Category: Stay Connected

Hands for Christ Community Church (HC3), is GCI’s newly planted church primarily for deaf people in Staten Island, New York. Under the leadership of church planter and lead pastor Mary Bacheller, the congregation continues on a pathway of growth and development.

Recently, Mary commissioned four new HC3 ministry leaders (see group picture below). Joyce Coletti (pictured above left, being commissioned by Mary with regional pastor Randy Bloom assisting), Louis D’Amico (pictured above right), and Marjorie D’Arrigo were all commissioned to serve in HC3’s communion ministry. Christina Trunzo-Mosleh was commissioned to serve in the voice interpreting ministry—HC3’s worship services are conducted in American Sign Language (ASL), with interpretation provided for the hearing.

Here are links to updates concerning a single’s event and reopening of a church in GCI-Philippines:

• http://my.gci.ph/gci-dgf-youths-singles-activity-on-valentines-day/
• http://my.gci.ph/gci-valencia-reopened/

New Hope Christian Fellowship in Eagle Rock, California, recently hosted a Journey with the Master weekend attended by about 50 churched and unchurched teens and young adults, along with a score of older adults. The focus was to discover and deeply understand one’s identity in Christ.

Anthony Mullins, national coordinator of GCI Generations Ministries (GenMin), led the weekend using a guide for the first part of the four-part Journey with the Master, entitled “Epic Story.” Through a variety of speakers together with videos, conversation, games and testimonials, participants were helped to hear and reflect on what Anthony referred to as “the mind-boggling [epic] story that God is telling us.”

On the second day, everyone was invited to take a relationship styles assessment based on the book The Platinum Rule. The assessment shows not just what makes a person “tick,” but how they relate to others—helping them understand how God places each of us in the body of Christ to complement and work together. Along the way there was plenty of food, fellowship, and fun.

Many said they can hardly wait for the next part of the Journey! The older adults who attended were greatly encouraged by the variety and commitment of the youth who participated.

In 2015, GCI-USA is hosting retreats for lead pastors (and equivalent leaders) and their spouses. Doing so aligns with a primary goal Greg Williams (director of GCI-USA Church Administration and Development) set for the year—to facilitate closer relationships between pastors, and between pastors and denominational leaders, as the new regional structure is implemented.

Four pastors’ retreats have been held so far this year. The first was in Southern California (click here for a report) and three were held recently near Salem, Oregon; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Atlanta, Georgia. Each retreat focused on worship (prayer and singing), reflection on scripture, discussion and fellowship at meals along with relaxed conversation and solitude in the beauty of the retreat site.

Salem

The retreat near Salem, attended by 28 leaders from several Northwest states, was hosted and led by NW associate regional pastor Tim Sitterley. It was held at a Christian retreat center in the Cascade Mountain where GCI has held prayer retreats for 15 years running. One of the center’s leaders joined the group for opening worship and noted that he and his family had been praying for GCI long before GCI began meeting there 15 years ago. As a reminder that pastors run the risk of becoming ministerial “hat racks,” each participant came to Friday worship wearing a hat (see picture above). During prayer they removed the hats, symbolically setting down their titles and responsibilities for the duration of the retreat. Encouraged by prayer for each participant (see picture below), and guided by the words of Ephesians 4, the group picked up their hats on Sunday and headed back to their pastorates.

One of the highlights of the retreat was a ceremony in which Greg Williams commissioned Tim Sitterley as associate regional pastor (serving with regional pastor Lorenzo Arroyo)—see picture below.

Shreveport

The retreat near Shreveport was held at a Baptist camp and retreat center. Attended by 20 leaders from Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, the retreat was hosted by pastor Lee Berger and his wife Sue and led by regional pastor Ted Johnston. Time was devoted to getting to know one another since those attending formerly gathered in different districts. A highlight was the ordination of Kathy Houston as an elder (see picture at right). Kathy pastors the GCI church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She led the group in an “ice-breaker” discussion that was followed by a time of intimate sharing and prayer in small and large groups in which connections were made, friendships renewed, encouragement given and helpful advice shared (see pictures below). An emphasis that arose in the discussions was summarized by discussion leader, pastor Mike Booze, as “putting the communion back into Grace Communion International.”

Atlanta

The retreat near Atlanta was held at a Presbyterian camp and retreat center. Attended by 25 leaders from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, the retreat was hosted by pastor Dennis Wheatcroft and his wife Sidni and led by regional pastor Ted Johnston. One of many highlights at the retreat was a discussion about rallying as a family of churches in support of pastor Rannie Childress who recently left his career with the State of Alabama to focus more of his time on developing the newly planted GCI church that he now pastors in Attalla, Alabama.

Comments

Here are representative comments from Salem-area retreat participants:

The prayers of blessing and encouragement we offered for one another and for other local churches capped the retreat wonderfully for me. It was three hours of divine communion with our Lord and with each other. During our time of prayer, the Spirit inspired me with these words, “Lord, open our minds that we can contemplate on your wonders and mysteries. Open our eyes that we can see that the fields are ripe for harvest. Open our mouths that we can praise you and proclaim the gospel. Open our hearts that we can love unconditionally. Open our arms that we can embrace all kinds of people.” – Dee Bulante

It was wonderful to become better acquainted with our fellow elders and to make new friendships. I used to feel intimidated around ministers, now they are all my friends and always show care and concern for individual members. Praise God for His grace and Love. – Jim Harries

I am still floating and full of the Spirit and treasuring every minute of it…what a blessing. – Anne Gillam

I enjoyed the fellowship, prayers and the worship more than I can explain. I wish we could have this kind of meeting every week. – Dan Winger

GCI’s congregation in Barranquilla, Colombia, which is pastored by Sonia Orozco, recently held its annual conference in the city of Santa Marta. The conference was attended by 59 adults (including three from the Bogotá church) and 8 children (see the group picture at right).

Guest speakers were Héctor and Paulina Barrero. Hector is GCI’s mission director for Latin America. The main topic addressed during the conference revolved around the question: What is prophecy?

During the conference, Jairo Florez and Paulo Offshore were commissioned as deacons to serve the Barranquilla congregation. Also Barranquilla members Nestor and Giselly Carreño renewed their wedding vows.

GCI youth ministry leaders from throughout the Caribbean met recently in Nassau, Bahamas to discuss youth ministry strategy. The 25 participants represented GCI churches in Trinidad, Martinique, Haiti and the Bahamas.

Guest speakers at the event were Anthony Mullins (GCI-USA Generations Ministries national coordinator, at left in the picture at right) and Charles Albrecht (GCI-USA Church Administration and Development assistant director, in the center in the picture at right).

Among other agenda items, the group worked to establish a “community of practice” that will focus together on how best to serve GCI’s Caribbean youth and reach out with God’s love to the children and communities of the Caribbean Islands.

At the event, a worship service was held with about 100 people attending. During the service, Charles Albrecht presented Robert and Nathania McKinney with a plaque and watches to thank them for 25 years of full-time employment in GCI pastoral ministry (see picture at right). The pastoral leaders present laid hands on the McKinneys, offering a prayer of thanksgiving and a request for the Spirit’s continued guidance. (Robert currently serves as the senior pastor of GCI’s church in the Bahamas—for a previous Update article about Robert and Nathania, click here.)

Tammy Tkach recently visited GCI’s congregation in Tucson, Arizona, which is pastored by Ted Millhuff and Tom Landess. Tammy gave a sermon entitled, “What God’s love really means to you.” A potluck meal was shared following the service. Members of the congregation thanked Tammy for her visit, which she has made annually for several years.

GCI in the Philippines recently conducted training for the men and women who direct their youth camps. For details, go to http://my.gci.ph/gci-youth-camp-directors-training-held-in-cebu/.

Greg Williams, director of GCI-USA Church Administration and Development, recently visited the Hildebran, North Carolina church where he commissioned Paul David (PD) Kurts as one of six U.S. regional pastors.

PD, who had been serving as the lead pastor of the Hildebran congregation and assistant regional pastor in the U.S. eastern region, will now, along with his wife Emma Lee Kurts, be focusing his ministry on pastoring the lead pastors and pastoral teams who serve the congregations in the GCI-USA Mid-Atlantic region. The Hildebran congregation is now being served by a pastoral team made up of elders and ministry leaders.

In addition to commissioning PD (see picture), Greg preached a sermon from Ephesians 4 in which he encouraged the congregation to promote unity by walking in step with the Holy Spirit. He challenged PD to do the same in serving his region.

According to Frans Danenberg (national director of GCI in the Netherlands), GCI’s congregation in Friesland is rejoicing in the baptism of two young adult members, Bubasha Nyembo and Zawadi Aksante Magendane. They were baptized in a swimming pool in the home town of the congregation’s pastor, Matendo Makoti. The congregation was established (planted) two years ago.