From the Desk of Bishop Vaughn Mathews

Transcription

1 From the Desk of Bishop Vaughn Mathews Wise Men Matthew 2: 1-2 As most of us prepare for the Christmas season we put up decorations that remind us of the meaning of Christmas. This year as Barb was decorating the tree and house, she put the Nativity scene up that I had as a boy. To the best of my remembrance, it has been up in my parents home and now ours since Every year I am still fascinated by each figures representation. But one thing that always stands out is the Wise Men. We know that they probably didn t arrive until Jesus was a toddler. But it still fascinates me that they traveled over 1,000 miles from Iraq to follow a star, they were not even Jewish. They came with three very significant gifts: Gold, for a King; Frankincense, for a God (used in temple worship); Myrrh, used for anointing a body at burial. All of these gifts symbolized the life and death of Jesus. I read that there were actually FOUR gifts to be presented, but it was fruitcake so that wise man was not allowed to come Did these men understand what they saw and the gifts they brought? Probably not, but they did it as an act of WORSHIP! During the Christmas season we can look back and see what the whole story represented. As I have heard people say, I wish I could have been there, we have a better picture of what took place. In the church world we hear much about worship, whether it be music, style, etc. The advantage the wise men had was there was no preconceived way to worship. They brought their best and laid it at Jesus feet. I believe this should be our attitude at Christmas, and throughout the year! Merry Christmas from our home to yours, Vaughn & Barbara Mathews

2 AROUND THE PNW... Fall/Winter 2016 Sunriver Oregon Senior Adult Retreat Speaker Charles Querry Capital CityChurch of God Salem, Oregon Minister s Meeting 2016 Leavenworth Washington

3 Church News... God First Christian Ministries Seattle Washington On November 20, 2016, Bishop Mathews had the honor of welcoming the God First Church, in Seattle Washington, into the Church of God family. Great things are ahead! Pastor Ivory & Brenetta Harris Welcome to the Family!

4 Church News... New Pastors Pastor Shane & Terri Pooler Highway Tabernacle Kennewick Washington July 2016 Pastor Billy & Gayle Meacham Harvest Center Anacortes Washington September 2016 Pastor Marcus & Kaysandra Irving Albina Christian Life Center Portland Oregon August 2016 Pastor Nick & Michelle Hines Family Life Medford Oregon October 2016 Pastor Kip & Cheryl Mitchell New Life Celebration Emmett Idaho September 2016 Pastor Richard & Patty Gilbert South Union Church of God Olympia Washington October 2016 Pastor Ronnie & Michelle Parker Word of Life Renton Washington September 2016 Pastor Joe Clower Wallace Church of God Wallace Idaho December 2016

5 Gone on to Glory Donald Gerken Everett Washington 3 / 6 / /31 / 2016 HW Randleas Aberdeen Washington 4 / 7 / / 23 / 2016 Anthony Marshall Springfield Oregon 12 / 24 / / 2 / 2016 Willie Vaughn Seattle Washington 2 / 24 / / 10 / 2016 Carmen Woods Pasco Washington 12 / 29 / / 15 / 2016

6 Credentialing in the PNW New Ministers...Welcome! Nicholas Hines, Medford Oregon Rosilind Jukic, Hermiston Oregon Dustin Pooler, Kennewick, Washington Advanced Ministers...Congratulations! Dwayne Cothron, Ordained Minister Ryan Dawson, Ordained Minister Dan Fountain, Ordained Minister Billy Meacham, Ordained Minister Randy Scroggins, Ordained Minister Nathanael Sawin, Ordained Minister Michael McGill, Ordained Bishop Important Dates: December 1, 2016 April 22, 2017 May 31, 2017 June 1, 2017 October 7, 2017 Spring Testing Application Deadline Spring Testing Day, Yakima WA CAMS/MIP Application Deadline Fall Testing Application Deadline Fall Testing Day, Yakima WA

7 Save these Dates! March March April April June June June August Southern Oregon Campmeeting, New Beginnings Roseburg OR Men s Conference, Camp MaGruder, Rockaway Beach Oregon Teen Talent, Christian Life Center, Yakima Washington Women s Conference, Monarch Hotel, Clackamas Oregon Summer Conference, New Life Fellowship, Longview WA Kids Camp, Camp Mayfield, Mossyrock Washington Teen Camp, Camp Mayfield, Mossyrock Washington Girl s Conference, Christian Life Center Yakima Washington

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9 June 2016 $26, Family Life Center, David White Auburn, WA September 2016 $8, Family Life, Bob Scroggins Medford, OR October 2016 $21, Healing Waters Bible Church, Blake Tebeck Portland, OR $8, Family Life, Bob Scroggins Medford, OR

10 June 2016 Pathway, Rick Payton, Centralia WA.2 New Life Fellowship, Tony Ward, Longview WA.1 Family Life Center, Gary Robertson, North Bend OR.1 July 2016 Pathway, Rick Payton, Centralia WA.2 August 2016 Pathway, Rick Payton, Centralia WA.2 Capital City, Tim Richards, Salem OR.2 September 2016 Wallace Church of God, Homer Mills, Wallace ID.5 Pathway, Rick Payton, Centralia WA.2 October 2016 Family Life, Bob Scroggins, Medford OR.6 Roseburg Church of God, Doyle Pooler, Roseburg OR.5 Harvest Christian Center, Mark Woody, Sweet Home OR 4