8 minute read
Central California Conference
The Unlikely Pastor: Ordination of Nicholas Moore
By Deloris Trujillo
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7, KJV).
On Sabbath afternoon, May 16, Nicholas Moore, the associate pastor at Clovis church, was ordained to the gospel ministry by Ramiro Cano, president, Ron Rasmussen, executive secretary, and Pierre Steenberg, ministerial director of the Central California Conference (CCC).
While that announcement alone is always a reason to rejoice and give praise to God, it does not begin to explain the miracle of this event. This is a story that illustrates “this treasure in earthen vessels.”
It was a virtual ordination—livestreamed on YouTube. Cano explained, “We have never done this before. The year 2020 will go down in history as a year that challenged our practices and traditions.” Because the coronavirus restrictions had not been lifted, the Clovis church building was empty of church members. During the prayer of ordination, the officiating ministers could only outstretch their hands from the required six-foot distance.
In spite of the necessary changes to the traditional service, it was decided to move ahead with Moore’s ordination because, as Cano noted, “the building may be closed, but the church is not.” Indeed, over 500 people viewed this unique ceremony.
Yet, the story of how this man became a pastor is even more remarkable. When you hear that his parents are just grateful that he is not in prison, you start to understand that his road to becoming a pastor was a miracle of God’s grace and mercy.
Moore readily admits to being a problem child with a number of scrapes with the law. He had no
President Ramiro Cano explains that Nicholas Moore has gone through the required process and was approved for ordination by the Pacific Union and the CCC Executive Committees, as well as the event's different ordination procedures, due to the pandemic.
intention of being a Christian, much less a pastor. At 18, he joined the U.S. Air Force. Because of a need for an “attitude adjustment,” he had to go through basic training twice. Moore fell into a bad crowd while serving in Germany, but, providentially, he became interested in Bible research when he stumbled on an Amazing Facts broadcast on the only clear channel in the barracks. In a later visit to Rome, he saw that what he had been studying in the Bible was true. Pastor Rob Colón, now the pastor of the Sunnyvale church, baptized him in 2005 in Tacoma, Wash., while Moore was still in the service.
Still, he had no desire to be a pastor, and he received his B.A. in criminal justice from Eastern Washington University. However, one of his friends was studying to become a Navy chaplain, and this sparked Moore's interest. He decided to go to Andrews University, where he received his M.Div. and enlisted in the Navy Reserves. However, none of the Armed Forces would allow him to become a chaplain until he had spent time as a pastor. His faith journey now began, because he had not been hired as a pastor in spite of his education.
Fortunately for him, and the church members in Clovis, Moore was hired as an associate pastor in 2016. Steenberg commented, “He has been a blessing to me and my family as we have worshipped together in Clovis.” Layla and Kayli, two sisters and members of the youth group, remarked, “Pastor Nick has made a positive impact on our lives. He is generous, funny, and loves God.”
Just before his ordination,
The prayer of ordination with raised hands over Nicholas Moore (from left to right, President Ramiro Cano, Executive Secretary Ron Rasmussen, and Ministerial Director Pierre Steenberg).
Moore received a call from the Department of Veteran Affairs in Tennessee. In August, he will move to take their Chaplaincy Resident program. Meanwhile, he is working on fulfilling requirements for his D.Min., specializing in chaplaincy, at Andrews University. On track to finish before 2023, his dissertation topic is on training pastors to identify physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in their congregations.
This is the story of an unlikely pastor who challenged the Bible but ended up convincing himself. As he found out, “[God] chooses human beings, men compassed with infirmity, as
instruments in the working out of His designs. The priceless treasure is placed in earthen vessels.… Through them His glory is to shine forth into the darkness of sin” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 330; emphasis added). May he go forth from Central, as is declared in Colossians 1:27, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
David Dean, senior pastor of the Clovis church, introduced the virtual ordination service by saying, “Our church family deeply loves and supports Pastor Nick. Although the congregation could not be physically present for this significant moment, they are watching virtually as God writes another page into Nick’s riveting life story.”
is the Time: Central California Prayer Conference NOW
By Deloris Trujillo with Joyce Mulligan
Need encouragement? Need strength and wisdom? Need to know that God cares in these difficult times? Then join the almost 12,000 others who have already heard the messages and testimonies of how prayer provides power and answers to our greatest needs. These messages can be accessed by going to: https://www.youtube.com/cccsda
The annual Central California Conference (CCC) Prayer Conference was live-streamed on FaceBook and YouTube beginning Friday evening, May 22, and continuing through the Sabbath hours. This was not the original plan. Like all recent CCC events, the prayer conference that had been scheduled for the same dates had to be canceled. Yet, even in a situation like this, prayer can change things.
Joyce Mulligan, CCC prayer ministry director, felt that it was still important to have a prayer conference. Ed Walker, an almond farmer in Chowchilla who volunteers as her associate director in the prayer ministry, strongly agreed. They are certain that God answered prayers and provided miracles in bringing together this prayer conference. How grateful they were when Jim Hobbs of Mountain Top Media was available to provide the technological support so the weekend could be live-streamed.
When Mulligan shared their plans with other conference prayer coordinators in a Zoom meeting, they expressed interest in joining. The
“Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2, KJV). “If there was ever a time when we should watch and pray in real earnest, it is now” (Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 590).
Joyce Mulligan, CCC prayer director, and Pavel Goia, main speaker and editor of Ministry magazine, talk with each other by virtual livestreaming.
event now had many more wanting to benefit from praying together. “God is amazing, and He answered our prayers,” said Mulligan. “An outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place during this weekend.”
Because of his emphasis on revival and the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer, Pastor Pavel Goia, editor of Ministry magazine and General Conference associate ministerial secretary, was chosen as the main speaker. A favorite of CCC prayer conferences, Goia returned by request of former attendees. One of the participants, Dolores Jones, reported: “It was so enlightening that I shared with 50 of my friends across the U.S.”
In light of current events, Goia selected the theme “Now is the Time.” Having grown up in communist Romania, his life has been filled with powerful answers to prayer and many miracles. Trained in a variety of fields, through a remarkable series of events he became a pastor and eventually
moved to the United States. His amazing story is told in the book One Miracle After Another: the Pavel Goia Story, written by Gregg Budd.
The weekend was filled with other testimonies and beautiful music. Welcoming messages and prayers were given by CCC President Ramiro Cano, CCC Executive Secretary Ron Rasmussen, and Pacific Union Conference President Ricardo Graham. They were joined by Karen Martel, Pacific Union prayer director, and her husband, Lynn. Leon Brown, president of Nevada-Utah Conference, was forthright in his personal testimony of the power in prayer. Pastors Peter Neri and Ryan Johnson from Las Vegas, Nev., dialogued on how God talks to us during prayer time. During Sabbath School, Anil Kanda, CCC young adult youth director, emphasized the importance of a prayer life.
The weekend conference also included special praise time with music evangelist Jacqueline Jewel, along with the Cartegena family and
Tara Peterson. Jewel lifted her voice in praise to God in a concert on Sabbath afternoon. Throughout the whole weekend, there were times for prayer and many encouraging testimonies of answered prayer. A highlight was the story of Mulligan’s prayer miracle of getting out of a locked garage!
Nancy Reynolds, a member of the Campbell church, summarized the event this way: “We were not locked down but lifted up as we joined in the spiritual feast of heartfelt prayers, music, and inspiring messages from Pastor Goia. His stories of answered prayers led me to the feet of Jesus. The time was truly right for this prayer conference.”
As Ellen G. White wrote, “Prayer moves the arm of Omnipotence. He who marshals the stars in order in the heavens, whose word controls the waves of the great deep, the same infinite Creator will work in behalf of His people if they call upon Him in faith” (Testimonies to the Church, vol. 5, p. 453).
