November 2011 – Page 2

Advent greetings

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

To those in the U.S., happy Thanksgiving! And to everyone, warm Advent greetings!

As you know, this Sunday (November 27) is the first of the four Sundays in the Advent season, which is followed by Christmas (also a Sunday this year). Advent celebrates the coming into our world of the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. It is traditional to first look forward to Jesus’ coming in glory, then to his present coming through the Holy Spirit, and then back to his original coming in the flesh through his birth at Bethlehem.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

In all our Advent and Christmas celebrations we are reminded that God, in his grace, comes to us. He is the Light come into our darkness. And that Light is true life. We are blessed to be enabled by the Holy Spirit to see and to embrace this Light, to walk in its glow, and to proclaim its glory to others who remain in darkness.

Many Advent and Christmas hymns and carols beautifully remind us of these truths. An example is “O Holy Night.” The lyrics of this Christmas carol were written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure:

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Advent greetings from my family to yours,

Joseph Tkach

Dr. John McKenna

Dr. John McKenna is doctrinal advisor to Grace Communion International and a Grace Communion Seminary faculty member. In the video below, John tells his story about writing poetry, and shares a short new poem that he wrote in response to a service on the tenth anniversary of 9-11.

GenMin camps & mission trips report

Anthony Mullins who leads GCI Generations Ministries (GenMin) camps and mission trips, submitted the following report.

2011 was a fruitful year! Through the devoted work of 811 volunteer staff we conducted 16 camps and eight short-term mission trips. Through these events we were blessed to join with Jesus in touching the lives of 1098 teens and 1609 children.

Though the numbers in our camps were down a bit, the numbers in our mission trips were up. We thus experienced significant growth overall, despite the weak economy. We are grateful for this growth, but above all, we rejoice that the lives of campers and staff are being transformed. In that regard, it is our experience that one of the primary benefits of our camps and mission trips is in serving as “incubators” for the development of new (and often young) mission-minded GCI leaders.

On behalf of GenMin, I want to thank all our volunteers, and also the members who give their support and prayers. Thanks also to the congregations that ‘loan’ their leaders, that provide scholarships to campers and missionaries, and that, as a congregation, donate to the GC Next Domestic Mission Fund, which helps to fund these events. For more information about how congregations can support GenMin, go to http://genmin.gci.org/donate.htm.

Birth of Ethan Mills

Kathy Miller with her new grandchild Ethan

Bill and Kathy Miller are happy to announce the arrival of their first grandchild, Ethan Benjamin Mills, born on October 30 to Jamin and Elizabeth (Miller) Mills. All are happy and doing well.

Bill is the senior pastor of Christian Family Fellowship, the GCI congregation that meets in Kenmore, WA.

FaithTalk

GCI in the United States advocates the formation of evangelistic small groups referred to as FaithTalk groups. The CAD Ministry Development Team provides online training and resourcing for these groups (go to http://faithtalkgroups.blogspot.com/). The following report is from Tom Kennebeck, pastor of GCI’s Northland Community Church in Orr, MN. Tom reports on the FaithTalk group recently launched as an outreach of his congregation.

Our faith talk group of three plus myself started after one of the group came to visit our church one Sunday. He was interested in growing deeper with God. We got together after church at our home for a time of caring and sharing. Over the next several weeks we continued to meet at my home for an hour or so in a mentoring relationship. We discussed Luke 15 as well as The Parable of the Dancing God by Baxter Kruger.

Shortly thereafter I met two other young adults about the same age who wanted to connect with a “safe” group. It was interesting to find out how much they all had in common and how they were able to share with one another. Our meetings include general discussion about life challenges in relation to their faith walk. We have been meeting for several weeks and the group members continue to experience personal sharing, growing and caring for one another.

One of the group members attends our church regularly when he doesn’t have to work. The other two have attended on occasion. One comes from a non-Christian background, the other from a stable churched family but has been disconnected for a while and wants to reconnect with God.

I believe and pray that everyone within the group will come to a better understand that in Christ that are beloved children of the Father. I also believe and pray that they will eventually join in fellowship with the local church, and that some of them will play a role in starting other Faith-talk groups.

Thanksgiving and praise

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

In the United States, next Thursday (November 24) is the annual Thanksgiving holiday. I know that many of our congregations will have special Thanksgiving-themed services the weekend before or after. Perhaps some will read from the following proclamation from U.S. President Abraham Lincoln establishing a national day of “Thanksgiving and praise.”

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

Click picture to enlarge or go to https://update.gci.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/First-Thanksgiving-Lincoln.png

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

In the spirit of that proclamation, let us join together this Thanksgiving and every day in giving our gracious God thanks and praise for his many blessings. One of those blessings, of course, is the fellowship we share with dear brothers and sisters in Christ. I thank God for each of you, my spiritual family, no matter what your age might be.

Speaking of age, in this issue of Weekly Update we introduce a new occasional feature titled “Member profiles.” It will highlight some of our members around the world. Our worldwide fellowship is indeed blessed with many interesting and inspiring personalities. This time we introduce one of our young adult members, Alisha Austin. We’re thankful for her and excited about her future!

If there is someone in your congregation that you would like to see featured in “Member profiles” email text and pictures to WeeklyUpdate@gci.org.

Blessings from my family to yours,

Joseph Tkach

South African church

As is the case in other parts of the world, our churches in South Africa are facing difficult financial circumstances due to the global recession. Tim Maguire, the national ministry leader, along with the members of the South African church board, request your prayers for wisdom and guidance as they decide how to wisely steward the funds God has given them to best participate in his mission in their part of the world.

Amphibious Christians

The following is from an article titled, “Amphibious Christians Make the Best Contemporary Evangelists” by Anglican Bishop and professor Todd Hunter, published online in the Alpha Library. It is shared with us by Jim and Becky Valekis who serve the GCI congregation in Tipp City, OH. Jim is senior pastor and Becky coordinates discipleship ministries. They have successfully used the Alpha Course for discipling seekers and believers.

To be amphibious means to have the ability to combine two characteristics. Think of animals that are equally comfortable in and out of water, for example. Amphibious Christians are well suited to evangelism today because helping a friend come to faith requires the ability to dive into that friend’s world, to closely interact with a co-worker or neighbor, to engage in honest and deep conversation without losing all values, truth, faith, confidence, etc. Such people have the capacity to live uncompromising lives in harmony with both churched and non-churched colleagues. They are able to live at ease in two worlds. They peacefully follow the incarnational model of Jesus who was in the world, but not of it. Jesus was able to be a fully participatory member of his community. It was precisely within the routines of his normal human life that he “only did and spoke as the Father directed” (John 5).

Jesus invites us into exactly that same kind of life… His invitation is that we, through the direction and power of the Holy Spirit, would live our normal lives as he would live them if he were in our place…. Here is a Jesus-centered, Spirit-enabled vision for effective, peace-filled contemporary evangelism through amphibious living. Jesus said:

The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message).

…Jesus is inviting his followers into the very intimacies of the Trinity. He is willing to show anyone willing to learn how to live Father-child amphibious living—the way he did it. He says such a life can be lived in “the rhythms of grace.” This means such a life does not need to be forced, over-religious, striving. In fact, he says such a life is free and light. It is the good life.

“Todd”, you may say, “this is all cool, but connect the dots to evangelism.” Okay, here is how they connect: seekers crave people who can meet them on their terms. It takes truly amphibious Christians to do that. Seekers want to see that our relationship to God “works”… They know life stinks around most of the world for various reasons. They don’t just have in mind systemic evil like poverty, gender inequality and global destruction. They are thinking of their unjust boss, unloving kids and unfaithful spouse. They want to find a way to do life. They are searching for a Master to follow for life. They suspect that if there is a God as we say that he might have the keys to “the good life.” We of course say: “Yes! He does. They are the keys to the Kingdom and they have been given to all who trust and follow Jesus.”

Amphibious, authentic, generously-spirited Christians…are really refreshing and hope-giving to seekers.

Children’s Closet ministry

The following report is from GCI member Mary Fozard:

With our nation facing a weak economy, churches wonder what they can do to help. Despite being small, aging and short on funds, New Beginnings, the GCI congregation in Hickory, N.C found a way – it’s a ministry they have named Children’s Closet.

It began in early October with a large yard and bake sale. The proceeds were used to purchase initial supplies. Now, one Saturday a month, they open their church doors from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and provide free children’s clothing for ages 0 to 12, and free baby diapers and baby products. The same day, they also hold a small yard and bake sale. The proceeds are used to purchase more clothing and diapers to distribute. All clothing offered is high quality, without stains or defects. It is laid out neatly according to size in a small, but brightly decorated room set aside for that purpose. Tables are also set up in the sanctuary where better quality clothing is sold for a small donation.

A small play area with toys is provided for children who come with their families. On their opening Saturday (November 5), they saw one family with five children returning for the second time to receive free clothing. Some who drop in for the yard sale are very generous and offer to pay more than what the yard sale item is worth. One man bought a coffee mug for 25 cents and gave $20.00, telling us to use the rest to buy baby diapers. Another retired grandfather on a fixed income was happy to get a few cute baby pajamas for his grandson for 75 cents. When one of our church members told her sister about Children’s Closet, her sister sent a donation of $50 to help even though she is a member of another denomination.

Since non-food items cannot be purchased with food stamps, the congregation also set up a Household Pantry Prize table with about $100 worth of personal need items like shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Also included are household cleaning items like laundry detergent, soap pads, and dishwashing liquid. Paper products like bath tissue, wax paper, Kleenex, plastic wrap, garbage bags and paper towels are also available. Every family who makes a small donation for clothing, yard sale items, or bake sale items is eligible to draw from the prize drawing box and win one or several items on the table. These products are donated by church members and are greatly appreciated by those who receive them.

Feedback from families coming has been quite favorable and some have begun to inquire about the congregation’s church services. Brochures about the congregation are given to those who visit Children’s Closet. They also put an announcement about the ministry on the sign outside the building.The day it is open, they set out many little signs with balloons to attract attention. Once people come in and see what Children’s Closet has to offer, they tell their friends and relatives. Free advertising!

The congregation used to wonder if anyone in the community noticed their presence. Now, when people drive by, some are saying, “That’s the church that gives out free children’s clothing and free baby diapers. Now that’s a church that cares!”

For information about Children’s Closet you may contact New Beginnings pastor Paul David Kurts at paul.d.kurts@gci.org.

Report from Canada

The following report is from Gary Moore, national director for GCI in Canada.

For health reasons, Alan Redmond will be stepping aside at the end of this year as District Superintendent of our western Canadian churches. He will continue to pastor our Winnipeg and Thunder Bay congregations. Alan has done a great job as a D.S. I have appreciated his wisdom, hard work and support as part of our national team. Bill Hall has kindly agreed to take Alan’s place. Bill has worked in the national office and edits the Northern Light magazine. He has also served for a number of years as a pastor.

Todd Martin will be writing a new “Single Page” feature that will appear on our Canadian national website (at www.gcicanada.ca). Todd pastors Harvest Christian Fellowship, the GCI congregation in Abbotsford. He has written regularly for the local paper, and there has been good feedback. Our website will be enriched by Todd’s contributions.

On November 5-6, young members, friends and families from Quebec and Southern Ontario met in Toronto for the annual Volleyball Weekend. The event included a worship service and meal followed the next day by volleyball games in nearby Whitby. Twelve teams participated, with the “Where is Waldo?” team from Ottawa winning the gold medal.

Month: November 2011