Nearly 200 people from the West Harlem community of New York City joined GCI’s Manhattan Community Church (MCC) for an Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 2. With the theme “Freedom in Christ,” MCC members served free hot dogs, hamburgers, and bottled water outside on a beautiful day in the city. Children of the community joined with the congregation in arts and crafts, and guests were invited to take free books. During the worship service that day, members of the community joined the congregation in a discussion of where Jesus is working in Harlem and what true freedom really means with Christ. This outreach was part of the congregation’s summer initiative to bring the Church to the Streets by building lasting relationships in the community.

The Sunday worship service on July 24 at New Hope Christian Fellowship (the GCI congregation in Eagle Rock, CA), was particularly joyful. Six youth and one adult were baptized! Each newly baptized person was given a baptism certificate and a white towel with the New Hope logo and the word Servant in gold lettering. The towel is a reminder that Jesus took a towel and served his disciples by washing their feet.

New Hope pastor Glen Weber and youth leader Mat Morgan baptize James Moody:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Moody baptizes his son D’Andre:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastor Glen Weber (far right) stands with newly baptized members (left to right): Ttendo Williams, James Moody, D’Andre Moody, Collin Ledbetter, Stephen Hamme, Sara Garcia, Trey Carlisle, Nicolette Galvez and Angelica Galvez (Nicolette and Angelica were baptized a few weeks previously).  Fourteen youth have been baptized at New Hope over the last twelve months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In attendance to witness Sara Garcia’s baptism were five generations of her family (all have been baptized through GCI/WCG); left to right: Teresa Cruz, Nickie Vargas, Christina Garcia,  Isaiah Romero, April Galvez and Nicolette Galvez.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a report from GCI-Canada National Director Gary Moore concerning his recent trip to South Africa.

Wendy and I joined with Tim Maguire (GCI’s National Director for South Africa and Missions Director for Southern Africa). We presented two day-long leadership training seminars, one in the Johannesburg  area and the other in the Cape Town area. We were pleased to see the continued maturity and growth in the leaders and other members. People are processing the core concepts of Trinitarian theology well and are feeling a renewed excitement in sharing the gospel from the perspective that God loves all people and that all indeed are included. They have their challenges, including lingering effects of the global recession. However, they are tackling life’s challenges with strong confidence in our Triune God’s faithfulness.

After the trip to Cape Town, we visited a church plant in the community of Westlake. The Cape Town South GCI congregation is parenting this plant in an area with significant numbers of immigrants from other parts of Africa. It is inspiring to see this initiatives.

We were also inspired to hear about Tim’s recent trips to Mozambique. He is working there with 87 churches (with a combined attendance of  about 4,000) that have now joined GCI. This development testifies that we are indeed participating where God is already at work!

A combined worship service in Johannesburg with 154 in attendance:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participants in the leadership seminar in Cape Town:

Silver Meadows Camp

Silver Meadows is our youth camp in Western Canada. It recently completed its 2011 camp session with 30 workers, 35 teen campers and 11 pre-teen campers. Daily Bible studies covered the Living Loved curriculum provided by Generations Ministries. It was well received, and resulted in the Ask the Pastor sessions having some deep and thought provoking questions. Two baptisms took place the final day, and campers donated $600 in offerings to be dedicated to the SEP South Africa camps this year.

– Gary is GCI’s National Director in Canada.

On July 9 we held a graduation dinner in Bogota for nine couples who completed a church sponsored marriage class. Three of these were leaders of other denominations who took the class so they could use it in their own congregations. One couple and their family, who are new to the gospel, have begun attending with us.

On July 24, we were visited by John and Nhora Lamb of the Brussels, Belgium, congregation. John, who pastors the Brussels church, presented the sermon and gave a report about what GCI’s mission work in Malawi. The same day we had with us missionaries Daniel and Marilyn German who are working with New Tribes in Africa. Daniel motivated us with a short message on missions. Two missionary ladies working with New Tribes in Bogota joined our congregation about two years ago. They are a source of motivation for us in our local missions work.

Prayer is requested for the success of my upcoming visits to Argentina, Peru and Mexico.

Hector is GCI’s National Director in Colombia and Missions Director for Latin America.