2005 South Dakota District Council

Transcription

1 Summer 2005 Volume South Dakota District Council Well, we said that no one else in the General Council could hold a District Council event at the Mount Rushmore National Monument but we could and so we did! And what an event! The Tuesday evening banquet of our 2005 District Council was truly an event to be remembered. The great marble hall at the foot of Mount Rushmore resonated with the acapella voices of the Light Spring Singers. Rev. Dan Betzer shared a message on the importance of missions that challenged everyone in attendance. At the close of the evening, an offering was received for Muslim Ministries that totaled over $55,000. What a memorable evening that was!! Rev. Jeff Anderson, our host pastor at Rapid City First Assembly, led us in worship at our opening service of our 2005 District Council. The sectional presbyters and executives led in prayer for the regions of South Dakota. Rev. Tim Harris shared a message from the Word that brought us around the communion table. The presence of the Lord was very evident and so refreshing. The entire District Council was marked with God s blessing; from the worship and prayer at our opening service, all the way through our business sessions and the closing ordination service. When the time came to close, I think many were feeling like it would be good just to camp there for awhile. We thank all of the delegates and ministers for their attendance. Thank you to all the churches that helped to send representation to our Council. It surely was a blessed time! Stephen Schaible District Events & News 2 Harness the Internet 3 Missions 3 Youth & Christian Ed 4 HonorBound 5 General Council 5 Women s Ministries 6 Light For The Lost 6 Senior Adults 7 Summer Camps 7 Quick Calendar 8 Summer 2005 Update

2 District Events & News Update Our mailing address is: PO Box Sioux Falls, SD Voice (605) Fax (605) EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Rev. Stephen R. Schaible Superintendent Rev. Ron Traub Assistant Superintendent Rev. Gary Wileman Secretary-Treasurer District PresbytERS Rev. Dan Kent Black Hills Section Rev. John Hostettler Central Section Rev. Kirk Strand South East Section Rev. Daniel Campbell East Central Section Rev. Cliff Sheldon North East Section Department Heads Rev. Ron Traub World & US Missions Rev. Mark Entzminger Youth and Christian Education Rev. Nels & Angie Easterby Senior Adult Ministries Rev. Jeff Mantz HonorBound Tim Cushman Light for the Lost Mike Glanzer Royal Rangers Dorthy Tufte Ludens Women s Ministries Unlimited Marvel Baker Missionettes The South Dakota Update is a quarterly publication of the South Dakota District Council of the Assemblies of God located at 4220 W. 38th St. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Christie Entzminger Editor update@sdag.org POSTMASTER Send address changes to: SD UPDATE PO Box Sioux Falls, SD Update Summer 2005

3 Harness the Internet Your Church Around the World Assemblies of God Financial Services Group has partnered with DREAM3 to provide A/G churches and districts with top quality, affordable web sites. These sites receive a custom design and can be updated by people in the church or have automatic content updated on a regular schedule. More and more people are searching for churches in areas where they live or travel by using the internet. If you re considering a web presence, be sure to investigate DREAM3 at Holy Land Trip Missions Ron and Margo Traub, Senior Pastors at Sioux Falls First Assembly of God, are taking their 5 th tour group to the Land of the Bible in January of You are invited to join them for the trip of a lifetime, a trip to walk where Jesus walked. This ten-day trip, which departs from Minneapolis, MN, includes a memorable communion service in Garden Tomb, a baptismal service in the River Jordan, a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, plus much more. Join the tour for $1999 per person. It s a trip you ll remember for years to come. If you would like to go or need more information, please contact Ron Traub at rtraub@aogsf.com; by phone (605) ; or by mail at First Assembly of God, 6300 W. 41 st Street, Sioux Falls, SD Ron Traub Tour Includes: Round Trip Air USA/Tel Aviv All transfers Accommodations in first class hotels Transportation by modern motorcoarch Baggage handling Breakfast & dinner daily English-speaking professional tour guide All applicable hotel taxes and service charges Airline departure taxes of $ Gratuities of $50.00 Summer 2005 Update

4 Youth & Christian Ed Linked Check online to see the status of our Speed the Light and Boys and Girls Missionary Crusade missions endeavor to reach $75k by the end of July. One church will send two people skydiving with superintendent Schaible. If $75k is reached, your YCE director will jump out of the plane too. Ashcroft Scholarship Recipients We would like to congratulate Kelli Frankenstein (Howard) and Samuel Raynor (Hecla), our 2005 J. Robert Ashcroft Scholarship recipients. These seniors will be receiving a $400 scholarship for an A/G college of their choice this coming fall. Kelli Frankenstein will be studying youth ministry at North Central University in Minneapolis. Samuel Raynor will be attending Trinity Bible College at Ellendale, ND and plans to study elemntary Send a Camp E-Card Do you want to send an invitation to camp to your friends? Maybe you re a parent who would like to tell a co-worker about a great opportunity for their child or teen. Or quite possibly, you re a grandparent or an empty-nester in the church and you d like to a child to let them know you re going to provide a scholarship for their camp tuition. Whatever your reason, our camp e-cards are just the ticket. Quick, easy, and best of all FREE! Head to and find the direct link to our very own South Dakota Summer Camp e-cards. Oh, and don t forget, you can send your camper an too. ituned Imagine the London Symphony coming out onto stage. As the audience awaits the beautiful sounds of a well-rehearsed and highly-accomplished orchestra, the conductor raises his hands high above his head and with a strong firm motion drops the first down beat of a concerto. All the musicians play each note perfectly. Keeping their eyes on their music, tapping their foot to the beat, so proud of all the hours they ve spent in rehearsal. But there s a problem. The audience is covering their ears, some are getting up and leaving, others resort to Neanderthal-like behavior and begin to throw items at the stage. How could this be? Such great talent getting a response like this? The problem wasn t the talent. Nor was it the musicianship, or the conductor. Additionally, it wasn t the music they were reading, all of this was fine. The only component missing is they never fully learned the value of tuning their instrument to a common pitch. Not too long ago, I visited with a teenager who wanted to participate in a worship team. As we began, I asked him if he tuned, he said, I don t need to tune. I just play what sounds good. Sometimes that happens in the church. We have great talent, resources, curriculum, and facilities. But we do our ministry in a vacuum, never tuning our passions, directions, and dreams with a common pitch. ituned isn t about teaching people different ministry skills that simply assist in performing isolated ministries more effectively. But rather, how each ministry can and should build up the entire body of believers. Update Summer 2005

5 HonorBound Become an HonorBound Champion HonorBound continues to grow and take on new challenges as we experienced God s presence at our March men s retreats this year. I was presented the Champion s sword in Huron by our guest speaker Chuck Brewster, former national HonorBound director. It was a humbling and challenging moment in my life as I realized the weight of responsibility that rests on the shoulders of every man of God to be the leader of his home and church, and a godly influence in his community. Refathering America is a huge task and we, the men of South Dakota, need to step up to the plate and become Kingdom warriors. We need to choose to be what God has called us to be through the Champions Network. The weak-willed need not apply. Those willing to work together to disciple other men, study, and live consistent lives, will qualify to receive their own sword as a Champion. Champions are those willing to be on the front line and serve Jesus Christ, their wives, children, pastor, church, and community. No man of God is left out, but the cost is what Jesus always said it was take up your cross and truly follow Him. Jeff Mantz District HonorBound Director Jeff Mantz Steve Gallagher Two Options to Enjoy the 2005 General Council Head to Denver Every two years A/G ministers from across the nation gather together for more than just business. With events such as the World Missions Rally, Celebration of Ethnicity, and Adult/Youth Rally, this council will highlight the unique diversity of our Fellowship and call us together to reaffirm our commitment to reach the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Each night some of the nations greatest pastors and preachers take the pulpit for one enormous worship service. This year the speakers include: Rev. Thomas E. Trask - General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God [August 2] Rev. John Lindell - Sr. Pastor of James River Assembly of God in Ozark, MO [August 3] Rev. Lazarus Chakwera - President of the Assemblies of God in Malawi [August 4] Rev. Dan Betzer - Sr. Pastor of First Assembly of God in Ft. Myers, FL [August 5 - AM] Rev. Bryan Jarrett - Sr. Pastor of First Assembly of God in Pine Bluff, AR [August 5] For more information on registration and lodging, contact your local church or log on to Head to the Recliner Plan Now For the 2006 HonorBound Retreat Steve Gallagher will be our speaker next year for the two men s retreats in March. The dates are March 3-4 (Huron), and March (Kamp Kinship). Set these dates aside in your calendar. Steve Gallagher, founder and president of Pure Life Ministries, has dedicated his life to helping men overcome sexual sin through holiness and a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ. In 1986, Steve and his wife Kathy started a small support group in the living room of their home. Appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, 48-Hours with Dan Rather, The 700 Club, Focus on the Family, and a host of other programs quickly brought national exposure to the ministry as a place men could turn to find God s answers to sexual addiction. Today, Christian men from all over the world come to the Pure Life Ministries Live-In Program: a 45-acre facility regarded as the premier residential program for Christian men seeking God s answers to sexual sin. Steve and Kathy make their home in Dry Ridge, KY. General Council By far, the best way to experience all of the great services in the 51 st General Council of the Assemblies of God is to take the entire family to Denver, Colorado! However, if you are unable to make the trip, rest assured families across the nation will be able to watch the General Council evening rallies from the comfort of their homes. All evening services in the Pepsi Center will be televised LIVE over the Inspiration Television networks. Visit to check availability in your area. See General Council activities for children and youth on page 6. Summer 2005 Update 5

6 Women s Ministries Unlimited= Fall Retreat We are looking forward to Fall Retreat on October 7-8, 2005, in Pierre. The next issue of Unlimited will contain all the details to make this weekend one to remember. I know you will enjoy our speaker, Arlene Allen, the National Director of Women s Ministries. Also, we have informative and exciting workshops planned: Moving in the Prophetic; Intercessory Prayer; Personal Worship; Successful Living; Quilting; Cooking; and Hospitality/Creative Decorating; being presented by many of our own women. Be sure to put October 7-8 on your calendar and plan to RSVP two weeks prior! The Lord has put together a great weekend and I know you will each enjoy it! I look forward to seeing all of you there. We will continue to support our 2005 project: Teen Challenge of the Dakotas. I want to encourage you each to continue in your faithfulness to give to this worthwhile and exciting project. Spring Luncheon & Special Thanks Spring Luncheon went well. We enjoyed the beautiful decorations, delicious food, and great fellowship. I was overjoyed to see all of you and get a chance to speak to many of you. A big thank you to Mary Anderson, Donna Hunt, the wonderful secretaries, and ladies of First Assembly of God in Rapid City! They worked hard in preparing for District Council and Spring Luncheon. Everything looked beautiful and welcoming. Thank you! Thank you to Keri Winter for the beautiful time of worship. Thanks, also, to the Sectional Representatives Carol Gossard (Black Hills), Judy Wileman (Northeast), Kathleen Harwell (East Central), and Juli Huber (Southeast); to Rachel Schaible (Advisor); Marilu Jameson (former Assistant Director); and Marge Wartenbee (Secretary/Treasurer). Many hands make light work, and each of these ladies put much time, effort, and prayer into making our luncheon a special event. Welcome Aboard Congratulations and welcome to Kathy Winter, our new Assistant District Director who was ratified at our spring luncheon. She comes to us from Lead where she is the WMU President. Kathy has many years experience in planning fun, exciting events for women, and comes highly recommended and commended. I look forward to working with Kathy in finding new ways to bless each of you the women of South Dakota! Dorthy Tufte Ludens District Director - SD Women s Ministries Unlimited Light For The Lost Steakwagon Tour The 2005 Light for the Lost Tour is right around the corner!! Last year s tour was a great success and we expect this year s to be better than ever. Our dates and locations are listed below. Mark your calendar, and make plans now to attend a banquet in your area. September Update Summer th - Pierre - AM - Rapid City, Bethel - PM 12th - Lead 13th - Spearfish 14th - Aberdeen 15th - Watertown 16th - Yankton 17th - Madison 18th - Brandon Valley - AM - Sioux Falls, Calvary PM

7 Senior Adults Come Alive in 2005 Our theme for this year is Come Alive in As we are writing this article spring is making an appearance in many visible ways. The birds are busily making their nests and preparing for a new family, annuals are poking their heads up out of the ground looking for sunshine. The old things of winter are passing away and are being replaced with new life. As the fall days turned to winter, many of those things were pruned, some severely, to produce the new life that will bear much fruit. We find in 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things become new. Oftentimes we too must be pruned in order to be fruitful. It is our hearts desire to see our senior population active in whatever capacity God has placed them. We are finalizing plans for Fall Retreat which will once again be held at Camp Judson, which is located near scenic Mt. Rushmore. The dates for retreat are September 7-9. Start planning now to be a part of this special time. Our retreat speakers will be our own South Dakotans Ron and LaVonne Masters! We are looking forward to a great time of fun, food, fellowship and a most importantly a spiritual renewing! Again, thank you for your prayers and support of this very vital ministry in our state. Nels & Angie Easterby District Directors Make Your Summer Memorable: Paul told us to make the most of every opportunity. [Eph. 5:16 NLT] That is wise council. Especially when it comes to summer camps. Summer Camps I know summer schedules get hectic for the entire family, not just the children and teens. The obvious is of course running the family taxi to baseball, baby sitting jobs, and activities with friends and church. No one can forget planning vacations, attending family reunions, and of course the useful summer jobs. Summer used to be about relaxing and now people breathe a sigh of relief when school starts again. Before the summer chaos begins, let me challenge you to not underestimate the value of Christian Camping. Sure, life has its own lessons; how to win/lose graciously, how to be a good employee, how to make choices, and how to live with the consequences of those choices. But summer camp is about a different kind of education. One that is better than the school of hard knocks. Summer camp has an eternal value. Children arrive filled with anger and bitterness, but leave with peace and forgiveness. Teenagers attend wondering if God really loves them, and they depart knowing God has a wonderful plan for their life. Sure it s going to take sacrifice to make summer camps a priority, but anything worth while is going to be an investment. If you haven t already Summer 2005 Update

8 Quick Calendar June: 2: Prayer Across America [Pierre] 4: Day Camp - [Kamp Kinship or Lakodia] 6-10: Kids Camp I [Ellendale] 13-17: Kids Camp II [Kamp Kinship] 19: Father s Day 20-24: Middle School Camp [Kamp Kinship] 27-Jul 1: High School Camp [Kamp Kinship] July: 11-22: AIM Trip [El Salvador] 16-21: Middle School Outreach [Oglala Re*Creation Center] August: 1-6: National Fine Arts Festival [Denver, CO] 1-7: National AIM Outreach [Denver, CO] 2-5: National Youth Convention [Denver, CO] 2-6: General Council of the Assemblies of God [Denver, CO] 19-21: Missionettes Campout & Celebration Service [Pierre] September: 9-10: ituned Conference [First A/G, Sioux Falls] 11-18: LFTL Steakwagon Tour [various churches] 16: Bible Quiz Registrations Due 16-18: Royal Rangers Pow Wow [Pierre] 21: See You At The Pole 23-24: Missionettes Sleepover [Local Churches] 25: National Sunday School Day 26-28: Minister & Spouse Retreat [Ramkota, Pierre] Update PO Box Sioux Falls, SD (605) voice (605) fax districtoffice@sdag.org Update Summer 2005