In the U.S., February is Black History Month—a time to highlight and celebrate the substantial contributions of African-Americans to the development of our nation. To add to your celebrations as a congregation, we recommend use of the video below. It celebrates the history of GCI’s South Side Chicago church, which has a long and storied history of African-American leaders and members who contributed, often at great personal cost, to the development of both their congregation and the whole denomination. We celebrate and honor these brothers and sisters in Christ.
As noted in the Church Administration Manual, GCI-USA Church Administration and Development (CAD) is a team of administrators and developers working together to “serve and develop pastors who serve and develop churches, who live and share the beautiful, inclusive gospel of Jesus.” In keeping with that mission, and in accordance with available resources, Greg Williams (GCI Vice President, CAD Director, and Supt. of U.S. Ministers) recently implemented changes to CAD’s structure and staffing.
Two team members have left GCI employment for new chapters in their lives, Charles Albrecht, who worked 29 years for GCI, is now a financial analyst at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. NancyAkers, who worked 33 years for GCI, retired on January 20 (click here for a report on her retirement party). On behalf of GCI, Greg expressed his thanks: “A big, heartfelt thank you to Charles and Nancy for their sterling service to our pastors and churches over the course of the past three decades. Their faithful service and spirit of love have made a significant, positive difference!”
The CAD Office team now includes:
Pam Morgan, previously with GCI’s Accounting Office, now serves as CAD’s Operations Coordinator and Archives and Records Center Manager.
Michelle Fleming, previously a teacher in Florida, now serves as CAD’s Communications and Training Coordinator.
Ted Johnston, previously a U.S. Regional Pastor, now serves as Special Assistant to the CAD Director and Publications Editor. (Ted works from his home in Alabama.)
The CAD Church Administrationteam now includes five U.S. Regional Pastors: Tim Sitterley (West), Rick Shallenberger (North-Central), Mike Rasmussen (South-Central), Randy Bloom (Northeast) and Paul David Kurts (Southeast). Former Regional Pastor Lorenzo Arroyo now serves as Consultant to Tim Sitterley and Heber Ticas.
The CAD Church Developmentteam now includes three National Coordinators:
Jeff McSwain serves as Church Development National Coordinator (coordinating the work of the Church Development team) and Intern Program National Coordinator.
Heber Ticas serves as Church Multiplication Ministries (CMM) National Coordinator, Liaison to Spanish-Speaking U.S. Churches, and Ecclesiastical Supervisor for GCI-Mexico.
Need CAD assistance? Feel free to contact any of the team members listed above, or contact the CAD Office by phoning 626-650-2330, or by emailing church.administration@gci.org.
The article below is from Ross Jutsum of State of the Heart Ministries. Ross met recently with Joseph Tkach and shared the following report. Ross then wrote it down at Joe’s request.
Ross Jutsum
In 2016, I had the pleasure of visiting GCI congregations in 21 U.S. states, in Dubai, the United Kingdom and Canada. Two of the most memorable visits were to small churches, some of which GCI-USA classifies as “fellowship groups.”
Rockford, Illinois
In late October, I was invited to serve in the delightful Abundant Grace fellowship group in Rockford, Illinois. It’s served by Pastor Luci Cramer and her husband Carl, and hosted in the home of my friends Mike and Kathleen Hembree. After worshiping and fellowshipping in this intimate setting with eight brothers and sisters, we began preparing an evening meal to be served to over 200 men, women and children that Sunday evening at Rockford Rescue Mission. Various local churches volunteer to prepare the meal and provide a worship service one Sunday evening each year to enable the staff to have an evening with their families.
I was blessed with the opportunity to lead a 40 minute time of worship and praise with these delightful folks. Then, during dinner, I played background music, consisting mostly of favorite songs of those in attendance. There was a wonderful spirit of gratitude and joy on the part of those being served, but even more, the handful of dear brothers and sisters who did the serving!
Fort Myers, Florida
The week before Christmas I was invited to Fort Myers, Florida, where the small GCI congregation there, named Abundant Grace Fellowship, is served by a pastoral team made up of Hugh Steiginga, Sarah Faulkner and Bonnie McQueary.
On the Friday afternoon, I was privileged to give a Christmas program at the Shady Oaks Retirement Home where one of the church’s members resides. Due to requests by the residents, the program ran almost two hours instead of the planned one hour! On Saturday, I shared a similar program at Brookdale Senior Living, where another member lives. At both venues, our small but precious GCI group was having a major impact—regularly bringing joy, hope and comfort to these seniors in their twilight years.
On the Sunday in downtown North Fort Myers, we geared up to lead a Christmas worship service at the church, followed by serving several dozen (mostly homeless) folks a delicious lunch, and then joining in a lively singalong of well-known Christmas carols. The providing of a meal and a safe place is something our Fort Myers group does not only on every Sunday but also at noon on Wednesdays. Talk about making a difference in the local community!
I was moved by the incredible dedication of this small group of members and grateful to be included in these priceless opportunities to be “His hands, and lips and eyes.” Once again, I was filled with pride to belong to this Grace Communion family of believers who live out the Romans 12 admonition regarding worshipping God with our very lives!
Typhoon Nock-ten, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Niña, recently devastated parts of the Philippines on Christmas. Here is a report from GCI-Philippines National Director Eugene Guzon, that reports on the work GCI is doing to help in the recovery efforts. His report begins with a video, then continues in writing after that.
In Tabaco City, we met with the leaders of congregations in Bicol province to discuss needs and to distribute financial support for affected members. We also provided a generator for their use. Earlier GCI relief efforts distributed 300 packs of goods to communities in Polangui, Albay. Other initiatives included a thanksgiving service on January 1 in the damaged church hall in Cotmon (attended by about 120), and a dental outreach mission on January 2, with 43 beneficiaries. A follow-up visit was conducted in mid-January, bringing more relief goods from GCI’s Quezon City and Manila South churches, and financial support from the Philippine’s National Office.
GCI members in Bicol still need our help. Based on our evaluation, there are about 25 families in Cotmon, 25 in Tabaco, 51 in Teresita, along with several other families in Camarines Sur who sustained partial or total damage to their homes and crops. Thank you for your prayers for these people and, as you are able, your financial assistance (see the note below).
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Note: If you or your congregation would like to assist financially, the best way to do so is by contributing to GCI’s Disaster Relief Fund. For instructions, click here.
This update is from GCI-Netherlands national leader Frans Danenberg.
We recently held a joyful inaugural service at Jesus Grace Church—an African GCI congregation planted in Koog aan de Zaan in the northern part of the Netherlands. Visitors from Rotterdam, Hoorn, Tiel, Almere, Leeuwarden and even Norway, joined in the celebration, which included music and inspiring messages. To begin with, the new church will meet twice a month as it moves forward in faith to spread the gospel, helping people know Jesus Christ. We appreciate your prayers for the further development and growth of this new church. Here are pictures from the first service:
This update is from Lee Berger, director of Crossing Borders, a GenMin mission organization.
We recently completed our 22nd mission trip into Mexico. Twenty-six missionaries spent two very busy, productive and inspiring days across the border, distributing 1200 shoebox gifts to needy children in extremely economically poor neighborhoods.
Our missionaries are a varied lot. We had four pre-teens, three teens, and adults ranging up to 72 years old. Men and women of different races and backgrounds, we came from eight states. But we all had one purpose: To share the good news of God’s love for everyone demonstrated in his Son, Jesus.
On the first day, part of our group helped out with a special youth church service. We shared in some lively and fun worship with the kids and their families, helped feed the kids, participated in a prayer session, and hand-delivered shoebox gifts to the children and special tote bags filled with baby items to mothers of infants.
The other part of our group spent several hours visiting a children’s home we have “adopted”—we visit them on all our trips. With just a slight break in the cold and drizzly weather, there were lively games of soccer (Mexican football) and American football. Some of our ladies painted the girls’ fingernails, everyone played inside games, and mostly we just listened, hugged and showed the kids some extra love (and fed them Little Caesar’s pizza—what a treat for them!).
In the afternoon, our whole group came back together to share in a neighborhood outreach service with a pastor we have worked with for over 10 years. His church was packed as we shared a Christmas message of hope, fed some snacks to the group, and distributed about 150 shoebox gifts. We were able to leave more gift boxes for the pastor to take to three small churches about eight hours farther into the interior of Mexico. As a bonus on day one, we spent some time visiting with a family for which we had built a new house a few years ago. It is great to see their three kids growing up; they call us their “American aunts and uncles”—what an honor.
On our second day, we served at two churches and at a state-run children’s home. We are just getting to know the two pastors and their wives. They are amazingly faithful and loving servant-leaders to their flocks. We were able to distribute over 600 shoeboxes filled with love and practical and fun items for the children. We also gave out dozens of new, hand-made blankets and quilts. I wish you could have seen all the smiles and felt the gratitude from these people who live in very dire circumstances.
At the children’s home, we took the kids to a nearby park for some outside fun. Back inside, three of our youngest missionaries serenaded us with their violins and flute. Then they let the orphan kids try their hand at playing the instruments—a very sweet time. After more visiting and pizza for dinner, we watched them open their shoebox gifts, and we left them a second box to open on Christmas Day.
These mission trips inspire an amazing sense of unity. A strong bond is formed among all the missionary participants, even after just a couple of days together. We refer to it as the “CB family” where there is great unity between our missionaries and those we serve. Interestingly, we don’t know the denominational affiliation of most of our ministry partners, and they have never asked about ours. We are all one in Christ, focusing on the big picture and the core beliefs of love and service in his name.
Thank you to the hundreds who support Crossing Borders through your prayers, finances, packing shoebox gifts, helping sponsor people to attend the trips, making blankets and more. Even if you never attend a CB mission trip in person, we consider all of you part of our extended CB family! Our next trip is scheduled for June 17-24, 2017. For information, click here or call Lee Berger at 903-746-4463.
Jimmy Kurts, son of Regional Pastor Paul David Kurts and his wife Emma Lee, is a gifted worship leader, singer-songwriter and guitarist. He recently recorded a music video of the song Unify. Jimmy wrote the lyrics with the music being from John Mayer’s song Dreaming With a Broken Heart. To watch the video on YouTube, click here.
As part of its national church administration system, GCI in the Philippines has an Advisory Council. Here are biographies of the current Council members. We thank them for their service, and invite you to pray for them in their important work on behalf of GCI in the Philippines and beyond.
Eugenio Guzon
Eugene, Lourdes and grandchild
Eugene and his wife Lourdes have a daughter who is married to a GCI pastor. Ministry for the Guzons is definitely a family affair!
Eugene became a WCG member in 1977, and was ordained an elder in 1990. Shortly thereafter, he entered full-time ministry, first as an associate pastor and then as head of the GCI-Philippines Financial Services Department. Since 2002 he has served as National Ministry Director for GCI-Philippines. He also oversees GCI’s mission initiatives in Northeast Asia and the United Arab Emirates.
Eugene received a Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness from the University of the Philippines in 1978. He attended the Asian Theological Seminary in 1995–96, then transferred to the Ateneo Graduate School of Business where he received a Master’s degree in Business Administration. His final paper was on Strategic Initiatives for GCI Philippines. Eugene is currently completing a doctorate with a focus on spiritual authority.
Reynaldo Taniajura
Rey and June
Rey and June were married in 1974. They have one son, Darryl, who now resides with his wife Marcia, and daughter Chloe, in Texas. Though Rey retired from GCI employment in 2015, he continues to serve as GCI’s mission director and area superintendent for Southern Luzon. He currently is an adjunct faculty member at the International Graduate School of Leadership (IGSL) where he teaches community transformation and development. He also serves as the academic dean of Asian School of Development and Cross-Cultural Studies (ASDECS). In 2013, he was designated Field Director and representative in the Philippines of William Carey International University in Pasadena, CA, where he also is an adjunct faculty member and a major advisor in the PhD program.
From 2009 to 2011, Rey served as National Director of the Philippine Missions Association (the mission commission of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches). He is former 3rd vice-chairman of Asia Missions Association and a member of the mission commission of the Asian Evangelical Association (AEA). He founded the National Prisons Ministries Philippines, Inc. (NPMP) and served as its president for seven years. Currently, Rey is a member of the board of Prison Fellowship International–Pilipinas, and director of its academy.
Rey earned M.A. and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Philippine Studies at the University of the Philippines. He has also completed the academic requirements for an M.A. in Economics from the Lyceum of the Philippines University. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Theological Seminary in Indiana, where he obtained an M.A. in Biblical Studies and a Master of Sacred Literature degree. He has had additional leadership training at Haggai Institute in Maui, Hawaii (1999); Canaan Farmers School in Seoul, Korea (2010); Institute of Correctional Management in Kerala, India (2003); and in restorative justice in Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada (2003).
Maxzix Fabricante
Max
Max was born in 1946. With his wife Lolita (now deceased) Max has three children and six grandchildren.
Max became a member of the Radio Church of God 1967, and in 1974 was ordained an elder. In 1988 he was hired into full-time ministry, and began serving bivocationally in 1998. He has served churches in Pampanga, Bulacan, Olongapo and other areas in the Philippines. He has also served as a Festival Director and an SEP Camp Director. In 2001 he became a member of the Advisory Council.
Rex Dela Pena
Rex and Sheila
Rex married Sheila in 1998. They had attended the same congregation in their teen years and worked together at SEP camps. Rex was born in Manila, the youngest of four children. His mother became a WCG member in 1972 when Rex was six. He fondly remembers his childhood with family attending church together. Rex attended SEP as a camper and later served as a camp counselor before heading to Ambassador College where he graduated in 1994 and was hired into full-time ministry.
Rex served as a ministerial trainee in Manila and then as National Coordinator for Worship and Youth Ministries. Alongside that, he directed the flagship SEP-Philippines camp for 15 years. He was also Area Superintendent for Metro Manila for several years and now serves as coordinator of Church Development for GCI-Philippines. Rex is based in Baguio City, where Sheila works as a Branch Sales Manager for a real estate company.
Jose V. Manzano
Jose and Virginia
Jose was born in 1947. He and his wife Virginia have four children (one deceased) and six grandchildren. Jose holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries, two Master’s degrees (one in fish culture and the other in education) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree. He is a licensed fisheries technologist, and before retirement was an associate professor at Bicol University.
Within GCI, Jose has served as the Assistant Area Superintendent for the Bicol Region and now serves on the National Advisory Council for GCI Philippines. Jose has also actively participated in the planting of five GCI churches in the Philippines.
Roy Valenzuela
Roy and Vilma
Roy, who is married to Vilma Tolosa Valenzuela, was born in 1971. He was awarded an M.A. in Public Management in 2016 and an M.A. in Transformational Leadership in 2011. He also holds Bachelor’s degrees in law and mechanical engineering. He holds licenses to practice law and to serve as a civil servant.
Since 2016 Roy has served as Deputy Director of the Directorate for Inmate Welfare and Development, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. Before that he was Chief of the Legal Service Office, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – National Headquarters. Roy currently serves as chairman of Prison Fellowship International Pilipinas; chairman of National Prison Ministries Philippines; and corporate secretary of El Proveedores Foundation.
Audie Santibanez
Audie and Rachel
Audie married Rachel Santiabanez in 1999. They have two sons. Audie and Rachel share a love for GCI and its pastoral ministry.
After finishing a Civil Engineering degree in 1988, Audie attended Ambassador University in Texas where he completed a degree in Management Information Systems in 1994. He then became a ministerial trainee and then a pastor, serving congregations in the Visayas, Mindanao and Luzon.
Audie currently serves bivocationally as an Area Superintendent for Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Olongapo. He says that working in both agribusiness and ministry gives him the blessing of enjoying the best of both worlds.
Ezra Raduban
Ezra and Jina
Ezra was born in 1964 in the heart of Manila. A year later, his parents joined the first congregation of Radio Church of God in the Philippines. His father eventually became a WCG pastor.
After graduating with a degree in Accountancy in 1985, Ezra attended Ambassador University in Pasadena where he earned a degree in theology. Upon returning to the Philippines in 1989, he married Jina Soledad a receptionist in WCG’s Philippine Regional Office. They have three sons, all serving in worship ministry as members of a worship band called the Amplifiers.
Since ending his work with the Philippine Regional Office in 1995, Ezra has been involved in the area of Human Resources. He currently works as Manager of HR Operations for Western Digital Corporation. Ezra and Jina along with their son Everett are members of the Pastoral Team of GCI’s congregation in Santa Rosa where they are establishing “Neighbor Love Communities” to share the good news of Christ and his love with different target groups in the community. Ezra was ordained an elder in 2006 and appointed to the Philippine National Board in 2002. He continues as a member of the Advisory Council.
Mario Natividad
Mario and Belinda
Mario, who is married to Belinda, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Mapua Institute of Technology in 1975, and a Master of Science degree in Industrial Economics in 1978 from the University of Asia and the Pacific. After university, he worked as an Executive Assistant to the President for Corporate Planning, then as a Market Services Manager, and then as a General Chartering Manager.
Mario believes in serving God by giving back to the community through social outreach. For more than 30 years in WCG/GCI, he has participated in medical and dental missions and other relief operations under Develop Asia Foundation, Inc. He has also helped sponsor emerging youth leaders for training at SEP and has helped coordinate GCI annual worship festivals. Mario also helped found the Ambassador School for Children, which contributes to early childhood education and provides scholarships to poor but deserving children. Mario now serves as Senior Pastor of a newly planted GCI congregation in the Manila area and Belinda is Eugene Guzon’s executive secretary in GCI’s Manila office.
