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Author: GCI Media

Roy Page

Roy Page, GCI’s pastor in Vancouver and Prince George, Canada recently had a heart attack while visiting one of his daughters in the B.C. interior. He was hospitalized and released. Here is an update from Roy:

We have just returned home, and I am feeling fine. I’m not allowed to drive for 30 days and have to gradually work back to normal activity (exercise, lifting objects etc.). Having a heart attack was the last thing I thought would happen to me but fortunately – through God’s grace – I survived it, although I ended up with two stents in the heart and some heart muscle damage and now have to take medication to ensure that the same thing doesn’t repeat itself and my heart has the chance to recover fully. But – God willing – I should be back to normal activity within a month. Thanks and appreciation for everyone’s prayers and concern.

Email Roy at roypage@telus.net
Send cards and notes to:
Roy and Sheila Page
3825 Brockton Cres
North Vancouver, BC V7G 2K6
CANADA

 

Bernie Schnippert

The following note is from Bernie Schnippert.

Recently I gave a health update in which I mentioned being on a new drug which may or may not help my cancer (carcinoid, beginning near the small intestine and traveling to my liver) and which I may or may not be able to tolerate. Unfortunately, on Friday I reached a tipping point in the medication whose side effects of fatigue and breathlessness got so strong I was barely able to make it from the car to the doctor’s office. The doctor took one look at me and revoked the medicine 100 percent. My kidney function was being affected negatively and of course I could not get around so I am off the drug for now. This is pretty disappointing for me since the drug has the potential of slowing or even stopping tumor growth and there is really nothing to fully take its place. After I recover from the drug symptoms he may – may – start me on ½ dose again to see if I can tolerate it. In the meanwhile, I have some big strength catch up to do. Please pray that in time I might find a dose that I can live and thrive on as the only other therapy seems to be killing tumors that grow too fast – a good therapy but time limited in the end. Still, tumor killing can go on for years, which is what I need. Thanks for all your prayers.

Bernie and Arlene Schnippert
64651 Jan Dr
Bend, OR 97701-8824

 

New church launched in L.A.

A recent report in GCI Weekly Update told of the work of our San Fernando, CA church in starting a new satellite congregation that meets in Los Angeles. We are pleased to report that this new Spanish-speaking congregation held its grand opening worship service on October 23. Here is a report from pastor and church planter Heber Ticas, with additional comments from regional pastor Lorenzo Arroyo.

From Heber Ticas:

I have been working over the past couple of years to put together a church planting team and plant a satellite church of my San Fernando congregation in the northeast area of Los Angeles. God has been faithful! This past Sunday [October 23] we held our grand opening. There were 165 people in attendance, including 63 from the mother church in San Fernando (helping provide the critical mass needed), Regional Pastor Lorenzo Arroyo (my coach), and Pastor Manuel Ochoa. The rest of the attendees were people from the community, and friends and family of the church plant team. We were amazed and surprised to see this many people coming as the result of our community outreach efforts. On the two Saturdays prior to the event, the team went out to nearby North Broadway Street and gave out roughly 800 free water bottles with a flyer inviting the community to the grand opening.

Our church plant team has grown to nine committed families, including my wife and myself, four that were recruited from outside of my congregation and the other five from within my church. They all show an intense enthusiasm for what the Lord is doing in our midst. We continue to push forward to live out the mission and stay true to our ministry process of connecting people to Christ, to one another and to his mission. We are looking to accomplish this as we continue to expand small groups, move believers to workers and continue to do missional outreach.

Your prayers are solicited and needed. We also ask you to pray that the Lord will provide the financial support that we need to sustain the ministry. We need to raise about $15,000 in the next six months to put us in a good position over the next 12 months. That is with everyone in the plant team graciously donating their time and resources for the kingdom. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement. We pray that God continues to bless us as we move forward and start planting the seed within the team, my district pastoral network and our Southern California church planting network for a third campus in the next three years.

From Lorenzo Arroyo:

GCI pastor Manuel Ochoa and I arrived about 4:45 PM (15 minutes prior to the service). We had to navigate the city streets and surprisingly found a parking spot in front of the church building. After exchanging greetings with Heber and a few of the leaders on the street, who looked somewhat nervous, we decided to go in and hopefully find a couple of seats. It was about 5:00. In a sanctuary built for 150 to our shock there were not even 30 people present! Manuel and I took a couple of seats in the back and began praying. We thought, what if this is all there is? But again, this is a Hispanic community and our clocks often run on a different time zone. People began arriving, at first just a trickle – but as the band began playing, waves began to arrive and settle in their seats. By the time the service was in full swing (about 5:30) the place was packed from front to back and wall to wall. Praise God! It was just AWESOME!

The music was upbeat and the attendees were jubilant. The sermon was inspiring and relevant to the needs of folks often trapped in city life. To hear of Jesus was liberating. Some 30 people responded to the altar call. It is truly a joy to witness the movement of the Spirit. Heber and his team put a lot of effort into making the launch the success it was. Even the day before, they were handing out water bottles and flyers, which brought a dozen or more new folks to the launch service in that one effort alone. They also are multiplying cell groups to accommodate new contacts they have made as well as sending cards, making calls and visiting homes. A new daughter has arrived. Praise God!

On being evangelical

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

An interesting map appeared recently in USA Today. Based on research by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, it shows the distribution of faith groups in the United States. I find it of interest to note that Evangelical Protestants are the United States’ largest faith group. You may view the map at http://www.usatoday.com/news/graphics/pew-religion-08/flash.htm.

As you probably know, Grace Communion International is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in the United States. We are members of similar organizations in other nations and regions, including the Evangelical Alliance United Kingdom, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches. These organizations represent individual local churches and denominations (the NAE represents over 45,000 U.S. churches and 40 U.S.-based denominations). Though these congregations and denominations differ on certain points of doctrine and practice, they hold in common core biblical beliefs and missional practices.

I’m sometimes asked, what is an evangelical? I like the answer given by Leith Anderson (NAE president): “My short definition of an evangelical is someone who takes the Bible seriously and believes in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord” (see Leith’s article, The Coming Evangelical Future at http://www.nae.net/from-the-president/556-the-coming-evangelical-future).

That short definition certainly describes GCI, and flowing out of our belief in Jesus as Savior and Lord (a belief informed and shaped by our Trinitarian, incarnational view of Holy Scripture), comes our commitment to share with Jesus in the ministry he continues to do in our world. I’m excited to see how our congregations are growing in their participation! For examples, see two articles in this issue: Big Sandy revisited (https://update.gci.org/?p=6518) and New church launched in L.A. (https://update.gci.org/?p=6532). I praise God for these missional developments!

I pray that God will bless and guide all our congregations as together we share the love and life of our Triune God as it is being expressed in our world. Doing so is to be truly evangelical.

Love from my family to yours,

Joseph Tkach

P.S. An important part of our practice as an evangelical church is celebrating the great events of God’s work, in Christ, for our salvation. In November-December, we’ll have opportunity to celebrate Advent – a month-long season in which we remember our Lord’s advent (advent means “coming”). The season focuses on Jesus’ coming in the future (his bodily return in glory), the present (his coming to us now through the Holy Spirit), and the past (his coming to us in the flesh 2,000 years ago). For additional information on celebrating Advent, see the November Equipper posted online at http://mindev.gci.org/Web%20Documents/Equipper6.11.pdf

Death of Ken Buck

We were saddened to learn of the recent death of Ken Buck, a long-time GCI elder who in recent years pastored the Brighton church in England. The following announcement is from his wife, Hilary.

Ken died on October 13, peaceful, dignified and in control, at home after what was a short illness. He was assured and confident of what the future holds and I, too, am assured and confident that we will be together again, even though the immediate days and years ahead are not what I would have chosen. He gave his last sermon three weeks before he died. I know he would like me to thank the many who showed him their warm friendship and gave him encouragement throughout the last years.

Hilary Buck
Ashlea Sliders Lane
Furners Green
Uckfield, E. Sussex TN22 3RT
UNITED KINGDOM

Note: You can also post notes to Hilary using the “add a comment” feature below.

Ministry with Jesus

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Followers of Jesus (the Bible calls them disciples) are called to participate in what our Lord Jesus is doing through the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Father’s mission to the world. Jesus summarized this calling in what often is referred to as The Great Commission (Mat 28:16-20). Rather than understanding this as a call to work for Jesus, we should understand it for what it truly is, a call to share with Jesus as he shares God’s love and life with all people. Our denomination’s work has many aspects, but its overall thrust is to help people become and then mature as disciples of Jesus who are able to share actively with him in his work in the world.

That work, and thus our sharing, has several aspects. We share in what Jesus is doing to help people discover and embrace God’s love and life. We then share in what he is doing to nurture those who believe and respond, and begin to follow him. And then we share with Jesus in what he is doing to equip these followers for active participation with him in ministry. In our denominational training, we summarize these aspects of our sharing as seeking the lost, nurturing the believers and equipping the workers. By the power of the Spirit, this journey with Jesus leads to the multiplication of disciple making leaders, ministries and congregations within the body of Christ.

I was pleased to see active participation with Jesus in his disciple making work occurring at our recent Gathering in the Harvest for Jesus conference held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I attended along with 250 of our brothers and sisters in Christ. It was led by GCI Pastor Howard Blakeney, with GCI pastors Paul David Kurts Sr., Paul David Kurts Jr., Charles Young, Tommy Grant and myself as speakers. The conference provided activities for all ages, including a dance with an extremely entertaining band and DJ. A conference highlight came on Sunday morning when some of our members participated in an outreach event at a local homeless shelter (Street Reach Missions). During the outreach, 35 people made a commitment to follow Christ. They were then referred to local churches where they will find friends, fellowship and further instruction in their new life. At the conference worship service later that day, two more people made this first-time commitment. Howard tells me that the next Myrtle Beach Conference will be held on October 10-14, 2012.

In the United States and Canada, October is clergy appreciation month. Though I am always thankful for the men and women who pastor our churches, I want to take this opportunity to send out my thanks. I and the team that works with me in the GCI home office love and appreciate you all very much. We are constantly praying for you, and this month send our special ‘thank you’! I hope all our congregations will this month take the opportunity to show their appreciation as well. For some helpful ideas, go to http://www.pastor-appreciation.net/.

Let us uphold one another in prayer – praying for God’s guidance and the Spirit’s power to share with Jesus in the work that he is doing in our world.

With love from my family to yours,

Joseph Tkach

Colombia retreat

This report is from Hector Barrero, national director for GCI in Colombia.

Our annual retreat/seminar in Colombia was held recently at a beautiful retreat center near Bogota. Members from several congregations participated.

We were blessed to have Heber Ticas, pastor of the GCI church in San Fernando, CA, as our guest speaker. Our theme was “Freedom in Christ” and Heber preached on the subject and held workshops on leadership formation. Our Colombian members were joyful and blessed to have a Spanish-speaking pastor from the U.S. visit and minister to us in such a powerful way. The work of the Holy Spirit was evident as our members gathered in unity.

Heber Ticas (second from right) with his wife Xochilt (on his left side) share a meal with Colombian members

Family camp

Tori Emerson submitted this report about Generations Ministries’ NW Connections Family Camp.

Despite an unseasonably rainy and cool summer in the Pacific Northwest, God blessed us with a sunny and warm weekend for the NW Connections Family Camp weekend, held at Schafer State Park near Elma, WA.

We had new friends and old join us this year. Some traveled from Oregon and northern Washington. Many are already planning to return next year and bring friends with them. The camp lived up to its name: Connections!

Our campsite was set apart from the rest of the campground, allowing us privacy and the opportunity to run freely. We enjoyed softball, volleyball, boating, fishing, swimming, sitting together in fellowship and meals cooked over the campfire (including an impromptu smorgasbord brunch on Sunday). We greatly enjoyed our morning devotional times. To sit in the sunshine with over 20 people each morning to pray and participate in an interactive discussion about Christ was wonderfully peaceful and enjoyable!

Overall, it was a wonderful, relaxing, fun and energetic (if you wanted it to be) camp.

 

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