SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador—No Worldwide Church of God members were seriously injured in the Jan. 13 earthquake that claimed hundreds of lives, said Roberto Arguello, chairman of the pastoral team in El Salvador.

One member, David Agreda, and his family lost their home in the magnitude 7.6 quake when the second story collapsed. They were in the house but were able to get out. David suffered a slight injury when part of the roof collapsed on his back. He moved his family in with his in-laws and they are waiting for the insurance company to help.

DALLAS, Texas—Pastor General Joseph Tkach met with 20 other presidents of denominations the weekend of Jan. 20 for discussion and prayer.

AIRDRIE, Alberta, Canada—Several members who live in and around the city of Airdrie, 10 minutes north of Calgary, began a Saturday evening church plant in October at a nursing and senior citizens home.

Elaine Southwell, a WCG member, lives there, but she can no longer make it to the regular Calgary service.

"We undertook this project with prayer, research and nervousness," said elder Leigh Smithson. "We did not want to start something that we could not carry through."

Several people from the community around the home have attended, and many family members have come with their parents. Residents ask nurses when the next church service will be.

Mr. Smithson said that some residents have dementia, but for the most part, the attendees are clear-minded, want to sing, hear about Jesus, be encouraged and meet new people. "We pray with and anoint them as per their requests," he said.

AUBURN, Washington—The Federal Way and Tacoma, Washington, congregations were hosts for an Incarnation service Dec. 3. Joining them in worship were former WCG members, friends from other denominations, people responding to radio advertising and members from sister congregations throughout western Washington and Oregon, including some from as far away as Salem, Oregon.

Acting as event host, worship pastor Michael Limanni began the service by leading a mix of traditional advent hymns and contemporary praise songs.

Wayne Mitchell, Salem pastor, gave a testimony recalling his first Christmas as a child even though his family did not celebrate Christmas at the time. He experienced an incredible outpouring of God’s love in action when Christians from another church gave food and clothing to his family on Christmas.

As Pastor Wayne put it, "Up to that point in my life I had never seen that much food." The family had existed on cornmeal mush because Mitchell’s father was unable to work because of severe work-related injuries.

After a musical drama outlining the wise men’s search and worship of Jesus, guest speaker Bruce Marchiano, who portrayed Jesus in the video series Matthew, shared with everyone the miracle that took place when Christ was born. At the close of sharing the gospel message, Mr. Marchiano gave an invitation to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

A couple who have struggled with changes in our denomination accepted Jesus’ Lordship in their lives. Steve Schemm.

TOKYO, Japan—More than 50 Christian, non-Christian, Japanese and non-Japanese attended a gospel-singing workshop Jan. 6 sponsored by the WCG in Japan.

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico—The Las Cruces Hospitality House Senior Citizens Center along with the Las Cruces WCG made and distributed Christmas stockings to more than 60 area children.

Each stocking was filled with toys, games and candy. Senior citizens helped wrap the gifts.

Children of incarcerated parents were treated to lunch Dec. 19 and 20. Afterward, the children iced and ate Christmas cookies. Later they were given gifts and stockings. Three families were given boxes filled with Christmas dinner fixings. Stockings were also given to the families along with gifts for the children and their mothers. Nancy Lelevier.

CHRISTMAS CHEER—From left:
Alice Garcia, WCG member; Ernest
Messier of Hospitality House senior
center; and Linda Davenport,
director of Hospitality House.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas—The New Beginnings congregation conducted its third annual Christmas caroling event at Pastor Sonny Parsons’ home Dec. 18.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas—Joseph Cochran, a senior at Southwest Texas State University, was named male role model of the year at the university. Joseph majors in computer engineering, is on the dean’s list and was also awarded the Calvin Williams Community Service scholarship.

SHERWOOD, Arkansas—On Friday evening, Dec. 29, Monica S. Newton, 27, and Danny Scott Poyner, 28, officially became an item when Danny presented Monica with an engagement ring. Both are newcomers to our worldwide fellowship, and their story offers hope and encouragement to all.

Monica began attending the Sherwood church in April 1999. She was looking for a church where she could love and be loved, grow, and in turn help others with their walk with Christ. She has since become an important part of our youth ministry, and was baptized.

Danny began attending almost one year after Monica, in April 2000, when a friend invited him to church. He soon took a serious interest in discipleship and was baptized a few months later. Danny has become popular with the youths, developing many close relationships.

SAYRE, Oklahoma—In December the Sayre WCG Circle of Love Fellowship participated with other churches across Oklahoma in an outreach program to provide new clothing and gifts for children at Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Oklahoma.

NORFOLK, Virginia—Donations from the seniors ministry were given to the Union Mission in Norfolk to feed many homeless people during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

WICHITA, Kansas—The Wichita congregation will celebrate its 40th anniversary April 28 and wishes to invite all who have attended there over the years to join them. For more information, please contact Lyle and Faye Campbell at 1-620- 463-2323 or send e-mail to them at Redbird68@juno.com

VISALIA, California—The Visalia congregation will celebrate its 25th anniversary March 31.

They are calling it A Family Reunion, and are inviting anyone who has attended services in Visalia or who would like to come and help celebrate. Fellowship and refreshments begin at 1 p.m., the worship service at 2:30, dinner at 5, a program titled Down Memory Lane at 6, and visiting and dancing start about 7. Dress will be semi-formal.

The events will take place at Faith Community Church at 1021 Burke St. in Visalia.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee—The Nashville congregation sponsored five children this Christmas through the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree project. The children have parents who are in prison.

The children and their caregivers were invited to a party where they received gifts purchased on behalf of their parent in prison. Faye Woodall entertained the children and shared the gospel with them through telling the story of Christ’s birth. The children participated by selecting an object from a box and holding the object up for all to see while Mrs. Woodall explained how it fit into the story.

Children of members participated alongside the guest children and helped in giving out the presents. Lynn Jordan.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Families with younger children joined in with 40 or so teenagers and 10 to 15 staff for a summer camp Dec. 26 to Jan. 4 dubbed The Big Fish.

Several years ago, the young people in New Zealand were looking for a name they could use to promote the camp. They opted for the intriguing name of The Big Fish to signify that we are fishers of men or to bring teens to Christ, according to Rex Morgan.

Every day began with a worship service, during which several of the campers and staff shared personal testimonies.

One young man explained how he had been involved in the use of drugs and excessive alcohol, as well as violence such as the destruction of mail boxes at night with his friends. The Big Fish camp last year had been a turning point in his life, showing him that he could have better fun by living God’s way, and now he had committed his life to Jesus Christ.

Another person said that this year’s camp had stimulated him for the first time to really begin building a relationship with God, and he had already drawn close to God during the camp.

"Testimonies such as these were of great encouragement to the volunteer staff, who gave up their holidays to work at the camp precisely in order to enable young people to be drawn closer to God in this way," Mr. Morgan said.

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island—The Providence congregation invites singles to their fourth annual singles retreat Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28. The retreat will take place on the campgrounds of the Episcopal Conference Center in Pascoag, Rhode Island. The ECC is on an old New England farm that includes a lakeside beach and acres of woodlands.

Guest speakers will be Carn and Joyce Catherwood.

MUSKEGON, Michigan—After meeting in various facilities for many years, the Muskegon congregation is meeting in a vacated and newly renovated church building.

To introduce themselves to the neighborhood, they had a picnic in the parking lot Aug. 5 complete with chili dogs and snow cones. Live music was provided by a group from Hope Lighthouse Church. A follow-up prayer walk took place two weeks later.

BEAUMONT, Texas—Inspired by the book, Partners in Prayer, by John Maxwell, a group of members conducted their first quarterly prayer breakfast Jan. 6. Food and fellowship, worship, equipping and prayer made up the program, led by co-pastors James Scales and Gene Koch.

The prayer group is divided into four teams. On their assigned week, a prayer team arrives at the worship service one hour early. During that hour various aspects of the service are covered in prayer, including the sanctuary, and then the group members lay hands on the worship leader and minister, asking God to inspire them and the service.

The Beaumont Prayer Partners are also linked together during the week. Each member has a prayer partner that he or she prays for each day. Each day of the week the other members, by assignment, are covered in prayer.

PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia, Canada—A 25 year reunion for people who participated in the 1976 Bicentennial coast to coast bicycle tour will take place in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, July 4.

Write to Lister Chen at 8113 Princeton Cres., Prince George, B.C., Canada, V2N 3V6, telephone him at 1-250-964-3849 or send e-mail to him at Lister_Chen@telus.net

So far, 89 people have signed up to attend. The group has reservations for dinner at the Gunbarrel Restaurant from 6 to 9 p.m. on July 4 (web site: www.gunbarrel.com).

Rooms may be available at the Elk Country Inn for $72 a night plus tax (phone: 1-307-733-2364 or 1-800-4TETONS; web site www.townsquareinns.com).

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa— Members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo need prayers during the political upheaval in the wake of the assassination of President Laurent Kabila.

"This area has been subjected to economic, social and political upheaval over the past five years or so, and your Congolese brethren there need your prayers," said regional director James Henderson. "Please pray for a smooth transition of power, and that Christians will be able to meet in peace and safety. I have tried to get in touch with our ministers in Kinshasa, but so far without success."

ORR, Minnesota—The Summer Educational Program (SEP) received a certificate of recognition from Marian Mann, the St. Louis County Public Health Administrator.

Ms. Mann wrote Dec. 28: "Congratulations! Based on your past inspection results and the recommendation of your inspector, Gary Collyard, [the] Summer Educational Program has been carefully selected as one of the outstanding food operations in St. Louis County."

Ms. Mann indicated that mention of SEP’s food service operation would be printed in Food Talk, the Health Department’s quarterly newsletter sent to major restaurants and the county board.

Leading the food service program at SEP for the past few years has been Gretchen Garey of Hawkins, Texas. Ms. Garey now works full-time as a food service manager for a year-round camp-like establishment in Texas, but still manages to come to Orr each summer to help kick off operations.

She is joined by Helen McIver of Big Sandy, Texas; Glenn Roberson of Longview, Texas; Amy Gould of Dayton, Ohio; and Thomas Kuipers of Phoenix, Arizona, among others, on the food service staff.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee—Pastor Sonny Parsons and his wife, Jane, visited the Nashville, Clarksville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee, churches, Feb. 3 and 4, where Mr. Parsons spoke on evangelism.

While there, Mr. and Mrs. Parsons met with Claude V. King, co-author of Experiencing God.

LUMBO, Philippines—A church-planting project was started in Lumbo, Valencia, Bukidnon, June 15, according to Garner Gulfan, church planter, Bukidnon congregations.

MALINDI, Kenya—Kenga Ndissoh, pastor in Malindi, Kenya, began a youth project last August called Ambassadors (from 2 Corinthians 5:20) with the aim of attracting young people to church.

Mr. Ndissoh was motivated by the growing number of youths who seemed to have no hope—some, school dropouts, and others, just existing, not really living. "One thing was common to all of them—seemingly hopeless poverty," he said.

Mr. Ndissoh prayed over the matter, and asked the present eight WCG youths to go and fish other youths for Christ. They came in twos and threes, and the roll is now 36 (17 girls and 19 boys) ages 13 to 30.

The objective of the ministry is to preach Christ. It seeks to reconcile non-church youths to Jesus Christ, to engage in community service in the example of the Good Samaritan, to provide youth Bible studies, to encourage youth unity through music, drama and sports and to participate in income-generating activity to alleviate poverty.

Two youths have been baptized and three are counseling for baptism. As an income-generating project, the Ambassadors established and manage a flower and tree nursery with seedlings ready for sale. In addition, they are practicing gospel music through the tutoring of one of them, David Kalama, who is gifted in gospel music.

All this is done to the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.