Category: Stay Connected

Grace Communion Cleveland had a community Care Package Outreach Give-A-Way on February 23, 2020. 16 bags were distributed to a nearby apartment building for those who had made a request. Paper towels, soup, crackers, jelly, peanut butter, and more non-perishable items were delivered by our Men’s Ministry team to those who had a need.

All items were supplied by members of the church. We are excited that more people in the building have requested to be added to our list. This project was an extension of our Thanksgiving Meals outreach we had in November. We are looking forward to what is next in the community as we watch God continue to move.

Tamar Gray
Pastor
Grace Communion Cleveland

In December 2019, the Woodbine, Georgia congregation moved into our new location and held our first service Dec. 8th, with 32 in attendance. There was a wonderful spirit of enthusiasm and bonding, and willingness to grow in the Lord.

The new location is in a church building with a sanctuary, baptistry, kitchen and dining room, and three classrooms. It is located along the main highway coming from the Interstate into town. It costs us only $400 a month, plus utilities.

The second Sunday, Dec. 15th, we had 41 in attendance, and all the households who came to the first service returned except for one couple. After the church service, we had a baptism, group lunch, and gift presentation for our newly baptized member. Prior to the relaunch, we were a fellowship group averaging just 11 people per month. The response and return from the community was encouraging to our members.

After three months now, we have an average attendance of 29-30 each Sunday. We’ve had one baptism, and two ordinations of ministry leaders, a deacon and deaconess couple. There are five new families attending regularly, and two other families who have returned twice so far, and will probably continue sporadically. We usually have 7-8 kids each Sunday, sometimes more. Our local elder has started a weekly Bible study on Wednesday night, and one of the members has started a food bank.

We still have a long way to go, and it won’t be easy to keep the momentum going and growing. But so far, so good. We are thankful for the Lord’s blessing and the new people he has sent our way!

Blessings,

Marty Davey
Pastor

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