GCI’s newly formed Filipino congregation in Masterton, New Zealand, recently hosted a retreat conducted by Larry Hinkle and Gracie Johnson of Odyssey in Christ (OIC). Called A Deeper Walk, the retreat introduced various spiritual formation practices that enhance a deeper personal relationship with God. The practices explored included solitude and silence, discerning God in creation, sacred reading of Scripture, spiritual journaling, creative expression in play, keeping Sabbath, meditation and various types of prayer.
The retreat included opportunities to try out these spiritual formation practices. For instance, participants were guided in spending time in silence listening to God’s voice. Another exercise was to take a walk outside to concentrate on insights from the creation and report back to the group. After a session on the way creative play can contribute to spiritual formation, the members split into teams for 30 minutes to prepare a skit to be performed in front of the whole group. The results showed amazing spontaneous creativity and talent, making for a laughter-filled evening.
Congratulations to Larry and Connie Wooldridge on the occasion of Larry’s retirement after 45 years as a full-time employed GCI lead pastor. The Cromwell, CT, congregation recently hosted a special gathering to thank the couple and help them celebrate.
Larry and Connie (foreground) surrounded by members of their congregations.Joining in the celebration (L to R): Regional Pastor Randy Bloom, Larry and Connie, Ellen and (Elder) Mike Anderson, and GCI President, Joseph Tkach.Larry addresses the gathering.
After graduating in 1972 from the Texas campus of Ambassador College, Larry was hired as a ministerial assistant serving in Jacksonville, FL. Over the last 45 years, he served as lead pastor in numerous locations in the U.S., along with serving for a time as a district pastoral leader. Larry had the unique experience of serving the Meriden, CT, congregation twice—once from 1979 to 1988 and again from 1999 to his retirement.
Cards may be sent to:
Larry and Connie Wooldridge 18 Abbey Lane Meriden, CT 06450
We were saddened to learn of the recent death of Wanda Rand, mother of Barbara (Rand) Rogers, wife of Dan Rogers who formerly served as the Director of Church Administration and Development and Superintendent of U.S. Ministers. Wanda was born in 1929 and baptized in the Radio Church of God in 1963. She is survived by her sons Richard and Roger Rand, her daughter Barbara Rogers and her sister Janice Gallagher.
Cards may be sent to:
Barbara Rogers 2657 Windmill Pkwy Ste 154 Henderson, NV 89074-3384
We were saddened to learn of the recent death of Dr. Graham Mitchell of GCI’s Northampton, UK congregation. Graham was a retired GCI pastor and former member of the GCI-UK board. He had been in care for over two years following a spinal injury, and his wife, Maggie, thanks everyone for their prayers during that time. Please remember Maggie and their two children, Anna and James, in prayer, that God may comfort and support them.
Looking forward to our “family reunion” in Orlando in August, the July issue of “Equipper” (articles and sermons linked below) celebrates the blessings we have in GCI as an international family on mission together with the Triune God.
From Greg: Celebrating our family Greg Williams tells about his recent trips to the Philippines and Mexico where he visited members of our GCI family on mission with God.
Toward team-based leadership Continuing our series on the characteristics of effective leaders and leadership teams, this article from Rick Shallenberger looks at leadership processes and styles that support team-based leadership.
Kid’s Korner: Building relationships GenMin National Coordinator Jeffrey Broadnax shares insights about starting conversations that lead to the building of relationships with kids.
We celebrate the life and legacy of Lores “Janie” Roegiers who died peacefully on June 23 just a few days before she would have turned 87. Janie will be remembered for many things, but the Generations Ministries family will always remember her for the legacy she left through a very generous donation made 15 years ago to the GenMin camp scholarship fund. To date, her donation has funded 1599 scholarships to 17 GenMin camps in 14 states. The average age of the campers helped was 12.5 years. What an amazing legacy!
Janie (at center) being honored by several of the kids she helped attend camp in 2004. Janie’s pastor, Mark Stapleton, and his wife Anne are at right.
Along with her generous donation 15 years ago, Janie sent this letter that speaks so profoundly of her vision and generous heart:
Dear GCI,
Janie Roegiers
I, Lores (Janie) Lee Roegiers, have donated $100,000.00 to Grace Communion International (GCI) for the express purpose of supporting youth via Generations Ministry camp tuition scholarships and funding new camp start-ups. I have been profoundly blessed to have inherited a sum of money from my mother who died in 1996. I also inherited a farm located in Kansas at the same time and I receive income from the harvest of the crops. This, too, is a great blessing from God. As I have been blessed, I want to, in turn, bless others.
I see that the youth of today are the church of tomorrow. What better place to invest—in youth, the future of the church. I have had the privilege over the last six years of donating some of the monetary proceeds from my farm to the summer camp fund of my local church—Cornerstone Community Church (GCI, San Diego). I see the difference camp has made in the youth at Cornerstone. I know that summer camp can have a tremendous spiritual impact on a young person. Summer camp is a place for growth, maturity and a deepening relationship with God and others. What a blessing for kids to have such a place to attend. I want to extend the blessing of summer camp to youth in the United States. As God has blessed me, I want to pass His blessing on to others. That is why I am donating this money to GCI.
I do not want to dictate the way or the details in which the donation will be dispensed but I do want to state that it must be used for summer camp scholarships for those attending a camp in the United States and, if needed, to help fund a camp start-up in the United States. Additionally, I would like for those benefiting from the donation to know that they are receiving assistance as a result of God’s blessing. As I have been blessed, I want to bless others and have the recipient of that blessing, in turn bless someone else. I know that I can’t ask for a guarantee that the scholarship recipients help another person go to camp. But I do hope that those who are benefited from the scholarships will endeavor, when they are grown and able, to provide help for another child to go to camp. I will provide a form letter to accompany each scholarship so that the recipient can know the importance of passing on God’s blessing.
Thank you for all that you do in supporting the youth of our denomination and other youth that attend our summer camps. I appreciate the assistance you are providing in allowing me to share God’s blessing with others.
There is no regular issue of GCI Weekly Update this week due to the U.S. celebration of Independence Day (July 4th). We look forward to bringing you a full issue on July 12. In the meantime, you might enjoy reading a compilation, in booklet form, of the first 11 parts of Gary Deddo’s essay, The Church and Its Ministry.Click here to read it online.
Prayer is requested for retired GCI Pastor Glen Weber who will have a surgical procedure on Friday, June 30, to treat a heart condition (atrial fibrillation). Glen’s heart rate has been running high and his blood pressure has been running low, significantly impacting how he feels. In the procedure, the doctors will insert catheters into his legs to access his heart, then locate and treat the spot in his heart that is currently misfiring. If all goes as planned, he will leave the hospital that evening with the problem permanently fixed. Within a month he should be off his medication. Please pray that this will be the outcome, and that Glen will be restored to full health.
Cards may be sent to:
Glen and Connie Weber 22461 E Powers Place Aurora, CO 80015
Please note that registration for “We Are GCI,” our Denominational Conference coming to Orlando, FL, in August, closes at midnight on Friday, June 30. After that no registrations can be accepted and no meals added to existing registrations prior to the event or on site. For information about the conference and to get registered, go to https://www.gci.org/2017.
