Grace Communion Seminary recently reached an important milestone in graduating its first class of eight students who were awarded master’s degrees in Pastoral Studies. Seven of the students (pictured below) received their diplomas in a graduation ceremony held on August 3 during the GCI Denominational Conference in Orlando, Florida. The eighth student, Mervin Walton, received his diploma in an earlier ceremony because he was unable to attend the Orlando conference.
The ceremony in Orlando, which was presided over by GCS President, Dr. Russell Duke, was attended by about 300 of the graduates’ family members and friends. Congratulations to them all!
Below are pictures of the GCS faculty, board and administration members present at the graduation.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am writing this from Orlando, Florida where our denominational conference is winding down. About 1,000 people attended. As you know, we hold regular national, regional and district-level conferences for our ministers and members. But once every three years we come together from around the world for an international conference like this one. It takes a lot of work to pull it off, but it is well worth it. My sincere thanks to the many who worked so hard to make it so wonderful.
Though small in numbers, we truly are an international denomination. We are blessed with close relationships around the world—some going back many decades. But those relationships deteriorate unless we maintain them. That is why a conference like this is important. It helps us see who God has made us. We see what God is doing through our collective ministries around the world and our local ministries close to home.
Each day at the conference we enjoyed general sessions with inspiring worship and thought-provoking presentations from GCI leaders and guest speakers including Jeff McSwain and Gerrit Dawson. We also had a wide array of workshops facilitated by GCI leaders and guests. All these meetings focused on our conference theme: Participation-Fellowship-Communion. Recordings of many of the sessions will be posted on our website as soon as our media team can prepare them.
During meals we heard updates from some of our national leaders concerning what is happening in their area of the world. My friends and colleagues from all over the world shared their stories, showing what God has been doing as we strive to follow his lead.
Some areas, like Europe and Australia have become spiritual “stony ground” and the Christian church faces a challenge to survive. In other regions we are experiencing explosive growth. Kalengule Kaoma, our mission director in East and West Africa, told us of whole networks of congregations in Namibia, Tanzania and Burundi that are lining up to join us. We could be adding dozens of congregations in those countries in the next few years. This type of growth already has happened in Mozambique. Tim Maguire, our mission director in Southern Africa, told us that 96 congregations in that region have joined us in the last three years.
As the conference draws to a close, I am encouraged. Though we face many challenges, we are seeing many successes as we join in what God is doing to reach people and transform lives. Though statistics help measure progress, they don’t tell the whole story. As Kalengule pointed out in his presentation, the most important progress is made at the deeply personal and individual level, whether in an American inner city or in a remote African village.
You’ve probably heard the expression “the devil is in the details.” I disagree—in our gospel work, the Holy Spirit is in the details. He guides us to share in what Jesus Christ is doing to transform one life at a time. At this conference, we heard many testimonies concerning the Spirit’s work.
A conference like this reminds us that perhaps our greatest asset as a denomination is our relationships with each other. As one of our pastors posted on his Facebook page, “On earth, I get to know a bit more about heaven all the time in moments like this.” As we worshiped and fellowshipped we had many opportunities to deepen relationships with people we already knew and to forge friendships with those we were meeting for the first time.
In my address to a general conference session, I reflected on our miraculous transformation—from an exclusivistic sect, to an outwardly focused church that joins Jesus in his work to redeem and restore his creation. I am deeply grateful that God has shown us the foolishness of our former ways. Looking back, I find it hard to believe that we thought that was how God wanted us to live. I pray that he will continue to work through us as we join together in his mission throughout the world.
As Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, “The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 The Message).
Our world needs that message. Our denomination is living proof that human beings can put their differences behind them and work together in harmony, love and mutual respect.
As I write these words, my friends are beginning to go home to their various responsibilities. God willing, we will meet again in three years. As we say our temporary “goodbyes,” we are reminded that God has given us this new life that will last forever. So there will always be a “next time.” And there will never be a “last time.”
Your brother in Christ,
Joseph Tkach
In his June 19 Weekly Update cover letter, Joseph Tkach highlighted the US Pastoral Internship Program. Here is a video with excerpts from interviews with several of our current interns:
Watch on YouTube at http://youtu.be/OuHccXlFI0U.
“I enjoy the fact that in GCI I have found a home,” says Heber Ticas who serves as a district pastor and pastors two Spanish-speaking congregations in the Los Angeles, California area. “Coming out of the Church of God Seventh Day and still being able to be in community with some of the pastors that we have journeyed with for years is a blessing. GCI made that possible! I have felt welcomed, loved and encouraged to do the Lord’s work.”
Heber was born in El Salvador, Central America and came to the US when he was nine. “Since then I have lived in the L.A. area. I pretty much have been providing for myself since I was 14 when I started selling fine candies and chocolates door-to-door.”
Heber and his wife Xochilt have been married for almost 23 years. “We have three children. Our daughter Ashley is a senior at Azusa Pacific University, our daughter Jessica is a junior at USC and our son Christian will be a freshman in high school.”
Heber did not set out to be a pastor. “I was going to Kings College out of The Church on the Way pastored by Jack Hayford. I was there because I was passionate for God’s word. I did not desire to become a pastor. I just wanted to serve the local church. At the time I was attending a small church where I assisted the pastor. All of a sudden he decided to leave ministry because of burnout and disappointment. While waiting for another pastor, it became clear that no one was coming. Eventually I agreed to be the pastor of that church.”
Heber entered the pastorate in 1999. Xochilt worked right alongside him. “My wife is the engine that pushes ministry forward. She leads women’s ministry and is involved in many other ways in structuring developing ministries.”
In 2003, Heber and his congregation were part of the Spanish-speaking congregations that became part of WCG/GCI under the leadership of Lorenzo Arroyo. Heber credits Lorenzo for being a good mentor in ministry. Heber says his passion is “people, Hispanic ministry and church planting. My greatest joy in pastoring is participating with the Spirit in making a difference in peoples’ lives—seeing lives transformed and hearts encouraged. It is a joy to be used that way by our Lord.”
When asked about his most memorable moment, Heber said, “It’s the day that a dying man with AIDS trusted me with his burial wishes. He had been coming to our church and I did not even know that he was dying from AIDS. He trusted that I would lift up a prayer for him the day he died and spread his ashes at sea.”
When does Heber feel closest to God? “I feel closer to the Lord in the midst of need, especially when I am ministering to someone going through difficult life struggles.”
We are saddened to learn of the death of Alvah Pyle, widow of Norvel Pyle who preceded his wife in death. Alvah would have turned 100 years old later this year.
Alvah and Norvel were long-time residents of the Big Sandy, Texas area. Their children include GCI members Norva Kelly (wife of GCI Advisory Council of Elders member and retired GCI employee Ron Kelly) and Kay Kissee (wife of GCI pastor Jim Kissee). All of the Pyle children attended Ambassador College. In addition to Norva and Kay, another daughter and three brothers and their spouses served in WCG ministry some years ago.
Our prayers are with the Pyle family (pictured here, many years ago).
A memorial service will be on August 7 at 6:00 p.m. at the Croley Funeral Home, 401 Center St., Gladewater, Texas (903-845-2155). The burial will be on August 8 at 9:00 a.m. at the Gladewater cemetery.
Cards may be sent to:
Ron and Norva Kelly 841 Swiss Trails Road Duarte, CA 91010-7057 Jim and Kay Kissee 601 North 36th Street Nixa, MO 65714-7558
The video below is a montage of pictures from the Generations Ministries’ sponsored teen-young adult track at the GCI Denominational Conference in Orlando. Featured is a project where the youth served at an Orlando area food bank.
Watch on YouTube at http://youtu.be/WOLB8TVqvMQ.
Retired, long-time GCI employee Tony Murphy was recently ordained an elder in GCI’s congregation that meets in Central Coast, California. Rudy Lomboy was ordained at the same time.
Tony was employed in WCG’s TV department for many years working on The World Tomorrow telecast and other media projects. More recently he served as media coordinator for the Speaking of Life, You’re Included and A Word from our Sponsor video productions. In that role, he contacted, taped and edited many of the Trinitarian theologians featured on GCI’s web site.
Reflecting on his ordination, Tony commented: “I want my ministry to be a living answer to the question, ‘How do I best participate in Christ’s ministry especially to those in my congregation, but also to all those with whom I come in contact?'”
Tony and his wife, Wilma, have been conducting a weekly Bible study in their home for almost a year and have been serving the local congregation since their retirement and move to the area.
GCI Church Administration and Development USA (CAD), led by Dan Rogers, recently announced changes to the structure of the US church. There now are four administrative regions, each served by a regional pastor (RP) and an associate regional pastor (ARP). Each region has multiple districts, each served by a district pastor (DP) who oversees the various congregations within that district. The list below shows the four administrative regions, their districts and the congregations within each district. Each congregation is identified by its pastor (or other primary leader or pastoral care team), showing the location(s) where the congregation(s) served by that pastor meet.
The CAD leadership team extends heartfelt thanks to these leaders and to those who, in the past, have served as regional, district and church pastors.
RP: Lorenzo Arroyo, ARP: Heber Ticas
DP: Tim Sitterley
• Jim Jobe—Port Angeles, WA
• Chuck Downey—Olympia, WA
• Dee Bulante— Portland, OR & Vancouver, WA
• Bart Baril—Port Orchard, WA
• Bill Chaffee—Federal Way, WA
• Larry Pate—Tacoma, WA
• Bill Miller—Seattle-Bellevue, WA
• Anne Gillam—Klamath Falls, OR
• Robert Potvin—Medford, OR
• Robin Chester—Bend, OR
• Gerald Schnarrenberger—Coeur d’Alene, ID & Spokane, WA
• Bill Linge—Boise, ID
• Don Marson—Anchorage, AK
• Jack Evans—Kenai, AK
• Tim Sitterley—Eugene & Salem, OR
DP: David Weber
• Wayne Fisher—Green River, WY
• Carol Fertig—Elko, NV
• Shannon Fertig—Cheyenne, WY
• Arthur Baldrey—Casper, WY
• Bill Bryce, Norm Foster & Ron Heck—Salt Lake City, UT
• John Kehn—Scottsbluff, NE
• Jim Anattol—Missoula, MT
• Tobe Johnson—Helena, MT
• David Weber—Wheatland, WY
DP: Heber Ticas
• Manuel Ochoa—Hawthorne, CA
• Jose Escalante—Santa Fe Springs, CA
• Gildardo de La Rosa—Santa Ana, CA
• Ines Cante—Moreno Valley, CA
• Mario Lopez, Pablo Sotoj & Zavid Cova—Pasadena, CA
• Bernabe Roman & Alejandro Alcantara—Howell, NJ
• Heber Ticas—Sun Valley & Los Angeles, CA
DP: Bermie Dizon
• Rand Holm—Chatsworth & Ventura, CA
• Romy Degolacion—Los Angeles, CA
• Tony Murphy, Rudy Lomboy—Central Coast, CA
• Randy Sorrentino—Orange County, CA
• Eric Shaw (interim pastor)—Long Beach & Orange County, CA
• Tom Ecker—Beaumont & Victorville, CA
• Raul Ramos—Antelope Valley, CA
• Leonard Raught—Corona, CA
• Bermie Dizon—Pasadena & Los Angeles, CA
DP: Glen Weber
• Michael Wyatt-Paige—Phoenix, AZ (Sunday)
• Mike Roberts—Phoenix, AZ (Saturday)
• Leon Cooper—Cottonwood, AZ
• Ted Landess & Ted Millhuff—Tucson, AZ
• Harold Jackson—Albuquerque, NM
• Ruel Guerrero—Las Vegas, NV
• Gary Crowell—Honolulu, HI
• Neil Earle—Glendora & Rancho Cucamonga, CA
• Mark Stapleton—San Diego, CA
• Glen Weber—Eagle Rock, CA
DP: Mike Swagerty
• Steve Smith—Modesto, Santa Rosa & Fairfield, CA
• Mel Dahlgren—San Jose, CA
• Richard Roberts—San Francisco, CA
• Jim Roberts—San Leandro, CA
• John Jester—Watsonville, CA
• Larry Van Landuyt—Redding & Chico, CA
• Ed Kofol—Reno, NV
• Tom Byars—Visalia, CA
• Bill Schultz—Fresno, CA
• Mike Swagerty—Sacramento, CA
RP: Ted Johnston, ARP: Mike Rasmussen
DP: Mike Rasmussen
• Mark McCulley—Denver North & Colorado Springs, CO
• Tim Snyder—Denver South, CO
• Sam Reese, Doris Baer & Mrs. Richard Shriver—Pueblo, CO
• June Welch—Alamosa, CO
• Aaron Armstrong—Englewood, CO
• Stuart Rising—Ada, OK
• Jon Rummel—Tulsa, OK
• Mike Roth—Van Buren, AR
• Don Engle—Wichita, KS
• Sammy O’Dell—Amarillo, TX
• Jason Frantz—Kansas City, MO
• Ron McCrerey—St. Joseph, MO
• John Howard—Topeka, KS
• Robert Edsall—Kirksville, MO
• Fred Davis—Grand Island, NE
• Ron Felling—Tontitown, AR
• William Condley—Russellville, AR
• David Husmann—Omaha, NE & Sioux City, IA
• Mike Rasmussen—Oklahoma City, OK
DP: Arnold Clauson
• Bob Persky—Dallas (Central), TX
• Rodney Schuler—San Antonio & Victoria, TX
• Mark Mounts—Houston, TX
• Gene Koch, James Scales—Beaumont, TX
• Ruben Salazar—Harlingen, TX
• Richard Gonzales—Odessa, TX
• Don Amundson—Austin, TX
• Tom Pickett—Euless, TX
• Carl Head—Azle, TX
• David Pickett—Burleson, TX
• Lee Berger—Longview, TX
• Martin Farnsworth, Gary Demarest, James Newsom & Donna Patillo—Tyler, TX
• Frank Parsons—Big Sandy & Texarkana, TX
• Walter Deptula—Lufkin, TX
• Terry Lambert—Abilene, TX
• Janet Warner, Toni Contreras, Michael Alvarez—Las Cruces, NM
• Arnold Clauson— Dallas (North) & Denison, TX & Antlers, OK
DP: Mike Horchak
• Richard Young—Lake Charles, LA
• Anthony Rice—Baton Rouge & Lafayette, LA
• Mike Booze—Shreveport & Monroe, LA
• John Ross—Greenwood, MS
• Andrew Britton—Mobile, AL
• Phil Nichols—Monroeville, AL
• Leonard Tillotson—Natchez, MS
• John Novick—Jackson, Hattiesburg & Meridian, MS
• Oliver Baker—Pine Bluff, AR
• Harold McKissic—Geneva, AL
• Mike Horchak—New Orleans & Hammond, LA
RP: Randy Bloom, ARP: Rick Shallenberger
DP Rick Shallenberger
• Jeff Noordhoek & Jim Noordhoek—Batesville, AR
• Jeff Chandler—Jonesboro, AR
• Paul Sniffen – Memphis, TN
• Wayne Wendt – Jackson, TN
• Linda Rex—Nashville & Murfreesboro, TN
• Bob Druien – Bowling Green, KY
• Tony Raney, Joe Blagg & Deb Blagg – Paducah, KY
• Ellis Necessary – Morristown, TN
• Ed Peters & Frances Sykes – Clarksville, TN
• Harry Kall—Cicero, IL
• Stephen Hill—Manteno, IL
• Lucille Cramer & Carl Cramer—Rockford, Janesville & Madison, WI
• Juanita Bushert—Madison, WI
• James Newby—Chicago (NW) &, Joliet, IL
• Richard Frankel—Chicago (N), IL & Kenosha, WI
• Willard High—South Holland, IL
• Mark Porter—Milwaukee, WI
• George Isken—West Bend, WI
• Raymond Olson—Watertown, WI
DP: Karl Reinagel
• Calvin Devries, Kathy Korte, Bill Ritzman, Virginia Wernli & Beverly Worden—Des Moines, IA
• Robert Ehlen—Hillsboro, MO
• Gary Dry—Warrenton, MO
• Austin Caldwell—Alton City, IL
• Mark Queener—Belleville, IL
• Mark Bannier—Macomb, IL
• Dana Loter John Anderson & Todd Woods— Davenport, IA
• Alan House, Harold Flaugher, Ruth Pennock & Lea Payton—Lake of the Ozarks, MO
• Jim Kissee—Springfield & Joplin, MO
• Karl Reinagel—St Louis, MO
DP: Sam Butler
• Roger Abels – Fort Wayne, IN & Kalamazoo, MI
• Ray Griffee & Susan Davis—Chase, MI
• David Howe—Elkhart, IN
• Jon Pairitz—Michigan City, IN
• Bradley Haist—Freeland & Flint, MI
• Grant Forsyth—Kenockee, MI
• Ron Washington—Livonia, MI
• Ross Flynn—Detroit, MI
• Stuart Mahan—Toledo, OH
• Sam Butler–Grand Rapids & Ravenna, MI
DP: George Hart
• Rick Shallenberger—Cincinnati West, OH
• Charles Shelton—London, KY
• Mark Beverly, Tierrella Bentley & Cora Hamilton—Hazard, KY
• Carrie Smith, Debby Bailey & Mike Stewart—Pikeville, KY
• James Humphries—Mt. Sterling, KY
• Mike Greider—Louisa, WV & Barboursville, KY
• Don Hussell—Ripley, WV
• John Bailey & Beth Jeffers—Lexington, KY
• David Perry – Indianapolis, Lafayette, Terre Haute & Hope, IN
• Wayne Blair – Richmond, IN
• George Hart – Cincinnati East, OH
DP: Doug Johannsen
• Richard Siedschlag—Fargo, ND
• George Affeldt—Sioux Falls, SD
• Nevin Nolder—St. Cloud, MN
• Gordon Lindquist—Duluth, MN
• Steve Cole & Becky Deuel—Appleton, WI
• Charles Holladay—Bloomington, MN
• John Torgerson—Wisconsin Dells, WI
• Todd Fox, Troy Meisner & David Laack—Rochester, MN
• Roger Galstad—Eau Claire, WI
• Lynn Pahl & Joyce Wendt—Wausau, WI
• Tom Kennebeck—Orr, MN
• Margaret Olheiser—Dickinson, ND
• Surgay Kalamaha—Minot, ND
• Carrol Miller—Grand Rapids, MN
• Doug Johannsen—St. Paul & Champlin, MN
RP: Greg Williams, ARP: Paul David Kurts
DP: Larry Wooldridge
• Al Nelson—Montpelier, VT
• Bill Ford—Boston, Amherst & Worcester, MA
• Robert Thurlow—Windham, ME
• Jim Cook—Bangor, ME
• Luciano Cozzi—Providence, RI
• Thom Freidrich—Loudon, NH
• Andy Jacob, Jeannette Trotter & Jeanette Singleton—Schenectady, NY
• Mary Williams, Edward Binder, Dennis Hoyt & Irene Hutchins—Lake George, NY
• Dishon Mills—Randolph, MA
• Larry Wooldridge—Meriden & Stratford CT
DP: Timothy Brassell
• Calvin Simon—Virginia Beach, VA
• Charles Adams—Richmond (S), VA
• Brian Carlisle—Washington, DC
• Richard Kissell—Smithburg, MD
• Pat Blubaugh, Sylvia Bailey & Charlotte Parsons—Cumberland, MD
• Raymond Taylor—Seaford & Elsmere, DE
• Richard Ridgell—Front Royal, VA
• Michael Kinzie—Roanoke, VA
• Bill Winn—Richmond, VA
• John Keen—Harrisburg, PA
• Joel Duttera—York, PA
• Timothy Brassell—Baltimore, MD
DP: Larry Hinkle
• Charles Taylor—Miramar, FL
• Steve Schantz—Orlando & Melbourne, FL
• Linard Johnson—Gainesville, FL
• Hugh Steininga, Sarah Faulkner & Bonny McQueary—Ft. Myers, FL
• Ted Ralph—Miami, FL
• Ellie Kurzawa—Tampa/Lakeland, FL
• Jonathan Rakestraw—Tallahassee, FL
• Martin Davey—Jacksonville, FL & Woodbine, GA
• Steve Brown—Clearwater, Ocala & Bradenton, FL
• Larry Hinkle—Port St. Lucie & Pompano Beach, FL
DP: John Dobritch
• Jim Valekis—Tipp City, OH
• David Marquis – Marion, OH
• Jeff Broadnax – Columbus & Chillicothe, OH
• Charlie Palmer, Emma Smith & David Diels—Lorain, OH
• David Botha—Akron & Cleveland, OH
• Bruce Metz—Jenners, PA
• Todd Crouch—Washington, PA, Wheeling, WV & Cambridge, OH
• Tom Smith—Pittsburgh & Indiana, PA
• Warren Wilson—Mineral Wells & Summersville, WV
• Frank Novak—Mount Pleasant, PA
• John Knaack—Buffalo, NY
• Leonard Banks—Rochester, NY
• Leonard Ladage—Olean, NY
• Verne Seekings—Fredonia, NY
• Doris Evans—Erie, PA
• John Dobritch—Canfield, OH
DP: David Gilbert
• Anthony Caputo—Lakehurst, NJ
• John Newsom—Queens & Manhattan, NY
• Mary Bacheller—Staten Island, NY
• Franklin Howard—Newark, NJ
• Gerald Backhus—Hillsdale, NJ
• Lenny Underwood & Sylvia Musto—Middletown, NY
• Serge Volpe—White Plains, NY
• Eric Dreibelbis—Selinsgrove, PA
• Shawn Gregory—Blossburg, PA
• Tom Davis—Wilkes Barre, PA
• Eric Larison—Syracuse, NY
• David Gilbert—Union, NJ & Philadelphia, PA
DP: Dennis Wheatcroft
• Arlen Bryant—Cookeville, TN
• Dewey Peterson—Crossville, TN
• Brad Campbell—Decatur, AL
• Lance McKinnon—Dallas, GA
• Ernest Tollner—Athens, GA
• David Beckner—Snellville, GA
• James Lewis—Montgomery, AL
• David Whited & Terry Cohron—Buford, GA
• Bob Miller—Birmingham & Good Hope, AL
• Larry Oglesby—Columbus, GA
• Robert Saulsberry—Macon, GA
• Leroy Hunter—Thomasville, GA
• Charles Young—Atlanta, GA
• John Huffman—Greenville, SC
• Dennis Wheatcroft—Chattanooga, TN & Murphy, NC
DP: Howard Blakeney
• Paul David Kurts—Hickory, NC
• William Boney—Wilmington, NC
• Tommie Grant Jr & Alvin Simmons—Charleston, SC
• Joel Irusta—Greensboro, NC
• Earl Jones—Fayetteville, NC
• Troy White, Ron Garrett & Rocky Ray—Charlotte, NC
• Ann Vinson & Rick Rogers—Kings Mountain, NC
• John Moskel—Columbia, SC & Augusta, GA
• Ken Hygh—Raleigh, NC
• Don Mason—Wilson, NC
• Jeff Snyder—Savannah, GA
• Rick Stillwell & Bob Vischer—Asheville, NC
• Howard Blakeney—Marion, SC
