LAWTON,
Oklahoma--Pastor Doug Johannsen of the Lawton and Ada, Oklahoma, churches, was elected
secretary of the Lawton and Ft. Sill Clergy Association Jan. 21.
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines - "One of our cell groups seems to be exploding again," reported pastor Johnny Logrono.
"Six of our members started it a few months ago," Mr. Logrono said. "At present more than 30 new people are attending the cell meetings--mostly young adults and teenagers. A few of them have started attending church on Saturdays."
Sunday, Jan. 10, 15 youths came and played table tennis and basket- ball at the church. They also come to practice singing praise songs on Tuesday evenings. They live nearby and walk to the church.
Mr. Logrono said that "though they are just starting out and some are just interested in the games and fellowship, it is encouraging to see them come. And, I'm not even involved. It's a ministry of our members.
LAWTON,
Oklahoma--Pastor Doug Johannsen of the Lawton and Ada, Oklahoma, churches, was elected
secretary of the Lawton and Ft. Sill Clergy Association Jan. 21.
The association has more than 30 members, half of whom are Army chaplains from Fort Sill.
"I have been a member of this group for nearly three years and have found them to be wholehearted, committed servants of Jesus Christ," Mr. Johannsen said.
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas--Grace Fellowship, a WCG congregation in Fayetteville, had its first baptism Jan. 17 since its beginning in Sep- tember.
Amber Snyder was baptized after services. Dimmed lights and lit candles added to the atmosphere. Lanny Wait and Dale Bare officiated.
The whole congregation joined in for the laying on of hands and prayer. Carrie Bare, Amber's grandmother, asked the blessing. Dale Bare.
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina--The Fayetteville youth group is sponsoring its third annual Discovery Weekend, April 16 to 18, at the FFA Conference Center in White Lake, North Carolina.
This event was designed by Fayetteville youths to help other young people discover their personal Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jeb Egbert, director of the Summer Educational Program, and his wife, Barb, assistant director, will be hosts for the weekend.
The cost is $35 per person. For more information about the event, call Warren McKoy, youth minister, at 1-919-776-2731 or send e-mail to realmckoys@alltel.net Greg Williams.
PASADENA--Alyssa
Akers of the BOLD (Being Our Lord's Disciples) congregation in Pasadena took first place
in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest sponsored by the Martin Luther King
Coalition.
Alyssa's essay, "What I Am Doing to Make Dr. King's Dream a Reality," was chosen best in the high school division out of 1,200 entries.
She read her essay at the King Day celebration, Jan. 18, at the Jackie Robinson Center in Pasadena and received a cash award, trophy and certificates from the state senate and assembly.
Alyssa is a junior at John Marshall High School and plans to attend Azusa Pacific University.
AUSTIN, Texas--Pastor Frank Parsons and his wife, Jane, were invited to the inaugural prayer breakfast for Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Lt. Gov. Rick Perry Jan. 19.
"Most of the new state officials were there, and it was interesting to hear both of the top officials speak so positively about the need for hav- ing a relationship with God," Mr. Parsons said.
"Gov. Bush said he knows one cannot truly govern unless God is a part of his life."
Mr. Parsons added: "It was en- couraging to see so many of the state officials beginning the inau- gural day in prayer and listening intently to a message about the importance of having a relationship with God in their lives."
James Robison, television evan- gelist and head of Life Outreach International, was the featured speaker.
Afterward, Mr. and Mrs. Parsons spoke with Mr. Robison and his wife, Betty.
"When I mentioned being a Worldwide Church of God minister and how we had seen Mr. Tkach on his program, he told us how thankful he was to see the transformation that is taking place in the church," Mr. Parsons said.
Mr. and Mrs. Parsons serve the San Antonio, Uvalde, Victoria, Kerrville and Corpus Christi, Texas, churches.
Lisa Huber, accounting and budget manager for the church, passed
the certified public accountant examination Nov. 4 and 5, on her first attempt.
The 15-hour exam includes topics such as financial accounting and reporting, federal income taxation, not-for-profit accounting, auditing, business law and professional ethics.
The exam is offered twice a year in all 50 states. It is taken by an average of 65,000 candidates each time. However less than 10 percent of candidates pass all four parts in one sitting.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana--A Summer Educational Program (SEP) Christian Youth Rally took place Dec. 11 to 13 at Fontainebleu State Park near Baton Rouge.
Jeb Egbert, SEP director, and his wife, Barb, assistant director, conducted the rally for 75 teens from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Anthony Rice, pastor of the Baton Rouge church, worked with a team of adults to sponsor the event.
The rally began Friday evening with a praise service conducted by Ross Jutsum, president of State of the Heart Ministry.
After games, Dr. Egbert closed the evening with an address on The Saddest Sound. He showed video clips of several movies that showed someone crying out for help, and no one responding.
"This never need be the case with you," Dr. Egbert said. "When you need help, God is always there."
Saturday began with a praise and worship service featuring Nuclear Family (the Egbert family), after which the teens broke into groups for team-building exercises and discussions on Christian-living topics.
Later, Dr. Egbert gave a message in which he described a man who was willing to give his life for someone he did not know. He drew the analogy of how Jesus did the same thing that we may be saved. He asked those assembled what the appropriate response to salvation might be.
Claire McDaniel read a story titled Clean Blood that illustrated the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Prettina Reaves, Trey Joubert, Travis Washington and Bethany Winfield performed a skit called Wholly Moses, which pointed out the need to have faith in God.
Bertilda Duhon and Jennifer Moore performed vocal solos.
A formal banquet and dance capped off Saturday evening. The rally concluded Sunday with praise and worship, putt-putt golf and laser tag. Joy Cryer.
BROOKLYN, New York--The Brooklyn congregation is sponsoring a Cruise to Nowhere, July 23 to 25.
This cruise will be on board the luxury liner Seabreeze. For more information contact Clover Webb at 1-718-499-4684 or John and Deborah Brown at 1-718-230-0535. Steve Botha.
QUEENS, New York--Sunday, Dec. 20, a dozen Queens members gathered for an evening of Christ- mas caroling.
They met at church, warmed up with hot chocolate and then prayed that God would go before them. The goal was to celebrate the birth of Jesus through song and invite those who live in the neighborhood to a Christmas Eve service led by pastor Craig Bacheller.
For each song, members placed a flyer for the Christmas service in mailboxes, rang doorbells and began caroling. Many people came out to greet the members and expressed their gratitude in many ways.
Some asked where they were from, which gave them an opportunity to invite them to the Christmas Eve service.
More importantly the neighborhood now knows who and where the church is, which opens doors for further evangelizing.
"That cold night many of our neighbors' hearts were warmed, as were ours, while we caroled about the magnificent gift of God, Jesus Christ," said member Jeff Kolsch.
BOCA RATON, Florida--The Boca Raton congregation sponsored a Christian family winter retreat with a theme, New Beginnings in Christ, Jan. 1 to 3.
The retreat took place at a youth camp at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park on Fort Lauderdale beach.
The opening session Friday night was a praise and worship service titled Praising God in the New Year. Charles Nickert of Boca Raton led a variety of songs mixed with testimonials, group prayer and inspirational reading.
Saturday began with a teen Bible study and youth activities. Worship services followed with split sermons by pastor Larry Hinkle of Boca Raton and visiting pastor Steve Brown of Lakeland, Florida. Praise and worship was provided by the Miami North Praise Band and Singers.
After services, Christian family seminars were conducted. Mike Massengill, Boca Raton youth pastor, conducted a True Love Waits seminar for teens. Charles Fleming, Caribbean regional director, conducted a seminar on Christian commitment for the adults.
A cookout and family talent showcase took place Saturday evening. The event drew to a close Sunday morning with a pancake prayer breakfast. Charles Nickert.
If you ordered but have not received tapes from the 1998 Feast of Tabernacles in Hot Springs, Arkansas, please call Leroy Smith at 1-501-888-5368.
PASADENA--After two seasons together, the WCG Tru-Blu men's softball team won the fall Pasadena city championship.
The city awarded the team a plaque and victory T-shirts, and the team celebrated with a season-end pizza party.
Coach Bernell Michel commented on how the players' responsiveness to each other led them to produce their first-place position this season. "We plan to do it again," said coach Michel.
The roster included Randal Dick, Pat Farley, Glenn Ford, Ed Graham, Brad McDowell, Curtis
May, Bernell Michel, Eric Nelson, Brad Reed, Joseph Tkach, Dave Turgeon, Gary Walter and
Mike Walter.
PASADENA--A dinner dance, outing, seminar and other activities for singles and married couples will take place in Pasadena April 3 to 5.
The cost is $35 per person. If you would like to participate please respond soon to Durell and Verna Brown, 12801 Rosecrans Ave., Apt. 375, Norwalk, California, 90650.
Area residents can send personal checks, but it is requested that those outside the area send Post Office or Travelers Express money orders.
A detailed schedule of events will be sent with your response.
Hotel accommodations are available at the Pasadena Hilton (1-626-577-1000) for $116 for one person and $15 for each additional person, four to a room.
Rooms at the Holiday Inn (1-626-449-4000) are $99 for a single room and $12 to $15 for each additional person.
DOUGLASVILLE, Georgia--The Time of Refreshing women's conference scheduled for March (December WN) has been postponed because of the unexpected cancellation of the meeting room where the conference was to take place.
The conference will be rescheduled, possibly in June or August. Details will be announced when they are available. Don Madlena.
RACIAL RECONCILIATION OFFICE OPENS IN PASADENA--Curtis May and his wife,
Jannice (left), open the racial reconciliation office in Pasadena Feb. 20. //Ann M. Van
Dyke (center), assistant to the director of Education and Community Services in the
Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, spoke at worship services that morning along with
Tom Pickett (pictured with his wife, Adrienne), pastor of the Harrisburg and Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, churches. [Photo by Ron Grove]
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1999