June 2015 MIDAMERICA DISTRICT Newsletter

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Hilda Wilkerson
5 years ago
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1 June 2015 MIDAMERICA DISTRICT Newsletter Doug Grogan District Superintendent Dear District Family, I have had the privilege of attending the C&MA General Council every year it has been held since 1976 except for one. I must say this year's Council was one of the best! God met me in the midst of our Alliance family in several special ways. I returned from Council with my heart particularly burdened in a couple of areas: church planting here, there and everywhere and for the Great Commission Fund which funds church planters around the world and helps with church planting at home. You should be aware that at our District Conference held on Friday morning at Council we voted to give one percent of our District budget to the National Office to assist with administration, thus freeing up more dollars to the Great Commission Fund that might be used toward worldwide church planting. President John Stumbo gave a very impassioned and courageous presentation concerning his vision of the Alliance being a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family that Loves well, Proclaims Jesus, Reaches out to the lost, and Launches new works. John shared this vision over two mornings, and with great conviction and passion presented the needs of the Great Commission Fund. This report can be viewed on the following link: (Where Are We? Where Are We Going?). He pointed out in the 1970 s over 30% of every dollar coming into Alliance churches went to Great Commission Fund ministries. A video clip from the early 90 s was shown when President Paul Bubna was elected. Again, with great passion Dr. Bubna explained that as a denomination we had dropped to the 11% level in giving to the Great Commission Fund. Dr. Bubna stated, When we, as a group of churches, fall below the 10% level in giving to the Great Commission Fund, it will be my sad responsibility to come to Council and recommend that we take the word missionary out of our name; that is, if we are no longer giving a tithe to the Great Commission Fund. When we combine all Alliance ministries today Great Commission Fund, CAMA, marketplace ministries, Envision, and partnerships, we are now at the 7.9% level. Family, I am stirred and convicted that we can do better than this, and many of you do. In fact, some of our churches are giving over 20% and 30% to the Great Commission Fund awesome! I am convinced the real answer to our funding problem is not a money issue, but a heart issue! As we fall on our knees before the Lord in prayer, praying for the lost, praying for the work and missionaries around the world, as we pray for one another and the works within our District, God will bring healing and our cup will be running over. You see the SECRET to our success locally and globally is JESUS! It is JESUS, and it always will be none other than JESUS. Thank you, family, for allowing me to share my heart. You are all awesome, and together in JESUS we can accomplish amazing stories of redemption through JESUS. JESUS ONLY!

Feel free to review the session videos, download or purchase available resources, and consider attending Alliance Council 2017 in Columbus, Ohio.

2 P A G E 2 General Council Recap Council 2015 in Long Beach was a truly inspiring time of worship, renewal, vision revival, and connection. Together, The Alliance family renewed its passionate commitment to love, proclaim, reach, and launch in a world desperate for hope. If you were unable to attend, don t feel left out! Feel free to review the session videos, download or purchase available resources, and consider attending Alliance Council 2017 in Columbus, Ohio. Jen Vogel, Orange City, IA was elected as the national director for Great Commission Women. Please pray for her and the national executive team as they prepare materials and projects to help Alliance women focus more fully on reaching the lost worldwide. Dave Bishop, Christ Community Church, Omaha, NE and Danny Garrido, The Crossing, Colorado Springs, CO were elected to serve on the C&MA Board of Directors. Jen Vogel Dave Bishop It is certainly a blessing to have three people from our district involved in key Alliance roles! Danny Garrido The 2015 MidAmerica District Conference was conducted at a breakfast meeting on May 29 during General Council. The amended budget for was approved. The budget previously ed to District workers was increased $7,850, one percent of the District's budget, to be forwarded to the National Office to assist with administrative costs that otherwise would be taken out of GCF funds. Conference also approved the recommendation that District churches participating in the C&MA's 403(b) retirement plan increase the employer match to 5% if an employee contributes 10%. The District Superintendent will be communicating this recommendation to pastors, governing board chairmen, and church treasurers.

J U N E 2 0 1 5 P A G E 3 District Family News Ray and Sandra Hoke Retirement Ray and Sandra Hoke have been in ministry for 48 years, with 27 of those years being with the C&MA.

At the end of June, the Hokes will retire and move to Deland, FL. The church is hosting a farewell on June 28th at which time Doug will present a retirement plaque.

3 J U N E P A G E 3 District Family News Ray and Sandra Hoke Retirement Ray and Sandra Hoke have been in ministry for 48 years, with 27 of those years being with the C&MA. Ray has served as pastor of Bethel Church, Boone, IA since 1990, and they have experienced many years of fruitful ministry. Ray has also faithfully served on LO&CC. At the end of June, the Hokes will retire and move to Deland, FL. The church is hosting a farewell on June 28th at which time Doug will present a retirement plaque. Thank you, Ray and Sandra, for your years of service. We pray your retirement years will be a blessing to you and your family. Josh Eggerson, pastor of Elevation Church, Omaha, NE, recently underwent extensive heart surgery. Please pray for his continued recovery and for his family. Praise God for His mercy and healing touch on Josh in surgery. Joe Julian has been called as the pastor of care and counseling at Citylight Midtown, Omaha, NE. Quinn McGarvey has been licensed as the assistant director of Global Friends, Omaha, NE. Coulter Page has been called as the senior pastor at Bethany Alliance Church, Charles City, IA. JD Senkbile has been called as pastor at Citylight Benson, Omaha, NE. JD and Tyler Zach will lead the church plant together. Cody Villarreal has been called as the worship pastor at New City Church, Bellevue, NE. Helen White has been licensed to ministry at Hamlet Union Church, Hamlet. NE. Jim Stern, pastor of Osage Alliance Church, Osage, IA, has been appointed to serve on LO&CC. Recently accredited for ministry: Brandon Glaza, Boone, IA; Todd Stevens, Boone, IA; and Caleb Schmucker, Lincoln, NE.

P A G E 4 Building Programs Harvest Alliance, Minden, IA, is working hard on their new facility.

(Sherwood is Harvest's mother church.) The church will be meeting at the Minden Legion Hall for June and July.

Cedar Point Church, Nashua, IA is well on the way with the remodeling of their building on main street.

The church applied for and received a grant for $8,400 that covered all of the cabinetry. Praise God for this provision!

4 P A G E 4 Building Programs Harvest Alliance, Minden, IA, is working hard on their new facility. Pastor Ray and Heidi Peters report a great turnout of workers came to paint on May 30, including members of Sherwood Community Church, Council Bluffs, IA. (Sherwood is Harvest's mother church.) The church will be meeting at the Minden Legion Hall for June and July. Pray that the finishing touches on the building go well so that Harvest can celebrate and worship God's faithfulness in the new building by the end of summer. Cedar Point Church, Nashua, IA is well on the way with the remodeling of their building on main street. Darin Cerwinske, pastor, reports that it is 75% complete and the church office is now at the new facility. The church applied for and received a grant for $8,400 that covered all of the cabinetry. Praise God for this provision! There is a wedding scheduled at the church on July 11 (Darin s brother) so the members are working really hard to have things all done by then. Citylight Midtown and Benson Citylight Midtown became a fully accredited C&MA church on May 20. This photo is the commissioning service held on Sunday, May 31, for their daughter church, Citylight Benson. The planting team is in place and over 150 people are joining this ministry to reach Benson with the Gospel. God is on the move! Praise His name!

Grandparents Danny and Connie Hodges, Clayhouse, Colorado Springs, are pretty excited about her arrival, too!

5 P A G E 5 Welcome Randall Baby Jon and Lacey Randall and big sister Evy welcomed Nyla Kristine to the family on May 7. Jon is the associate pastor of family ministry at River of Life Church, Grand Junction, CO. Grandparents Danny and Connie Hodges, Clayhouse, Colorado Springs, are pretty excited about her arrival, too! Upcoming Events District Retreat Aug Sept Oct 2-4 Resonate 2015, Colorado Springs, CO District Retreat - Vail, CO GCW/Alliance Women s Retreat, Kearney, NE Please reserve the dates of September 22-24, 2015 for the annual District Retreat to be held at the Vail Cascade Resort in Vail, Colorado. Dwight Smith will be joining us, continuing the discussion and challenge presented through the Renovation materials provided at the 2014 retreat. Registration information will be forthcoming in the next few weeks. Pastor s Retreat at Crown College Crown College invites C&MA pastors to a retreat on the campus July The retreat is a place where those involved in dealing with the pressures of pastoral leadership can spend time learning from and with each other, getting new ideas, relaxing, worshipping together, and being refreshed. The attached flyer gives retreat details.

Northeastern District Great Commission Women

December 2015 Northeastern District Great Commission Women In Memory... Reflecting often over the past month has brought my walk with my Savior even more compassionate and finding I have been spending