CANCER RELAY—Poulsbo, Washington,
relay participants.

POULSBO, Washington—For the second year in a row, the small Poulsbo church (formerly known as Bremerton) participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life July 13 and 14.

The relay is the society’s signature event and is conducted during a 24-hour period in more than 3,000 communities around the United States, normally on a track. Teams of eight to 15 participate by having at least one team member on the track at all times, either walking, running, wheel-chairing or sitting in a lawn chair. Each team raises money in advance to be donated at the relay and frequently they come up with creative ideas to continue their fund-raising efforts during the relay.

The Poulsbo team contributed more than $3,200, and the overall event total was $51,545.

WCG members Dave and Shelley Erbes became involved in the relay through their membership in Kiwanis (Mrs. Erbes was the local club president last year). Having experienced the relay last year was enough for many of the Poulsbo members to jump at the opportunity to be involved this year.

The congregation again agreed to be a corporate sponsor, this time at the Silver level, which was $500, and to provide a team to participate. The corporate sponsorship meant the church’s name would appear on the back of every participant’s T-shirt again this year.

The relay began Friday, July 13, at 6 p.m. During the next 24 hours, many Poulsbo members walked on or sat at the edge of the track. For the second year in a row, the event’s oldest participant was church member Loring Larm (Mrs. Erbes’ father), now 88, who had been hospitalized the week before with pneumonia. And again this year, every time a relay participant completed a lap, they passed by our team’s "Walking in the Light" theme tent, which also won the prize for the best decorated site.

For information on participating in a relay in your area, visit www.cancer.org on the Internet.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas—For the past two years the congregations in Corpus Christi and Victoria have been serving with a James 1:27 ministry approach.

Jerry and Pat McGee in Corpus Christi minister on Sunday and Wednesday evenings in the Pavilion and Twin Pines Homes. They conduct church services and those in attendance feel that they are a part of our congregation. Dorin Vaughn plays the piano on Sundays, and his wife, Eleanor, helps the McGees in serving. Both couples were recognized at a banquet for volunteers.

Aaron and Madeline Migl minister to two homes in Victoria. Susan Sativa assists with the music.

In both areas, the residents are often heard saying, "You don’t know how much it means that you will come and provide church for us." Members are reminded of "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

SAN ANTONIO, Texas—The San Antonio church started a new congregation July 1 in the Alamo Heights Health and Rehabilitation Center in San Antonio.

Fifty-six attended the first day, and more than 60 attended the second time the congregation met. This is the fifth nursing home/ assisted living congregation they have started. They use Sonshine Society material developed specifically for nursing home ministries by Herm Haakenson. The songbooks have large print so the residents can see them better.

The United States has more than two million nursing home residents. The average length of stay is a year and a half.

Tom & Adrienne Pickett

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Fort Worth churches have been participating in the Jesus Video Project of Texas during the past year, according to Pastor Tom Pickett.

The project consists of mailing the Jesus video, which was produced by Campus Crusade in 1979, to every household in the state of Texas. To accomplish this goal, churches needed to come together in prayer to support it. Then contributions were needed to cover the cost of the video plus postage.

As Christian communities came together, the video was mailed to each resident in specific zip codes. The WCG has participated with other Christian churches to have the video mailed to the communities of Burleson and Azle in the Fort Worth area. After the video was mailed to every household, a follow-up to the mailing was conducted. The WCG participated in both follow-up efforts.

The Burleson Christian Fellowship (WCG) congregation along with its sister congregation, Resurrection Church of Burleson, conducted a survey in Burleson, according to Jerry Wait.

"We went door to door asking if the residents had received the Jesus video in the mail," Mr. Wait said. "If they received the video, we asked them how many in their household watched the video."

Of the people who answered the door, 95 households received the video and 111 people in those households watched it. Nineteen households didn’t get the video and of those, 10 households wanted to receive it. The video will be delivered to those who wanted a copy.

"This survey did more than just come up with numbers," Mr. Wait said. "It reminded some that they needed to take time out and watch the video. Some people were gratified that we were concerned enough to make sure that they received the video. It made them feel that somebody cared about them. It was good to share our Christian faith with our sister church, as well as with the neighbors of our community."

October is Clergy Appreciation Month, according to The Parsonage, a web site of Focus on the Family.

Clergy Appreciation Month is a special time that congregations set aside each year to honor their pastors and pastoral families for their hard work, sacrificial dedication and provision of multiple blessings, according to The Parsonage.

The Parsonage notes that pastors and their families live under incredible pressures. They live in fishbowls as congregations watch their every move. They are expected to have ideal families, to be perfect people, to be always available, to never to be down and to have all the answers members need to keep their lives stable and moving forward.

Focus on the Family has prepared a Clergy Appreciation Month Planning Guide, which is available for a suggested donation of $2 by calling 1-800-A-FAMILY.

DALLAS, Texas—Three Dallas Central members, Odar Garcia, Octaviano Nino and Carlos Penayo, accompanied Baptist missionaries and served as translators on a mission trip to Peru, June 22 to July 1.

Mr. Garcia gave a testimonial about the trip at Dallas Central’s worship service July 22. (Also during that service, Shannon Minyar, 11, performed two songs she wrote. Shannon is the foster daughter of David and Lori Simms.)

The WCG members also visited the 20-member WCG congregation in Trujillo, July 5 to 10, which meets in a garage owned by member Rocio Botetano. The church was behind in paying the electric bill, and the three men helped pay the bill with money donated by Dallas Central members.

When asked for additional ways the donations could be used, they were told, "The children need a lot."

David Botetano, 10, had been making songbooks, Bible story books and coloring books for the other children. Two children helped him.

The church’s adult leaders explained that the children had been praying that God would meet their needs. Inspired by the children’s faith, the visiting Dallas members bought books, coloring books and videocassettes. They also bought microphones for the church, gave balloons to the children and passed out T-shirts.

Four people gave their lives to Christ during the visit by the U.S. members. Frank Lewandowski.

PASADENA—John Jones, funds transfer agent in PTM, a 13-year employee, worked his last day July 27. Mr. Jones left his job because he suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome, which has been slowly getting worse over the last few years. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful and disabling disorder characterized by inflammation and swelling in the tendons that run through the narrow carpal tunnel in the wrist.

FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS—Front row from left: Ben and Lorraine Bowen, Bobby Jean Corley, Carlos Hawkins, Betty Wharton, Debbie Wharton, and Gussie and Leroy Hunter. Second row, from left: Bethann and Andrew Opi, Gary and Ellen Poplin, Joan Due, Teresa Sancho, Lee Wilkes, Pammy Hawkins, Enoch and Gail Swinson and Raymond Johnson. [Photo by Jonathan Rakestraw]

TALLAHASSEE, Florida—The Thomasville, Georgia, and Tallahassee churches participated in the North Florida Festival 2001 with Franklin Graham, April 20 to 22.

Jonathan Rakestraw, an elder in Tallahassee, and a co-worker were talking one day about how nice it would be to have a function that would unite area churches in a common cause. Shortly thereafter they learned that Mr. Graham’s Festival 2001 was coming to Tallahassee.

Preparations began well in advance. Christian Life and Witness classes helped those who would serve as counselors revitalize their faith and share it with others. They were taught that sharing Jesus Christ with others is as natural as having a friendly conversation with someone open to hearing the gospel.

The Worldwide Church of God was one of 25 denominations represented in the combined efforts of 4,500 volunteers from 230 churches.

At each service a concert was given by Christian artists, including Michael W. Smith, Mary Mary, Third Day, Kirk Franklin, Jaci Velasquez and Bible Man. Mr. Graham gave a message about God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. Then an invitation was offered for all wanting to publicly commit to Jesus. By the festival’s end, 1,651 people either made a first-time commitment or recommitted their lives to Christ.

As follow-up, some conducted Neighborhood Discovery Groups in their homes or meeting halls. Joan Due.

SPANISH HERITAGE DAY—The Ramos family
leads worship. [Photo by Susan Earle]

PASADENA—"There is a yearning among many of us younger Hispanics to hear the gospel in our own tongue, to renew that part of our heritage that was lost," said ministerial trainee Steven Ramos to a multi-ethnic group in Pasadena June 23.

The Glendora and Pasadena (Spanish) churches gathered to observe their fourth annual Hispanic Heritage Day, a time they set aside four years ago to learn from each other and from what is the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States.

Census statistics show that about 44 percent of Los Angeles County—4.25 million people—are of Hispanic, primarily Mexican, descent.

"Los Angeles is now the third largest Spanish-speaking city in the world," said Pastor Raul Ramos. "This should explain why even a multicultural church such as the WCG should be planting Spanish-speaking churches. If the gospel is to be heard by all, then Acts 2:11 indicates it is best done in a person’s heart language."

Neil Earle, Glendora pastor, told the two congregations that this is an ideal time for the Christians of America to rise to the new multiethnic challenge.

The influx of 350,000 Hispanic-oriented immigrants into the United States each year is seen as a tremendous evangelistic opportunity.

Members enjoyed traditional Mexican and South American food and a dance after the service.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas—For the third consecutive year the San Antonio church has been honored in the Great Northwest Area of San Antonio with the top award in the annual Fourth of July parade.

The congregation feels that community involvement is important in letting their lights shine and showing love to their neighbors. The congregation entered seven floats or vehicles in the parade.

Members gave out candy and flags and had patriotic banners on the floats. Don and Rita Persyn and John and Josie Waddel spent hours preparing the floats.

BONN, Germany—The German Office sent the new Statement of Beliefs booklet with an accompanying letter to about 60 cult-watching institutions and pastors in Germany, Austria and Switzerland July 31.

Hartmut Steeb, chief executive officer of the Evangelical Alliance in Germany, "expressed his joy over the positive developments in our church, that doors are opening to us and that we have more and more in common," according to Alois Mair of the German Office.

Mr. Mair also received a phone call from Burkhardt Mueller, former superintendent of the Evangelical State Church in Bonn, and now chairman of the Working Association of Christian Churches (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen, ACK) in Bonn. He thanked Mr. Mair for the booklet and the letter and asked him to give a lecture on the WCG transformation during the ACK meeting Sept. 4 in Bonn.

"This will be another exciting opportunity to witness about God’s transforming work in the WCG before 20 to 25 leaders of Christian churches in Bonn," Mr. Mair said.

Gordon Lindquist

DULUTH, Minnesota—The Duluth congregation, pastored by Gordon Lindquist, brought Wendell and Nancy Anderson of Eagles Wings Ministries to Duluth June 23.

The Andersons are part of a larger organization called Exodus International. Their programs explain that homosexuality is a learned behavior, and that through Christ, it is possible to remove oneself from it.

The seminar conducted by the Andersons came about after a pastor in the Lake Superior Pastors Association, of which Mr. Lindquist is a member, organized a workshop titled Opening Our Doors, to teach Christians how to welcome homosexuals into their services.

Mr. Lindquist and Steve Wiseman, who pastors the Gethsemane Covenant Church, learned that the fees collected at the workshop would be used to promote the homosexual community. They knew that this was not scripturally sound, so they decided to be hosts for a different seminar.

Members of seven Duluth area congregations were present at the Andersons’ seminar, which was conducted at Gethsemane Covenant Church. Titled Standing for Truth, the presentation by this husband and wife team explained that it is possible to break away from this behavior. They also offered guidelines for parents and families on how this condition can be prevented.

Afterward, these churches placed announcements in The Duluth News Tribune, to inform any who were in search of such help, where they would be welcomed and where it would be available for them.

More information about Eagles Wings Ministries is available on their website at www.ewm.org Joanne Christian.

PASADENA—Church Administration announced the following ministerial ordinations.

Randall Bourchier, Melbourne, Australia, East.

Steven Orr, San Jose, California.

James Henderson

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—Gale force winds and driving rain did not stop about 50 members of the two Cape Town churches from attending a seminar conducted by James Henderson, superintendent of African missions, July 8.

Mr. Henderson expounded on the many ways in which we could approach our particular service to the congregation in a God-centered way. Whatever happens during services, he said, should be an act of pastoral care, with the focus on the needs of others, not ourselves. We should take every assignment seriously and regard it as a God-given responsibility, to be completed to the best of our ability by the grace of God.

Church meetings should be a respite of peace at the end of a week of worldly involvement. God is not the author of confusion, and those attending should be able to expect peace at church services.

Mr. Henderson emphasized the responsibility of those preaching, that they should regard it as a sacred trust and a gift to the church. Divine activity (prayer) should precede human effort. Preachers need to have a deep connection to and personal conviction of the Scriptures, as well as being an integral part of the congregation. A preacher must know God as well as the Scriptures. What we are and how well we know God will determine how the message is received, he said.

Mr Henderson discussed Acts 20 as a basis for sermon ideas. This one chapter resulted in a list of possibilities, most of which he elicited from the audience.

PASADENA—Ronald Urwiller, WCG archivist, attended the Summer Institute for Knowledge Sharing, co-sponsored by the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Getty Research Institute, Aug. 6 to 10.

The institute brought together professionals from museums, libraries and archives to discuss key issues involved in creating digital collections. Attendees represented not only many U.S institutions but international ones such as the Louvre in Paris and the Institute of Mathematics in Vilnius, Lithuania.

People are relying more on electronic databases and the Internet to access information. Many cultural institutions (including churches) are collaborating on how to best use their resources to preserve and provide access to their collections.

Mr. Urwiller commented: "Our denominational collections now span nearly 100 years of shared human memory and experiences. They reside in paper, magnetic tape, photographs, digital files and memorabilia. It is important to organize and preserve these using the best (and most practical) professional practices to maximize our resources. There is much to remember and to learn from our journey and as we work to further the kingdom."

CHURCH BANNER—Shirley Click and Pastor Mike Rasmussen are pictured here with one of the many banners Mrs. Click has made for the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, churches. The Daily Oklahoman awarded her its Golden Thimble Award last year for her handiwork. When Mr. Rasmussen arrived in the area, the sanctuary walls were bare and plain. He wanted to hang something there, but had no ideas, so he prayed about it. His prayer was answered when Mrs. Click offered to make the banners, which she calls her fabric stained-glass windows. The banners are mainly applique and embroidery and each is based on a Bible verse. [Photo by Mary Peairson]

CONCERT--For tickets, call 1-800-965-9324, visit the Internet web site at www.itickets.com or write to Mount Airy Christian Fellowship, 1959 Peace Haven Rd., Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27106. For more information, call 1=336-722-1454.

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina—The theme for the Oct. 6 to 13 festival in Myrtle Beach is "Believe and Receive Jesus."

Speakers include Dan Rogers, superintendent of U.S. ministers; and district superintendents Keith Brittain, Carn Catherwood and Ted Johnston. Worship services will be supplemented with a workshop called "We Believe." "Our goal is to establish the essentials of Christian doctrine in a dynamic setting of rich worship and fellowship," said coordinator Greg Williams.

The Mid-Atlantic Discovery Youth Ministry will sponsor a Christian concert Saturday night, Oct. 6, with Ginny Owens and Out of Eden. Advance tickets are $10 per person or $30 per family ($15 per person and $35 per family at the gate). To purchase tickets, send your check or money order (made payable to Mount Airy Christian Fellowship LCAF) to Mount Airy Christian Fellowship, 1959 Peace Haven Rd. No. 253, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27106.

The opening weekend is designed for young people with a drop-in room with refreshments after the opening service Oct. 6. Oct. 7 will include youth church in the morning and an afternoon beach party.

Anyone interested in special music or playing with the praise team should contact Paul David Kurts at 1-828-313-2311 or send e-mail to him at Paul_David_Kurts @wcg.org If you would like to be in the adult choir call Ken Hygh at 1-919-772-3919 or send e-mail to him at kenhygh@nc.rr.com

ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida—The telephone number for Howard Johnson’s resort, site of a festival Oct. 2 to 7, is 1-904-471-2575. Marty Davey.

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2001