Elizabeth Mullins – Page 43

Devotional—Eating Together

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).

In many African cultures, there are various occasions and customs where communities are encouraged to share meals together. Traditionally in Kikuyu culture [Kenya’s largest ethnic tribe and a central Bantu community], after preparing a meal for her family, a woman would take some of the food to a designated place to be eaten by anyone who was traveling through that area. Sadly, this tradition is no longer in place because a few people stopped working their own farms and instead took advantage of the food meant for travelers.

In most communities, there are occasions when people share communal meals. Occasionally, failure to attend can result in being treated as an outcast. In Kenya, we have a wise saying that discourages people from being selfish. Loosely translated it means, he who eats alone dies alone.

We read of a very good practice in the early church.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts… Acts 2:46 NIV

Eating together is one way we demonstrate the love of Christ in us and among us. We are encouraged to open our homes in hospitality and to help provide for others’ needs, like food. Food brings people together, and we get a chance to understand others better when we share a meal with them. Shared life is better than one lived in isolation. Sharing meals is a demonstration of the shared life we are called to.

Prayer:

Our Father, we thank you for the gift of life and the gift of one another. Thank you for teaching us the importance of sharing our blessings with one another, especially food. Amongst us are those who are challenged to have enough food to eat. Help us, Lord, to identify them and share our food with them. Let us experience you as we participate with others in the blessings that you have bestowed on us. Remind us always Lord that you are the great giver, and we only share from the many blessings that you have given us. May what we share with others be a key to open their eyes to see your goodness through us. May all glory be unto you. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

By Anthony Gachanja
Regional Director East Africa

Outside the Walls

It is my pleasure to have Heber Ticas as a guest writer. The consulting and coaching he has done with several churches through “Outside the Walls” (OTW) have been transformative. To see our congregations come together and intentionally focus on how they as a corporate body can better connect with their neighborhood, and to work together with their Love Avenue activities and events is helping them to shine the light of Jesus beyond the interior walls of their church building. In this issue, Heber will share what happened in three US sites during summer 2022. It is our goal that OTW will be shared with our brothers and sisters outside the US also.

Heber, thank you for the way you have served our churches. It is making a positive difference!

–Greg Williams, President

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

As I address all of you through this Update, I pray that you are enjoying the riches of the grace that our heavenly Father has poured over every one of us in Christ. Amid the many challenges that we may face in our lives and in our local congregations, we are sustained through his love. In union with Christ, we are empowered to live out our individual and corporate church expressions as we participate with Jesus in his everyday mission.

Our GCI mission statement of “Living and Sharing the Gospel” is at the core of who we are as followers of Christ. We are a sent people to bear witness to the saving grace of our God in Christ Jesus. In GCI, we desire that our churches live out our mission statement as we are compelled by his love. His love motivates us to move out of the four walls of our churches in order to engage our neighborhoods with acts that express the love God has for all.

As GCI’s National Coordinator for Church Multiplication, I have been entrusted with the task of bringing high support to some congregations that possess the bandwidth to move outside the walls of their churches. We call this support Outside the Walls (OTW) consulting. The purpose of the consulting is to assist the pastor and leadership teams through the process of understanding the current environment of the congregation and the demographics of the church neighborhood and to help the congregation move towards missional participation with Jesus. This high support provided to these churches is holistic in nature and consists of five phases. This year we offered this support to three congregations in the US, as Greg mentioned.

At the center of the consulting is the planning and preparation of the OTW weekend at each of the congregations receiving the support. The weekend consists of comprehensive healthy church equipping coupled with a missional event that is put together with the purpose of creating a relational space for the congregation. This space affords the church the ability to meet their neighbors and forge new relationships.

Terry McDonald, pastor of South Kansas City, reflected on their OTW experience:

“What we discovered together as a team was that there needed to be a shift in the mindset of the fellowship regarding the reason and purpose of engaging our neighborhood. People deserve to be loved because they are the image-bearers of our triune God, not because we need more bodies in the seats. We need persistent engagement, clarity of purpose, and intentionality as we love our neighbors as ourselves.”

By God’s grace, our experiences in all three events were formative and helped shaped the churches’ approach to living and sharing the gospel. Our church members stepped out of their comfort zones and engaged God’s children in ways that powerfully reflected the love of God. One of the churches hosted a neighborhood block party, the other hosted a neighborhood summer celebration, and the third church hosted a Christmas in July event. All three events expressed the vibrancy of our fellowship, the local congregation, and our desire to make disciples with Jesus.

As we move forward as a church family, we must not discount the calling that God has placed on our fellowship to step out in faith and partake in the joy of joining Jesus as he calls his children by the Spirit into communion with his body. I ask you to join me in prayer, petitioning our God to give us the ability to discern Jesus’ movements in our neighborhoods so we may step out in faith to join him.

In him,
Heber Ticas
Latin America Superintendent & CMM Coordinator – US

Death of James White

James White is the father of Troy White, GCI elder, and father-in-law of Connie White, Donations Processor in the Home Office, Charlotte, NC. We join them in their grief and in their hope of resurrection.

The following is the obituary shared with Update from his family.

James “Jim” White, beloved husband, father, and friend, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2022, in Roanoke, VA, at the age of 88. Jim was born in Lynchburg, VA, on August 2, 1933.

He was a proud graduate of Lucy Addison High School. After graduation, he was drafted into the United States Army and served in the Korean War. While in the Army, Jim honed his skills as a trumpet player and performed in the traveling military band. After leaving the Army, he played in a jazz band called The Corvettes, entertaining folks in towns and cities all over southwest Virginia.

He believed in hard work and maintained multiple jobs simultaneously throughout his working career. Jim enjoyed working for General Electric as a machinist/lathe operator for over 25 years. He was an entrepreneur who started his own grading, excavating, and demolition business called J.H. White, Inc., in 1972. He retired 46 years later at the young age of 85.

Jim was a devout Christian, a faithful member of Grace Communion International where he served in various roles. He loved the Lord, his church family, and discussing biblical subjects with everyone.

Jim was preceded in death by his loving wife of many years, Anna Louise White. Jim is lovingly remembered by his four children, Patrice White, Joyce White, Ricky (Brenda) White, and Troy (Connie) White; four grandchildren, Lamont White, Damon White, Andrew White, and Jonathan White; along with four great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Honorable, kind, giving, easy-going, friendly, personable. These are words everyone uses to describe Jim White.

Death of Don Miller

Don Miller passed away on June 25, just shy of his 90th birthday. Don was employed by GCI in the U.S. and Canada, and he worked at Ambassador College in various business-related capacities throughout the 1970s to 1990s. He retired in Canada and was involved in hospice work and refurbishing properties. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, his daughter Sue Berger of Longview, Texas, and his son Gary Miller of San Diego, California.

Cards may be sent to:
Sue Berger
218 Joan Lane
Longview, TX 75605

You’re Invited—Women’s Retreat, AL, US

Hello Girlfriends!

I am happy to announce our 2022 fall retreat at the St. Bernard Abbey Retreat and Conference Center in Cullman. So many of us have gone through difficult times over the past few years. Sometimes the “cares of this world” can choke out our faith focus. Faith friends are so important, and these retreats have made it possible to renew friendships as well as make new friends.

For many years now we have enjoyed this great retreat center, which has a beautiful conference room where we have our general sessions, and the bedrooms are adjacent to the meeting area. The bedrooms accommodate two people (twin beds) and each has a private bathroom.

The dates are October 7-9, 2022. Registration begins Friday afternoon, October 7 at 3:00 p.m. Snacks will be available, but you will be on your own for dinner that evening. A Cracker Barrel and other restaurants are nearby. This evening is free for getting checked in and relaxing. If you will be arriving after 10 p.m., please let us know ahead of time if possible. My cell phone is (205) 540-1515.

Our theme for the weekend will be Salvation Joy! There are so many wonderful passages of Scripture that speak about this special joy that we can have, even when we are going through tough times. Our happiness fluctuates so often, depending on our physical circumstances. But salvation joy can be a constant. The apostle Paul wrote so much about this kind of joy in the book of Philippians, at a time when he was a prisoner. The word “joy” in its various forms occurs repeatedly in this epistle.

Speakers this year include Gerrie Bayley, Becki Brown, Barbara Dahlgren, Ruth Miller, and Sondra Peters. Ann Hartmann will be our guest singer again this year! You can go to Ann’s website (annhartmann.com) to learn more about Ann’s music and ministry. Mary Jo Leaver will be presenting her Music to the Eyes, which includes music, sign language and lyrical dance – beautiful and inspiring!

Dress is casual for the entire weekend. Bring comfy shoes, as you might enjoy a bit of walking. We have a long-standing tradition of great fun playing games on Friday and Saturday evenings, so bring your “play clothes” or pajamas for this! Bring your favorite board games, and label them, please! The retreat center supplies our bed linens, towels and washcloths. You might want to bring your own water bottles, if you enjoy having bottled water. We do have access to a kitchen and a refrigerator, so we are able to enjoy snacks throughout the weekend. The meals that will be provided are Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast (total of four meals). This year we are planning to have all of our meals at the retreat center again. Being able to eat “in house” is very convenient, and everyone seemed to enjoy the leisurely meal times.

We plan to conclude the retreat by noon on Sunday so that those who need to get on the road will have the full afternoon for travel. For those who want to stick around and visit a bit, we can have prolonged “goodbyes” in the retreat center.

We hope you will help spread the word to others who might enjoy the weekend. If you have questions or need more information, contact me at 205-663-7979 (home), 205-540-1515 (cell), or email ruth.miller@gci.org.

Please fill out the registration form, include payment, and return it to me by August 30. Late registrations will be accepted if space is still available. I’m looking forward to sharing this weekend with you in October!

With love,
Ruth Miller

Playground Pop-up—Cleveland, OH, US

Grace Communion Cleveland hosted its first neighborhood engagement in the afternoon on June 26 after Sunday services. Our congregation meets in a classroom at Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus, which is a former elementary school that now houses non-profit groups and artists. The Playground Pop-up, as we called it, was held in the community park that is part of this campus, where families often bring their children to the large playground with grassy hills on weekends.

There was a rubber ducky-pull game for kids to win prizes, face painting, sidewalk chalk drawing, a balloon artist, corn hole games and a physical education teacher to engage kids in organized activities. Juice boxes, water and an assortment of chips were the snacks for the afternoon. Four $50 gas cards were given away to adults in a drawing midway through the event.

Although thunderstorms were in the forecast all week for that Sunday, we forged ahead with our plans, praying for God’s intervention with the weather. The rain held off until 3:45 p.m., fifteen minutes before the end of the event. Even then, it was just a gentle brief rain. We were amazed, pleased, and praising God that all went so well for our first outreach and look forward to August when we will have a picnic and school supply giveaway.

By Pat Shiels
Love Avenue Champion, Cleveland, OH, US

Neighborhood Camp—Surrey, OK, US

As 75 campers, 40+ volunteer staff, and dozens of parents poured into the front doors Wednesday morning of Camp Surrey, I was reminded of what life-on-life ministry looks like. These people were more than camp attendees – they were people I see at my kid’s school, ball games, neighborhood activities, the neighborhood gas station, the neighborhood park, and all other places where my family and I do life. Camp Surrey was yet another braid in the rope of my life, the church’s life, and the lives in Surrey Hills. Every single child and parent was known in some way by at least two or three staff members. The friendly greeting and connections further deepened the relationships being built with our church and the people of the neighborhood.

But the Holy Spirit never stops. Among the 40+ volunteer staff, approximately 10 of the staff are “new members” of our church! Relationships with these new church family members and long-time family members were significantly deepened. Bonds were built as a foundation for a life-long relationship with one another.

The activities, kayaking, team building, food, dancing, and messages were all great. But what really stood out to me as a pastor was seeing the everlasting impact happening in the lives of campers, staff, and parents.

Being a neighborhood church with a neighborhood camp is more than being a church in the neighborhood with a camp. It’s living out the love of God in our daily lives in the neighborhood we live!

Grace and peace,

Joe Brannen

Pastor, Surrey Hills, OK, US

Neighborhood Hot Breakfast—Clarksville, TN, US

Editor’s Note: This is a wonderful example of a congregation paying close attention to the rhythms of their neighborhood. They discerned a need and were compelled by love to risk trying something new. Thank you for sharing your story!

It was a simple plan—a hot breakfast prior to our church service for the neighborhood the first Sunday of each month. First, we advertised in the newsletter of the senior center where we meet for church, and we put up flyers in a nearby apartment community. We learned that both places provide meals during the week, but no meals are served on Sunday.

Next, one member, Princess Yeager, gave our bulletin board at the center a fresh, new look. We spruced up the worship hall with new silk plants. It may have been a simple plan, but it was a lot of work for organizer Zebbie Cox. For that first Sunday of March, we decorated and laid out a table of juices, hot beverages, biscuits with sausage, breakfast casseroles, and muffins—everything you could possibly want for breakfast. This was in addition to the usual work for each Sunday: setting up chairs, sound system, and the tricky job of setting up cameras for a live recording of the sermon.

Our March breakfast was set for 10:00 a.m. with the church service at 10:30. We didn’t know what to expect, but we had high hopes for a big hungry crowd. That was not the case. We had a few family members attend, but they were simply being supportive. It was the same in April–disappointing and discouraging, to say the least. We talked about pulling the advertisements and discontinuing the breakfast. Two ladies, Sue Williams and Shirley Barton, were keen on continuing the breakfast, though.

We’re so glad they were, because for our May breakfast, we had four guests! You might not think that’s a big turnout, but when the average attendance on Sunday is fourteen, that’s almost a 30% increase. The irony is, two of the guests had already eaten, so they didn’t come for the breakfast.

We will continue the monthly breakfast but will scale back a little bit on the amount of food we provide. We continue to pray that God will lead others to visit our little congregation for nourishment of one kind or another.

By Sondra Peters
Pastoral Team Member, Clarksville, TN, US

We Are GCI—David Borum

Devotional—Be a Blessing

Editor’s Note: Our overarching theme for devotions during the next 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).

Never walk away from someone who deserves help;
your hand is God’s hand for that person.
Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time”
or “Try me tomorrow”
when the money’s right there in your pocket.
Don’t figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor
when he’s sitting there trusting and unsuspecting.
Proverbs 3:27 The Message

Whenever you are in a position to help someone in need, or when you have a skill or knowledge that you can impart to help others, don’t put it off. When you make sacrifices to help people’s dreams come to pass, despite our own challenges and troubles, God is giving you his heart toward your neighbour. As you bless others and show them favour, our heavenly Father is also blessing you according to his great purpose for the world.

Let’s learn to be a blessing to people in our communities, churches, schools, and offices. Let us not focus only on ourselves and the challenges we battle with daily (sickness, financial issues, workload, school assignments, the economy, inflation, etc.). Let’s go out of our way to be generous and be a blessing to someone today. Give a word of encouragement, visit a sick friend or church member, pray for someone, assist an elderly person in your neighbourhood, or provide a ride to an elderly church member to church. These are some of the ways we can be a blessing to others. When we help alleviate people’s problems, we are joining Jesus in his redemptive work. Today is another opportunity to be a blessing to someone, so go out there and bless someone!

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Thank you for all that you have blessed me with that I can also use to bless other people. I believe you know and see the challenges that come my way. I thank you for my spiritual and physical growth in you. Help me to be a blessing to someone today. As I continue to serve you, I believe you have given me my heart’s desire to serve my neighbour. In Jesus name, amen.

By Leslie Asare-Akoto
Assistant Pastor, Lashibi, Ghana
National Youth Pastor, Ghana

Author: Elizabeth Mullins