Please remember Mrs. Leigh Sniffen and her family in prayer.
Her beloved husband and faithful servant of God, Paul Sniffen, died peacefully in his sleep on December 23, 2020. He had suffered a series of minor strokes in early November.
For more about Paul’s life and legacy, read GC Memphis’ tribute here.
You can send cards of sympathy and encouragement to Paul’s wife Leigh at the address below:
Mrs. Leigh Sniffen
9209 Speerberry Circle
Cordova, TN 38016-2399
UNITED STATES
Sammy R. O’Dell, 67, of Amarillo, Texas, passed away Thurs., Nov. 5, 2020. Sammy was born in Shelby, NC, Dec. 31, 1952 to Ernest Wade O’Dell and Macie Christine McDonald O’Dell. Sammy grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina in Murphy. His father died when he was five. He always had compassion and understanding for the widows and fatherless. His kind, Christian mother worked long hours to provide for her two sons and widowed mother. Church attendance, piano lessons and saving for college education were priorities. At age 12, Sammy climbed a nearby hill to pray and dedicated his life to God to be used as the Lord would lead him.
After graduation from Murphy High School in 1971, Sammy enrolled at Ambassador College in East Texas, where he studied theology, speech, and liberal arts. He met his future wife, Julia Lane, in college chorale. After graduation in 1975, he settled in Amarillo, volunteered to serve at church, and found a job that led to his life-long career in life insurance sales and service. Julia and Sammy married on May 30, 1976 in Big Sandy, TX. Two daughters, Christy and Karen Beth, were born in 1978 and 1982.
Sammy owned O’Dell Insurance Agency and represented many fine companies over 45 years. He earned Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow designation in 1987. He was member and past-president of Amarillo NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors). They presented him the George Morris Memorial Financial Service Professional of the Year Award in 2005. He was recognized in 2011 for the many years he chaired the annual Tri-City Sales Forum convention in Amarillo. Sammy had hundreds of clients across the Panhandle and High Plains. He loved driving to give personal service to clients new and old. He was a kind, dedicated agent and advisor.
Sammy was ordained as an elder in 1984. He was asked in 1997 to serve as a bi-vocational pastor for what is now Grace Communion International in Amarillo and was honored for 20 years of pastoral service in 2017. He received a Master of Pastoral Studies degree from Grace Communion Seminary in 2014. The outpouring of love and kind words from so many longtime friends, church members, clients, acquaintances and extended family shows that Sammy’s ministry and life in Christ reached far outside the church walls.
Sammy’s interests included Bible study, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, computer chess and solitaire, bird watching, coffee drinking, playing hymns on piano, listening to gospel and classic rock, and playing basketball in his younger days.
He is survived by Julia, his wife of 44 years; two daughters, Christy O’Dell López and husband Nick of El Paso, TX, and Karen Beth O’Dell Strovas and husband Scott of Plainview, TX; five grandchildren, Timothy, Dominic, and Zoe López, and Sammy and Sally Strovas; and one brother, Danny O’Dell and wife Diane of Harrison, TN.
You can send cards of sympathy and encouragement to Sammy’s wife Julia at the address below:
Julia O’Dell
4122 S. Hughes St.
Amarillo, TX 79110
Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2020 Healthy Church Photo Contest, and congratulations to our winners! We are grateful for and encouraged by your images of our growth. Together with Christ, we are embodying Healthy Church.
“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:16
Following the political protests and the security breach of the U.S. Capitol, it is appropriate for us to be in prayer for the healing of our nation. As American citizens and Christ-followers we pursue the spiritual fruits of love, joy, and peace. We denounce the strife, quarrels, dissensions, factions that are so prevalent in our society. We ask our living Lord Jesus to bring wisdom to our leaders and that they will lead with integrity, especially in the transition of offices. We should actively act as peacemakers in our neighborhoods and all places where we have influence.
Lord God have mercy on us as a nation and draw us to yourself in the strong name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Greg Williams, GCI President
On Monday, December 7th the Home Office employees held an Ugly Sweater Contest via Zoom.
It was great fun having everyone show off their creativity and what they consider “Ugly”.
Above is a picture of the entire group. We had a three-way tie for first place. Reuel Enerio, Anthony Mullins and Tim Sitterley.
Congratulations to our winners.
Check out the link below to view the schedule, pricing, and more information on educational opportunities, youth activities, and local attractions.
Join me in celebrating Lucas Malmkar, who completed his GCI USA Pastoral Resident program this October. Lucas served as a pastoral resident with Grace Communion Surrey Hills in Oklahoma. He brings to his pastoral ministry a God-given ability to really see people and to whole-heartedly love people right where they are. Ministering alongside Lucas, I’ve experienced deep belly laughs and Jesus’ servant heart in action. Please enjoy some answers from Lucas’ graduate interview below.
Blessings,
Cara Garrity
Development Coordinator
Tell us about your calling or passion for ministry?
That passion or calling for ministry has been there ever since I could remember. The big difference is now that passion has matured. I have always felt a calling to lift people up, but now that passion is directed towards young adults. Young adulthood was an area in my life when I felt the most lost and needing guidance. I feel I can speak into those young hearts and minds and help them find rest and peace in who they really are and not what the world is trying to shape them into.
How did the Pastoral Resident (PR) program shape your ministry?
The PR program made me realize that working primarily with youth or young adults is where I best fit.
Where did you serve during your time in the program?
Oklahoma City/Yukon, Oklahoma.
What are your takeaways from your time spent as a Pastoral Resident?
The PR program was great. I was able to explore ministry in every way. I worked through real ministry challenges and solutions. This is a great way to get those called to pastoral ministry equipped to be successful pastors! I think this kind of program is going to be key in growing many great pastors that will serve well in GCI! I am truly thankful for this program.
I asked Pastor Mauricio, of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to share some photos and details of the condition of our church members in La Democracia, San Pedro Sula. Here is the translated message. – Heber
As you have asked, I will share some data and photographs of our congregation on the north coast of Honduras, provided by Pastor Marco Antonio Mejía. As additional information, Honduras has 8.5 million inhabitants, of which approximately 3 million people were affected, including members of the Church.
Location: Colonia la Democracia
Colonia la Democracia is located approximately 30 km from the city of San Pedro Sula, on the banks of the Ulúa River. It is located in the municipality of San Manuel, Cortes, and borders the city of El Progreso, Yoro.
The population is approximately 1300 to 1800 people.
It is presently flooded by hurricanes ETA and IOTA. Its inhabitants are in temporary shelters or in the homes of relatives.
The church building has been operating since 1998. The church is made up of about 15 families, in addition to the families of the children and youth who attend the congregation, making an average of about 75 people, including adults, children, and youth.
Here are some photos of the situation where the church was located.
Mauricio
I spoke to pastor Marco this morning and it’s finally drying up and folks are beginning to assess the damage. The church building seemed to have sustained a lot of damage.
Blessings,
Heber Ticas
Superintendent of Latin America
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If your congregation is sharing the gospel about Jesus in the one square mile around your church, and still has available funds, and a heart to help members impacted by major disasters like the one in Honduras, one of the best ways to do so is to donate to the GCI Disaster Relief Fund. The Fund helps provide members in disaster areas with emergency needs such as food, water, medicine, clothing, temporary housing, home and/or church hall repairs, temporary local pastoral salary expenses and other emergency needs. Monies received into the Fund that are not immediately needed will remain in the Fund to be allocated in future disasters. In previous years, money from this Fund has been used to help members recover from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, storms and flooding in Bangladesh, an earthquake and tsunami in the Solomon Islands, typhoons in the Philippines and an earthquake in Haiti.
If your congregation would like to donate to the Fund, you can set up a one-time donation through GCI Online Giving (https://www.gci.org/online-giving/) by selecting Give for Disaster Relief under the drop-down menu.
If your congregation prefers to send a check, make it out to Grace Communion International, indicating on the memo line that the donation is for the GCI Disaster Relief Fund. Send the donation to:
GCI Disaster Relief Fund
Grace Communion International
3120 Whitehall Park Dr.
Charlotte, NC 28273
Check out our new clothing store and get ready to represent your GCI spirit! In preparation for the Denominational Celebration this summer, GCI clothing and accessories will be available for purchase online. Shop now, by clicking the image below:
For all customer service requests for your purchases please contact 1.888.934.6909 or email at customerservice@smartpress.com.
