Category: Stay Connected

Hello Girlfriends!

I would like to invite all of you to attend our 2019 fall retreat at the St. Bernard Abbey Retreat and Conference Center in Cullman, Alabama. This retreat center is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy some time as “Girlfriends!” There is a beautiful conference room where we have our general sessions, and the bedrooms are adjacent to the meeting area. Each bedroom accommodates two people (twin beds) and each has a private bathroom. The dining area is a short walk across the campus, and anyone needing to drive over can do so.

The dates are September 20-22, 2019. Registration begins Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. Snacks will be available, but you will be on your own for dinner that evening. A Cracker Barrel and other restaurants are nearby. This evening is free for getting checked in and relaxing. If you will be arriving after 10 p.m., please let us know ahead of time if possible.

Our theme for the weekend will be Our Journey with Jesus. Each of us is on a spiritual journey, growing in the grace and knowledge of God (2 Peter 3:18). One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the privilege of having “faith friends” to share the journey!

Speakers this year include Tammy Tkach, Ginny Rice, Ruth Miller, Pat Halford, Barbara Dahlgren, Becki Brown, and Gerrie Bayley. Ann Hartmann will be our guest singer again this year! You can go to Ann’s website (annhartmann.com) to learn more about Ann’s music and ministry. We also look forward to more of the inspiring and energetic sign language when Mary Jo Leaver shares her “Music to the Eyes.”

Dress is casual for the entire weekend. Bring comfy shoes, as you might enjoy a bit of walking. We now have a tradition of great fun playing games on Friday and Saturday evenings, so bring your “play clothes” or pajamas for this! Bring your favorite board games, and label them, please!

The retreat center supplies our bed linens, towels, and washcloths. You might want to bring your own water bottles, if you enjoy having bottled water. We have access to a kitchen and a refrigerator, so we are able to enjoy snacks throughout the weekend. The meals that will be provided are Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast (total of four meals). This year we are planning to have all our meals at the retreat center, as we did last year.

We plan to conclude the retreat by noon on Sunday so that those who need to get on the road will have the full afternoon for travel. For those who want to stick around and visit a bit, we can have prolonged “goodbyes” in the retreat center.

We hope you will help spread the word to others who might enjoy the weekend. If you have questions, need more information, or would like a registration form, please contact me at ruth.miller@gci.org.

Registration and payment are due by July 30. This is important, because the retreat center is a popular place and stays heavily booked. They need us to secure the number of rooms we’ll need ASAP! Late registrations will be accepted if space is available for any who cannot register in advance.

I’m looking forward to sharing this weekend with you in September!

With love,
Ruth Miller

Thanks for your prayers for Ted and Donna Johnston’s daughter Traci (Johnston) Calvert. She was diagnosed several months ago with a very aggressive uterine cancer. She had surgery followed by six rounds of chemotherapy. It was a tough several months and she is just now regaining her strength. On July 7, she was given various scans and blood tests, looking for any residual cancer and the doctors report that there are no signs of any cancer in her body! For that we praise God, and we thank all of you for your prayers and other expressions of concern.

The following article was written by GC Kenockee Pastor, Grant Forsyth, upon the commissioning and celebration of their new church facility.

“Where in the world is Kenockee?”

So many times I have been asked this question; so many times I’ve used my “Michigan hand” to answer.

God is truly at work in the most amazing places! Kenockee is a small rural locale surrounded by farmers’ fields and highways that lead to other destinations. On one of these busy highways is a small block building that is home to our GCI congregation—In His Grace Community Church. On the outside, it is a building that is all too familiar to locals. Over the years it has served as as a carpenter’s shop, a convenience store, a fiberglass factory, sat empty for years, and finally, a church.

When Pastor Jim & Kim Meade purchased the building and acreage in 2007, another carpenter asked to set up shop in the rear half of the building while the church was being set up in the front half for our GCI congregation. The carpenter’s signs for his cabinet shop out front became familiar to the neighbors and his business began to thrive. The church signage was clear, but everyone seemed to know where the cabinet shop was!

God, however, was moving in this community. Through a series of many outreach activities in the neighborhood, the church began to grow each year from a dozen people to 20, 30, 40 and more—all from the community and/or people’s relationships. There are only 5 long-time church members.

Partway through this adventure, Pastor Jim passed the baton to me (Grant) as the new pastor in 2012, with Jim serving as Assistant Pastor. As the church grew in numbers, it became apparent that we as a church needed to purchase the building and property of 6 acres from Jim and Kim. Our small sanctuary was feeling smaller and the children’s program was in dire need of more space. In 2016 we began this process, wondering how God would bring it together. All we knew is that we alone were incapable, underfunded and unprepared. If this was going to happen, then it had to be by God’s hand!

Well, God began to blaze the trail. We started by working with the GCI home office in all the legalities, pastor coaching by Sam Butler, fundraising, and a lot of prayers! It was hard for us to visualize how this whole thing was going to come together. The most worrisome part was when we realized that the carpenter, running his business out of the back of the building, had to leave. We needed the space, but God knew this already. In fact, God had blessed his business to the point that after ten years of renting the space, he came to us to tell us that he had to leave! He had built his own facility on his own property and was moving out—just in time. No other business in this building thrived in the past, only his—and only while there was a church on the property.

During the two years of fundraising, many miraculous things happened. We are not a wealthy congregation, and yet, as we held fundraising events, which pulled in a hundred dollars or so, God was moving in other ways. As we were faithful in providing the fish and loaves, God was faithful in the rest. Other GCI congregations heard of our need and provided funding, of which we are so grateful. We needed enough money to purchase the building and property as well as renovate the old carpenter’s shop into our new sanctuary. The previous sanctuary would serve as a larger space for children’s church as well as the fellowship hall for mealtime.

Early on we adopted two Bible verses that captured “How” this would be accomplished and “Why” we are doing this. The “How” comes from Zechariah 4:6“…by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty” and the “Why” is about the harvest from John 15:5 “… you will bear much fruit, without me you can do nothing”. These two verses were printed on banners and displayed in the old cabinet shop overhead so that as renovation work progressed in that space, there would be a continual reminder of the “How” and the “Why”. By the Grace of God, we purchased the building in October 2017 and completed the renovations in March 2019.

To celebrate what God has done, a commissioning service was held on March 31^st and led by Rick Shallenberger our Regional Director with 65 in attendance. A special coin was minted for the occasion that featured the two bible verses mentioned above in honoring God and his provision and grace. The commissioning theme was “The Great Invitation” (also known as the Great Commission) and the building was dedicated to the glory of God and His harvest! Pastor Rick commissioned the congregation and the leadership with the Great Invitation by Jesus into the harvest field!

Our next adventure? Healthy Church! We have much to be thankful for and much to grow into. Our prayer is that God continues to blaze the trail as we follow into becoming a more healthy church – Praise God!

“Where in the world is Kenockee”? If God knows where we are, then He certainly knows where you are too!

 

 

Harvest Your Blessings! Don’t miss out on registration for the North Central or East Celebration.

In 2019, GCI will host Regional Celebrations in the USA:

• September 27 – 29: North Central – Noblesville, IN
• October 25 – 27: East – Ocean City, MD

Click the image below to for more information and registration options.

 

GCI Coach Clinic

For any ministry leader from a GCI church desiring to grow in areas of leadership, discipling others and building a healthy team through a dynamic relating style known as coaching.

Would you like to take a step toward becoming a healthier leader in Grace Communion International?

Consider attending the ACCM Christian Leadership Intensive in Hickory, North Carolina, on August 30-31. This two-day intensive has been carefully crafted for ministry leaders, pastors or any GCI member who desires to take a deeper dive in leadership from a Christian point of view. Grace Communion Hickory will be the host church for this training event.

GCI President Greg Williams, wrote about ACCM, “I have used and taught the ACCM material and in my opinion they are outstanding. These classes help fulfill the ongoing educational pathway for our bi-vocational pastors, so please take advantage of this opportunity.”

If you have any questions, contact Anthony Mullins at anthony.mullins@gci.org.

Hello Girlfriends!

I would like to invite all of you to attend our 2019 fall retreat at the St. Bernard Abbey Retreat and Conference Center in Cullman, Alabama. This retreat center is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy some time as “Girlfriends!” There is a beautiful conference room where we have our general sessions, and the bedrooms are adjacent to the meeting area. Each bedroom accommodates two people (twin beds) and each has a private bathroom. The dining area is a short walk across the campus, and anyone needing to drive over can do so.

The dates are September 20-22, 2019. Registration begins Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. Snacks will be available, but you will be on your own for dinner that evening. A Cracker Barrel and other restaurants are nearby. This evening is free for getting checked in and relaxing. If you will be arriving after 10 p.m., please let us know ahead of time if possible.

Our theme for the weekend will be Our Journey with Jesus. Each of us is on a spiritual journey, growing in the grace and knowledge of God (2 Peter 3:18). One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the privilege of having “faith friends” to share the journey!

Speakers this year include Tammy Tkach, Ginny Rice, Ruth Miller, Pat Halford, Barbara Dahlgren, Becki Brown, and Gerrie Bayley. Ann Hartmann will be our guest singer again this year! You can go to Ann’s website (annhartmann.com) to learn more about Ann’s music and ministry. We also look forward to more of the inspiring and energetic sign language when Mary Jo Leaver shares her “Music to the Eyes.”

Dress is casual for the entire weekend. Bring comfy shoes, as you might enjoy a bit of walking. We now have a tradition of great fun playing games on Friday and Saturday evenings, so bring your “play clothes” or pajamas for this! Bring your favorite board games, and label them, please!

The retreat center supplies our bed linens, towels, and washcloths. You might want to bring your own water bottles, if you enjoy having bottled water. We have access to a kitchen and a refrigerator, so we are able to enjoy snacks throughout the weekend. The meals that will be provided are Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast (total of four meals). This year we are planning to have all our meals at the retreat center, as we did last year.

We plan to conclude the retreat by noon on Sunday so that those who need to get on the road will have the full afternoon for travel. For those who want to stick around and visit a bit, we can have prolonged “goodbyes” in the retreat center.

We hope you will help spread the word to others who might enjoy the weekend. If you have questions, need more information, or would like a registration form, please contact me at ruth.miller@gci.org.

Registration and payment are due by July 30. This is important, because the retreat center is a popular place and stays heavily booked. They need us to secure the number of rooms we’ll need ASAP! Late registrations will be accepted if space is available for any who cannot register in advance.

I’m looking forward to sharing this weekend with you in September!

With love,
Ruth Miller

Grace Communion Cleveland (formerly Edgehill Community Church) held its Vacation Bible School (VBS) June 17 – 20, 2019. About 20 young people ages 3 to 15 attended each evening session. Our theme was “Hero Central: Discovering Your Strength in God” and our VBS motto was “Do good, Seek peace, Go after it!”.

After dinner was served each evening, the participants were taken on an awesome adventure alongside some of their favorite Bible heroes and discovered the qualities that make us truly heroic in God. Epic music, spectacular science, crafty crafts, heroic recreation, and fantastic Bible stories were used to help kids discover their strength in God!

“This was a perfect example of the Love Venue. It reached out beyond our church walls and brought in kids from all over.” – Pastor Tamar Gray, VBS Director

Four Churches Combine for Worship

Four churches hold weekly worship services on Sundays (three in the morning, one in the afternoon) in different rooms of the same, large community centre in north-east Calgary. On the Christian Pentecost (June 9, 2019) in a show of Christian unity, a combined worship service was held. The underlying theme was from the words of King David of Israel – “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

With an attendance of over 100, the participants were:

• City Mosaic Church (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada)
• Firstfruits Church of God (Church of God in Canada / Cleveland, Tennessee, USA)
• Calgary Filipino Methodist Church (now independent)
• Grace Communion Church (Grace Communion International)

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

A worship team and a choir from the four congregations responded to the glory of God singing songs such as The Power of Your Love. The four pastors – Jose Velasco, JB Berina, Jeremy Keys and David Sheridan participated either with a biblical message or conducting an offertory and communion in remembrance of our Savior. Members rejoiced in what is held in common – our trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The service was followed by lively fellowship and refreshments.

Pastor Jose said, “we were all blessed by this Pentecost event. Glory and thanks to God.” Pastor Jeremy commented “it was very encouraging and we look forward to doing it again.” Fellowshipping together as followers of Jesus is truly “good and pleasant.”

David A Sheridan
Pastor Grace Communion Church
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

On Saturday, May 18, Grace Christian Church (GCC) in Waltham, MA held the second annual Kaleidoscope Festival. The Festival celebrates the beautiful diversity of our community and creates spaces to talk across man-made divisions. We set out to create a “bubble” of the kingdom where participants can experience the unity we have in Christ. GCC sponsors the event and coordinates all aspects of the festival. There were activities aimed at getting people to talk with their neighbors, and tables by community partners letting visitors know about community resources.

Additionally, the day was filled with fun activities, including face painting for children, a community mural illustrating visitors’ identities, a DJ, a performance by a youth African dance group, free food, an interactive art exhibit that captured people’s migration stories, a mobile petting zoo, and more! Most of these were donated or offered at a dramatically reduced cost. Prior to the festival, we worked hard to include community members outside of our congregation. We were blessed with several volunteers and community partners who helped to make the day possible. As a result, the event was a great success with about 200 of our neighbors participating.

The Kaleidoscope Festival has a significant positive impact on our church. As an annual event, the festival and the other outreach in which our church participates establishes a strong missional rhythm for our congregation. Participation in the work Jesus is doing gives us joy and purpose. It is also endearing us to our community. This year, several individuals and organizations asked if they could be a part of the festival because they want to support the message, and it is becoming a community fixture. Lastly, the nature of the Festival creates a safe space where we can talk about Jesus. While the event is secular, we have numerous instances of people asking members of our congregation about our faith. They are curious about what would compel us to do so much for our neighbors and ask for nothing in return. We then have the perfect opportunity to talk about Jesus and the free gift of life he offers.

We are thankful for what the Lord did at the Kaleidoscope Festival this year, and we look forward to what he will do in 2020!

By grace,

Dishon Mills
Pastor, Grace Christian Church
Waltham, Massachusetts