We are saddened to learn of the death of Grace Stokes, wife of retired GCI pastor Jim Stokes. Here is a note from Jim:
It is with mixed emotions that I am forced to tell you that after 64 years and five months of a very happy marriage, my beloved wife, Grace, has left me for someone else—Jesus Christ. Although I’ll miss her more than words can say, I know he will give her more joy, peace and happiness than I ever could. And after all, her happiness has been my life-long desire. I’m comforted knowing she will no longer face the devastating health problems she has had to endure lately.
She was affectionately known as Mom, Granny, Lady Grace, Gert and Amazin’ Gracie. Thanks to all of you who have brought so much love and joy into her life. I know we all will miss her sweet smile and loving ways.
She left this life on Wednesday, December 26.
Cards may be sent to Jim at this address:
James Stokes 5115 Beechmont Avenue Sarasota, FL 34234-3054
This update is from Pastor Mary Bacheller concerning Hands for Christ Community Church–a GCI church plant in Staten Island, New York.
Pastor Mary Bacheller with children at Sunday Christmas service
These are exciting times! With our first Sunday Christmas Service and Christmas Eve service behind us, we are at peace and happy.
It was so meaningful for those who attended, as they participated for the first time in Christmas worship services conducted entirely in American Sign Language (ASL). We had 24 adults and six children in attendance for the Sunday service. Deaf members actively participated. The kids signed the song “Happy Birthday, Jesus” and made gifts, drawings and notes to present to Jesus.
We also had a candlelight Christmas service combined with The Church That Never Closes–the congregation we share our building with. The sanctuary was decorated as a stable, and the service included an enactment of the journey to Bethlehem. Half of the actors were from our church and half from the other. Pastors Aldolf Pagliarulo and Mary Bacheller served communion.
Hands for Christ Community Church is now in its fourth month and thriving. We have 41 registered members and eight children. Sometimes it’s a little frustrating because they don’t all come at the same time. However, I have learned to let God worry about the numbers and I just worry about sharing the gospel, and the love and friendship of Christ with those who come each week.
We have a regular Wednesday night Bible study. Attendance averages about 14 people. We enjoy the fellowship and the wonderful growth in understanding experienced by all.
When people leave our services, it is common to hear them refer to the peace that they have experienced through the Spirit’s touch, and to express their desire to return for more. God is truly in charge!
The following prayer request is for Shirley and Dexter Faulkner. Dexter and Shirley are both retired, long-time GCI employees.
A few weeks ago Shirl had laser surgery on her tongue. Then on December 28 she had surgery to relieve severe arthritis in her neck. Following surgery she spent time in the ICU for monitoring. Now she is in the Glendale, California Adventist Hospital for rehab.
Your continued prayers for healing and mobility, and a complete and speedy recovery are deeply appreciated.
As we begin a new year, I want to focus on the calling that is shared by pastors. As shown below, many people have no idea what pastors do. And it’s not unusual for pastors to feel inadequate in their role. I’ve felt that way too, as apparently did Paul in asking, “who is equal to such a task?” He then noted (speaking of himself as a vessel) that, “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 2:16, 4:7). Despite the times of doubt that pastors sometimes face, they find reassurance in remembering that God has called them and that they have his anointing to serve him in this way—an anointing confirmed by their ordination.
I am pleased that our elders approach their calling to pastoral ministry with humility and faith—an attitude refreshingly different than the one displayed by the guy in the cartoon at right. Sadly, some people become pastors to “do their own thing.” But Paul tells us that pastors, along with other ordained ministers are called “to equip God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13, TNIV).
All Christians are called to share in the ministry of Jesus, through what Paul refers to here as “works of service.” Ordained ministers, including pastors, are called to serve by equipping and then leading God’s people in these works.
To be called by God to serve as a pastor is a privilege, blessing and responsibility. It’s a calling that comes to different people in different ways—sometimes quietly, over a long period of time; at other times dramatically and suddenly—like Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 26:12-14).
I have been asked, “How do I know ‘for sure’ that I am called to be a pastor?” The hard answer is that you will know “for sure” only in your spirit and through the confirmation of those you serve. We walk by faith, not by sight and the opportunity to serve God is unlike any other life endeavor. The center of that service involves feeding others through sharing with them the Living and Written Word of God. The aim of that service flows out of a desire that others come to know God through Jesus Christ and put their trust in him alone for life now and eternally.
Signs that point to such a calling are love for studying and communicating the Word of God, desire to pray with and for people, desire to enable people to come to God in worship, and desire to help people become a fellowship of those gathered in the Holy Spirit around the Word of God both Written and Living.
Pastoral service brings with it the power of God moving through us in humility. And though that brings us joy, it can also bring disappointment. None of us are perfect and neither are the ones we interact with in ministry. And sometimes God’s leading is simply mysterious, beyond our comprehension.
Whether we are rich or poor, learned or uneducated, or anywhere in between, God has a job for us and he calls us to it. We must not confuse the form of that call with the substance of it. Since God is invisible, it is his nature to call us by dropping hints. Many have told me that they eventually realized that God was dropping such hints in their life for years, though they did not notice them right away. We humans can be rather dense at times. But when we look back on our lives and pray about God’s will, the little hints he has placed in our lives are recognized as our call to pastoral ministry.
There are numerous ways we experience such affirmation. You might feel that you have fallen into this role because no one else was stepping up. But this may be a sign that God wants you to join others in his service. Some of us have been serving in pastoral ministry for a number of years without perhaps even recognizing it ourselves. But others have seen the fruits of your service, and this could be God’s affirmation. If you have been asked by others to serve in a pastoral leadership role then this leadership activity may also be a call on your heart to serve.
Pastoral ministry, regardless of the specific area of service, is extremely challenging. The stress level can be significant, rated by some to be second only to medical doctors. To function properly as a pastor requires that we resist the pull of our fallen human nature and maintain humility before God. We are all called to be his servant, using the gifts he has given us to direct others to him. As we let our Lord serve us, we must then grow in our ability to shepherd and serve others. For that reason, GCI in the United States requires that its senior pastors participate in the Pastoral Continuing Education Program.
Some pastors fulfill the continuing education requirement by pursuing a master’s degree at Grace Communion Seminary. Because it is accredited, not all pastors are eligible to enter GCS.
Accreditation is vital for the future of our denomination, as we seek to help more and more of our pastors meet high professional standards, including advanced education. Also, earning a GCS degree takes considerable time, finances and other resources. If you are able to pursue a degree at GCS, or simply want to take a few classes there, I urge you to do so. Registration for the upcoming spring semester is now open—see details in the “GCS registration now open” article linked at left.
Because many of our pastors cannot pursue a GCS degree, we offer other continuing education options, including classes at Ambassador College of Christian Ministry (http://www.ambascol.org/). Also, I’m pleased to announce that GCS now offers several non-credit classes that are available online to anyone at no cost. You’ll find them at http://www.gcs.edu/course/view.php?id=32.
Let me once again say thank you for the good work that you do. It is a wonderful encouragement to me to know you, fellowship with you, hear your stories and see what God is doing through us together.
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Joseph Tkach
P.S. The first edition of the new online Christian Odyssey magazine in now posted at christianodyssey.org. Electronic publishing is the next step for magazines, as the cost of printing and mailing continues to increase. However, we understand that transitioning from a printed magazine to an online format presents challenges. Therefore, we would appreciate your feedback. For example:
Is the new site easy to navigate?
Is it clear how those who prefer a printed copy can obtain one?
Has anyone from your congregation asked you to provide them a printed copy?
We continue to make updates and changes to the Christian Odyssey site on a regular basis and look forward to adding new features soon. Please email john.halford@gci.org with any ideas, thoughts or comments that will help us make this transition as positive and effective as possible.
Mark Queener, pastor of GCI’s Belleville, Illinois congregation and his wife Rhonda request our prayers:
Our youngest son, Brian is in critical condition in the hospital with severe pancreatitis with multiple complications. This is a life-threatening situation—the pancreas must recover from inflammation and his kidneys must start working again. He definitely needs God’s intervention. Thank you for your prayers.
This update is from John Biswas, GCI missionary who leads the Bengali Evangelistic Association.
Because of the culture and poverty, mission trips to Bangladesh are never routine. No matter how much one may plan, the unexpected happens. However, this time, by God’s grace, things went quite well. For that I am thankful.
On the way to Bangladesh, I stopped in Singapore to renew contact with some Christians who support our work in Bangladesh. In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, I met with some of our gospel workers and with Christian leaders from other fellowships who have been helpful to us over the past few years. I had also arranged to meet a representative of the Bible League International who wanted to visit our mission center and to see our projects. He accompanied me on my journey to some of our village churches. He was impressed by the fact that so many villagers would like to have Bibles, which we are able give them as funds allow.
I thank God and am grateful to the many churches that make mission trips like this one possible.
On this trip I tried to visit as many of our churches as possible. The photographs show some of our activities. The photo at right shows us unloading Bibles after crossing one of the many rivers on our way to the village of Bagdha where we have one of our largest churches. I take Bibles to as many churches as I can, for there is always a need. Because there are no roads in many of these places, we transport the Bibles using rickshaws and boats.
The photo at left shows some of the young men who help us in many ways. They are part of our extended fellowship.
The photo below is of our church service in Anondopur. I am standing, and onstage with me are village elders. We try to make these gatherings festive, so here we rented a colorful tent. Doing so attracts many new people to our fellowship. They feel included.
In the photo at left, Monju, one of our key gospel workers, hands a Bible to a new person who requested one.
Because many walk several miles to get to our meetings, we usually provide a small fellowship meal following the service, as shown in the photo below. The meal gives our members opportunity to serve the visitors.
A new page at GCI.org features audio and video recordings of this year’s US regional conference main sessions. Go to http://www.gci.org/media/conference2012.
This update is from Eugene Guzon, GCI national director for the Philippines and mission developer for northeast Asia and the United Arab Emirates.
GCI-USA ministry developer Ted Johnston and I were in Cebu City, Philippines from November 27 through December 3 for the theology conference there. We knew that our members attending from Visayas and Mindanao would be returning home to prepare for Typhoon Pablo headed straight toward those areas. It turned out to be one of the strongest typhoons in 20 years!
Before Pablo’s landfall, people in Mindanao took the typhoon warnings seriously, but not enough to shield them from its massive force. Reporters said that Pablo was stronger than super storm Sandy, which hit the US recently. As of December 17, the official death toll from Pablo was 1020 with over 900 people still missing. Six Philippine provinces still have no stable water supply, and food and water are slow in coming to other areas. The government is doing its best to respond to this heartbreaking disaster.
Shortly after Pablo passed through, we asked our area superintendents and pastors in Mindanao for updates about the situation of the members. They informed us that there was some damage to homes and crops, but the members are safe. Some of them were close to the eye of the storm; however they were spared. For that we thank God! He is our protector, shield and source of comfort. However, we cannot help but feel for the many thousands of Filipinos who lost loved ones and property. They continue to recover from the trauma of this tragedy.
We pray for God’s comfort for them all, that in the midst of their loss and grief they may understand that they were never alone. God was and is with them in their deep pain and sorrow. We also pray for God’s provision, through all means possible, so that the people who were so devastated can rebuild their lives. We also pray for strength and means so that in whatever way, word or deed, the church and our friends can participate with God as he reaches out in love to the ones who are suffering.
Dan Rogers (left) and Joseph Tkach (right) make presentation to Charles Albrecht (center)
In a ceremony held this month at the GCI home office in Glendora, California, Charles Albrecht was honored for 25 years of service to GCI as a full-time employee. A service plaque and watch were awarded to Charles by GCI president Joseph Tkach and CAD director Dan Rogers.
In 1982, Charles entered Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, transferred for a year to Big Sandy and then returned to Pasadena. As a student he worked in various part-time jobs including landscaping, maintenance, the SEP Orr staff, in food service and the Auditorium staff. He also spent time in Jordan working with the College’s project staff teaching vocational skills and mentally disabled children.
In 1987, Charles was hired full time by GCI to work as a telecommunications dispatcher, while continuing to work on the Auditorium on-call staff. In 1990, he was transferred to the Pastor General’s Office to serve as executive office aide.
In 1993, Charles received a master’s degree with honors in business administration, with emphasis in international business, from Cal State L.A. In 1994, he became the international administrative coordinator for GCI Church Administration International. In 1995, he was promoted to international operations manager. In 1996, he received a certificate in non-profit development and fundraising from UCLA.
Albrecht family pictured with Joseph Tkach
In 1996, Charles’ responsibilities were widened to include serving as the US Church Administration and Development (CAD) office manager. That year he was ordained an elder and his title was changed to Manager, Operations and Budget. In 2000, he was given the additional duties of conference coordinator for CAD conferences in the US.
Charles continues to serve full time in these many responsibilities for GCI in the US and internationally. Congratulations Charles, and thanks to you, your wife Susi and to your children for your continuing service to GCI!
This update is from retired pastor Jim Stokes concerning his wife Grace. For an earlier update, click here.
Grace’s breathing is improved now that she is receiving oxygen overnight. However, her blood pressure fluctuations continue and she has swelling in her feet and ankles. Another problem is her inability to swallow solids. If tests show that she is unable to swallow, she will have a stomach tube inserted. She is currently almost starving.
Our two darling daughters arrived recently and will be staying for a few days. It is an absolute delight to have them here. It’s almost like it was before they grew up. They are truly darlings and they are a good tonic for both me and Grace.
Please continue to pray for Grace and for the whole family.
We are saddened to learn of the death of Grace Stokes, wife of retired GCI pastor Jim Stokes. Here is a note from Jim:
