Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aALswpfoj2I
Discover the transformative power of Christ’s love in our new series, GCI Testify. Witness firsthand the impact of the Spirit in and through GCI, as members from our global fellowship share testimonies of Jesus. Click here to view previous testimonies; scroll to “Archive” at the bottom of the screen for the full list.
“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” — Karl Barth
Join us as we come together in prayer and hope. Our July Prayer Guide is available for download now.
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During Dr. Greg Williams’ visit to Australasia, the Fiji Avenue champions and their teams gathered in Nadi, Fiji, for a two-day retreat. Greg and Superintendent Heber Ticas led the equipping discussions. Also present were Pastor Frank Boyd and Emily Boyd, and my wife, Sue Richards, and I.
Commissioned in late 2023, Love Avenue Champion Eugene Panuve, Faith Avenue Champion Jason Raki, and Hope Avenue Champion Epeli Nakautoga and their teams avidly absorbed the material presented. They appreciated the instruction, but they especially enjoyed the many stories and practical tips emerging regularly during the retreat. Dr. Williams began with the relational flow of Christ’s love, faith, and hope into and through our lives that is foundational to the health, vibrancy, and work of the church. Supported with stories from his experiences, Mr. Ticas encouraged us toward having a missional mentality and “posture,” and he described the missional flow between church and community.
On the second day, Greg proposed we tackle the questions submitted earlier as a practical exercise. Given questions appropriate to their Avenue, the teams spent the morning brainstorming and strategizing goals, action steps, point persons, and completion dates. Then they presented their suggestions and received feedback. What a good job they did! They had generated basic ministerial action plans (MAPs) and proven the ability of the teams to work together on difficult issues.
While Dr. Williams returned home on Sunday, Mr. Ticas stayed to speak to the Suva congregation. He gave tips on staging Love Avenue events at that venue, signage to advertise the church’s presence, the importance and placement of greeters, and the role of contact cards for following up with visitors. How encouraging this visit was! The emerging leaders are fired up and excited about the future growth and health of the church in Fiji, and the future looks positive.
Blessings,
By Dennis Richards, Regional Director, New Zealand and the South Pacific
Palmerston North, New Zealand
During Ordinary Time, we meditate on questions like, “What does an ordinary life that is being transformed by Jesus look like?” I love to dwell on this response: “a life compelled by the love of Jesus.” Our Jesus is a relational, incarnational God – so it is no surprise that a life compelled by his love will bring us into a life lived amongst our neighbors.
In honesty, we can acknowledge that even when it comes to being present with our neighbors and participating in Jesus’ mission, we are not always motivated by love. Sometimes we are motivated by guilt, the desire to be seen as a “good Christian,” or pride.
While our own love falls short, the love of Jesus is always sufficient. It is this love that ushers us into a “new ordinary” life — beautiful, ordinary life spent in the presence of beloved ordinary people, bringing glory to our extraordinary God.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 NIV
Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for being with us in each small moment and each grand moment. We pray that you would continue to compel us to live our ordinary days according to the truth of your lavish love. May it lead us to live lives of presence with our neighbors, just as it has led you to live present with us. Amen.
By Cara Garrity, GCI Development Coordinator
Steele Creek, NC, US
Dear GCI Family and Friends,
When we read through the Old Testament, we see many occasions where an altar was built. These altars symbolized meaningful encounters with God and were often places of sacrifice and communion with him.
Genesis is filled with examples of altars built by the patriarchs:
A place of sacrifice and thanksgiving — The first altar recorded in Scripture was built by Noah after he and his family left the ark. The Bible says the offering was a pleasing aroma to God, who responded by promising to never again curse the ground because of humankind (Genesis 8).
A place of promise, leading to covenant — We read about several altars that Abraham built, each seemingly with a different purpose, but all leading to the covenant God made with Abraham. Here are some places where he built altars:
To honor their hard work and accomplishment, we want to announce our GCI graduates in our newsletter. Do you know anyone who is graduating from secondary / high school, college, university, technical / vocational school?
If the graduate would like to be included, submit the following to elizabeth.mullins@gci.org:
“I love what I see happening in this denomination at this time; I really believe that God is at work in GCI.”
Discover Michael Mitchell’s story as a GCI Ministry Coach in Kingston, Jamaica. Click here or on the image below to see the full profile.
On June 2, the Montreal congregation celebrated the ordination of two assistant pastors. Bill Hall, National Director of Canada, was with us to ordain Marie-Line Tremblay and Pierre Duguay
Marie-Line’s role as an assistant pastor and main responsibility is to our families, including the supervision of children and youth ministry. Pierre’s main field of service and role is that of Love Avenue Champion.
By Roger Labelle, Pastor
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
