Category: Stay Connected

This update is from James Humphries who pastors GCI’s congregation in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.

Before leaving for the GCI Denominational Conference in Orlando, we held a worship service that focused on a back-to-school blessing for school-age children and included a baptism ceremony. Our efforts were wonderfully affirmed at the conference when Gerrit Dawson said in one of his presentations that one of the things we could do to reach out as a church is to provide a back-to-school blessing for the children!

Realizing that parents and grandparents who do not normally attend church would be present for our special service, we did all we could to feature their children. They helped with the offering, gave prayers and sang special music. We also had a baptism ceremony at the end of the service, and then a potluck meal following the service to encourage fellowship. All these elements powerfully presented the gospel, providing testimony to God’s love and goodness.

In keeping with the blessing theme, my sermon was titled “God Has Blessed Us.” I noted that the gospel really is good news for all—that all have been blessed by and included in Christ. I concluded with Romans 10:9-10, showing the simplicity of the gospel. Since we had scheduled a baptism ceremony that day, I asked if any others desired baptism. We were prepared with extra clothing, and were thrilled when five people came forward to be baptized. So we baptized six people (five adults and one preteen), including my youngest brother, Nelson. Since that service, three others have requested baptism!

We had 72 people attend our blessing service. Most stayed to fellowship and to enjoy the meal. We still are rejoicing. What a wonderful day it was!

Ray Meyer and his wife Carol recently celebrated Ray’s retirement after 40 years serving as a GCI pastor and several years as a district pastor. GCI’s Kansas City, Missouri church, where Ray last pastored, hosted the celebration, which included church members and Ray and Carol’s family. Congratulations and thanks to Ray and Carol! Here are pictures from the celebration:

GCI Canada recently held its week-long Silver Meadows Camp. Over 100 campers and staff participated. The campers included 27 children who participated in a VBS program based on the life of the apostle Paul. Camp chaplain Leigh Smithson (standing in the picture below) played the role of Paul, speaking to the campers from his tent where he worked to support himself while he preached the gospel in the city of Athens.

During camp, Sabrina Shaeffers of the Edmonton congregation was baptized by her pastor Bob Millman and Silver Meadows Camp chaplain Leigh Smithson. Sabrina’s mother, Valerie Shaeffers, was present for the baptism. She noted that camp has made a huge contribution to her daughter’s spiritual development.

According to GCI-Canada director, Gary Moore, Jennifer Pasanen “did a marvellous job” serving as director of Silver Meadows Camp. “She handled the responsibility with grace, good humor and wisdom.”

Grace Communion Seminary recently reached an important milestone in graduating its first class of eight students who were awarded master’s degrees in Pastoral Studies. Seven of the students (pictured below) received their diplomas in a graduation ceremony held on August 3 during the GCI Denominational Conference in Orlando, Florida. The eighth student, Mervin Walton, received his diploma in an earlier ceremony because he was unable to attend the Orlando conference.

The ceremony in Orlando, which was presided over by GCS President, Dr. Russell Duke, was attended by about 300 of the graduates’ family members and friends. Congratulations to them all!

Below are pictures of the GCS faculty, board and administration members present at the graduation.

The video below is a montage of pictures from the Generations Ministries’ sponsored teen-young adult track at the GCI Denominational Conference in Orlando. Featured is a project where the youth served at an Orlando area food bank.

Watch on YouTube at http://youtu.be/WOLB8TVqvMQ.

GCI Church Administration and Development USA (CAD), led by Dan Rogers, recently announced changes to the structure of the US church. There now are four administrative regions, each served by a regional pastor (RP) and an associate regional pastor (ARP). Each region has multiple districts, each served by a district pastor (DP) who oversees the various congregations within that district. The list below shows the four administrative regions, their districts and the congregations within each district. Each congregation is identified by its pastor (or other primary leader or pastoral care team), showing the location(s) where the congregation(s) served by that pastor meet.

The CAD leadership team extends heartfelt thanks to these leaders and to those who, in the past, have served as regional, district and church pastors.

Western Region

RP: Lorenzo Arroyo, ARP: Heber Ticas

DP: Tim Sitterley
• Jim Jobe—Port Angeles, WA
• Chuck Downey—Olympia, WA
• Dee Bulante— Portland, OR & Vancouver, WA
• Bart Baril—Port Orchard, WA
• Bill Chaffee—Federal Way, WA
• Larry Pate—Tacoma, WA
• Bill Miller—Seattle-Bellevue, WA
• Anne Gillam—Klamath Falls, OR
• Robert Potvin—Medford, OR
• Robin Chester—Bend, OR
• Gerald Schnarrenberger—Coeur d’Alene, ID & Spokane, WA
• Bill Linge—Boise, ID
• Don Marson—Anchorage, AK
• Jack Evans—Kenai, AK
• Tim Sitterley—Eugene & Salem, OR

DP: David Weber
• Wayne Fisher—Green River, WY
• Carol Fertig—Elko, NV
• Shannon Fertig—Cheyenne, WY
• Arthur Baldrey—Casper, WY
• Bill Bryce, Norm Foster & Ron Heck—Salt Lake City, UT
• John Kehn—Scottsbluff, NE
• Jim Anattol—Missoula, MT
• Tobe Johnson—Helena, MT
• David Weber—Wheatland, WY

DP: Heber Ticas
• Manuel Ochoa—Hawthorne, CA
• Jose Escalante—Santa Fe Springs, CA
• Gildardo de La Rosa—Santa Ana, CA
• Ines Cante—Moreno Valley, CA
• Mario Lopez, Pablo Sotoj & Zavid Cova—Pasadena, CA
• Bernabe Roman & Alejandro Alcantara—Howell, NJ
• Heber Ticas—Sun Valley & Los Angeles, CA

DP: Bermie Dizon
• Rand Holm—Chatsworth & Ventura, CA
• Romy Degolacion—Los Angeles, CA
• Tony Murphy, Rudy Lomboy—Central Coast, CA
• Randy Sorrentino—Orange County, CA
• Eric Shaw (interim pastor)—Long Beach & Orange County, CA
• Tom Ecker—Beaumont & Victorville, CA
• Raul Ramos—Antelope Valley, CA
• Leonard Raught—Corona, CA
• Bermie Dizon—Pasadena & Los Angeles, CA

DP: Glen Weber
• Michael Wyatt-Paige—Phoenix, AZ (Sunday)
• Mike Roberts—Phoenix, AZ (Saturday)
• Leon Cooper—Cottonwood, AZ
• Ted Landess & Ted Millhuff—Tucson, AZ
• Harold Jackson—Albuquerque, NM
• Ruel Guerrero—Las Vegas, NV
• Gary Crowell—Honolulu, HI
• Neil Earle—Glendora & Rancho Cucamonga, CA
• Mark Stapleton—San Diego, CA
• Glen Weber—Eagle Rock, CA

DP: Mike Swagerty
• Steve Smith—Modesto, Santa Rosa & Fairfield, CA
• Mel Dahlgren—San Jose, CA
• Richard Roberts—San Francisco, CA
• Jim Roberts—San Leandro, CA
• John Jester—Watsonville, CA
• Larry Van Landuyt—Redding & Chico, CA
• Ed Kofol—Reno, NV
• Tom Byars—Visalia, CA
• Bill Schultz—Fresno, CA
• Mike Swagerty—Sacramento, CA

South-Central Region

RP: Ted Johnston, ARP: Mike Rasmussen

DP: Mike Rasmussen
• Mark McCulley—Denver North & Colorado Springs, CO
• Tim Snyder—Denver South, CO
• Sam Reese, Doris Baer & Mrs. Richard Shriver—Pueblo, CO
• June Welch—Alamosa, CO
• Aaron Armstrong—Englewood, CO
• Stuart Rising—Ada, OK
• Jon Rummel—Tulsa, OK
• Mike Roth—Van Buren, AR
• Don Engle—Wichita, KS
• Sammy O’Dell—Amarillo, TX
• Jason Frantz—Kansas City, MO
• Ron McCrerey—St. Joseph, MO
• John Howard—Topeka, KS
• Robert Edsall—Kirksville, MO
• Fred Davis—Grand Island, NE
• Ron Felling—Tontitown, AR
• William Condley—Russellville, AR
• David Husmann—Omaha, NE & Sioux City, IA
• Mike Rasmussen—Oklahoma City, OK

DP: Arnold Clauson
• Bob Persky—Dallas (Central), TX
• Rodney Schuler—San Antonio & Victoria, TX
• Mark Mounts—Houston, TX
• Gene Koch, James Scales—Beaumont, TX
• Ruben Salazar—Harlingen, TX
• Richard Gonzales—Odessa, TX
• Don Amundson—Austin, TX
• Tom Pickett—Euless, TX
• Carl Head—Azle, TX
• David Pickett—Burleson, TX
• Lee Berger—Longview, TX
• Martin Farnsworth, Gary Demarest, James Newsom & Donna Patillo—Tyler, TX
• Frank Parsons—Big Sandy & Texarkana, TX
• Walter Deptula—Lufkin, TX
• Terry Lambert—Abilene, TX
• Janet Warner, Toni Contreras, Michael Alvarez—Las Cruces, NM
• Arnold Clauson— Dallas (North) & Denison, TX & Antlers, OK

DP: Mike Horchak
• Richard Young—Lake Charles, LA
• Anthony Rice—Baton Rouge & Lafayette, LA
• Mike Booze—Shreveport & Monroe, LA
• John Ross—Greenwood, MS
• Andrew Britton—Mobile, AL
• Phil Nichols—Monroeville, AL
• Leonard Tillotson—Natchez, MS
• John Novick—Jackson, Hattiesburg & Meridian, MS
• Oliver Baker—Pine Bluff, AR
• Harold McKissic—Geneva, AL
• Mike Horchak—New Orleans & Hammond, LA

North-Central Region

RP: Randy Bloom, ARP: Rick Shallenberger

DP Rick Shallenberger
• Jeff Noordhoek & Jim Noordhoek—Batesville, AR
• Jeff Chandler—Jonesboro, AR
• Paul Sniffen – Memphis, TN
• Wayne Wendt – Jackson, TN
• Linda Rex—Nashville & Murfreesboro, TN
• Bob Druien – Bowling Green, KY
• Tony Raney, Joe Blagg & Deb Blagg – Paducah, KY
• Ellis Necessary – Morristown, TN
• Ed Peters & Frances Sykes – Clarksville, TN
• Harry Kall—Cicero, IL
• Stephen Hill—Manteno, IL
• Lucille Cramer & Carl Cramer—Rockford, Janesville & Madison, WI
• Juanita Bushert—Madison, WI
• James Newby—Chicago (NW) &, Joliet, IL
• Richard Frankel—Chicago (N), IL & Kenosha, WI
• Willard High—South Holland, IL
• Mark Porter—Milwaukee, WI
• George Isken—West Bend, WI
• Raymond Olson—Watertown, WI

DP: Karl Reinagel
• Calvin Devries, Kathy Korte, Bill Ritzman, Virginia Wernli & Beverly Worden—Des Moines, IA
• Robert Ehlen—Hillsboro, MO
• Gary Dry—Warrenton, MO
• Austin Caldwell—Alton City, IL
• Mark Queener—Belleville, IL
• Mark Bannier—Macomb, IL
• Dana Loter John Anderson & Todd Woods— Davenport, IA
• Alan House, Harold Flaugher, Ruth Pennock & Lea Payton—Lake of the Ozarks, MO
• Jim Kissee—Springfield & Joplin, MO
• Karl Reinagel—St Louis, MO

DP: Sam Butler
• Roger Abels – Fort Wayne, IN & Kalamazoo, MI
• Ray Griffee & Susan Davis—Chase, MI
• David Howe—Elkhart, IN
• Jon Pairitz—Michigan City, IN
• Bradley Haist—Freeland & Flint, MI
• Grant Forsyth—Kenockee, MI
• Ron Washington—Livonia, MI
• Ross Flynn—Detroit, MI
• Stuart Mahan—Toledo, OH
• Sam Butler–Grand Rapids & Ravenna, MI

DP: George Hart
• Rick Shallenberger—Cincinnati West, OH
• Charles Shelton—London, KY
• Mark Beverly, Tierrella Bentley & Cora Hamilton—Hazard, KY
• Carrie Smith, Debby Bailey & Mike Stewart—Pikeville, KY
• James Humphries—Mt. Sterling, KY
• Mike Greider—Louisa, WV & Barboursville, KY
• Don Hussell—Ripley, WV
• John Bailey & Beth Jeffers—Lexington, KY
• David Perry – Indianapolis, Lafayette, Terre Haute & Hope, IN
• Wayne Blair – Richmond, IN
• George Hart – Cincinnati East, OH

DP: Doug Johannsen
• Richard Siedschlag—Fargo, ND
• George Affeldt—Sioux Falls, SD
• Nevin Nolder—St. Cloud, MN
• Gordon Lindquist—Duluth, MN
• Steve Cole & Becky Deuel—Appleton, WI
• Charles Holladay—Bloomington, MN
• John Torgerson—Wisconsin Dells, WI
• Todd Fox, Troy Meisner & David Laack—Rochester, MN
• Roger Galstad—Eau Claire, WI
• Lynn Pahl & Joyce Wendt—Wausau, WI
• Tom Kennebeck—Orr, MN
• Margaret Olheiser—Dickinson, ND
• Surgay Kalamaha—Minot, ND
• Carrol Miller—Grand Rapids, MN
• Doug Johannsen—St. Paul & Champlin, MN

Eastern Region

RP: Greg Williams, ARP: Paul David Kurts

DP: Larry Wooldridge
• Al Nelson—Montpelier, VT
• Bill Ford—Boston, Amherst & Worcester, MA
• Robert Thurlow—Windham, ME
• Jim Cook—Bangor, ME
• Luciano Cozzi—Providence, RI
• Thom Freidrich—Loudon, NH
• Andy Jacob, Jeannette Trotter & Jeanette Singleton—Schenectady, NY
• Mary Williams, Edward Binder, Dennis Hoyt & Irene Hutchins—Lake George, NY
• Dishon Mills—Randolph, MA
• Larry Wooldridge—Meriden & Stratford CT

DP: Timothy Brassell
• Calvin Simon—Virginia Beach, VA
• Charles Adams—Richmond (S), VA
• Brian Carlisle—Washington, DC
• Richard Kissell—Smithburg, MD
• Pat Blubaugh, Sylvia Bailey & Charlotte Parsons—Cumberland, MD
• Raymond Taylor—Seaford & Elsmere, DE
• Richard Ridgell—Front Royal, VA
• Michael Kinzie—Roanoke, VA
• Bill Winn—Richmond, VA
• John Keen—Harrisburg, PA
• Joel Duttera—York, PA
• Timothy Brassell—Baltimore, MD

DP: Larry Hinkle
• Charles Taylor—Miramar, FL
• Steve Schantz—Orlando & Melbourne, FL
• Linard Johnson—Gainesville, FL
• Hugh Steininga, Sarah Faulkner & Bonny McQueary—Ft. Myers, FL
• Ted Ralph—Miami, FL
• Ellie Kurzawa—Tampa/Lakeland, FL
• Jonathan Rakestraw—Tallahassee, FL
• Martin Davey—Jacksonville, FL & Woodbine, GA
• Steve Brown—Clearwater, Ocala & Bradenton, FL
• Larry Hinkle—Port St. Lucie & Pompano Beach, FL

DP: John Dobritch
• Jim Valekis—Tipp City, OH
• David Marquis – Marion, OH
• Jeff Broadnax – Columbus & Chillicothe, OH
• Charlie Palmer, Emma Smith & David Diels—Lorain, OH
• David Botha—Akron & Cleveland, OH
• Bruce Metz—Jenners, PA
• Todd Crouch—Washington, PA, Wheeling, WV & Cambridge, OH
• Tom Smith—Pittsburgh & Indiana, PA
• Warren Wilson—Mineral Wells & Summersville, WV
• Frank Novak—Mount Pleasant, PA
• John Knaack—Buffalo, NY
• Leonard Banks—Rochester, NY
• Leonard Ladage—Olean, NY
• Verne Seekings—Fredonia, NY
• Doris Evans—Erie, PA
• John Dobritch—Canfield, OH

DP: David Gilbert
• Anthony Caputo—Lakehurst, NJ
• John Newsom—Queens & Manhattan, NY
• Mary Bacheller—Staten Island, NY
• Franklin Howard—Newark, NJ
• Gerald Backhus—Hillsdale, NJ
• Lenny Underwood & Sylvia Musto—Middletown, NY
• Serge Volpe—White Plains, NY
• Eric Dreibelbis—Selinsgrove, PA
• Shawn Gregory—Blossburg, PA
• Tom Davis—Wilkes Barre, PA
• Eric Larison—Syracuse, NY
• David Gilbert—Union, NJ & Philadelphia, PA

DP: Dennis Wheatcroft
• Arlen Bryant—Cookeville, TN
• Dewey Peterson—Crossville, TN
• Brad Campbell—Decatur, AL
• Lance McKinnon—Dallas, GA
• Ernest Tollner—Athens, GA
• David Beckner—Snellville, GA
• James Lewis—Montgomery, AL
• David Whited & Terry Cohron—Buford, GA
• Bob Miller—Birmingham & Good Hope, AL
• Larry Oglesby—Columbus, GA
• Robert Saulsberry—Macon, GA
• Leroy Hunter—Thomasville, GA
• Charles Young—Atlanta, GA
• John Huffman—Greenville, SC
• Dennis Wheatcroft—Chattanooga, TN & Murphy, NC

DP: Howard Blakeney
• Paul David Kurts—Hickory, NC
• William Boney—Wilmington, NC
• Tommie Grant Jr & Alvin Simmons—Charleston, SC
• Joel Irusta—Greensboro, NC
• Earl Jones—Fayetteville, NC
• Troy White, Ron Garrett & Rocky Ray—Charlotte, NC
• Ann Vinson & Rick Rogers—Kings Mountain, NC
• John Moskel—Columbia, SC & Augusta, GA
• Ken Hygh—Raleigh, NC
• Don Mason—Wilson, NC
• Jeff Snyder—Savannah, GA
• Rick Stillwell & Bob Vischer—Asheville, NC
• Howard Blakeney—Marion, SC

This update is from African mission developer Kalengule Kaoma.

GCI pastors and their wives met recently in Zimbabwe and Zambia for pastor retreats. These retreats foster teamwork and good pastoral relationships, and provide opportunities to discuss doctrinal matters.

The pastors’ retreat in Zimbabwe took place at Lake Chivero near Harare; 23 attended.

The pastors’ retreat in Zambia took place in Chongwe, east of Lusaka; 27 attended, including (pictured below, left to right) Kennedy Musopelo with his son Divine, Christopher and Judith Simbeye, and Aaron and Maggie Ng’ambi.

The Zambian retreat was enhanced by a worship service that included all of our churches in the Lusaka area. The service featured singing, drama and poetry.

This update is from Lee Berger, director of Crossing Borders, one of GCI Generations Ministries’ short-term mission groups.

This June, we conducted our 15^th Crossing Borders mission trip into Mexico. Ten GCI missionaries spent eight days sharing services and resources with our ministry partners in Mexico.

Those we served in Mexico deeply appreciated the food, clothing and other physical resources we gave them. However, they told us over and over that, “if you came to see us and did not bring even one box of any physical thing, the most important thing is that you came.”

These people need to be noticed, listened to and to know that God loves them and to know that we are their friends and are glad to share life with them. It is all about relationship!

While in Mexico, we spent two days building a new home for a family; we fed and prayed for people who had been deported from the U.S.; we handed out hundreds of meals and clothing to the homeless and other needy people; we reconnected with a family we built a house for last summer; we held a worship service in a park; we distributed $1,000 worth of Bibles; and we cared for dozens of orphans and other children—playing with them, feeding them, taking them on outings, laughing with them and hugging them to the point that we all had tear-filled eyes when we said our goodbyes.

A few weeks before the trip, we arranged with one of our Mexican pastor friends to help build a house for a needy family in Mexico. We sent money ahead to buy supplies and hire workers, but a week before we arrived the family’s baby girl—their only child—died from a birth defect. With all the emotional trauma and the funeral, we were not sure about the status of the house-building.

As it turned out, we were able to build the house. The father worked with us every day and we visited with the mother and other members of the family on several occasions. Not only were we able to help provide the family with their first home, we were blessed to spend time with them, praying with them, and offering comfort in their time of great loss.

Each mission trip is truly a blessing from the Father, Son and Spirit—an opportunity to share in their love for people. Whether close to home or “across the border,” it is all about relationship.

In early July, Shepherd’s Community Church (South Holland, Illinois), along with Pastor Willard and Brenda High, hosted a celebration of the 50th anniversary of GCI’s Chicago Southside and Hammond, Indiana congregations. Over 400 people attended the 3-day-long Jubilee Celebration, traveling from throughout the US. Guests included Dr. Joseph Tkach, Ms. Helen Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Allan Barr, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Abels, Curtis and Jannice May, Mr. Frederick Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. James Tate and Mr. Albert Atlas.

The celebration began Friday evening with a Meet & Greet. Saturday festivities began with a worship service that included video greetings from the Schmedes and Perkins families, a presentation of the history of the Chicago Southside and Hammond churches and several musical selections by the Shepherd’s Adult Choir (pictured at left). The service concluded with remembrances and words of encouragement from some of the guests.

During the service, recognition was given to Jesse and Audrey Bellamy, Eugene and Juanita Dumas and Dolphus and Barbara Williamson. All had served the Chicago Southside church for most of its history. Assistant Pastor Barbara Williamson was recognized for her recent ordination—she is the congregation’s first female elder.

Over 320 people attended a dinner dance on Saturday evening. A highlight was the awarding of Mary Lee Bellamy Scholarships to four attendees for outstanding academics and community service. The Jubilee Celebration then ended on Sunday with a gospel/jazz brunch with music from the congregation’s worship band and vocal selections from guests.

On June 23, Living Grace Church, GCI’s congregation in Vermont, honored four octogenarian members with a luncheon, cards and a cake.