Elizabeth Mullins – Page 36

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2023 Denominational Celebration

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Devotional—But the Lord Said Go

Editor’s Note: Our overarching theme for devotions during the five months of the liturgical calendar called Ordinary Time is Jesus is sending his church. Using Michael Frost’s B.E.L.L.S. acronym as a framework, the topics will relate to missional living.

bless others generously, in word and deed (July),
eat with others hospitably (August),
listen to the Spirit while engaging with others (September),
learn Jesus’ teachings as a disciple (October),
and, sent people share the good news with others (November)

¹⁰Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, ¹²and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, ¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; Acts 9:10-15 NRSVUE

Paul was infamous for persecuting Christians until he met Jesus while travelling to Damascus. Paul was blinded, but God used this blindness as a way of getting his attention.

Meanwhile, God spoke to the disciple Ananias. He did not anticipate that the Lord would send him to the likes of Paul. It must have been confusing and frightening for Ananias. He was asked to show compassion and extend healing to someone known for arresting and killing his fellow believers. But despite the uncertainty and fears for his own safety, Ananias obeyed. In doing so, he participated not only in bringing light to Paul by restoring his eyesight, but in God’s bigger work through Paul to bring the light of gospel to the world.

Witnessing for Christ can be daunting. It is a call that sometimes takes us to difficult places and people. We see our neighbors’ and co-workers’ offenses and flaws. We may be deterred by the reputations that precede them. But Jesus compels us to love them just the same, because his desire is to reach all people.

Like Ananias, we too are being sent to minister to others, even to those who are difficult or with whom we have differences. It can feel scary and confusing, and we may even wonder to God: “where are you going with this?” But where the Lord sends us, we can follow him in faith, trusting that he is already at work, and that there is no limit to what he can do in the lives of the people around us.

Prayer:
Thank you, God, for bringing us into this relationship with you, for allowing us to know your heart, and for giving us space to participate in your ministry of reconciliation towards all people. Open our eyes to opportunities for sharing the good news of Jesus. As you send us, grant us the courage and compassion to extend your love to others in intentional and meaningful ways. Amen.

By Joyce Tolentino
Hope Avenue Team, GC Crossway, Manila, PH

Team Based—Chair Led

Dear GCI Friends and Family,

From time to time, I invite a guest writer to share with our church audience. It is my pleasure to have GCI Board Chair, Randy Bloom, as our guest writer this issue. Check out our interview here.

In Him,
Greg Williams

Grace Communion International exists as a beloved part of the universal church of Jesus. It exists to preach the Gospel of Jesus, and to make disciples as it participates in his ministry. GCI also exists as an organization recognized by and functioning under the laws of the US government. As such, it has a necessary structure for fulfilling its mission, as it is led and directed by the Holy Spirit. Under the direction and support of the Board, this structure is headed by the GCI President, Dr. Greg Williams, along with the Home Office staff and regional superintendents around the globe.

As Chair of the GCI board, I have been asked to explain the purpose of the board and how it functions.

The board provides high-level direction and support for the work of the church, mostly from behind the scenes, leaving the more visible aspects (the administrative aspects) of church ministry and mission to the President and his team. But the “behind the scenes” work of the board provides a solid foundation and pathway for the work of the church. The board also provides an extra layer of accountability within GCI – the President is accountable to the board. The primary responsibilities of the board include serving as a governing body (not involved in day-to-day administration or management) to:

- - Ensure the integrity of GCI’s theological framework and doctrine
  - Establish and maintain the vision and mission of GCI
  - Set basic policies (regarding personnel, finances, risk management, etc.)
  - Maintain financial health
  - Hire and support the President.

GCI theology and doctrine.

The “heavy lifting” of developing and establishing the foundational theological framework and doctrine for GCI has been accomplished by the prior work of the board. Today the board maintains the ongoing integrity of our theology and doctrine and is responsible for any future adjustments or clarifications as revealed by the Holy Spirit. The board has a doctrinal committee that reviews and decides doctrinal issues that arise from time to time.

GCI vision and mission

The mission of the church has been clearly set by Jesus: to preach the gospel and make disciples. This is the purpose of GCI (and any church). How that mission is lived out—what it “looks like” in various locations and cultures—needs to be worked out by the President, superintendents, regional directors, and pastors within the 69 countries in which GCI has a presence. With the Spirit leading, Greg and his team have developed missional plans and strategies for pursuing our GCI vision of “Healthy Church.” Greg keeps the board updated regularly on the development and progress of these plans.

Financial health and accountability

Through various committees, the board works to ensure GCI’s financial health. It reviews and approves the annual budget. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides quarterly financial updates to the board. Several committees are involved in managing the annual audit and providing oversight of investments. The CFO is also accountable to the board for all financial management systems, ensuring GCI operates according to established legal requirements. We are happy to say that every year GCI receives an “Unqualified Opinion,” the highest audit rating possible.

Support the President

While the President is accountable to the board, the board is also accountable to support the President. The board does this through its review and support of the President’s initiatives. More specifically, the board chair provides more focused support. I do this by maintaining regular contact with Greg. We talk regularly by Zoom. He shares his plans and ideas with me on a consistent basis, and he is open to suggestions and ideas from me. We have been friends and colleagues for many years, so our working relationship is professional and relational. We get along well, and communication is easy between us. He has often described our working relationship as one of coach and coachee.

I think it is important for people to realize that no one person “has the reigns of authority” within GCI. The President is accountable to the board and while the board has a Chair, the Chair is accountable to the board. Responsibility and accountability are shared. The board is, I hope, a good working example of “team based—chair led.”

Board composition

You may be wondering, “Who comprises the board? What kind of people are they?” I am honored to serve alongside a group of men and women who are experienced and competent in a variety of fields essential to the effective work of the board. Some are highly accomplished in various aspects of finances, management, and legal work. Some are experienced pastors. The board directors are as diverse as they are competent. What they all share in common is love for Jesus, for people, for GCI, and a respect for their fiduciary duties. To learn more about GCI board directors, click here.

Grace Communion Seminary board

An additional blessing, I encountered when I accepted the nomination as GCI board chair was that the GCI board chair also serves as the chair for Grace Communion Seminary. I enjoy serving alongside GCS President, Dr. Michael Morrison and other GCS board members. The GCS board fulfills the same purposes for the seminary as the GCI board serves for the church – to ensure the seminary mission, vision and finances are upheld and managed with integrity. The GCS board is comprised of directors who are experienced, competent, and committed to GCI and GCS. To learn more, visit GCS board.

As I was preparing to retire, I spent a great deal of time pondering and praying about “what was next,” what Jesus may have had in store for me in his ministry. Being asked to serve on the GCI board came as an unexpected surprise, and it has been a great joy to serve alongside GCI and GCS board members. The work is challenging in a good way and fits well into a very fluid retirement schedule. Serving on the board provides an opportunity to continue to work with dear friends and colleagues and serve GCI pastors and congregations in the U.S. and around the globe.

Randy Bloom
GCI Board Chair

2023 Denomination Celebration

Prayer Guide—November 2022

“Prayer is the natural outgushing of a soul in communion with Jesus. Just as the leaf and the fruit will come out of the vine-branch without any conscious effort on the part of the branch, but simply because of its living union with the stem, so prayer buds, and blossoms, and fruits out of souls abiding in Jesus.” ― Charles Spurgeon

Join us in prayer this month as we thank God for including us in his good work. Click the image below to download the November Prayer Guide and check out what’s happening in our fellowships around the world. #WeAreGCI

2023 Denomination Celebration Childcare – Volunteer to Receive Discount!

Serving Neighbors—Pasadena, CA, US

What a blessing we have in Jesus. I see God’s hand in our neighborhood engagement efforts. GC Pasadena doesn’t have a big budget, so we must look for other means to engage the community and share the love of Jesus with our neighbors. We began distributing donated food from the grocery store, Vons. But when that ended, we prayed for God to open another door.

Now, we’re grateful to be giving away produce from Trader Joe’s every Saturday morning. The manager of our church building even allowed us to use the hall without charging additional rent. It’s a chance to meet our neighbors, ask their names, and pray with them if they desire. Often, they ask, why are you doing this? It’s an opportunity to talk about our church. Most express surprise and gratitude.

We want to be a consistent presence. We want our neighbors to realize that we are truly intentional about loving and helping them. For this reason, it’s important that this is an ongoing event.

We’re beginning to see how the food donation is a connecting point to the larger community. My husband, Saddie, is friends with the tennis players in Eagle Rock, where Trader Joe’s is located. Two of those friends volunteered to bring the produce from the store to our church in Pasadena. On top of that, they are now attending our church service. Then they invited all the other players to the 9^th anniversary celebration of our church — half of those in attendance were tennis players! Additionally, one tennis player, Ben, who is a retired nurse, volunteered to check blood pressure and blood sugar on Sundays for our members.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. God is really the one opening the door. We just follow Jesus, and bear witness in what he is doing in the lives of our neighbors.

By Angie Tabin, Pastor

Spanish Heritage—Sun Valley, CA, US

Every September 15 through October 15, National Spanish Heritage month is recognized and celebrated in the U.S. The month pays tribute to the contributions of the American Latino community. Since several Central American countries celebrate Independence Day on September 15 and Mexico on September 16, the celebration takes on greater meaning in these communities throughout the U.S.

Our Sun Valley and Hawthorne, California, congregations joined in the celebration by honoring the immigrant fiber of the makeup of these churches. In our Sun Valley congregation, the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru are all represented by church members. In Comunion De Gracia Hawthorne, all but one of these countries are also represented.

On September 18, both the Sun Valley and Hawthorne congregation independently dedicated their Sunday celebration to celebrating Spanish Heritage. As part of the service, prayers were lifted on behalf of these nations, and our union in Christ was celebrated as the united expression of the body of Christ.

The celebration affords the congregations a space in which church members can come together to celebrate their heritage. They do this by dressing up in traditional attire, highlighting ethnic roots, and enjoying traditional cuisine. It becomes a celebration of God’s amazing creativity and his immeasurable grace in Christ.

Additionally, Spanish Heritage Sunday also grants the opportunity to invite family, friends, and neighbors to experience the unified body of Christ in a tangible manner. It has become one of the key events for outside the walls presence in our church neighborhoods.

Since the first time that we dedicated a Sunday (on some occasions a weekend) to Spanish heritage, God has blessed us with many opportunities to meet those we receive as guests and our surrounding neighbors. Many of these relationships have become disciple-making relationships. We are grateful for God’s providence and the many opportunities that he affords to participate in his everyday mission in our community and city.

By Heber Ticas
Pastor & Superintendent Latin America

Family Fun Day—Jacksonville, FL, US

The Jacksonville, FL congregation hosted its annual Neighborhood Fun Day on Saturday, October 15. After holding our Outside the Walls event in 2016, we began this tradition to provide consistent engagement with our neighborhood. We were unable to hold the event during the pandemic, so we’re very pleased with this opportunity to do so again.

As always, there were a few minor challenges to overcome, like a leak in one of the bounce houses. We had so many guests that we ran out of food during the last hour, even though we had gone back to the store twice already! Overall, it went very well with very nice weather.

We used a new method to invite the community: Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM), a service of the US Postal Service. EDDM allows you to mail flyers in bulk to your focus neighborhood without having to address each piece. [Watch this short video about EDDM.] We mailed 3,158 invitations and spent more than $600, but it was worth it. Engagement requires a dedicated budget!

Our neighbors responded with enthusiasm and appreciation, with about 250 guests joining us. Many expressed gratitude that our church provided this for their families. Several attendees even returned for worship services the next Sunday. Our prayer is that the love and fellowship we enjoyed together will be a seed sown that will take root, and the guests will continue on the discipleship pathway!

By Marty Davey, Pastor

Author: Elizabeth Mullins