Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Let’s remember in prayer the people of Egypt during this momentous crisis in their country, as well as all those who will ultimately be affected by it. As we face crises in our lives and turmoil in the world we can take comfort in Jesus’ words, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).
That is God’s will for us. It means we don’t have to fear. We don’t have to worry. We can accept the gift of God. The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Through all trials and fears, may God bless our work in Christ of spreading that good news.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chugait and Fong Garmolgomut, from Chiang Mai, Thailand, have informed us that one of the students from their Ambassador Bilingual School (ABS) has gained first place in a national English Language spelling contest. This has further enhanced the reputation of the school, which, although not an overtly Christian mission school, is dedicated to teaching English in an atmosphere of Christian values. The formula is proving to be very successful, and many more people are showing interest (see the article in the February/March Christian Odyssey).
The school is planning to double the size of its library, which is dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Herman L. Hoeh. They have urgent need of material, such as story books teaching right values, books with pictures, posters, and textbooks for grades K-12. The books don’t need to be new, but should have some useful life left. The books do not necessarily have to have a Bible theme, although those are welcome as well.
If you have some books that you think could be useful, please contact John Halford at john.halford@gci.org or call 812 667 4767 to tell him what you have. John will discuss with you what to do next.
New Q&A feature on the Surprising God Blog
The Surprising God Blog has recently been updated to include several pages that answer frequently asked questions about certain passages of Scripture when read in the light of Trinitarian, incarnational theology. If you have questions not addressed in those pages, you may submit them to the blog as we continue to build this Q&A resource.
Big Sandy, Texas
From Pastor Sonny Parsons:
Our congregation’s annual FUN N FALL activity is featured on the City of Big Sandy website at http://www.bigsandytx.net/fun-and-fall.html.
FUN N FALL is a community-wide activity that our young adults started about four years ago. Last year we had more than 300 attend, which is about one fourth of the town. Besides the activities, food and fun, plenty of relationships are developed and several churches participate with us. It has even included Bible story readings for kids and adults. At least 30 businesses contributed this past year. It has been offered as an alternative to Halloween each year on the Saturday before Halloween. The city and schools and fire and police departments are all supportive.
Members Rick and Lois Peterson, named Man and Woman of the Year 2010, are pictured in the Christmas parade slide show on the city’s home page at www.bigsandytx.net. Our float won the parade’s first-place trophy. At the end of the parade we had a community-wide prayer over the city.
Now the city has decided to make the Fun N Fall link permanent! The new page, as you can see, has not only pictures of the event, but also an explanation of the event and information about the church.
These and other events the church is doing locally have begun to produce fruit. Several new young adults and their children have started to attend, be baptized and invited their friends to our Wednesday evening and Sunday services.
Brazil
Hector Barerro reports:
Wanderlei is a Canadian English teacher who lives in Coroata, Maranhao, which is a five-hour flight plus a four-hour drive from Sao Paulo in the northeast of Brazil. He understands our doctrines and has asked for training on how to start a church group. While he and his wife Iara and daughter Isabel were visiting his family in Sao Paulo, Pauline and I went there to spend two days with them. They are planning to move to Sao Paulo this February, and are undecided about whether to stay there or move on to Canada. Naturally, we are praying that they decide to stay in Sao Paulo.
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From Sao Paulo, we visited our Ezeiza, Argentina, congregation along with Charles and Carmen Fleming. It was an opportunity to motivate the congregation, strengthen relationships and spend time with Pastor Julio. We have another congregation of about 20 people who need to be visited in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, a 30-minute flight from Buenos Aires. I hope to visit that group with Julio by the end of the year if budget permits.
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Philippines
From National and Missions Director Eugene Guzon:
Volunteer doctors from Medical Surgical Mission Texas perform major surgery for two poor communities of the City of San Fernando and Bacolor, Pampanga.
Maricel Bautista, 34 years old of San Fernando, may have thought that her goiter condition was hopeless. But things changed for the better this week when she was blessed with the chance to undergo a major surgery and treated for free by our surgeon friends from the USA. As she was being discharged from the hospital a couple of days ago, she could not help but say, “Salamat po sa Lord.” [Thanks to the Lord] These words of gratitude were expressed in different ways throughout the week as God expressed his love and provision through the four-day medical, surgical, dental, and spiritual mission in two outlying poor communities in Pampanga province.
Maricel is one of the over 100 surgery beneficiaries and 8,300 patients treated by close to 100 doctors and surgeons and nurses from the United States from January 17-20, 2011. It is amazing to see how God moved through 300 volunteers – doctors, nurses, student nurses, city health workers, army men who provided shuttles, security and dental care, including 30 GCI volunteers who distributed meals and about 100 Bibles and around 500 daily bread devotionals, helped with documentation, purchased medicines, set up tents and provided prayer support and counseling. Each helping hand and compassionate heart made the mission another testimony of God’s grace, teamwork and love at work.
We thank the members for their part in projects like this, which have created new inroads for the church to connect with the community and also to strengthen our ties. We would also like to express our special gratitude to Pastor Audie Santibanez and the members in the Pampanga church for their service, ministry and labor of love during the medical mission.
We are already exploring with city leaders on areas of partnership for holistic ministry in the near future. We also have received many thankful text messages especially from the city and the beneficiaries saying that this made a big difference in their lives.
Coach training
From CAD USA:
Ted Johnston conducted a ministry coach training seminar in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday, January 29. Participants included 25 pastors and ministry leaders from GCI congregations in the upper Mid-West.
A primary goal of Church Administration and Development is to encourage the use of coaching as a tool to equip and multiply pastors, church planters and other congregational leaders. CAD assigns GCI certified coaches to coach first-time employed senior pastors and church planters. Ten of the seminar participants will proceed with advanced training to receive certification.
Several GCI-USA pastors are currently being coached, including Leonard Banks, the senior pastor of Abundant Grace Church in Rochester, New York. Leonard reports that coaching has many benefits, but two stand out: being held accountable and being given motivation. Leonard commented: “After my coach asks what I will do to change, implement, or move forward, I know there is a set time for me to do what I say. There are times when I have plans and ideas but do not have the initiative to push them through. Coaching is that push for me.”
Leonard’s coach, Ken Williams of CAD, said: “Coaching can help people take steps toward fulfilling the work God has given them. The coach serves people by asking good questions, listening for understanding, and walking with them as they make progress. When coaching is at its best, the coach hears a person’s dreams and helps them focus to make those dreams come true.”
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For a short video that addresses the benefits of having a ministry coach, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz8tJzpbV-I.
For a short video showing a portion of a coaching session with Leonard and Ken, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIKnpd_Y2sg.
If you are interested in receiving coach training, you may contact your district pastoral leader or Ted.Johnston@gci.org. We will let you know when a coach training seminar is coming to your region.
Ministry Equipper
In this month’s Ministry Equipper, Dan Rogers reminds pastors:
Black History Month: February is a time to celebrate African-American culture and important contributions of African-American citizens, past and present. For resources and ideas, go to http://alturl.com/ph2iu.
National Marriage Week: February 7-14 has been designated as a time for churches to focus on strengthening marriages. To learn more, go to http://www.nationalmarriageweekusa.org/. For teaching and preaching resources, go to http://genmin.gci.org/resources.htm (look under family and marriage).
Prayer Requests and Updates
Update from Dennis and Lorraine Pelley:
For the first day in many weeks, Lorraine had no episodes. On Friday we visited another Movement Disorder Specialist and she confirmed that Lorraine has no neurological disease. Saturday and Sunday were free of any episodes, and Lorraine was encouraged to be able to go back to church for the first time since Christmas Eve. Lorraine realizes that she probably has six months of physical rehabilitation ahead, since she has been bedridden for the last ten months, but with the help of their daughter Karen’s physical therapy, she will do the rehab. We are so thankful for the prayers and loving concern that you have shown and praise God for you all.
Please join us in prayer for John Biswas, director of the Bengali Evangelistic Association. John wrote:
After returning from the Bangladesh mission field, I have gone through a lot of health problems, such as colds, pain, high fever, etc. Since mid-December, I have been suffering with illness and was taken to the emergency room a couple of times. I was hospitalized January 18-24 for what doctors think might be a kidney infection. I am now discharged from the hospital but not fully recovered. I continue to see the doctors so they can determine what is wrong with my health. Please pray for my full recovery.
Cards may be sent to:
10690 Elm St
Loma Linda, CA 92354-2411
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
