Category: Stay Connected

With much joy and celebration, Daphne Sidney was installed as the new Superintendent for Australasia. This milestone was a high point of the Australasian conference/celebration weekend and was performed during church services in Brisbane on Sunday, February 16^th before a packed hall of enthusiastic worshippers. GCI President Greg Williams and his wife Susan were with us, and it was a special honour to have Greg pray over Daphne as hands were laid on her to appoint her into this role.

Daphne’s extensive experience includes pastoral ministry in Australia, India and the Solomon Islands. Her husband Bill was previously Regional Director in the Philippines, where Daphne earned a Master’s Degree and was deeply involved in ministry and mission. The plan for an intentional, prayerful, patient and professional succession for Daphne into the Superintendent’s role has been underway for the past three years, said retiring Superintendent John McLean. “She has served in various capacities in the national office, most recently as Supervisor of ministry for the past year. Daphne has a real heart for God, and for people,” he said. “She brings great experience in ministry and mission to the role. Daphne is a life-long learner, who really reflects Jesus in her Christ-like desire to serve the interest of others. She will do an excellent job as Superintendent’.

John passed a musical conductor’s baton to Daphne, rather than a relay baton, signifying that leadership is not a solo effort. GCI supports a service-driven, team-based model, which includes harmonizing the gifts and talents of others, and is orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.

President Williams commented on the positive spirit of friendship, fellowship and warm love that was evident among the group. He followed up after the conference, leading two days of Community of Practice meetings with Daphne in her new role.

There was a great spirit of enthusiasm, joy, and celebration for Daphne as we go forward together, participating in the faith, hope, and love of Jesus.

John McLean

 

 

Baptism pictures our union with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. We see evidence of this throughout the gospel. Our salvation depends on his life, death and resurrection. Our forgiveness—being cleansed of sin—depends on him; our Christian life and future depend on him. It pictures wonderful news—we have been raised with Christ to live with him.

It was such a joyous occasion to celebrate two baptisms this month at Grace Communion Bokod, in Benguet, Philippines. Pastor Martin Estong led the baptisms of Rosefa Rafael and Demsi Saturnino, with a reading from Matthew 28:16-20. We are praising God for transformed lives and the growth of our church family.

Sharing the Good News,
Sara Bolide

Over the course of 59 years, GCI Memphis had accumulated a lot of inventory.

With a major change of location forced on us this summer, our allies at Good Shepherd United Methodist kindly agreed to store our inventory. Then, suddenly, they needed to open space quickly for another project. GCI had about a week to “clear inventory” and the weather was not cooperating.

Nevertheless, over two days on February 6-7, with just two vans, we were able to make well-received disbursements to people in our community network in some of the least advantaged parts of the city.

Some of this can be listed:

• • Three cartons of paper plates and cups to the 4-5-year-olds at Miriam Child Education Center, along with one electrical metal TV stand
  • Two bulletin boards to Two Steps Forward Day Care Center
  • One 7-foot beautifully lacquered cross to Good Shepherd UMC sanctuary
  • A 4-foot crescent-shaped “Celebrate Jesus” sign to Jesus Quest Church
  • One portable whiteboard to Raleigh Egypt Middle School
  • Two finely furnished lecterns to Raleigh Egypt High School

The schools, in particular, were glad to get these quality furnishings. Principal Meeks could not contain her joy, saying, “I’ll put this lectern in the auditorium right away.” They have been recipients of many school supplies over the years from a program run by our Women’s Ministry. In the end, it all came together and many friendships were made and cemented across the city. The real joy was seeing 1 Corinthians 15:58 fulfilled. People who labored to build these items can rest assured that they are still used and appreciated.

And that’s how inventory can become a blessing.

Wishing you blessings,
Neil Earle
Elder, GC Memphis

 

The ACCM Diploma in Christian Ministry is both a unifying and clarifying ministry qualification for our GCI ministry leaders around the world. To help equip you for more effective ministry, ACCM is offering two intensive courses on July 27th and 28th, just before the Denominational Conference in Charlotte. Here are the details:

• Class options – Doctrines and The Bible
• Cost per class – $150 for credit and $100 for audit. Credit students must complete the assessments to receive recognition for the class.
• An additional $40 onsite cost per class also applies.

Register today, and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to share learning together in a supportive community, building relationships and connections with brothers and sisters in Christ, as we explore the deep things of God in communion.

 

I want to thank you all for the continued prayers for my wife over the past 6 months for her trial with Lymphoma cancer. We are pleased to update you with the news we got yesterday that the cancer is gone from her body. This is called remission, not a trace of a cancer cell in her body. The doctor showed us the first images back in September of 2019 of her PET scan in comparison to the ones yesterday. It is a miracle that all the areas are free of cancer cells.

I am grateful for the wonderful team of doctors and specialist that helped us get through this. We are eternally grateful for our Father in heaven who gives out this wisdom to human beings to be able to help us. To God be the Glory for all he does in our lives!

Patama is still weak. She lost 26 pounds and is going through physical therapy to help get her muscle strength back. She will be going through radiation in three weeks (10 straight days) to be sure that the cells around the spine where the cancer was are dead.

This has been a wild ride for us both (mainly her) and I know God was and is still holding me up. When I didn’t know what to pray for or even how to pray, you all were making intercession for us, I know this because many of you told me.

This could easily become a book, but I want to end by saying we love you all and are honored to call you all friends.

Leonard & Patama
GC Rochester, NY Pastor

Pastor Len and I were at GC Minalabac Children’s Learning Center, in Minalabac, Camarines Sur, Philippines, last weekend (Feb 8-9). This was part of our meetings with the Districts in Bicol, meetings with the local leaders, and to support the ongoing initiative for the churches to be more healthy, missional, and community-based through sustained holistic ministry. The late husband Pastor Reuel Pamor and wife Gina started this ministry to kids some three years ago conducting kids Bible studies, and participated in giving gifts in partnership with Operation Christmas Child.

Due to the typhoon Nina, which struck two Christmases ago, those facilities along with some houses of our members were destroyed. From the support of the Home Office and our international fellowship, those structures were rebuilt and rehabilitation work (physical and livelihood, values) has been ongoing. One of the structures they use for kids fellowship was called Grace Communion Minalabac Kids Learning Center (which we formally inaugurated) where Gina, along with some daughters and leaders, continue to nurture scores of children every Saturday.

During the visit of Mr. Tom Fallon last year with the Odyssey In Christ, Tom saw the ministry that Pili Church has been doing, and he was also able to witness and participate in the ministry of Pili Church to the students of the university and he also got to see some of those kids. He was moved to offer some token of support so that by Christmas, these kids can have some joyful fellowship. That money was used to buy tables, chairs, school supplies, food, etc. and this past weekend, this plan was implemented with about 130 children, 30 parents, and about a dozen members of the Minalabac Police Force who attended. These police officers (including Police Chief Captain Chester Enriquez) have been beneficiaries of an ongoing values formation for the local police by GCI leaders led by Pastor Ricardo Perez of Pili Church. But this weekend, they also became our GCI partners as they provided security, and gave a relevant seminar on RA 9262, which is the law that protects women and children from physical, emotional, and psychological abuses by men and husbands. Most of the parents there were moms and they really appreciated the seminar. Before the seminar and the fellowship ended, we were able to pray for the police force, the kids and the parents.

The members and leaders are very excited about what the Lord is doing, through our leaders and brethren in Pili and Minalabac. The members there are not many, nor well to do, but led by Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, they serve with a lot of energy, and a lot of love. We pray for those kids, parents and those police officers that they will get to understand and believe the gospel, we pray that one kid and one family, one officer at a time, our servant leaders and churches (along with other GCI churches elsewhere in the country) will be catalysts for change in their communities. Thanks to God, to our servant leaders and our members.

Blessings!

Eugene

 

 

It is my joy to announce the GCI USA GCNext Team. The GCNext Team is a team of emergent young-adult leaders in GCI USA who have said yes to an opportunity to be equipped and empowered to actively participate in the ministry of Jesus. The members of the team will be equipped and empowered to lead GCIgnite, a young-adult gathering, at the 2020 Denominational Celebration. I am privileged to introduce the team members and the GCI USA regions they represent:

Sarah Rossi: East
Andrew Rakestraw: Southeast
Christianna Doele: Southeast
Izzy Hernandez: North Central
Daniel Hill: North Central
Rezzelle Santibanez: Central
Gordon Herrmann: Central
Hazel Tabin: West

In January the newly established team gathered for a team retreat. It was a Spirit-inspired weekend of prayer, fellowship, team-building, vision-casting, planning, games, worship, and more. I am encouraged by the enthusiasm this team has for what God is doing in GCI. Please join me in prayer for these faithful leaders as they continue to follow Jesus and say yes to participating with him in ministry.

With Hope,
Cara Garrity
Development Coordinator

 

Please keep the Rasmussen & Rageth Families in your prayers. Mike and Michelle’s mom passed away last week.

If you would like to send a card please see the addresses below.

Mike & Juli Rasmussen
12012 Surrey Ln
Yukon, OK 73099-8139

Michelle Rageth
8850 80th Street South
Cottage Grove, MN 55016

 

This month was a milestone for GC Surrey Hills in Oklahoma and for the Brannen family. Just before Christmas, Joe and Megan, along with their three children, Geni, Grayson and Lily, packed up all their earthly belongings and prepared for their long journey west to their new home and ministry in Surrey Hills as the Lead Pastor of Grace Communion Surrey Hills congregation.

22 years ago, almost to the month, my wife Juli and I arrived in Surrey Hills from the Home Office in Pasadena, CA. We are very excited about having Joe serve as our new lead Pastor and for Megan to serve as our new Worship Director. We have been through thick and thin together for more than twenty years, cutting our teeth on Crosswalk Regional Camp, local congregation and the region.

Joe and Megan both served as leaders in the Oklahoma City congregation for more than a dozen years and then four-plus years in the Dallas (Central) congregation as an Associate Pastor, Youth Pastor and Worship Leader. Most recently, both Joe and Megan served at the Home Office in Charlotte. Joe has been the Digital Content Developer on the GCI Media Team, led by Michelle Fleming. Joe also filmed and edited Speaking of Life videos, various special video projects, and served as co-host, along with Michelle Fleming, on our GC Podcasts. We deeply appreciate Joe’s creative insight and passion for our denomination and Jesus Christ. He and Megan will be an incredible blessing to the Central Region and the Surrey Hills congregation, and we eagerly celebrate their return.

I love you all and hope you have a blessed year!

Michael D. Rasmussen
Superintendent, North America & Caribbean
Regional Director, Central US

Elizabeth and Anthony Mullins are celebrating the marriage of their daughter Sarah Gill to Trevor McGuire. The couple wed on the beach of Oak Island, NC on September 21, 2019.

Their daughter, Riley, was thrilled to participate in the ceremony as the flower girl. Sarah was attended by her sister, LeeAnna Gill, as maid of honor, and her uncle, Paul David Kurts, officiated.