Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Jim Kissee reported that Ron Felling was installed March 28 as pastor of Grace Fellowship in Tonitown, Arkansas. Ron has served Grace Fellowship for nearly two years, and since last May as the leader of the advisory council. We welcome Ron as pastor.
Office of Reconciliation Ministry
From Curtis May:
Jannice and I traveled to the southeastern part of the country where I toured the MLK Civil Rights Center in Atlanta. Jannice conducted a Connecting and Bonding conference for ministers’ wives in Lexington, Kentucky, and I toured the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing, Ohio, along with a friend, John Halford, editor of Christian Odyssey magazine.
The museum founder and curator, Dr. John Mattox, was kind enough to take us on a personal tour of the three-story facility. It contains thousands of artifacts, documents and pictures, and Dr. Mattox allows tourists to touch and handle these materials to enhance the impact of the experience. If you ever have the opportunity to visit it would be more than worth your time. After I gave some ORM literature to Dr. Mattox, he commented that he would like to use the material in his prison ministry.
On Sunday I spoke at Christ Fellowship Church, pastored by Rick Shallenberger. Valdasia Merrick, founder of Joseph Dream, attended services with us and sang a song she wrote about Haiti.
Alberta, Canada, Summer Camps
Canadian SEP Director Jennifer Straub, sent the following announcements:
Any adults interested in helping out, please email Jennifer Straub as soon as possible at Jennifer.Straub@ab-conservation.com or salttoday@yahoo.co.uk
Toronto
From Gary Moore:
I’m happy to announce that Eric and Amy Warren will be moving to Toronto to serve as pastor for Cornerstone Christian Fellowship (formerly known as Toronto West) when Doug Smith retires. The exact date of the pastoral transition is yet to be finalized. Doug has done a great job, and the congregation there is moving forward with good momentum. Eric and Amy will be a really good fit to continue this momentum into the future. This naturally leads to my next announcement.
The Pathway Community Church (GCI congregation in Regina) pastor role will be open beginning as early as September 1, 2010. It is a loving, energetic, mission-oriented all-age congregation with an average attendance of 45. The congregation is able to offer a salary to whoever serves in this capacity. Any candidate who feels they may have a calling to serve in this pastoral role is asked to contact Alan Redmond at redmond@mts.net and/or me at gmoore@telus.net. We would appreciate a response by the end of April.
Prayer Requests and Updates
Please join me in extending condolences to the Valekis family. Jim Valekis, pastor of our Tipp City congregation sent me this note:
My mom, Maria Pagona Stratakis Valekis, passed away Sunday night, March 28 at 12:45 a.m. She’d been diagnosed with stage four lung and liver cancer a day-and-a-half before and fell into a peaceful sleep the following day. She was 84. I don’t have any current pictures, but here’s a picture of her how I think she is now, in heaven, with my dad and our Father. Thanks to all for your prayers.
Haiti
Our pastor in Haiti, Joseph Franklin, sent this update on his upcoming surgery: “Dr Elkine Jean Pierre, who is in charge of this section in Diquini Hospital, just called letting me know that I am booked for the surgery and will be admitted on Wednesday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m. Georgette and I thank all our brothers and sisters for their prayers.”
Mr. Joseph Blaise Franklin
9 Impasse Baron
Turgeau
Port-Au-Prince HT 6112
HAITI
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.
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
