Congratulations to Howard Blakeney who pastors GCI’s congregation in Marion, South Carolina.
Howard recently graduated summa cum laude from Cathedral Bible College in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with a Bachelor of Theology in Ministry degree. Howard is currently enrolled in the Masters of Theology program at the same college.
Through Generations Ministries, GCI in the U.S. facilitates short-term mission trips to locations in the U.S. and abroad. This post provides information about these trips in a short article and a video interview. For further information, click here or email Anthony.Mullins@gci.org.
The article below is from Charles Fleming, GCI’s Caribbean region missions director and a member of the Generations Ministries mission event resource team.
I have found that people often misunderstand what short-term mission trips are about. One misunderstanding is that a mission trip must be a hard-core, deeply sacrificial event. However, the reality is that mission trips are as varied as the people travelling and the people in the host community.
Over the past 15 years, I have been privileged to make mission trips to dozens of places. Some have, in fact, been hardship trips where we worked in difficult and even dangerous places. Others have been less intense. However, in all cases visitors and hosts alike came to know God better and understand themselves and others better while making a practical difference in the lives of people in the host community. From this experience, I have learned that successful short-term mission trips have the following characteristics:
As the pictures here show, successful trips combine fun, learning and hard work. I hope you and your family will consider going on a short-term mission trip. Through Generations Ministries, GCI in the U.S. sponsors several short-term mission trips and other events each year – some within the U.S. and some that travel internationally.
The video below tells the story of the short-term mission trip conducted by GCI’s congregation in Youngstown, Ohio to help the Cleveland congregation conduct a Vacation Bible School as an outreach to the neighborhood where the church meets.
At a worship service last Sunday in Columbus, Ohio, GCI president Joseph Tkach presented a service plaque and watches to Jeffrey and Karen Broadnax to mark Jeff’s 25 years as a full-time employee of the church.
Jeff was first hired part time starting in 1983. He worked while attending Ambassador College, Pasadena, California in several roles: landscape and building maintenance, Imperial School graphics, the summer camp at Orr, Minnesota, and as an instructor at the college.
In 1987, Jeff was hired to work full-time in the church travel department. Later that year he began work as a ministerial trainee in the Pasadena West-PM church. In 1989, he was ordained an elder and named the congregation’s assistant pastor. In 1990, transferred to Big Sandy, Texas where he served as an associate pastor. Then in 1993, he transferred to the New York City area to serve in the Manhattan-Westchester congregation, where he became the senior pastor in 1996. In the years that followed, he became the senior pastor of the congregations in Middletown, New York; Hillsdale, New Jersey and White Plains, New York.
In addition to his work pastoring churches, Jeff has been active in GCI’s summer camp programs, serving for several years as director of the New Heights camp in Connecticut.
In 2010, Jeff and Karen and their children moved to Columbus, Ohio where Jeff now serves as the senior pastor of GCI’s congregations in Columbus and Chillicothe, Ohio. Jeff also serves as eastern region coach for GCI’s summer camps in the United States.
This prayer request is from GCI pastor Rand Holm, concerning his wife Beth. Rand and Beth live in Southern California.
I humbly seek your prayers for my wife Beth. Recently we headed out the door to walk our dog, Kali, around the block. I was outside with Kali, several steps away, as Beth came out the door. She lost her balance and fell straight down on the hard concrete, hitting her left hip, elbow and shoulder. I was just out of distance for being able to help break her fall. She hit really hard.
Thank God, no bones were broken. I feel devastated for her and so bad that she is in a lot of pain once again. Please ask the Lord to help her through this and heal the trauma of the fall. In the past, falls that were not this bad have created a pain cycle that lasted for about ten days.
Thank you so much for your prayers for this precious child of God.
-Rand
Cards may be sent to:
Beth and Rand Holm 599 Rio Grande Circle Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-1555
We receive reports daily about the huge wildfires burning in Colorado and elsewhere in the United States (click here for a recent report). Here are updates on some GCI members and friends that are affected:
Please pray for these families and others in harm’s way. And also please pray for the thousands of evacuees and the firefighters in Colorado and elsewhere.
Last weekend at the U.S. Regional Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, GCI president Joseph Tkach honored Bob and Ruth Miller on the occasion of Bob’s retirement after 37 years of full-time employment with GCI.
Bob worked part-time in grounds maintenance and mail processing while attending Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas. Then in 1969 he began full-time employment as a ministerial assistant in GCI churches in Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tennessee. That employment ended the next year. In 1976, Bob was rehired, serving at church headquarters in Pasadena in several capacities including painting, mail processing, publishing, and media.In 1978, Bob became publishing production coordinator and was ordained an elder.
In 1979, Bob and his wife Ruth relocated to Alabama where Bob served as assistant pastor, associate pastor, and then senior pastor of the GCI congregation in Birmingham, where they remain today.
On May 18 of this year, Bob retired from full-time employment with the church. He continues serving part-time as the Birmingham congregation’s senior pastor.
We wish Bob and Ruth many wonderful years ahead as they continue to serve our Lord and his children.
Below is a video interview with two members of Living Hope Fellowship, the GCI congregation in Champlin, Minnesota. They discuss what their congregation is doing to reach out to a particular focus group in their community.
Here are updates about two recent GCI activities in the Philippines.
This update is from Arlan Aquino, one of GCI’s area superintendents in the Philippines.
Several members from Baguio City and La Trinidad recently traveled to Bokod, Benguet for a Children’s Outreach Program. According to staff member Myla Faminialagao, the purpose was to “let the children further understand who Jesus is in their lives” and help them to “have a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
The program had two classes, one for children 2 to 8 years old and another for children 9 to 14. The first class, led by Grace Ogas, had 23 attendees. Topics included Getting to Know God Through the Bible; and Knowing Jesus as Son of God, Son of Man, Friend and Savior. The second class, with 15 older children, considered topics such as Vanity, Who Jesus Is to Me, and Discipling Others. Myla also taught them how to make cards for Mother’s Day.
This update is from Eleanor O. Bongat.
GCI in the Bicol region recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. The theme was Beyond the Great Commission, Preparing the Bride.
Attending were GCI Philippines national director Eugene Guzon, missions director Dr. Rey Taniajura, senior pastor of City of Praise for Asia Edwin Villagomez and the national missions team led by Cecilia Bangay. The celebration was opened by pastor Pamor who recaped the Bicol church’s 40-year journey. It began with one congregation in Naga City and now there are 15 in the region. Missions director Dr. Rey Taniajura then addressed the group, followed by a message from pastor Reuel who gave a glimpse of the past in pictures provided by members. Also included were warm messages from pastor George Escara and Dr. Taniajura.
The celebration coincided with Missions Fest, which included several plenary presentations and workshops. Eugene Guzon made a presentation titled GCI Mission for the Next Decade emphasizing the need for all members to participate in mission. He noted that two years ago there was a good response from GCI members to go to the mission field. But at the moment there is a tapering down in the number of missionaries, hence the urgent need to mobilize response from the churches.
Dr. Taniajura gave a presentation titled The Greatest Story Ever Told: Preparing the Bride and Mission. He said that the greatest of all events in eternity past and present is the preparation of the bride (the church). Her involvement in mission is in anticipation for the coming of the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ).
The missions team conducted workshops on networking, giving, cross-cultural experience, spiritual warfare, member care and intimacy with God.
Worship was led by various music teams, including God’s Little Musicians, a group of young and talented children. A prayer concert was held with a focus on least-reached people groups including tribals, Hindus, unreligious, Muslims and Buddhists. Prayers were also offered for GCI and the government of the Philippines. Pastor Edwin Villagomez concluded by challenging participants to actively enter the mission field. Several responded and received prayer. The event closed with a benediction from Jose V. Manzano, Bicol area assistant superintendent.
This update is from GCI pastor Gordy Lindquidst who lives in Minnesota where there has been extensive flooding.
I want to update you on the flooding problems here in Duluth. We received 10+ inches of rain in the last few days. Governor Dayton has declared it a disaster area. Though there was no loss of life in the Duluth area, three people lost their lives in Wisconsin outside of Ashland when they drove into a sinkhole caused by the rain. Damages will be in the hundreds of millions for this area.
I have talked with everyone in the Duluth congregation who lives in the affected area. Though some had water in their basements, none suffered any catastrophic loss. Like many cities across the country, Duluth has not had the revenue to keep up with all the maintenance that has been required for streets, sewer and water lines, etc. Looks like the federal government will now be helping us repair/replace the damaged streets, sidewalks, etc.
On a lighter note….if it had only rained a few more days at our house, I would not have had to walk down to the lake to fish; I could have done it off my deck!
At the recent U.S. Regional Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, regional pastor Greg Williams and his wife Susan were honored for Greg’s 25 years of GCI employment. GCI president Joseph Tkach presented Greg and Susan with a 25 year service plaque and watches to thank them for their years of devoted service.
While a student at Ambassador College in Pasadena, Greg worked part-time in several campus departments. Then in 1983 he went to work full-time as a physical education instructor in Imperial High School in Pasadena.
In 1985 Greg entered employed pastoral ministry as a ministerial trainee, serving in the Glendora, California congregation. Then in 1986 Greg was ordained an elder and began serving as an assistant pastor in Glendora. In 1987 he and his wife Susan transferred to Denver, Colorado, where Greg became an associate pastor in 1988.
In 1991 the couple transferred to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where Greg served as the church pastor. Beginning in 1997 he added responsibilities as coordinator of one of GCI’s annual festivals – a responsibility he held for many years.
In 2000, Greg also added the responsibility of heading up the basketball and volleyball programs at SEP in Orr, Minnesota. Greg served in many capacities at the camp in subsequent years.
In 2006, Greg left the employ of GCI, and began working as a regional leader for Youth for Christ in Atlanta. In 2008 Greg returned to employment in GCI, serving part time as director of GCI Generations Ministries – a job that became full time in 2009. In 2010, Greg joined Ted Johnston in developing a course in youth ministry at Grace Communion Seminary. And in 2012, Greg began serving as the GCI regional pastor of the eastern part of the United States.
Congratulations and thanks to Greg and Susan for their many years of service!
