladies, Thank you, Phyllis, for extending the President’s Pen to me for this edition. My name is Cindy Hanson and I’m the Indiana District President. Last fall my husband, Larry, and I bought a house in South Bend, the town we grew up in. The area that we live in is just east of downtown and just south of Notre Dame College. Most everyone is familiar with the “Fighting Irish” of Notre Dame. Our neighborhood is quaint and several people have the Notre Dame emblem or the leprechaun painted on their garage doors. Another attraction here is the college’s Football Hall of Fame. Lots of people come to visit it when they are in town. The Hall of Fame has professional football players come for special events and talk about their alma mater that they played for. Many young people are impressed with college football and look up to the players that go into professional sports. I began to think of another “Hall of Fame” that we should be impressing on young people and on everyone for that matter. Paul writes about it in Hebrews 11, sometimes referred to as the “Hall of Faith.” In verses 1 and 2 we read Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. Is that not wonderful! That’s what I want to be commended for by God, having faith! Paul then mentions many people with whom we are familiar: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, people who marched around Jericho, and Rahab. Then he mentions more and says he doesn’t have
(Continued on page 12)
Missionary Miscellany
The NOVEMBER missionaries-ofthe-month are Juan Carlos and Maria Miranda in Pasadena, CA. Maria has produced her radio ministry, Para Ti Mujer, beamed to Spanish-speaking countries for several years and she continuously receives letters from many - especially women - who are encouraged, helped, and convicted of their sins and become believers in Jesus Christ! The Lord gives her messages of hope and love, just what these brothers and sisters need. In the spring Juan Carlos had serious back surgery and is slowly, but steadily improving. He assists Maria in the radio ministry and she assists him in the Spanish-speaking church, Centro Cristiano Para La Familia of Pasadena. During Juan Carlos’s recovery, their son and his wife, Gus and Gladys, assumed responsibilities for them.
The national missionary-of-the-month is the Five Stones Community Church pastored by David Sherwood. This congregation is located on the Ashland University campus and is a daughter of Park St. Brethren Church in Ashland. The congregation is composed of students, faculty and administrators of the University and the Seminary, and citizens of the Ashland community. Its influence is felt throughout the community. The DECEMBER missionaries-ofthe-month are David and Jenny Loi, ministering in Malaysia. They submitted this report. Greetings to you all in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ! It was really a blessing to be able to attend the General Conference July 1216 and to celebrate 300 years of God’s faithfulness to the Brethren Churches. The theme is so meaningful, “Surrendered to God, Transformed in Christ, and Empowered by the Holy Spirit.” How
wonderful it is! We feel that it is a process every Christian must experience and go through. Praise the Lord for the good conference. We were blessed to meet so many international leaders from different parts of the world for the first time and to worship and pray together. We were refreshed and encouraged by them and their ministries. Glory to God! Praise that we were able to minister to a few individuals during our trip to the US from May 5-July 22. These individuals received inner healings and some received physical healings. Glory to God! We shared and gave testimonies in the Chinese Bible study group in Ashland and in the Chinese cell group in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One of the youths accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. PTL! At an independent church, which we have been helping for the past two years, two people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior at an informal gathering on September 18 and another sister accepted Jesus after Sunday morning worship September 21. Glory to God! The visit to Penang was on September 24-30. We noticed the growth in the Saturday Children’s Church School. The average attendance has been in the 30s. There are good potentials in these children because they are the future pillars of the church. Pray that the Sunday School teachers will have the wisdom to train these children in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from the way of the Lord. Penang Brethren Church Deacon board members will take care of the flocks from November on, until they engage another pastor because Pastor Lam has terminated his service with the church at the end of October. Pray that the Deacons will be sensitive to the Holy
(Continued on page 12)
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District Doings The OHIO District Ladies’ Retreat was September 19-20 at Camp Bethany. Joanne Kroft reported. A sky of bright blue, trees with beautifully colored leaves, and mild, warm weather presented a perfect backdrop for the annual Ohio ladies retreat. Sixteen ladies arrived on scene for a 24-hour retreat starting late Friday afternoon. Following a time of getting acquainted and re-acquainted, a delicious meal was provided. The evening program was held in the picnic shelter by candlelight surrounding the fireplace. District president Brenda Blessing (Ashland Park St. Joy) formally welcomed the week-end guests and provided gifts to many of the attenders. Cindy Koontz (Louisville Beacon of Hope) led the group in singing. Sue Mercer (Pleasant Hill) was worship leader for the evening. She introduced the theme of the retreat, “Peace.” Throughout a time of prayer and praise, the attendees were reminded that “God is Our Prince of Peace.” Time was taken to list things that keep us from that perfect peace provided for us. Things such as busyness, selfishness, greed, laziness, lack of commitment, time, family pressures, and full schedules are only a few distractions that keep us from this special peace. Overnight the ladies were asked to focus on the one thing that kept perfect peace from their lives and write it down. Time was given for individual meditation and prayer. Bedtime snacks and chatting gave the campers time to share. Some ladies spent a big share of the night doing a jig-saw puzzle. Actually they completed the whole thing! Following breakfast Saturday morning participants were asked to throw the reason for absence of peace, which they had written down since last night’s talk, into the fireplace to be burned away. Sherry VanDuyne (Ashland Park St. Joy) was resource leader for the morning. She shared a devotional based on Matthew 28:19-20. We are called to go forth. As one follows the direction of God, a calm and joy of peace are the results. People do not always care about what you know; they do know how you
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care by what you do. Sherry distributed a worksheet with scripture verses about Peace and the ladies were given time to study the scriptures on their own. These verses are good reminders of the Peace that God provides. Some of the verses were II Thessalonians 3:16, Philippians 4:7, and John 14:27. After lunch, a pampering of physical needs was very much accepted and appreciated. Hand waxing, hand and foot massages, foot soaking, hand and foot manicures, neck and shoulder massages were some of the activities provided. These soothing activities certainly allowed for personal relaxation and peace. At the end of time together, plans and ideas were shared for next year’s retreat. Driving home, the ladies reflected on how at peace they had been for a 24-hour period, and how they hoped to bring that peace to their individual lives on a daily basis. ESTHER MISHLER, New Paris president, reported on the Indiana Northern district WMS rally hosted by the New Paris ladies. October 4th was a beautiful day and the northern area of the IN District WMS held a fall rally at New Paris. The theme was “Angels in Our Midst.” Fifty-four members and six guests attended and gave an offering of $1,075, designated to assist Indiana seminary students. Those attending brought nonperishable food items to be given to the Fairfield food bank. Speaker Marjorie Piper told of her experiences involving mission trips taken since 1992. She shared details of work done in Costa Rica, Africa, and Haiti. Scriptural comments about Angels were also woven into her presentation. Pastor Ted Schowengerdt sang, “How Beautiful” as a special part of the program. Group singing included “Under His Wings” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.” All district officers were recognized, as well as National WMS President, Phyllis Roussakis. An invitation was issued by South Bend for the 2009 rally to be held on October 10th.
A catered meal followed the business and worship sessions. One lady from each society in attendance received a door prize with an Angel reference. Miniature wire angels decorated the tables, giving each diner a souvenir from this special day.
SEE THIS
Corrections Just as I promised, this Newsletter gives corrections to the WMS Directory, which was in the Sept-Oct Newsletter. Please correct your copy for the Indiana district officers and local presidents. District: President - Cindy Hanson. E-mail: camperkiwi57@aol.com Assistant Secretary-Treasurer - Jane Stogsdill. E-mail: mystogsdill@yahoo.com Financial Secretary - Bev Leiter: E-mail: jbleiter@embarqmail.com Local Societies: County Line - Jean Anderson, P. O. Box 261, Lakeville, IN 46536. Goshen - Drema Arnold, 1605 E. Hively Ave., Elkhart, IN 46516. Phone: 574522-5911 Loree I - Jane Stogsdill. E-mail: mystogsdill@yahoo.com Meadow Crest disbanded. Mexico - Sue Brooks, P. O. Box 411, Mexico, IN 46958 Milford - Debbie Beer, 10122 N 300 E, Syracuse, IN 46567 New Paris - Esther Mishler, 407 Park West, Goshen, IN 46526-1466. Phone: 574-533-4995. E-mail: emmpdm@verizon.net Oakville - Kathy Jones, 787 W CR 800 N, Springport, IN 47386.
Women’s Outlook Newsletter
In Memoriam
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15 The ladies from the NE district gave the memorial service at last summer’s conference. In honor of these deceased ladies, financial gifts were given to the Gideons for Bibles. Northeast District Edith Phillips Moore Shrontz, Highland Della Kimmell, Masontown Southeast District Kathleen Burton, Oak Hill Ohio District Glenna Liedy, New Lebanon Afternoon Indiana District Princess Frush, Warsaw Esther Straka, North Manchester Maxine Craver read “Home At Last” “I never imagined what a joy it would be, To see friends and loved ones waiting for me. To be welcomed home with such celebration, Escorted in by such a heavenly delegation. As we walked together down golden streets, On the splendours of heaven my new eyes did feast. Oh! The sights and sounds of this beautiful place, And majestic beings with such beauty and grace. Every where I looked were wonders to behold, It is true, the half has never been told. Then angel voices mingled with mine, Increased in crescendo as upward they climbed. The air was charged as the praises ascended, And I marveled how all the voices blended; Each one becoming a part of the other, Unbroken in harmony, beauty, and splendour.
November/December 2008
After a while the voices died down And I took this opportunity to look around. I had one desire, and it was to see The One who made all this possible for me. Then I heard a voice, like a soft gentle rain, Saying, “Welcome home, I’m so glad you came.” As He gathered me close in a loving embrace, I saw joy and happiness shining on His face. “We’ve so much to talk about, you and I, About the many times you wondered ‘why?’ But for now I just want you to cuddle with Me, We’ll talk more later. We have eternity.” I was so happy to be there with my risen Lord, I was so glad that I held fast to His precious Word. Nevermore will I have to fear sickness or pain, It can never ever touch me again. No earthly reunion could ever compare With the regal reception that I’ve received here. Rejoicing and praising such as I’ve never known What a wonderful introduction to my beautiful new home.” by Gertrude Jefferies
NOVEMBER IS . . . World Relief Month This prayer was used at General Conference for the World Relief luncheon. When you feast at any meal this month, pray this: Lord, let me hunger enough that I not forget the world’s hunger. Lord, let me hunger enough that I may have bread to share. Lord, let me hunger enough that I may long for the Bread of Heaven. Lord, let me hunger enough that I may be filled. But, O Lord, let me not hunger so much that I seek after that which is not bread, nor try to live by bread alone. Amen. World Kindness Day, November 13. One of the Bible verses we all learned when we were little is this: Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you, Ephesians 4:32. The message is still true. If we follow this command, perhaps God will use our simple acts of kindness to change our world. Let it begin in me. National Bible Week, November 23-30. Have you realized how fortunate we are to have the Bible translated in our English language? For centuries, Christians had to attend services where Latin was the language spoken; hence, many couldn’t understand the Scriptures. In 1516 Erasmus, a Dutchman, compiled and published the New Testament in the Greek language. Then came Luther’s German Bible, Tyndale’s English Bible, and King James version. Today we can choose from many versions and translations for our daily reading. So why don’t we? Thanksgiving Day, November 27. Many Psalms speak of God’s blessings for us and in Psalm 103 David lists them. When David McCasland (Our Daily Bread) read Psalm 100, he suddenly saw this: Serve the Lord with gladness! Neither grudgingly nor grumbling, but with joy and gladness! Be thankful. Thanksgiving is good, but “Thanks-Living” is better!
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Missionary Miscellany (continued) Spirit’s leading to shepherd the Lord’s sheep. Family Update Praise the Lord that our son, Stephen, will graduate from Oral Roberts University in May 2009 with the degree of Master of Divinity. Praise that he received a scholarship from a company in Singapore this year. We plan to attend his graduation next May. Our daughterin-law, Pearl, is taking a course at the local church in Tulsa and will graduate next March. We give thanks and glory to God that our daughter, Rebecca, graduated from Ashland University in May 2008. She was accepted to St. Georges’ University at the Caribbean, but needs the funding plan. The Lord told her to seek Him and wait. She took MCAT exam again and obtained good results — 30Q. The University holds a place for her to join the school next January. She has applied for Commonwealth Scholarship. Pray that this is the door that God opens and no one can shut. By the grace of God, David’s mother is in good health. She is able to look after herself whenever we go to the mission trips. We will be going to China November 4 for two weeks. Pray for a safe trip and the Chinese people to be opened to God’s Word, to hunger and thirst for His Word. Pray for God to release the power of heaven to renew this generation for the glory of His kingdom.
The Editor’s Ending
Dear Friend, When someone says to you, “Have a good day,” what is your response? Do you meekly answer, “Thanks” or grumble, “Sure hope it improves.” Or gratefully, do you respond with joy in your voice, “This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it,” Psalm 118:24. This year’s theme is “A New Day, Experiencing the Journey.” There are no stops in our journey. We don’t get off ala a train ride and sight-see and shop, or even change trains. We keep on going in life because the joy is in the everyday experiences we encounter. A scenic train ride passes through mountains and valleys, around curves and on straight monotonous tracks. We can’t change the path of the train.
The President’s Pen (continued) time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. I was thinking about some of these people and, boy, do they have a new day experience to tell! During this time of fall football “Hall of Fame” days, I’d encourage you to re-read their stories in the Bible and learn from the “real” Hall of Faith heroes. God bless you! Cindy Hanson
To God be the Glory! David and Jenny Loi The new Cross Bars Ministries in South Bend, Indiana, is the December national missionary-of-the-month emphasis. Cross Bars is a relatively new ministry directed by Larry and Cindy Hanson. They recently moved to South Bend from Lakeville and Larry pastored the County Line Church. Cindy is district WMS president and the writer for this month’s President’s Pen. As part of her district work, she prepares and mails a bi-monthly newsletter to each society. In addition to being a pastor’s wife and mother, Cindy is Food Service
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However, we can change our reactions to the train ride. Life is similar. We have ups and downs in our daily walk, sometimes we wonder what’s coming next, or how do I escape this monotonous rut I’m in. I recently saw a Ziggy cartoon, which said “Life is a journey, but it doesn’t come with a map!” True, but we can pick and choose some of our experiences and certainly our reactions. I am reminded of the verse, Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1). We can choose our companions on life’s journey and they make a big difference in our experiences! Many hymn titles indicate the Christian’s walk with our heavenly Father: “O for a Closer Walk with God,” “In the Garden. . . I walk and talk with Him,” “All the Way My Savior Leads Me,” “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” “Jesus Led Me All the Way,” and “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” These reminders keep us close to Him, they will direct our thoughts and decisions, and guide our steps, assuring us that we will and can enjoy every new day. Because we live now in stressful situations — financially, economically, and spiritually — we need to rely on God, Who never changes. So, have a good day! Enjoy today. When He gives you a new day, open every minute anticipating God’s presence, knowing He has made this especially for you. Recently I reminded you that God was the original promise keeper. Here is another proof: She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins, Matthew 1:21. A wonderful promise and gift! Remember, December 25th is His birthday! Give Him your life. Your friend,
Director for Union-North United School Corporation. As part of that position, she is the school menu planner and food purchaser for the school system, serving about 1,500 students. Pray for Cross Bars Ministries and their blessings to others.
Joan
Campus Ministry continued 4) Identify those high school students in your church whom God may be calling to full-time pastoral ministry. Please let us know who these students are so that we can tell them about the Call program, the Brethren pre-seminary scholarships, and the campus ministry activities at the Center of Religious Life here at Ashland University. A wise person once said, “Don’t ask God to bless what you are doing. Instead, ask God to let you be a part of what he is blessing.” God’s hand of blessing is very evident in these campus ministry programs. Will you find a way to join us by being a part of what God is blessing at Ashland University?
About AU Scholarships … In addition to the automatic $2,000 discount for Brethren students, Ashland University has a total of $64,200 in scholarships, given by Brethren churches and Brethren people, specifically to help Brethren students attend Ashland University. As much as $47,000 of this scholarship money can be given to pre-seminary students. If you know of a student who is considering college in the near future, please tell them about Ashland University. If you would like to help more Brethren students attend Ashland University, please consider establishing an endowed scholarship. www.ashland.edu
The Call Begins Second Year ~ John Swope The Call, the pre-seminary program at Ashland University, began its second year this fall with eight new students who came to AU especially for the Call. Since the start of school two others have joined, bringing the number in the program to seventeen — more than three times more people than we started with last year (and two more are considering)! These ten students form a cohort which meets weekly to study spiritual formation and personal integrity. The original cohort began with five students; two more students were added during the spring. This original cohort’s weekly meetings cover relationship and leadership skills, and basic ministry competencies. Five sophomore students this year will be matched with seminary student mentors. Our two seniors have begun internships in local churches. Three of the new students are from Brethren churches (Michael Good, Cory Smith, and David Whiteside), and one entered the program last year (Chris Colijn). In addition to weekly cohort meetings, the Call students participated in the 3 Journeys Retreat. The students were challenged physically and spiritually to explore the three journeys of the Christian life: Rock Climbing — climbing higher toward intimacy with God; Caving — crawling deeper toward conformity to Christ; and Rafting — co-working together in community of the Spirit. October brought internationally-known authors Jerry Bridge and Stephen Seamans to Ashland University to meet with the Call students over dinner, and then each spoke at Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the student worship service, The Well, respectively. This January all the students will participate in a Leadership Development Retreat, which will include exploring their leadership strengths through the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment. If you know of any young person whom God may be calling to vocational ministry in the church, please contact John Swope at 419-289-5917 or jswope@ashland.edu.
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New Brethren Work Launched in Canada ~ Jeremy McClung
On November 9th Muskoka Community Church held its first public Sunday gathering at an elementary school in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada. This new Brethren church is being led by Jeremy and April McClung. Originally from Canada, Jeremy spent several years as a staff member at Grace Community Church in Winchester, VA before responding to God’s call into church planting, relocating last summer. The work is funded largely by Grace Community Church and the Southeast District Mission Board, along with other churches and individuals in the Brethren Church. It was certainly not great faith that caused us to launch our public services this fall. I would describe it more as a feeling of resignation — a sense that it was now or never, that we needed to get Sunday services started whether we were ready or not. And by no stretch of the imagination were we ready to launch. We had been in Huntsville for over a year, with the primary tasks of making connections in the community and gathering a core team to help us launch the church. Connections in the community had been going better than we could have hoped—we had an extensive network of almost exclusively unchurched friends and acquaintances. Everyone was supportive of our plan to start a new church, but no one was interested in becoming a part of our team or even our congregation. One month before launch our “core team” had dwindled to April, myself, and two other Christians with a handful of stragglers expressing mild interest. In an act of desperation I sent out a plea for help to some of our uninterested, unchurched friends. To our delight, many of them agreed to help us out as a personal favor until we got things up and running — working with kids, doing music, running sound and helping with hospitality. I had to keep reminding myself that Jesus called his disciples and put them to work in ministry before they had it all together or had “orthodox” beliefs. I’m certain that the group that showed up that first Sunday morning is in the running for the most ragtag bunch to have ever launched a new church. I know God was smiling. I had a sense of peace that morning as I waited for people to arrive (or, quite possibly, for no one to arrive). I had done all the marketing I could afford, to the best of my ability. I had done my best to take advantage of every opportunity for social networking, and follow through on every relationship
and conversation. I had tried to cover every detail to make sure that people had a good experience when they showed up. And most importantly, I had been praying and had asked everyone I knew to be praying. After doing everything I knew to do, the results were in God’s hands. The greeter I had recruited for the morning, an atheist friend of ours with a warm, welcoming personality, was late arriving. So partly to cover for her, partly to escape the busyness inside the school, and partly just to give myself something to do, I stationed myself at the doors of the school, bulletins in hand. Then a magical thing happened — the first car pulled into the lot, and out stepped a total stranger. I felt a strange mixture of astonishment, relief, gratitude and pure joy as a middle-aged woman approached, took a bulletin and made her way inside (I later found out that she hadn’t been to church since she was a child, and came because of the mailer I sent). The school’s foyer quickly filled and there was a buzz of energy as people came in, grabbed coffee and goodies and dropped their kids off in our children’s ministry. There was a degree of surprise when our “band” (consisting of my guitar and two other vocalists) opened the service with a familiar U2 song. As we sang a few praise songs, the uncomfortable looks and awkward stances told me quickly that we had hit our target audience — the unchurched. As I started speaking I sensed coldness and skepticism that gradually faded as I honestly talked about the (often good) reasons people don’t go to church. As people realized they weren’t going to be ambushed or hit with guilt, they began to relax, laugh and even tear up as God spoke to their hearts. And then it was over, chairs were stacked and stowed, A/V equipment was packed away, the trailer was loaded, and we were on our way home. The total count, I was told, was
Around the Denomination
Congregational Milestones Celebrated Burlington Brethren Church Burlington, Indiana
CELEBRATIONS
Ardmore Brethren Church South Bend, Indiana On November 2 the Ardmore Brethren Church celebrated 90 years of ministry on the west side of South Bend. Around 200 people attended the morning worship celebration with guests from as far away as Chicago and Maryland. Dr. Brian Moore, who pastored Ardmore from 1973-1983 spoke on the topic, Christianity: System of Beliefs or a Way of Life? A wonderful meal was served following the service. It was a great atmosphere of fellowship and laughter, sharing pictures and remembrances. The church began with 46 charter members in 1918. The current building was built and dedicated on November 28, 1969 under the leadership of Rev. Bill Cole.
The Burlington First Brethren Church has made an event of the 2008 observances of our 300th Anniversary as Brethren, and of the Burlington congregation’s 125th Anniversary. For over a year, each week in worship has included a “Brethren Heritage Moment,” tracing the history of the Brethren from our European roots through the 20th century. Six members of the Burlington church attended the European tour of Brethren roots in July. On Sunday, November 2nd an Anniversary Day worship service was very well attended. Following the service photos were taken and a dinner was held with a video presentation.
North Manchester Love Feast Celebrates Two Anniversaries The First Brethren Church of North Manchester, Indiana held its Love Feast October 5, 2008. The first communion of this congregation was held in a barn in 1883. In celebration of the event, the Love Feast was held in a round barn located about seven miles west of North Manchester. This event climaxed a year-long observance of the 300th anniversary of the Brethren movement and the 125th anniversary of the North Manchester congregation
Canada continued 104 people — about double what I had hoped for. The next week we became another victim of the fifty-percent-week-two church planting statistic with 52 people exactly showing up. But the numbers are insignificant compared to the individual stories I hear each week: people coming who haven’t been to church in years, people who had given up on church because of bad experiences and those who really have no idea what they believe or how God fits into their life, but who keep coming because they’re getting something out of the services. Pray for us as we continue in this adventure. I am very excited about the coming months and the possibilities they hold. There are still many more people who have expressed genuine interest in checking us out, and the marketing and mailers have created quite a buzz around the community. Pray that God would continue to bring us unchurched people. Pray that He would touch the hearts of those who are just coming to help us out, and that he would send us more people to help and serve. Pray that as we seek to launch our small group ministry (“home churches”) he would quickly knit us together in growing, healthy relationships. And pray that those who do not know him, but are searching, would come to know him in a life-changing way.
Pastor Jeremy McClung shares some thoughts during a hike at Arrowhead Provincial Park, part of Muskoka Community Church’s pre-launch ‘Church on the Trail’ series in August/September.
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Pastors & Spouses Retreat February 27 - March 1, 2009 Phoenix, Arizona “Radically Balanced Ministry” Purpose: To strengthen relationships between and among pastoral and denominational leaders; between pastors and their spouses; between participants and their Lord Jesus Christ. Location: Four Points Sheraton, near Metro Center Mall in Phoenix. Hotel is adjacent to a 190-store mall, an amusement park, library, and various other attractions including spring training games. To view the accommodations and the area go to: wwwstarwoodhotels.com/fourpoints.
Schedule Friday - Session 1 Balance in Relationships - Worship and concert of prayer including conversation starters and prayer topics for couples and/or pastors to share with and support each other. Saturday - Session 2 Balancing Ministry and Family - Brian Hommel, former major league baseball player who now serves as the chaplain for the Arizona Diamondbacks, umpires and visiting teams, will share his personal testimony, share a message, and have time for interaction. Session 3 - Denominational leaders Session 4 - Drive-in movie. Enjoy dinner and a movie as we lounge around or in the Olympic-size pool as the movie plays on a large outdoor wall. Session 5 - Ministering to an Out-Of Balance World. Sunday - Session 6 Worship; Love Feast (breakfast) and Communion Sunday School - Strengthening relationships Cost 2 nights and five meals: $155.00 per person 3 nights and eight meals: $227.00 per person Deadline for registrations is January 14, 2009 Contact Tim Garner @ 574-215-9328 or tgarner57@msn.com More information and registration forms are available at: http://brethrenchurch.org/events/2009-pastor-and-spouses-retreat/
Brethren Elders Ordained Dan Acker was ordained an Elder in The Brethren Church on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at Northwest Community Church in Tucson, AZ. Officiating in the service were Rev. Vickie Taylor, Rev. Roger Stogsdill, Rev Jim Miller, and Executive Director Ken Hunn. A reception followed the service. Dan Acker has been at Northwest Community Church since 2006. Dan received his BA in Political Science and Communication from Hope College (Holland, MI) and an M.Div. from Ashalnd Theological Seminary. When not at church, you’ll find him on the frisbee golf course, reading a good book, running, or at home dating his wife Laurie and making his three children (Maggie, Ellie, and Stevie) laugh. Bill Ludwig and Tom Asbury were ordained as Elders in The Brethren Church on Sunday evening, November 23, 2008 at a service held in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. The service took place after a catered meal attended by members from all of the locations of The Center. Participating in the service were Rev. Jim Koontz, Executive Director Ken Hunn, and Rev. Tony Price. Tom Asbury is the Lead Pastor of The Center, a church a plant in Northeast Ohio. Tom, his wife Lindsey and their daughter Isabella live in Stow, Ohio and have led the church since it began in 2005. Tom graduated from ATS in 2005. Bill Ludwig is the Church Planting Coordinator for The Brethren Church, Pastor of Missions and Church Planting at The Pump House in Ashland, Ohio and co-pastor of The Center, all from 2006 to present. He lives in Ashland, Ohio with his wife Jennifer and their two children Noah and Emily. Bill is a 2006 graduate of ATS.
From left: Tom and Lindsey Asbury, Bill and Jennifer Ludwig, Jim Koontz
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Around the Denomination
Pastoral Milestones Pastor Curtis Staley (pictured at left) of Southeast Christian Fellowship in Washington, D.C. celebrated his fifth anniversary with the church on Sunday, October 12, 2008. The festivities actually began on Saturday, with a buffet luncheon held at the Colony South Hotel in Clinton, MD. The Sunday morning church service was filled with special music, remembrances, and tributes from the congregation, a message from Pastor Staley’s friend, Rev. Dwayne McKinney, and was followed by a dinner in the church fellowship hall. Dr. Brian Moore marked his 25th year of pastoring the St. James, MD Brethren Church with a surprise dinner celebration at the church on Saturday, October 11, 2008. Music was provided by “Loose Gravel,” the bluegrass band from Cross Keys in Port Republic, VA, and Dr. Jerry Flora was the guest speaker.
“Puertas” Ministry Center Planned for Chile Where the Andes Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean and far from the hustle and bustle of the capital city of Santiago, Chile, there exists a peaceful little fishing village called Papudo. God has planted a vision in the hearts of Caleb and Tracy Godoy of North Manchester to reach the people of Papudo with the message of God’s love and forgiveness. In the summer of 2007 Caleb and Tracy went to Papudo to decide whether or not to sell Caleb’s family home that had been vacant for 24 years. Pastor Kurt and Heidi Stout of North Manchester joined them there and they began dreaming and praying about how God could use this home. God began to move and in April 2008 a team of five skilled workers from the First Brethren Church of North Manchester began renovation on the “PUERTAS” ministry center. “PUERTAS” is a new and exciting ministry that will create vocational opportunites for the neediest families in this tiny fishing village. Large industrial fishing has negatively affected the families of Papudo who have relied on the income from fishing for centuries. In September 2009 “PUERTAS” hopes to begin teaching village women weaving and jewelry making skills and incorporate daily Bible study. Products will be sold in fair trade markets to help women provide for their families. There are things known, and there are things unknown,and in between are the doors. – Morrison. In Spanish, “puertas” means “doors.” In life there are many doors we walk through. “Puertas” desires to give hope by opening new educational and economic “doors”, and to introduce the men and women of Papudo to “The Door,”Jesus. On February 6 - 21, 2009, a second team will finish renovating the walkout basement that will be used as the artisan workshop for “Puertas” women’s ministry. The team will have time to interact with the people from the local village and also have the opportunity to visit and worship with missionaries Carlos and Zulema Quiroga and the Brethren Church congregation in the capital city of Santiago. Caleb and Tracy have been involved with the First Brethren Church since 2004. Prior to moving to Indiana they spent 12 years serving as missionaries in Spain at a camp and conference center. They have three boys: Benjamin 13, Aaron 11, and Oliver 8.
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Upcoming Mission Trips Feb. 6 - 21, 2009 Papudo, Chile “Puertas” Ministry Center North Manchester Brethren Church (This is a work trip. Please see the article on page 17 of this magazine.) Contact: Caleb/Tracy Godoy: calebgodoy@yahoo.com
Feb. 8 - 20, 2009
India
BCNO
This trip is full and closed. Please pray for the participants!
June 26 - July 10 (tentative) Lima, Peru & Puerto Maldonado North Manchester Brethren Church Cost: $1,600, which includes airfare, housing, food, and ministry supplies. The group will include youth Summer Ministries participants. Contact: Linda Immel (260) 982-8238 David Immel (765) 982-8238
New Brethren Children’s Book Available Alexander Mack: A Man Who Rippled the Waters, a new children’s book written by Myrna Grove, is a pictorial biography of the organizer and first minister of the Brethren Church Movement. The story commemorates the 300 th anniversary of the denomination’s birth in Schwarzenau, Germany in 1708. The text traces Mack’s migration from Schriesheim in the Palatinate to Schwarzenau in central Germany. When local tolerance for the Pietist group diminished there, Mack moved them farther north to Friesland in the Netherlands. Eventually Mack led the group across the Atlantic ocean to settle in Germantown, Pennsylvania. The Mack book is illustrated with 50 intricate oil paintings of important events and places in Mack’s life drawn by artist Mary Jewell, herself an eighth-generation descendent of Alexander Mack. To authenticate her research, the artist traveled to Germany and consulted local historians. The Mack book, aimed at children ages eight trough twelve, will educate persons of all ages about Brethren beginnings. More information is available on the author’s website, www.mgrovebooks.com. The book may be purchased by mailing in an order form from the website or by contacting Masthof Press or Brethren Press.
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Hurricane Relief Comes to Galveston On September 13th of this year, Hurricane Ike set his eyes on the Gulf Coast and did his best to undo what many had spent their whole lives building. Driving along the coast from east to west, one can see the familiar sights of destruction that Hurricane Katrina introduced us to over three years ago. The further West one drives from Mississippi the worse the scene gets until the Houston/ Galveston Island area in Texas. Here the damage is intense and it is here that we have an opportunity to experience the transformation of lives much like we did in Mississippi and Louisiana. Galveston Island, a once-beautiful 33-mile stretch of sand is home to a population of more than 60,000 residents. This figure does not include the student population from the three universities that have campuses there or the various vacation homes and tourist spots. This means that more than 60,000 people live, work, eat, sleep, play and raise their families on an island where 90% of the structures received at least moderate damage. Although utility crews and disaster recovery organizations are hard at work restoring basic functioning, many of the residents cannot even stay on the island. They drive in during the day to work on their properties and then drive off the island in the evening to stay elsewhere. Our partner, God’s Kitchen, has been on the island for over two months. They are currently feeding hundreds of residents and volunteers their every meal and are organizing volunteer teams to come and work with residents who have no other prospects for help.
On a recent trip, to help the Kitchen get set up, some of us had the opportunity to meet a local artist who has lived on the island his entire life. His home and his home studio were largely destroyed by the flood waters of Ike. As we sat with him on his fairly shaky second story porch, the elderly man began to share the pain and loneliness he felt. He mourned the loss of his possessions and the potential loss of his home but his eyes watered most as he spoke of the irreplaceable dreams that he had given life on the countless canvasses which were destroyed. While we could not replace his lost paintings, within an hour of sitting and listening to him we saw hope begin to flower in his eyes. Knowing that this man whose world had been turned upside down had met with Jesus through us was worth the trip!
There are many opportunities to bring the life and hope of Jesus Christ to Galveston. At this stage of recovery there is work for everyone to do. There is a great deal of deconstruction and debris to move as well as plenty of reconstruction needs. There is also cooking the incredible meals which are served, the administration of the camp and spending time with residents in need of emotional and spiritual support. Much like in Mississippi, however, the sacrifice of our hands and hearts will ultimately lead to our own transformation. Few who have engaged the extreme conditions of far-away places and unfamiliar settings have returned without new understanding of themselves and greater vision for the work of Jesus in their hometowns and routine lives. It is in our service together that we more fully realize his Kingdom come in our midst. The bell is ringing once again. Will we Brethren answer the call like we did in Mississippi and see the transformation of hundreds of lives, including our own, through the ministries of our presence and our service? There are people on Galveston Island who are hungry, thirsty, homeless and alone. Will our obedience extend to them‌for the glory of God and the good of our neighbors? To schedule a trip or to find out when others are going, contact Bill Ludwig at bill@brethenchurch.org. NOTE: With much of the damage coming from flood waters, there is a considerable amount of mold in the affected structures. Those who are easily affected by respiratory irritants should carefully consider this risk before registering.
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Growth Partners Northgate
_____ YES, I want to send a gift to this Growth Partners Call to enhance the Northgate Community Church facilities, for missional impact. Please complete the information below, detach, and enclose with your check payable to:
The Brethren Church Name: ______________________________ Address: _ __________________________
Growth Partners Club Call
When Northgate Community Church (Manteca, California) moved to its current location in the early 1970’s, they found themselves surrounded by empty fields. 30 years later, they are surrounded with a harvest field of opportunities to serve the community built around them.
City: _______________________________ State: ______________ Zip: ____________ Phone: _____________________________ Church: ____________________________ Amount: ____________________________ If you prefer, you can make a contribution using your debit or credit card. Please go to our website (www.brethrenchurch.org) and click on the Contribution tab. Look for the section entitled:
Located near three apartment complexes, a senior assisted-living facility and several neighborhoods with a diverse mix of people, Northgate has opened their facilities to meet the current needs of the neighborhood. To create a facility ready for this harvest, the church is in need of several renovations: remodeling the restrooms, replacing badly-stained carpet, painting the church inside and out, and new seating for the sanctuary. “Your prayerfully considered donations will help us continue to move forward and expand our vision for sharing the Love of Christ with those whom God places along our path here in California.” ~ Stephen Cole, Pastor
Growth Partner Call for: Northgate Community Church You will be directed to a secure PayPal site for input. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Stan Gentle at the National Office. The Brethren Church 524 College Ave. Ashland, OH 44805 1-877-289-1708
The Brethren Evangelist (SSN 0747-4288) is published six times a year by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone: 419-289-1708; email: brethren@brethrenchurch.org; fax: 419-281-0450. Authors’ views are not necessarily those of The Brethren Church. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren Church members; $15.00 per year to others. Member, Evangelical Press Association. Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Brethren Church, 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792. November/December 2008, Vol. 130, No. 6
The Brethren Church 524 College Ave. Ashland, OH 44805
Periodical Postage Paid at Ashland, OH 44805