Category: Stay Connected

Just over two years ago the Board of Trustees of Grace Communion International in the UK and Ireland established a National Ministry Team as the leadership model for the governance of the Church. The team consisted of three individuals.

In December 2020 the board was asked to review this model with the intent of making the governance procedure more straightforward, and to address certain clarifications to facilitate a smoother process.

A board sub-committee was formed to look at these issues, and after much consideration and consultation, decided that a National Ministry Leader position would be a more suitable role for the future. The Board then initiated a process of legal consultation to ensure the relevant regulations related to creating a new role and subsequent employment issues were addressed as well as guidelines from the Charity Commission.

An interview process followed and after prayerful consideration, Mr. Gavin Henderson was selected as the National Ministry Leader for the UK and Ireland.

Gavin will begin his new assignment shortly and the Board of Trustees wish him and his family every blessing for the future.

David Silcox, Board Chair UK & Ireland

P.S. Gavin has already been actively working alongside our other GCI Superintendents and will continue to do so. Join us in praying for Gavin and his leadership. – Greg Williams, GCI President

Project Hope

Don’t forget to share Project Hope with the kids in your congregation! For more info on the challenge, click here.

Celebration Registration

Registration for the virtual 2021 Denominational Celebration is open! We will be focusing on the Hope Venue, shaping our worship services to be inspirational experiences that center around our hope in the person of Jesus.

Individual Registration for members and Watch Party Registration for leadership teams to participate and debrief together are both available. Make the Celebration a retreat for your congregation. Click here for ideas on how to host a watch party.

Our Main Session Speakers

We are excited to present our GCI Superintendents and 2021 speakers! Each Superintendent will share stories of hope, revealing how the Spirit is moving in their regions. The main sessions will also feature an interview by GCI President Greg Williams with each Superintendent. Click here to visit our events page and read the Superintendents’ bios.

We regret to announce that Alan Redmond the pastor of the Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Thunder Bay, Ontario congregations in Canada died on Monday, April 26 after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, their children, and grandchildren.

Cards can be sent to:

Carolyn Redmond
3 Matthew Bay
Winnipeg MB R2G 3L1

Grace Communion Cleveland (Cleveland, Ohio) hosted their 17th Annual LiLY Women’s Conference on April 24, 2021, via Zoom. Zoom has given us the opportunity to connect across the country and internationally. One hundred women registered to take part in the one day conference that highlighted the theme scripture “I Am Doing A New Thing” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Our first speaker was Dr. Kim Carter, who led a session titled “Pray, Pause, and Pivot,” reminding us to be specific in prayer, listen for the purpose in your pause and be prepared to be obedient and move. Session two, “Running in Flats,” was held by Joy Trachsel. We were asked and explored, “What is stopping you from saying yes to God?” The day was filled with praise, worship and communion. The MC for the day was Pastor Tamar Gray. Zoom rooms were used for a “Getting to Know You” session. If you would like to hear the speakers and the worship music please visit https://gccle.church/z.

Mark your calendars for the 18th Annual Women’s Conference, which will be held on Friday, April 22, 2022 through Sunday, April 24, 2022 and is scheduled to return to the Embassy Suites in Beachwood, Ohio. More information to come.

Rosa Hulse
Women’s Ministry Leader
Grace Communion Cleveland

Project Hope

Don’t forget to share Project Hope with the kids in your congregation! For more info on the challenge, click here.

Celebration Registration

Registration for the virtual 2021 Denominational Celebration is open! We will be focusing on the Hope Venue, shaping our worship services to be inspirational experiences that center around our hope in the person of Jesus.

Individual Registration for members and Watch Party Registration for leadership teams to participate and debrief together are both available. Make the Celebration a retreat for your congregation, click here for ideas on how to host a watch party.

Our Main Session Speakers

We are excited to present our GCI Superintendents & 2021 speakers! Each Superintendent will share stories of hope, revealing how the Spirit is moving in their regions. The Main Sessions will also feature an interview by GCI President Greg Williams with each Superintendent. Click here to visit our events page and read the Superintendents’ bios.

The pandemic situation has turned grave for India. The second wave of Covid has come like an avalanche, with some reports mentioning a triple mutant strain, more infectious, more deadly. The health system is inundated, made worse with a severe medical oxygen shortage. Some hospitals are unable to handle the number of patients needing treatment and have been forced to close admissions. The number of people being infected has been over 300,000 per day over the past several days.

A big concern for me is Nelson Philips, our team leader in Hyderabad. His symptoms turned serious after testing Covid positive. He currently needs a sizable quantity of oxygen round the clock due to signs of significant lung infection. We are all longing to see a turnaround for him. Several more members are ill, but some of them are turning the corner towards recovery.

We also heard from Amiyo Bacher, who reported severe economic stress for some of our contacts in Bangladesh due to continuing lockdowns. We are hoping to provide some support for immediate food relief.

Danny Zachariah
Pastor, Hyderabad, India

Mike and Janet Morrison are happy to announce the birth of another blessing, Lydia Hope Muyargas, born Easter, April 4, 2021, in southern California. She was 20 inches, 7 pounds, 7 ounces. All are doing well.

Mr. Lee Pettijohn, longtime GCI member in Big Sandy, Texas, passed away April 14 while in hospice care at a local nursing home. He had been in declining health the last few years and had recently suffered a stroke. He was formerly in the church’s television department in Pasadena, California. He and his wife Vivian were wonderful members and friends in Big Sandy. Mr. Pettijohn was 87 years old and his widow, Vivian, is 93. We are especially grateful for the care they received from Lee’s daughter and her husband, Don & Jeanie Cochran, who moved here a few years ago from Oklahoma to take care of the Pettijohns.

Mrs. Pettijohn’s address is:

Vivian Pettijohn
104 W T&P Ave
Big Sandy, TX 75755

And the Cochran’s address is:

Don & Jeanie Cochran
209 N Lexington Dr
Big Sandy, TX 75755

In Myanmar, the immediate concern now is the welfare of the people and the church in Myanmar in light of the military seizure of power. There is anger, injustice, a sense of loss and uncertainty with the ongoing protests, civil disobedience movement by the people and violence by the authorities. Coupled with the covid-19 pandemic, the lives and livelihood of ordinary people have become more difficult. The progress of the last 10 years is in danger of being rolled back, including the gospel work in Myanmar. We pray for God’s power and providence in directing the affairs of history in line with his will.

In Bangladesh, with the passing of John Biswas the BEA organization is regrouping. One member, Amiyo Bacher, is a Bengali national who is well connected to our GCI Asian leaders and wants to plant churches.