This update is from Pastor Mary Bacheller, who reports on the progress of Hands for Christ Community Church in Staten Island, New York. This new church is being formed principally by and for people who are deaf. Mary reports on two recent events that are important steps in preparing to launch the new church.
Launch team retreat
Mary gathered the 14 ministry leaders who are helping her start the new church (see picture below). They held a weekend retreat where the leaders introduced themselves and the group prayed for one another. Much laughter and some tears were shared. Of the 14 in attendance, three are GCI members. Seven of the others are either unchurched or have not been to a church in over 15 years. Mary shared with the group the vision, mission, budget and discipleship pathway that will shape the life of the new church. She then asked each leader for a one-year commitment to serve on the launch team. She also asked each of the leaders to complete a self-assessment survey called SHAPE: S=spiritual gifts, H=heart, A=abilities, P=personality, E=education/experience. The retreat ended with communion.
First formal Bible study
Fifteen people attended this event, the first in a series of Bible studies. It was held in the library of the church building where the new church will be meeting. It turned out that the library was too small to accommodate the group – next time they will meet in the church fellowship hall. For these studies, Mary is using the Alpha Course. The first study addressed personal friendships and a relationship with Jesus. The next study will address the identity of Jesus and God’s plan for humanity as revealed in Scripture.
The Canadian eastern youth camp (Camp Connections) was held recently. Camp director Lynn Lawrence (who also pastors the Montreal, English congregation) commented that the campers and staff experienced a wonderful atmosphere of peace and unity. Everyone went home tired, yet inspired.
Lynn Lawrence speaks to campersCampers receive communion
This report is excerpted from an article in the August 13 edition of The Freeport News. It tells the story of a mission trip to the Bahamas by several GCI members from the U.S. The trip was organized by Grace Missions, of GCI Generations Ministries.
Young missionaries
A group of eight adult and eight teen missionaries traveled from Ohio and West Virginia in partnership with Grace Communion International. The partnership began a few months ago between Pastor Calvin Parker and Pastor Dave [David Botha] out of the United States. Parker also joined up with Victoria Wright, Principal of Hugh Campbell Primary School so that the school can be used as the venue for the Vacation Bible School (VBS).
Bahamian children with Grace Missions leader Terry McDonald
Every day, 52 children crowded the hallways and classrooms at the school participating in a number of activities such as basketball, singing, drama, craft and storytelling. Then after the free lunch that is provided is served, the kids experienced a special activity known as “soaking.” Parker described soaking as a quiet time set aside for the children to meditate, concentrate and soak in the word of God. “We really want them to learn and be taught about the saving grace of God,” he said.
Robert O’Quinn from the West Virginia Senior Leadership team of Grace Community Church is one of the adult missionaries who said this experience has touched his heart and soul. “This is my first missionary trip and it’s amazing to see God moving through the kids. The joy in them is unbelievable, they jump up and give you a hug and they play, dance and sing with you so freely,” he said. O’Quinn said that each day is exciting for him, as well as the others because its radically different. “We have a team of young and old missionaries and this trip has turned into a multi-generational mission that will kind of unite us all and touch people from a different nation,” he added.
Seventeen-year-old, Brandon Bapst is preparing to enter his senior year come September but said after hearing and praying about the trip, he felt coming on it was the right thing to do. “It’s been an amazing experience, I feel like I’ve been called by God to come here and I’ve met such wonderful kids. It’s uplifting to see that they’re always so ready and willing to learn and everybody here is so nice.”
Michelle Greider, a sixteen-year-old missionary, said that she is enjoying her time here in The Bahamas very much and although at first she was scared, she now considers this to be a second home. “It’s awesome, this is my first mission trip but after my experience it certainly won’t be my last. The little kids are so sweet and I love them,” she added.
All of the missionaries, both young and old agreed with O’Quinn when he said, “It’s very encouraging to see the kindness and hospitality of the locals. They went out of their way to make us feel at home, comfortable and happy.” They would like to possibly visit another island, but if not, they hope to come back to do mission work with other local churches in the community.
This update is from Kalengule Kaoma, GCI’s missions director for central Africa.
LIBERIA
Robert Browne III
I arrived in Monrovia on June 4. My visit had two purposes: to meet with Pastor Robert Browne III about a GCI presence in Liberia and to meet several church leaders who have written to GCI to express interest in being part of our denomination.
I am pleased to report that Pastor Browne, who we met first in May, 2011, is still enthusiastic about working with GCI. In fact, he organized a conference attended by 80 local leaders on June 8-10. I then met with four leaders from other denominations that have asked to become a part of GCI. One of these leaders, Pastor Leo Boimah Brosius, expressed interest in becoming a GCI missionary in Liberia, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire. He has left the church he planted, leaving it under the care of his brother. He and I agreed to wait on God for further direction.
RWANDA
Kimani Ndungu, Area Pastor for East Africa, met me in Nairobi on June 12. From there we travelled to Kigali, Rwanda. Last year, I started cultivating new ground for a GCI presence in Rwanda. On this trip, I wanted to see what the Holy Spirit had been doing since I last visited. A group of pastors represented by Benjamin Sibo-Muzi of Calvary African Ministries International, are interested in having GCI facilitate a pastors’ reconciliation conference. These leaders do not want to see a repeat of the genocide of 1994.
Kimani and I had further discussions with Pastor Eugene Munyampama who runs a youth skills training center in Rwanda’s second largest city. After the meeting, he felt more confident to do what the Holy Spirit will lead him to do. He knows there is a need for GCI to be planted in the city where he lives. Both Kimani and I are looking forward to a fruitful harvest of God’s work in Rwanda through GCI.
BURUNDI
The Sibomana family
We traveled to Burundi on June 15. Prior to this visit, I had been in touch with Pastor Eugene Sibomana by email. For several months, Pastor Sibomana urged me to visit because he considers himself and his church of seven congregations to be a part of GCI. I thank God for his provision that when funds where available, Kimani and I were able to travel and meet Eugene Sibomana and his leadership team.
Pastor Eric-Armie Niyindengera (General Secretary) and Pastor Sibomana and his family met us at Bujumbura International Airport. As overseer of International Revival Church of Life (IRCL), Pastor Sibomana planned that we travel on June 16 to Cibitoke where IRCL was first planted. In the board – church council meeting, we were given reasons for affiliation. The team is eager to be part of GCI. As soon as some funds are available, we plan to make another trip there to consolidate our relationship.
The following day, 550 representatives from most of the congregations joined us for a worship service at the church in Cibitoke. From there, we drove back to Bujumbura to attend a service with members of two city congregations with about 200 in attendance.
MALAWI
Joining in worship (L to R): Leigh Smithson, Tim Maguire and Fadrick Nihaka
Leigh Smithson, from the Red Deer, Alberta, Canada church, traveled to South Africa, where he met Tim Maguire, National Director of GCI, South Africa. Tim and Leigh traveled together to Mozambique. After visiting churches there, they traveled to Malawi where they found me waiting in Blantyre. We shared time talking to GCI Malawi church leaders during the conference on July 14-15. We also visited rural churches in Mombezi, Naminjale, Mwanza, Kabanga and Dowa where our displaced members from the Democratic Republic of Congo live. We encouraged our brethren with the hope of the gospel.
On August 5, Major Chaplain Joseph (Bo) Welch was ordained a GCI elder serving as a U.S. military chaplain. He was ordained by GCI ministry developer Randy Bloom during the Sunday worship service at Good News Fellowship, the GCI congregation in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bo served as an active duty Army Chaplain for nearly nine years and has been a U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain for the past three. He now serves as Command Chaplain for the 290th Military Police Brigade in Nashville, where he provides direct ministry for soldiers and family members of the brigade headquarters and supervises five battalion chaplains throughout the Southeast region of the United States. The entire brigade and subordinate battalions have around 2000 soldiers.
Bo has a Master of Divinity degree from Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson, Mississippi 1992) and a Masters of Marriage in Family Therapy degree from Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville, Tennessee 2012). He recently opened a private practice counseling agency in Fairview, Tennessee called the Fairview Counseling Center.
For the past four years, GCI’s Kingston, Jamaica church has hosted a week-long Vacation Bible School (VBS). This year, they were assisted by a GCI Generations Ministries (GenMin) mission team from the United States. Here is a report from team member Anne Marie Fleming.
VBS children leading worship
At GenMin’s national summit meeting last year, a dream was expressed by some of our Jamaican members that their VBS would have more of a “summer camp feel.” At the same time, sisters Tabitha and Natalie Wendt, and my sister Mychelle Fleming and I were expressing a desire for an overseas mission trip. With over 30 years of combined experience in camps and missions, we felt called to help our Jamaican brothers and sisters realize their dream.
Pastor David Perry
Well, God opened the door, bringing together a mission team that included Tabitha, Natalie, Mychelle, Mat Morgan, David Perry, Jeff Snyder, Charles Fleming and me. Some of us served in construction, working on the church hall where the VBS was held. Others partnered with Jamaican members to form a team of eleven VBS teachers and five assistant teachers.
Tabitha Wendt (left)
God also blessed the VBS with help from local companies that donated food and from individuals who donated money to scholarship kids. Campers from Base Camp, a GenMin camp in Tennessee, made bracelets for the kids and teachers. And the Wendt sisters, who are Base Camp leaders, donated 50 soccer balls that had been signed by their campers.
Mychelle Fleming (left)
Through these combined efforts, the VBS was able to minister to more than 70 children between age three and eighteen. The kids were given opportunity to learn, to be fed and, most importantly, to feel the love of Jesus.
The VBS theme was Rooted (from Ephesians 3:16-19) – the same theme used this year in many of GenMin’s camps. This theme had special significance for my sister Mychelle and me since we were returning to our Jamaican roots. We lived in Jamaica when we were young – our dad, Charles Fleming, was a pastor there for 13 years.
This update is from Eugene Guzon, GCI’s national leader in the Philippines and mission director for Northern Asia and Micronesia.
I recently traveled to Rayong City, Thailand, a two and a half hour drive from Bangkok. There I met with GCI pastor Joel and Beth Alisbo who work in Rayong as teachers, along with Jean Anne Almera. They gave me a tour of their mission’s halfway house and worship center. This place is also their venue for teaching English as a second language to Thai adults and children.
Eugene Guzon (upper left) with teachers and students at the Rayong City mission school
Several of our members now living in Rayong City received missions training in the Philippines. They saw the benefit of going to the mission field in teams, and now in Rayong City they serve in missions together. Because teaching English as a second language is a Thai government priority, the team found an English-language school to be an effective outreach ministry tool. They also serve at the Rayong City Juvenile Center, a correctional facility with about 500 inmates. There they conduct values and skills training and provide instruction in the English language. The center’s director has been so pleased with their ministry that he wants to open their training to the center’s employees.
The group is also reaching out through weddings. Recently, Pastor Joel and Pastor Dante Abatayo helped organize for an overseas Filipino couple a wedding at the exclusive Siam Country Club in the tourist area of Pattaya, a beach resort popular with tourists and expatriates. Pastor Joel gave the wedding sermon and Pastor Dante handled praise and worship. While many of the guests were Filipinos, some were middle class Thai nationals who also heard a presentation of the gospel in the message and music.
These are some of the things that excite our members in Rayong City and other parts of Thailand. In the midst life’s daily grind, these outreach ministries are building enduring relationships. Before the end of the year, the Rayong City members hope to host a short-term mission trip to their city. They covet your prayers and partnership, as they seek to participate in the life, love and work of God in Thailand.
Here is a group picture from the recent GCI Australia Pastors Conference. Click here for additional pictures on Facebook (you must be signed into FaceBook to view these).
This update is from Jeff Chandler who pastors the GCI church in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
We recently launched a new service/outreach project named Worship Workout. It’s being held at Fitness Bootcamp Unlimited. About 26 people attended the first session.
I opened the session with prayer, which was followed by a 35 minute “Full Body & Soul” workout accompanied by Christian music. I then asked everyone to have a seat on the floor and gave a 10 minute message about our physical and spiritual health. We then ended in prayer.
It was a CRAZY GOOD and we now are praying that it grows and that some who attend will move on over into our church congregation.
