Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I’m delighted to announce that the Hoeksteen congregation in Kerk-Avezaath, the Netherlands, pastored by Hans de Moei, officially joined GCI on March 7, 2010. Hans and Denise de Moei left our fellowship many years ago and eventually raised up the Hoeksteen congregation on their own. In the last year, they contacted Holland National Leader Frans Danenberg about a possible reconciliation. That relationship grew and eventually led to the joyful events on March 7. Frans said that when Hans read aloud the welcome letter from GCI, the entire group was moved with joy.
There are now five GCI congregations in Holland.
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Philippines
Cebu City and Tagatay City Leadership Conferences
Pastors and pastoral team members from all over Visayas gathered in Cebu City February 16-19 for the Leadership Conference entitled “Participating in God’s Life and Mission.” Guest speakers were GCI Vice President Dr. J. Michael Feazell and GCI-Australia National Director John McLean. GCI Philippines’ National Director Eugene Guzon opened the conference with a message about GCI-Philippines’ vision and mission. Photos of the Cebu Conference are courtesy of Kai Baslao.
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National Director Guzon flew back to Manila in time to open the Leadership Conference in Tagaytay City and facilitate small group discussions among local church leaders. Dr. Randy Bloom of GCI-US Church Multiplication Ministries led sessions called “Transformissions” and “Church Multiplication.”
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In the afternoon of the second day, Dr. Feazell joined us, leading sessions on practical theology, church renewal and an extended Q&A period. Later in the afternoon, National Director Guzon and Dr. Rey Taniajura met the young leaders of GCI Philippines to convey the goal of the national office for more youth leaders to be equipped and trained for service to God and to listen to their ideas, needs and concerns.
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On the third day, Dr. Feazell answered remaining questions, and Pastor Rex dela Pena led the closing Communion service.
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Photos by Orly Osillos, Jocer Sabbaluca, and Bong Tinoyan.
Combined Metro Manila worship service
Members from Metro Manila and surrounding provinces gathered February 21 at the Celebrity Sports Plaza for a wonderful time of worship, fellowship and learning. Members from as far away as Bicol and Mindoro also joined the service, having participated in the recently concluded Leadership Conference in Tagaytay City.
In addition to the uplifting worship led by the GCI Crossway Music Ministry, highlights of the service included updates and greetings from members in Australia given by GCI-Australia National Director John McLean, an audio-visual presentation of last year’s highlights, an encouraging message from our guest speaker, Dr. Randy Bloom of GCI-US Church Multiplication Ministries, and the ordination of three new elders, Pastor Andy Ducay (Manila South), Pastor Bernardo Cuizon (Oriental Mindoro), and ministerial trainee Aron Tolentino (Crossway). Photos by Jocer Cris Sabbaluca.
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Germany
Announcing the 2010 Autumn Festival in Germany September 10-17
Festival site: Lake Constance is a 538-square-kilometer basin between the Alps and the Jura mountains. Three countries share the lake: Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The mild climate around Lake Constance promotes the growth of lush, southern European vegetation and makes the region well suited to fruit and vine cultivation. The shores of Lake Constance are densely populated. The lake is surrounded by picturesque, historic towns and villages where visitors can see many buildings from the Middle Ages. Most of these are linked by boat. In summer, Lake Constance sparkles against the backdrop of the Alps, radiating a Mediterranean atmosphere with its many boats and their white and colored sails.
For a taste of the tropics, pay a visit to Mainau, the island of flowers. Alongside fascinating vegetation, the island is home to Germany’s largest butterfly house with viewing windows. A family-friendly beer garden by the lake stands next to a children’s village with cave-like dwellings, a wooden train and water play areas. On the lake’s northern shore, the Unteruhldingen museum and prehistoric village (built on stilts over the lake) adjoins a nature conservation area. Twenty pile-built houses take the visitor on a journey back to the Bronze Age (4000 to 850 B.C.). These life-size houses are the fruit of archaeological research. The largest island in Lake Constance is the monastic island of Reichenau. It bears extraordinary testament to the religious and cultural role played by the Benedictine abbey in medieval society. The abbey was the cradle of Western civilization and played a key role, renowned as it was for its teaching of book calligraphy and painting and its goldsmiths, in influencing European culture.
Festival venue: The superior Parkhotel St. Leonhard (4+ stars) is located high over Lake Constance. The Parkhotel has a fantastic panoramic view and it is surrounded by vineyards and a large park with wildlife. The town center Überlingen and Lake Constance are just 1 km away from the Parkhotel. The train station Überlingen Mitte is 2 km away.
Airports: Zurich (75 minutes), Stuttgart (75 minutes) or Friedrichshafen in Lake Constance.
Cost: (All amounts in Euros)
- Double room with half-board (per person): E551.
- Single room with half-board : E660
- Family room 3-4 adults 18 years of age and over half-board (per person): E540.
- Family room 2 adults plus 1 child (not over 12 years of age) half-board: Adults E578 and child E298.
- Family room 2 adults plus 1 child (between 13-17 years of age) half-board: Adults E578 and child E405.
All reservations will be made by the WKG German office through a travel agency.
More information about the hotel in English can be found under at: http://www.parkhotel-st-leonhard.de/3/startseite.html
There will be English translations at our worship services.
Anyone wishing to attend should contact WKG National Director Santiago Lange as soon as possible at wkg53bonn@aol.com
Prayer Requests and Updates
Please join us in praying for Nsama Kaoma, wife of African Mission Director Kalengule Kaoma. Kalengule reported that Nsama is suffering from symptoms of heart failure. He wrote: “Nsama began medication last night and doctors drained a lot of excess fluid. We are grateful to God about this, and she is feeling better than other mornings. The doctor thinks that this is a 50/50 situation with regard to recovery. We are trusting God for a miracle and his will to be done.”
Cards may be sent to:
PO Box 50117
Ridgeway
Lusaka
ZAMBIA
Pastor Lloyd Barrie of our Kalispell, Montana, asked for continued prayer for his wife, Joanne, who has begun eight three-week chemotherapy modules for her cancer. Lloyed added: “Joanne and I want to deeply thank everyone who has called, sent cards, and e-mailed over the past two months, and especially for everyone’s prayers for Joanne.”
Cards may be sent to:
503 2nd Ave E
Kalispell, MT 59901-4903
Pastor Jim Roberts let us know that his wife, Hazel, is recovering from her recent injuries. He wrote: “Thank you for all the support and prayers for Hazel following her fall and severely broken upper arm and cracked elbow. Thursday’s X-rays showed good progress with the re-alignment and healing procedure.”
Haiti
From Caribbean Mission Director Charles Fleming:
Thank you for your concern and support of our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Helping me coordinate our efforts in Haiti are David Perry, Rick Shallenberger and John Halford. Some of you have committed to becoming a long-term partner with us in our efforts to make a difference in Haiti, so I thought it would be helpful to share with you some of our thinking at this time.
Short-term (continuing until some measure of security and stability are in place):
- Given the small size of our congregation in Haiti (19 persons), the GCI response will be to take care of our members. We have already sent in money to the church account in Haiti for Mr. Franklin to distribute to our members. We will continue to send in money as needed. This may include helping at least one member rebuild his home in the town of St. Marc.
- Last Friday Mr. Franklin informed me that he has a crew making temporary repairs to the church building and is working on erecting tents so the school can reopen, it is hoped, by the beginning of April.
- I am planning a trip in June with Jeff Snyder (GCI pastor in Savannah, Georgia, who is also a building contractor) and Cecil Pulley (GCI pastor in Bermuda who is also an architect) to, among other things, evaluate the condition of the buildings and to discuss long-term needs.
Medium-to long-term:
- Jeff Snyder’s son, Nathan, who was on an earlier mission trip to the Caribbean, is being assigned to work in Haiti as part of the US government’s effort to help with the rebuilding in Haiti. Join us in praying that his job enables him to connect us to people who can help us get the school up and running.
- Join us in praying for wisdom in how best to use our property to advance God’s purposes. One possible option we are considering is to help with the need for schools. Given the fact that some 85 percent of schools in the capital have been badly damaged, it would be nice if we could run our school at maximum enrollment. For that to happen, there would need to be five- to seven-year commitments to help pay operational costs. Congregations and/or individuals would start with a higher up-front commitment, which would be reduced each year until the five or seven years are up. Our goal would be to have the school self-sustaining based on local resources at the end of the five or seven year period.
- Join us in praying for more long-term partners of Haiti to help us with this effort (or some other ministry opportunity that God leads us to) and the ability to make it a truly self-sustaining Haitian institution when our period of providing outside help is over.
Your prayers and support are important. I know Mr. Franklin deeply appreciates all that you do.
P.S. Pastor Joseph Franklin will be travelling to Florida within the next two weeks for long-delayed hernia surgery. He expects his recovery time to be six to eight weeks. Please pray for a successful operation and quick recovery. During Mr. Franklin’s time in Florida, Andre Naval will oversee the school.
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.
Love from my family to yours,
Joseph Tkach
