Update

Update:
News of people,
places and events

Ministry leaders meet for conference
in South Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—About 250 people attended a conference for ministry leaders June 14 and 15 in Pinelands, a suburb of Cape Town.

Pastor General Joseph Tkach and Randal Dick, superintendent of missions, attended from Pasadena.

The Durban, South Africa, band provided worship music.

CONFERENCE CHOIR—Singers perform special
music at worship service.

Dr. Tkach spoke on the unlimited love of God for humanity, and that how we see God has a strong bearing on our behavior. If we see him as a strict authoritarian father, we will constantly strive to appease him and stay within the boundaries of rules and regulations. But once we see him in all aspects of his perfect and complete personality, we begin to understand that the only way to please God is to love him back.

GREETINGS—Pastor General Joseph Tkach (center)
greets members arriving at service.

After lunch, James Henderson, regional director, gave a presentation on church planting. Two new churches have been established in Southern Africa. In both cases the pastors established a relationship with people, met their needs and brought them to Christ in the process.

Mr. Dick then spoke on church governance.

Sunday morning, June 15, Mr. Dick spoke on how we should respond to God. Dr. Tkach then explained that leadership is about how and where we are taking other people.

Next, Mr. Henderson said that physical limitations should not stop spiritual outreach, as he explained how our ministries should be Christlike and sacrificial.

Chris Khoury from the Durban church told the story of how the deaf ministry began there with three deaf people who, after attending for a while, began teaching sign language to some of the hearing members.

Dr. Tkach wound up the conference with a comparison of old covenant sacrifices with new covenant sacraments. The Levitical priests offered sacrifices on a constant basis, just as we today are to be living sacrifices. We are not limited to taking the Lord’s Supper once a year, but may do so whenever there is a need. This was followed by a communion service for all those attending. Hilary and Eben Jacobs.

Church announces ministerial ordinations

PASADENA—Church Administration announced the following ministerial ordinations:

Sam Biyela, Natal North Coast, South Africa.

Jack Evans, Soldotna, Alaska.

John Ferlatte, Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada.

Chris Khoury, Durban, South Africa.

Brian Wilson, Altadena Community Life Fellowship, California

Minneapolis and St. Paul churches to celebrate 40th anniversary

BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota—The Minneapolis and St. Paul area churches will celebrate their 40th anniversary Sept. 13. The worship service will be at the Hillcrest United Methodist Church in Bloomington. A catered meal and fellowship will follow. For more information please contact Pastor Charles Holladay at 1-952-873-2501 or send e-mail to him at charles.holladay@ wcg.org

Richmond, Virginia, church to mark 40th anniversary

RICHMOND, Virginia—The Richmond congregation will celebrate its 40th anniversary Nov. 22 at the Confederate Hills Recreation Center, 302 Lee Ave., Highland Springs, Virginia, a few miles east of Richmond.

Festivities will begin at 6 p.m. and will include fellowship, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, door prizes and dancing. A chaperoned children’s room with entertainment will be available.

Current and former members are invited to attend. If anyone has old photos of interest, they are encouraged to bring them or send them ahead so they can be displayed at the dance.

The cost is $15 for adults; $5 for children ages 5 to 12; and children younger than 5 are free. Make checks payable to LCAF-Richmond and send them and photos you want to share to Chip Brockmeier, 2307 Poates Dr., Richmond, Virginia, 23228.

For additional information send e-mail to Mr. Brockmeier at cg_brock@msn.com or call 1-804-261-7569; or contact Susie Knuth at pknuth@vagocathedral.org or call 1-804-746-4601.

Two more ECG congregations vote to join WCG

PASADENA—Lorenzo Arroyo, district superintendent, announced that two more Evangelical Church of God congregations voted to join the WCG. They are the ECG congregation in Rockville, Maryland, pastored by Israel Martinez; and the Good Shepherd Church of God in Cicero, Illinois, pastored by Harry Kall.

In April, seven California ECG congregations joined the WCG (May WN). The ECG congregations were formerly part of the Church of God (Seventh Day).

Mike Booze earns counseling degree

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana—Mike Booze, pastor of the Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana, churches, earned a degree in counseling from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, Jan. 27.

Mr. Booze counsels at the Samaritan Counseling Center in Shreveport. He is working toward licensure in Louisiana as a licensed professional counselor.

Grandville, Michigan, church celebrates 40th anniversary

GRANDVILLE, Michigan—New Life in Christ, the Grandville congregation, celebrated its 40th anniversary May 25. Events included a fellowship hour, worship service, a buffet dinner and then a Stroll Down Memory Lane—a celebration of 40 years through pictures and stories. All events took place at the Grandville church location.

Ross Jutsum of State of the Heart Ministries began the worship service with energetic, celebratory music. During the service, Pastor Sam Butler welcomed guests and recognized the Memorial Day holiday by offering a prayer for our country, remembering our great blessing of freedom. Those currently serving in the armed forces were recognized, and about 10 war veterans were honored with applause for their service.

Ted Johnston, Great Likes district superintendent, presented a sermon titled “Remember Your Journey” (see article page 11).

During the anniversary celebration, members told stories, and greetings were read from ministers who had previously served in the area. One was a greeting from the area’s first minister, Les McColm. Fifteen 1963 charter members of the Grand Rapids-Grandville area and their children were recognized. As well, three members who have attended for 40 years but began in other areas were recognized. Jessica Visser.

Morgan Tovey honored for service as elder

PORTLAND, Oregon—The Portland West congregation had a surprise celebration June 7 to honor Morgan Tovey for his 22 years of service as an elder in the Worldwide Church of God. Morgan was ordained June 7, 1981.

Morgan’s serving heart does not end with service in the church. He is involved in outreach to the community by serving monthly in a Loaves and Fishes program and provides a weekly Bible study for the residents in an elderly care home. La Fern Snyder.

Unidad, communidad in Glendora

GLENDORA, California—“Understanding can lead to love,” Arthur Villanova, an Ambassador graduate, told the Glendora congregation at its sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Day on May 3. “In the church, Acts 10:34-36 is still true—the same Lord is Lord of all, all nationalities.”

Mr. Villanova, a Mexican-American, was joined in his comments by David Lewis, a Jewish-American and an adjunct professor of history at Citrus College. “Mexico and the United States are linked like half-brothers and they have a lot to learn from each other,” Dr. Lewis told the audience. Dr. Lewis’ insights into Mexican culture were appreciated. “He could have gone on talking all day,” said Danielle Feith, who is English but married to an American. “It was so fascinating to see that all countries have so much to offer,” said member Jan Rushing.

The service concluded with a reference to the vision of Revelation 22:2, which says that in God’s eternal kingdom the leaves of the tree of life signify healing for all the nations. Afterward, a Mexican fiesta meal was organized by Theresa Mendoza and other Latino women. Neil Earle.

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