Category: Stay Connected

Now that we’ve come to the end of the summer camp season, we have a couple more GenMin camps to tell you about: New Heights and SEP Montana.

New Heights, Connecticut

This report is from camp director Dishon Mills.

New Heights 2015 was fantastic! God poured out his love on us—64 campers and 65 staffers. We began with a block party to get acquainted. That evening we held our first chapel—from the beginning, the campers enthusiastically worshiped God. In accordance with our Epic Story theme, we discussed how God has a story in which we are all part. Our theme song, Rez Power by Israel & New Breed, was introduced. It was an instant hit. We also introduced the Great Book, a gigantic book made to record the stories of our campers. On the first page, campers were asked to write their “working titles”—names they are called and they call themselves that hide the truth of who they are. It was very sobering to read what some of our youth wrote.

On Monday, we began our first full day of activities, including dance, riflery, team-building, science, arts/crafts and biking. This year we added Turning Point (a class that helps campers think about important moments in their lives and how they were impacted) and mountain boarding (like skate boarding but with a longer board with giant wheels and a hand brake—perfect for coasting down New Heights’ many hills). One of the last activities of the day was Showtime, a showcase of skits, songs, dances, etc. by our campers. We ended the day with the Pavilion Party, a series of messy, wild, and hilarious games. Marshmallows, women’s make up, and a sing off were all featured.

On Thursday we held a concert. We were blessed to have several staff who are talented artists. All acts delivered uplifting, Christian messages, letting our campers know that they do not have to give up their music to follow God.

On Friday, we began by baptizing two young people; 15 others dedicated their lives to Christ. God is so good! Each baptism reminds us why we do camp. We then conducted archery and riflery challenges and our first “water war”—a structured water fight where good behavior and actions during the week earned dorms more “water-power.” The staff got in on the action, handing out “justice” with their water blasters. Water war made a big splash (sorry!) and will, no doubt, be one of our signature events.

We closed the day with a beautiful ceremony. The Great Book made another appearance, this time we turned the page to record our True Titles. Campers wrote who they believe God made them to be. It was moving and inspiring to see the transformation our campers underwent in just a week. A banquet followed, and the evening closed with a dance.

New Heights does not happen without its incredible volunteers. As those who pour into the campers, it is important for staff to be spiritually nourished as well. New Heights was blessed to have five lead pastors and five elders attend. With their help we were able to have a morning devotion each day for staff members.

SEP Montana

This report is from camp director Tobe Johnson.

SEP Montana is a faith-based community youth camp held on the banks of Canyon Ferry Lake near Helena, Montana. It was started by Living Hope Fellowship, a GCI congregation. Staff are recruited primarily from community churches, and campers come from across the community. 2015 was our ninth year. We had 116 campers and 60 staff members.

We faced many challenges this year, including learning in March that our regular camp location was unavailable. But God provided and we found another location that gives us room to grow. Though some of our regular staff were unable to participate due to the change of dates, God provided new staff members and allowed existing ones to move into new roles. The change of dates also caused problems with campers’ schedules. We had to refund some deposits. Despite these challenges (or perhaps because of them) we had the best camp ever.

This year, due to GenMin Converge conference participant donations, we were able to add a new dorm for girls (we use tents for dorms). This year we also added a Staff in Training (SIT) Program for kids who are still campers, but show interest in becoming members of our camp staff.

This year we had 44 church and community donor sponsors—a new record for us. We are happy to partner with various church and community organizations to make a difference in kids’ lives. Those organizations include Kiwanis, Wal-Mart and Staples. Our largest donor core is made up of GCI groups, including GCI churches in our region. Thank you!

This year 22 people committed their lives to Christ, including Michael (not his real name) who is about 12 years old. His interactions with several staff members throughout the week went something like this:

• Day 1, to our Christian Living teacher: “I’m a wiccan. Don’t try to convert me.”
• Day 2, to another staff member: “Actually, I’m not a wiccan, but my mom is.”
• Day 3, to another staff member: “I actually might want to get baptized someday, but not this year.
• Day 4: “I think I might want to get baptized this year. Do you think that I can?”

It is our policy to ask parents about baptism on their child’s applications. Michael’s application had checked: “Do not baptize child. Do not call to ask.” Our chaplain explained this to Michael and how we honor our parents and how God will watch over him until a later time when he could get baptized. He seemed to understand and take it all well. God reached out to Michael in 2015 and we all got to witness to it.

This year we baptized 30 campers and staff members in Canyon Ferry Lake—the highest count in our camp history. Another group camping nearby heard about our baptism service and one of the women in that group asked if she could be baptized. In the middle of her camp, with 15 or so of her friends listening in, we talked about baptism, what it pictures, and about God’s unconditional love for us all. At the end of our time, I told her that if she wanted to be baptized, show up at our baptism service, and we would be glad to baptize her. As we were standing out in the water on Friday morning, with a line of kids and staff waiting their turn to enter the water, I looked back at the shore and there she was—standing in line with the rest of those waiting their turn!

A Renewal Church cohort that includes 18 pastors and ministry leaders from the U.S. Western Region met recently at GCI’s home office in Glendora, California. The group meets regularly to sharpen its outreach ministries by receiving training in methods for connecting with and discipling unchurched people.

During the meeting, encouraging stories were shared concerning steps forward in these important aspects of being disciple-making churches. GCI Church Multiplication Ministries (CMM) national coordinator Heber Ticas (standing in the picture below), provided training on the topics of small groups, ministry shift (changing ministry paradigms), and other important aspects of disciple-making ministry. The cohort was challenged regarding ways to change the culture within their congregations to be more fully-aligned with the incarnational, community-oriented nature of Jesus’ ongoing ministry to the world.

Since Christians fellowship by eating together, the group shared a wonderful lunch that provided time for relationship-building.

This update is from Emmanuel Okai, National Ministry Leader for GCI Ghana.

The 2015 Annual Convention of Ghana was simultaneously held in Lolobi-Kumasi and Kutunse. About 150 attended at Lolobi–Kumasi where the theme was “Come celebrate the goodness of God.” Meetings were held at the town square, providing opportunities to minister to members of the community.

About 500 attended in Kutunse, where the theme was based on John 14:3. Meetings were filled with music and dance (see pictures below) and various groups and individuals gave special music in praise of the Lord, whose coming was celebrated with great anticipation. During the convention, deacons and deaconesses were ordained to serve two local congregations, and little children were blessed. A highlight of the convention was the musical presentations from various congregations including a children’s choir that performed a musical skit in which the Apostles Creed was recited. A new group named Couples for Christ GCI was inaugurated to help young couples experience a stable married life, and to be involved in community service projects. Convention activities included hiking, family day, and a visit to Pastor Alfred Ablordeppey who is unwell. Prayers for his healing are requested.

Rod Matthews, one of GCI’s mission directors, provided this update on our ministry partner in Nepal.

In Nepal today you see the rubble remains of brick and stone buildings—the result of two devastating earthquakes earlier this year. Thousands of people had to live outdoors for weeks as the aftershocks continued, their children too fearful to go inside even if their homes remained standing. Because much of Nepal is mountainous, with the infrastructure poorly developed and access to many remote rural villages only by foot (or helicopter), it has taken months to assess the damage and destruction and the personal needs of villagers in some locations.

Deben Sam, leader of Gospel for Himalayas church, our ministry partner in Nepal, organized a small team to travel to many locations in Nepal, not only to assist his network of rural churches, but to take supplies to others in desperate need. Deben has expressed gratitude to GCI congregations in many countries for assisting him in lifting the lives of so many people as they endured the worst personal experiences of their lives. With this assistance, Deben hired a fleet of mules to carry urgent humanitarian relief supplies to villages which could not be reached in other ways. Here are pictures of that relief effort:

Back in Kathmandu, the local church’s facility also suffered damage in the earthquakes. A portion of the building (including the room where the children meet) collapsed. Fortunately no one was injured, but the room backed onto an external wall that was breached and became a security issue. Funds from GCI were used to repair the building and make the compound secure again (see pictures below).

In the last few weeks Deben has taken advantage of the summer weather to travel extensively through western Nepal, visiting local pastors and missionaries in seven districts. His goal was to get first-hand field reports, to personally encourage and advise the church leaders, and to discuss the possibility of taking his Mobile Bible School (MBS) to their areas in the next couple of months. This program offers a short, intensive training program in their home area so they can learn, experience and practice, then teach their own people.

Deben also desires to prepare missionaries to reach into areas where there is yet no church. He explains: “We are providing two stages of training: 1) Personal Spiritual Building—training for all kinds of believers in the local church as well as new converts in new areas where there is no church. 2) Preparation for the Ministry—training for pastors and lay leaders as well as those who have done the first stage training.” The first stage covers the topics of salvation, the Trinity, the Word of God, prayer, praise and worship and giving. With generous support from the Australian Mission Fund, this program will be fully funded again this year. The second stage of training covers systematic Bible study and sermon preparation, discipleship, the church, leadership, Christian marriage and family, biblical finance, evangelism and church planting. Called the Himalayan Bible School (HiBiS), the course is conducted in Kathmandu over three months each year for about 15 young men and women with potential as missionaries who are selected from the Mobile Bible School program. This is followed by a nine-month practicum in the villages.

Earlier this year in May, the second annual graduation from HiBiS was held in Kathmandu (see picture below, with Deben Sam at far right). The graduates have returned to their villages where they are assisting with pastoring and mission work in fulfillment of the practical experience part of their training.

Thank you all for your love and practical concern for the Nepalese people in their time of need, and for our partner ministry, which is doing marvelous work in Christ’s ministry in very difficult circumstances.

For information about donating to the GCI Disaster Relief Fund, click here.

Several members of Living Grace Church (one of GCI’s congregations in the Denver, Colorado, area) participated recently in a spiritual renewal retreat titled “Experiencing the Trinity.” Participants spent time in spiritual exercises designed to help them encounter the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in intimate and personal ways. Those exercises included times of silence, guided meditation, various forms of prayer, and communion. The retreat was led by Odyssey in Christ staff members Larry Hinkle (OIC director), Lorilee Immel, Gracie Johnson, and Bill and Donna Rae Wells.

Linda Buffalow commented on her experience at the retreat: “It was a great blessing, giving us opportunity to get away from the daily cares, stresses, duties, etc. that weigh us down. The emphasis on God’s love and what it is in our lives, made the Triune God much more real to us.” Linda’s husband Harold commented: “It was brought out that Jesus is our refuge or safe place. And we need a safe place where we can go in our prayers to God.”

Several of GCI’s U.S. congregations recently held special outreach worship services and other events to bless children and their families as the children returned to school. Here are a couple of examples.

Trinity, Alabama

New Life in Christ Fellowship, GCI’s congregation in Trinity, Alabama, held a “Blessing of the Children Service.” Here is a picture of some of the children and their parents and teachers:

Of the 31 people attending the service, 19 were visitors (including five visiting for the first time). NLICF Lead Pastor Brad Campbell commented:

I think there is a real chance that God may be opening a door for eventual sustained growth from within our community. We’re seeing the return of visitors who are then telling their friends and families about our church. One thing that is clear from this event, is the importance and effectiveness of our children’s church. The kids love coming and being a part of that little class. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback both personally and via social media from adults concerning our services and the overall ministry of our church.

Olympia, Washington

New Horizons Fellowship, GCI’s congregation in Olympia, Washington, participated in a city-wide “Back to School–Backpack Giveaway.” As seen in the video below, hundreds attended the giveaway held in downtown Olympia. According to NHF Lead Pastor Chuck Downey, “It’s amazing what we can do when we work together.”

On YouTube at https://youtu.be/XeikFXjSlaU.

Pastors and pastoral team members from GCI churches in New England, along with GCI President Joseph Tkach and Regional Pastor Randy Bloom, participated recently in a pastors’ retreat at the Guesthouse Retreat and Conference Center in Chester, Connecticut. Beautiful, peaceful surroundings with exceptional weather augmented the event, described as “a gathering of loving family members having a good time being together and enjoying each other’s company.” Participants said they had never been to a pastoral retreat before, and were grateful for the setting and informal agenda (no agenda!). Here are pictures from the retreat:

This update is from Kalengule Kaoma, a native of Zambia who serves as a GCI mission developer in Africa.

On July 14, Dr. Inyambo Nyumbu, GCI-Zambia National Director and I met at the Lusaka airport to receive a team of six missionaries from the U.S. The team was on a short-term mission trip to Zambia coordinated by Grace Missions—a GCI-Generations Ministries mission organization. Team members, shown in the picture below, left were (L to R): Joel Clevenger, Dustin and Rachel Lampe,Tyler Long, Melyssa White and Mike Lockard. The team came to Zambia to assist GCI members with several projects that are described in comments from the team members below.

• Before coming to Zambia, we had no idea what to expect. What we knew is that we were going to give out eyeglasses and start the foundation of GCI’s Central Church. But God does amazing things not necessarily part of the original plan.
• One of the moments that stuck out to me was when we were giving out eyeglasses. We are not eye doctors and didn’t know what we were doing. But God shone a light through us and gave us knowledge of figuring out the right prescription for each of the eyeglasses. The thrill came when we helped the first person. Seeing the expression of satisfaction and happiness on her face because she was able to see clearly filled my heart with joy. God had just done an amazing thing.

• Giving out glasses made an impact on people who saw an act of God’s love. After that experience, Zambian pastor Kennedy enlightened us that our presence in the community will help him and his team evangelize: “These people have seen us together with you. They have seen that God has helped you with your journey. They have seen God help them through you. I am positive that they will receive us when we go to evangelize in their villages.”
• Working side-by-side with Zambian members made a huge difference in our outlook. I’m happy I came to Zambia! I can’t thank God enough for giving me the opportunity to see what he is doing across the world.

• We were greeted by the most hospitable loving arms. Our “home” was set up so comfortably that even the water shortages did not give us reason to complain. We worked on the construction of Central Church. It began with a beautiful ceremony of dedicating the building project to be under God’s protection, provision, and blessing. This was symbolized by laying the cornerstone of the church. I still hear the song “Tulemitotela” (“Thank you Lord”) ringing out in reverence to what the Lord provided.
• Our trip back to the U.S. came far too soon. I built many relationships, and became fonder of my African home away from home. God is working strong in the heart of Zambia, and I can’t wait to see what more he has in store for them.

• I learned that we are all breathing the same air, all walking on the same earth. We live with similar problems and issues, the same human nature. The church in Zambia worships joyfully, prays with intention and seeks God. We have the same Holy Spirit, the same Jesus Christ living in us. We are in the same family of God, covered in grace and mercy and love. While at a gathering of folks from several different villages, Kalengule said, “We are from many different cultures… share your culture…but remember, we are all living in God’s culture of love and grace.”
• The world has become smaller for me but God’s Kingdom has grown exponentially.

This report is from Jeff McSwain, national coordinator of the GCI-USA Intern Program.

We held our second annual intern orientation at The Reality Center (home of Reality Ministries) in Durham, North Carolina on August 17-21. Our prayer before and during the event was Come Holy Spirit! He’s always there, of course, but “showed up and showed out” as we like to say! It was a rich time—my favorite part was watching the three first-year interns interact with the “newbies.” As the number of interns grows, this interactive culture within the program will only be more powerful. Having seasoned ministry veterans on hand for teaching and support provided its own critical element to the mix.

We welcomed nine new interns into the fold this year from all corners of the country: Southern California, Sacramento, Portland, Boston, Princeton, and Durham. Most of them are preparing to start classes at Grace Communion Seminary, although we are admitting three interns this year who are students elsewhere: two at Duke Divinity School and one at Princeton Theological Seminary (these three were recommended to us by GCI pastors). The Lord is answering our prayers to raise up young leaders for his budding work in and through GCI! I am so thankful! Pictured above and below is the group at this year’s orientation. Also below are quotations from a few of the interns. What they say provides a good sense of what happened at the intern orientation.

They Said It!

First Year Intern: “The time to fellowship with the other interns was incredible. I loved learning about where everyone came from and where God is bringing them. One of my favorite things was simply playing games with everyone during breaks and at night. It is so life-giving to me to share life with others in such simple ways. That face to face time with the other interns was important for me in building a foundation for us to encourage each other as a team of interns, especially since we are all from a different corner of the US. Having the intern pastors participate in the conference was also a great blessing. It is encouraging to see leaders in GCI investing in my generation of the church.”

First Year Intern: “My favorite part from our time together was the people and the fellowship. Gathering a group together of young and more experienced people to work through Trinitarian theology and thought in a ministerial context was a powerful experience.”

Second Year Intern: “I am really blessed by the racial and gender diversity.”

GCI Pastor: “The greatest blessing was the diversity of folks present. God is surely a God of variety! Seeing so many young adults interested in ministry inspired this old man!”

First Year Intern: “I felt a sense of family, camaraderie, and common purpose among the group. The food was great! I’m SO grateful to GCI for treating us to such great meals. It was nice not having to think about what or where we were going to eat.”

Second Year Intern: “Music is such an integral part of our lives and so having the time set aside each morning to convene together and experience communion through music was precious to me.”

First Year Intern: “Worshiping together was, as always, a great blessing to me. The morning devotionals were uplifting and encouraging. Also, being able to discuss difficult issues, like ethics and policy, was very helpful. Hearing the gospel and talking about our identity in Christ was refreshing and uplifting.”

This update is from Rod Matthews, GCI’s mission director in Southern Asia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

In recent weeks, many areas of Asia have experienced disastrous flooding as a result of an intense low pressure weather system that brought huge volumes of rain in a short time. The rugged, underdeveloped Chin Hills area of Myanmar was severely affected. GCI has a congregation there and it’s home for a number of our ministry partners. Tluang Kung, whom we helped gain his seminary education and who later translated our Discipleship Course into Burmese, wrote this:

Thank you for your concern for us. We are safe here in Yangon but my relatives in Tahan, Kalay and Chin Hills are the worst victims of this disaster. It is the worst within 64 years of Myanmar history. More than 600,000 acres of rice fields have been destroyed, many bridges taken away and hundreds of houses, especially in Chin Hills, collapsed by landslides. With the main road cut, transportation is possible only by helicopter in the Chin Hills. Food security is the highest level of risk—one bag of rice in Chin Hills which usually cost as little as 25,000 Kyat now costs 120,000 Kyat [approximately $100].

Tluang Kung said that even that price for a bag of rice is continuing to rise, and he and his family are concerned that the same will happen to prices in the capital, Yangon, where he lives, even though it wasn’t flooded to the same extent as in the northern and western states. He sent these photographs of the situation in the worst-hit parts of Myanmar:

Good news in the midst of disaster

In the midst of this natural disaster that is affecting millions of people, there is some good news. God is using our fellowship to touch the lives of an increasing number of people through the decision by a network of congregations headed by Chan Thleng to become part of GCI (click here to read my previous update on this development). Just recently, Chan Thleng responded to a message from our Southeast Asian Coordinator, Wong Mein Kong, asking how he had fared during the floods, and added more encouraging news about the value, impact and development of using our material in the churches who have joined us. Here are excerpts from what Chan Thleng wrote:

Flooding does not make any distinction between the rich and poor in Myanmar. People run to house-tops or other places of safety. The poor are badly hit as their mud houses collapse in rain and the mud is carried away by flood water. The villages and fields in the catchment area are all submerged under water in Hmawbi Township. Relief parties, voluntary institutions, and governments come to help the flood-stricken people. Rice and other things are provided to them in various ways. Our church also is arranging supplies for them such as rice, clothes, and other things in the most seriously affected area to assist further—especially in Yangon, Matupi and Rakhine state. In Matupi the house of one of our leaders was completely under water.

In Rakhine State, our church planter has been serving since 2013. We are sorry because we can’t contact him. In many Rakhine townships and areas people are still in relief camps and unable to return home according to the report. We all have concern for him and his family.

Our church has developed a close working relationship with one village using GCI material. We hope to wins soul if God helps us. Three families (Karen people) want to join to us. We pray for them that God would open the hearts that they may be given the eyes to see that their hope is found in Jesus. I plan to send our leader there next year.

We plan to celebrate our new name (GCI) in October in Yangon and Chin State. We all are so excited to belong to a new church as we had been praying for a church.

Some materials I have translated into our Matu Chin language. We pray that we will become a model everywhere in Yangon and Chin State to turn to God from animism to serve the living and true God in the future. I gave much time for translation.

At every home cell-group service, I am sharing GCI material to our church members and sometimes to our ladies prayer group and non-Christians of our neighborhood. One lady said, “GCI has helped me to understand the Bible better and given me my spiritual maturity.” One man said, “GCI helped me and my family to understand the Christian faith.” Our church members said, “All the writers of GCI material will touch the realities of our people if GCI material is available in our own language. One man said, “I like to thank GCI teams for producing such wonderful material. It has become my daily spiritual food.”

Our leaders and members [in the Matupi church] are so excited to be a part of GCI and are looking forward to celebrating a new name (GCI) in October. One leader said, “My members shout joyfully; we shall belong to a new name, never heard before; GCI is a beautiful name; GCI will be our second gate of heaven.” Rev. Tlou Cawng said, “We shall have a new name. We will hold GCI doctrine; we look forward to GCI material being available in our own language. We shall never be the same BP church” [their previous name]. One leader said that two families have already joined our church—they are from an animist background and their children have a great interest in reading the Bible story.

We thank God for his grace and encouragement in being able to help this group with the wonderful biblical material he has given us, and to see their excitement as they grasp the burden-lifting reality of the gospel. While many groups make contact in the hope that we can offer them financial support, this group has focused on what we actually can offer. It is a mutually exhilarating relationship.

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GCI Disaster Relief Fund

From time to time we’re contacted about helping members impacted by major disasters like the recent one in Myanmar. If your congregation has a heart to help members in this way, probably the best way to do so is to send donations to the GCI Disaster Relief Fund. The Fund was established to help provide members in disaster areas with emergency needs such as food, water, medicine, clothing, temporary housing, home and/or church hall repairs, temporary local pastoral salary expenses and other emergency needs. Monies received into the Fund that are not immediately needed will remain in the Fund to be allocated in future disasters.

In previous years, money from this Fund has been used to help members recover from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, storms and flooding in Bangladesh, an earthquake and tsunami in the Solomon Islands, typhoons in the Philippines and an earthquake in Haiti.

On behalf of all those who have been helped by the Fund, I wish to express sincere appreciation to the congregations and individuals who have generously provided financial assistance.

If your congregation would like to donate to the GCI Disaster Relief Fund, your treasurer can set up a one time or monthly donation through the GCI Online system (http://online.gci.org) by logging in and selecting Church Giving under the Treasurer tab.

If your congregation prefers to send a check, make it out to Grace Communion International, indicating on the memo line that the donation is for the GCI Disaster Relief Fund. The donation should be sent to:

GCI Disaster Relief Fund
Grace Communion International
P.O Box 5005
Glendora, California 91740

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