Eric Shaw and Charles Albrecht conducted the baptism of Charles and Susie’s son, Noah, during Altadena’s Community Life Fellowship worship service on December 26, 2009. Noah wanted to be baptized the day after Christmas so he would always remember his baptism date.
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Mikayla Faith Truman
Congratulations to Terry and Nancy Akers, the new grandparents! Mikayla Faith Truman, Terry and Nancy’s new granddaughter, was born on Friday, February 12, at 7:09 p.m. She weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz and is 20½ inches long. Everyone is doing fine.
UK Church Organizes Tour Of Holy Land 6th to 14th October
From James Henderson:
Hello to all you adventurous travelers out there!
Often, when Christian groups go to the Holy Land, they go from one church to another to see the possible sites where biblical incidents took place. We plan to visit some churches, but will be concentrating on the history, topography and archaeology of the land. Going up the Mount of Olives, visiting Jericho, floating on the Dead Sea, sailing over the Sea of Galilee, meandering through Masada, walking where Jesus would have walked all those years ago. I can’t wait! And, what’s more, they say October is a good time of year, weather wise.
So I am excited at the prospect of this trip! Come join us…see you there!
Almost forgot!!! To find out more, check out our website – www.wcg.org.uk
New Pastors’ Training Conference
Over the Presidents Day weekend, new pastors’ training sessions were conducted for Leroy Joines from Jamaica; Nisho & Michelle Cherison; Max & Janie DeVilbiss; Brian Carlisle; Paul-David Faustino; Francisco Garcia; Tom & Sandy Kennebeck; Stuart Mahan; Bill & Katie Ritzman; Todd Woods; and Michael & LaVerne Wyatt-Paige.
SEP Zambia
Gary Moore shared Kalengule Kaoma’s report from several projects funded by donations to our African Mission Fund, and from a number of our Canadian congregations.
The first concerns the Summer Youth Camp held December 16 – 23 near Livingstone, Zambia. We provided $3,000 U.S. in support, which was instrumental in this camp happening. There were 30 campers, and 20 staff this year. Five girls were baptized. Three photos to follow, at the bottom of this update – the first of Kalengule teaching Christian Education, the second of a girls’ dorm, and the third of a bike trip taken by some of the boys. Janet Morrison, wife of Mike Morrison, taught team building to the campers, and brought some support from her local congregation in California. The assistance was essential and greatly appreciated.
A number of our congregations provided support so national ministry leaders in Africa could visit their churches – especially encouraging for outlying areas. Visits we have funded have taken place now in Togo, Benin, and to four outlying congregations in northern Zambia. Many of our African congregations face huge challenges. Our pastors are pretty much all unpaid and are trying to hold down full-time jobs in stressed economies, look after their own families, as well as serve a congregation. They need and appreciate our prayers. These visits have been very, very encouraging. Other visits we have funded will take place as they can be scheduled.
Finally, the Kingston, Ontario small group church and the Prince George, B.C. congregation each funded a $350 poverty alleviation project. Each project was hosted by the women’s ministry in a Zambian congregation (the Central congregation in Lusaka, for Kingston; the Chawama congregation for Prince George). Each project involved the purchase of a sewing machine and fabric. Ladies were trained in how to use the machine and make items for sale. In one case, the products were of sufficient quality to be marketed. In the other case, the products weren’t the best and few sold. However, a further training session is now planned to raise the skill level of that group. Of course, in both cases the investment is long term, and the machines will be used many times in the future to teach skills, and allow products to be sold to relieve poverty, and even earn funds to further the gospel. Many thanks to the brethren in Kingston and Prince George for making this possible.
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Papua New Guinea
In December, Ben Galwa and Richard Kindle, two of our church leaders in the Mt. Wilhelm congregation in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, attended a seminar on biblical preaching presented by Langham Preaching, a ministry of Langham Partnership International, founded by renowned author and theologian, Dr. John Stott. Here is the report from Langham’s December email newsletter:
Spiritual Renewal for PNG Preachers
by Wendy Toulmin, Langham Partnership Australia
The first Level 1 Langham Preaching seminar in Papua New Guinea has taken place earlier this month at the Christian Leaders Training College (CLTC) Banz, an hour’s drive east of Mt Hagen. We were warmly welcomed by Principal Ezekiel Ivihi and his staff.
This is Langham Preaching’s third initiative in the Pacific, supported and funded by Langham Partnership Australia.118 preachers attended from 24 different denominational groups, as well as students from CLTC, a contingent from SIL-Wycliffe, delegates from Gospel Recordings, Evangelical Alliance, and a number of other organisations.
The seminar was facilitated by Paul Windsor, Associate Director for Langham Preaching, with Melbourne’s Andrew Reid and Tim Johnson. This was Andrew’s first return to PNG after spending his childhood there. Many participants spoke of the seminar as a time of deep personal renewal.
“A long time in ministry can leave the tools going blunt,” said Pastor Gireva, a senior pastor with the Christian Life Centre. “This week has been about becoming spiritually sharpened again.”
During the group feedback sessions we posted the preachers’ sermon outlines all around the auditorium.
“It resembled an art gallery as people wandered around,” said Paul Windsor. “The quality of their work progressed so much through the week that during the final feedback session I decided to walk through the gallery myself and stop and ‘commentate’ on the various features of each outline,” he said.
Dr. Rosie Crowter with seminar participants.
Five associates of Australian Indigenous Ministries joined the seminar, building partnerships with CLTC and Langham as they develop preaching training for an indigenous Australian context, and David Kima, Director of the very active Evangelical Alliance-PNG brought an enthusiastic contingent from Goroka.
Another key initiative of the seminar was the provision of the late Phil Crowter’s highly-acclaimed Pray-Prepare-Preach resources to many of the participants. It was a highlight having Phil’s sister, Dr. Rosie Crowter, a missionary in PNG, with us. Rosie came with a group of pastors from Western Province.
The Level 2 seminar in PNG, preceded by a condensed Level 1 for a small group to be selected from denominations and provinces under-represented this year, is on track for December 2010. Pray for Emmanuel Kauna, David Kima and other members of the local organising committee.
Generations Ministries
Generations Ministries announces that the Journey with the Master National Celebration scheduled for Rome, GA on June 11-13 is being merged with the GCI 2010 International Conference in Orlando on July 22-25. The International Conference will gather GCI members and friends from around the world, and GenMin is hosting a special conference track for teens and young adults. That track will include special events for this age group and times with the larger group as we celebrate together as one family.
We received this update from pastor James Roberts, for his wife Hazel who fell down a flight of stairs.
THANK YOU for the prayers! In our fourth day of this situation, we are seeing perhaps the first appreciable progress. We had another five-hour stint with two doctors on Thursday. They took more X-rays and discussed results and options. The fracture of the humerus just below the shoulder joint looks absolutely scary. The top end of the break has at least two splintered sections sticking downward. The lower end shows the bone shaft misaligned with the top end, offset almost completely. So it’s a nasty break that affects a lot of tissue. The first option was to have surgery involving a metal plate with several screws to cinch the ends together all at once. The alternative was to have a custom-made brace/harness assembly that would immobilize the arm and “squeeze” from all sides to encourage the ends to come back together at least enough for new connective tissue to develop and complete the bone again. This would take six weeks to three months. A sling will also be in place for at least two weeks. Hazel opted for the second option, so we got a brace fitted last night by the second doctor. It’s too soon to see what the pain/comfort level will be, but Hazel made it through the night without a bout with pain, a good sign. She’s sitting up a lot more so far today.
Cards may be sent to:
Hazel Roberts 32727 Gustine Street Union City, CA 94587-5603
Remember that prayer is the battleground where we fight the good fight of faith. Let’s encourage everyone to join together in prayer, for we belong to Christ, and by the Spirit it is in Christ that we pray. Prayer and other spiritual activities help keep our hearts in tune with God and remind us of who we are in Christ. He is our all in all, and in him we are eternally beloved of the Father and blessed to share his good news with others.
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This is Langham Preaching’s third initiative in the Pacific, supported and funded by Langham Partnership Australia.118 preachers attended from 24 different denominational groups, as well as students from CLTC, a contingent from SIL-Wycliffe, delegates from Gospel Recordings, Evangelical Alliance, and a number of other organisations.
During the group feedback sessions we posted the preachers’ sermon outlines all around the auditorium.
