The Global Advocate - March/April 2024

The

Region by Region:

Allegheny Region

Rethinking

God's

Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3b).

THE GLOBAL ADVOCATE (ISSN 0009-630X) is published bi-monthly by the Churches of God, General Conference.

Vol. 189, No. 2

Established June 5, 1835 as THE GOSPEL PUBLISHER, re-established on May 1, 1846 as THE CHURCH ADVOCATE, and re-established on October 1, 2019 as THE GLOBAL ADVOCATE.

Rachel Foreman, Managing Editor

The Global Advocate, official publication of the Churches of God, General Conference, exists to encourage members of the CGGC to maximize their collective potential for Kingdom impact.

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© 2024, Churches of God, General Conference

Allegheny: a Glorious Unity

by Jacob Clagg Director of

On more than one occasion, Churches of God, General Conference (CGGC) historian C. H. Forney comments on the unique but beautiful sense of unity of the Allegheny Region. In his history of the CGGC, History of the Churches of God in the United States of North America, Forney says in no uncertain terms that the Allegheny Region “was characterized with ‘more love, harmony, and general union of sentiment than ever before.’”1

On the cover: At the Allegheny Regionional Conference Junior High Artic Blast Retreat held recently at Camp Sonrise Mountain.

1 Charles H. Forney, History of the Churches of God in the United States of North America, (Harrisburg, PA: Publishing House of the Churches of God, 1914) 415.

C. H. Forney

F. O. Eakin

Communications

The Allegheny Region of the Churches of God, General Conference (CGGC) encompasses two historic territories of the CGGC, namely, the West Pennsylvania Conference and the West Virginia Conference. It is therefore, unquestionably, one of the oldest regions in the denomination, having come into existence even before the General Eldership did. The first eldership of the CGGC was founded in 1830 in east Pennsylvania territory, and by 1844 the Western Pennsylvania eldership was established. It was the next year, 1845, that ministers of East Penn, West Penn, and Ohio met to form the first General Eldership.

Of course, it wasn’t a perfectly contiguous movement westward that established the West Penn Eldership. Instead, traveling preachers had moved well past West Penn territory and into Ohio, establishing the Ohio Eldership in 1836. It was only later that CGGC preachers looked back east and began holding camp meetings in West Penn in 1839, according to church historian Richard Kern.2 These camp meetings were an apparent success, and Ohio preachers reported “’real conversions’ at genuine ‘Holy Ghost’ meetings,” and likewise, baptisms were common as well.3

The character of the West Penn Eldership is given unique attention by Forney. His history of the first 100 years of the CGGC has a definitive structure. At nearly 1000 pages, most of the book focuses on linear summaries of eldership meetings and the outcomes of board votes. Forney rarely quotes from anyone or anything extensively, and even more rarely quotes poetry. But in speaking about the West Pennsylvania and West Virginia Elderships, Forney’s poetic side comes to the fore.

Forney begins the section about the West Virginia Eldership with a quote from John Milton that speaks to the beauty and orderliness of the West Penn Eldership. In 1882, the West Penn Eldership made the decision that part of her body ought to be severed and turned into a new Eldership, and the “resolutions were adopted by a rising vote,” Forney claims. There was only a sense of brotherhood. It is “order,” which Milton says is “a glorious law,” and which Forney claims “Never characterized any Eldership more perennially than it did the West Pennsylvania Eldership.”4

As Forney tells it, and the eldership meetings notes record it, the West Penn Eldership continued to do ministry and even grew for the next 40 years, whereupon the eldership decided it’s lines of communication were getting too long. In our issue on the Western Region, we discussed the matter of geography, and how pivotal a role space played and continues to play in the organization of our denomination. By the 1880’s, it was clear to pastors of the West Penn Eldership that churches in West Virginia, who were ostensibly part of West Penn, were too distant to make annual meetings effective. New pastors were less and less likely to make the journey given that they had no prior connection to West Penn. And so, in 1882 the West Virgina Eldership (North) was formed and in part lead by minsters from West Penn, solidifying their relationship.

The story of the West Virginia Eldership is more tumultuous and the problems therein sound thoroughly modern even 100 years removed. Ministers and Elders of West Virginia continually lamented that so many effective and quality pastors would come into the Eldership only to leave for another field after a year or so. In the early 1900’s, the Pacific Northwest was a particularly appealing place because of climate and the ripeness of the field. The denomination had very little established at that time in what is now Washington, Oregon, and northern California, and that apparently made for an adventure too tempting for many pastors. So, while the West Virginia Eldership continued to grow, and even helped to establish another new eldership in the West Virginia Eldership (South), growth was difficult. West Virginia Eldership (South) began unofficially in

2 Richard Kern, A History of the Ohio Conference (Nappanee, IN: Evangel Press, 1986) 7.

3 Kern, 7.

4 Forney, History of the Churches of God in the United States of North America, 705.

1894 as they were not yet chartered until the following full General Eldership meeting in 1896, although work was being done in this part of West Virginia as early as 1885. The formation of this eldership was a long time coming and was accepted into the “union of Elderships”5 as Forney calls it, with much enthusiasm.

Despite the overarching sense of unity in the Allegheny Region, contention and division were not foreign in the Churches of God in the early 1900’s. In Reveries of Past Days, an unpublished personal account by F.O. Eakin (1880-1981), Eakin says that he “entered the West Penna. Eldership during a period of internal strife, both in the Eldership and the Churches of God.”6 It was the second such strife that resulted in a couple of churches, namely Butler and Barkeyville, and some dear pastors leaving the denomination. The first strife before this resulted in the Anderson separation. All of this was over the theological concept of “Second Work Sanctification.” As F.O. Eakin tells it, the discourse over this particular doctrine looked more like discord and was uniquely divisive in the CGGC. Other denominations had small flare ups of contention, but it subsided quickly. Not so for the Churches of God. That is, until Rev. Charles Manchester, then President of Findlay College from 1896-1904, managed to restore unity. Heated debate was happening on the floor of the General Eldership when Dr. Manchester “assured the group there was no imminent danger from dissension if everyone would just leave the Lord work out all differences in His own way.” F.O. Eakin quotes Dr. Manchester as having said that, “It was persecution that made radicals, and if they let those who differ with them alone, they would not become radicals, or do any harm.”7 As far as Eakin was concerned, this marked the end of disunity over the subject.

By the year 2,000, Forney’s now century old comments of unity between West Penn and West Virgina were still realized even during the process of regionalization. Correspondence between the CGGC and the pastors of the regions is remarkably light. The CGGC Archives contain a number of letters and emails that speak to the general feeling of unease about regionalization that many elderships felt. The consolidation was often seen to be an attempt to limit the autonomy of elderships. Yet, West Penn and West Virginia Eldership (by this time “conferences”) were largely in agreement about unification. That doesn’t mean that everything went smoothly though. Initial plans for regionalization imagined the Allegheny region consisting not merely of West Penn and West Virgina, but also of churches from Central PA, who had been part of the East Penn Conference, some for over 100 years. Despite numerous communications and attempts, Central PA churches wanted to remain part of East Penn Conference in what would eventually become the Eastern Regional Conference. What had initially been planned as an evenly divided Pennsylvania with ERC in the East, and Allegheny in the West, instead became what it is today, with a narrower Allegheny in West Penn.

The overarching story of the Allegheny Region is one of remarkable unity over more than 150 years of local and national challenges, changing times, church divisions, and faithful service to God and His Kingdom. In reading about the history of those who labored in fields distant by time or geography, we come to a greater respect for their sacrifices, and a greater appreciation of our present circumstances, in which we might see ourselves as benefactors of their legacy, we who are now tasked with carrying on their great work; bringing unity and Christ to our neighbors.

5 Forney, 739.

6 F. O. Eakin, Reveries of Past Days, (1971) 3. 7 Eakin, 5.

F. O. Eakin

IMcMechen Breaks Ground

by Jacob Clagg with Pastor Mitch Johnston

n early July of 2023 we published a blog about the First Church of God in McMechen, who lost their building to a fire in 2017. The blog traced the history of the fire and the path toward restoration that McMechen has walked these last six years. Since the blog was published, the story has continued to change and McMechen moves ever closer to reopening their new church building. In light of that, we’ve updated that blog by reaching back out to Pastor Mitch Johnston for additional reflection of the church's past. As a reminder, we publish our eNews Blog every Friday, and if you’re not subscribed by email already, go to www.CGGC.org to subscribe and get updated on all our latest news and stories.

Original eNews blog following with updates after.

In the early morning hours of June 3, 2017, The First Church of God at 1003 Logan Street, McMechen, West Virginia caught fire, and despite the best-efforts of firefighters and first responders, the damage was almost total. All that remained were two small windows from the basement. A church that had stood in the center of the town since 1907 (110 years), was gone.

Six years later, Pastor Mitch Johnston reflects on that time:

“People were just devastated. We spent, you know, probably weeks going through the rubble. Are there things we can save? We were able to save a couple windows, most blew out from being burned. Firemen blew water through them… All the history, all the old bulletins, newsletters, contacts, all of the photo albums that have been put together, all of that was lost.”

Despite that devastation, the trials of McMechen didn’t end with the fire. The church was able to secure a space for worship at an elementary school soon after. About two months later, a flood swept through McMechen, and the church lost access to that space too. Not only that, but a number of the families were affected by the flood. While the church was in crisis, the families of the church also needed crisis relief themselves. Thankfully, a local Methodist church was willing to share space with the refugee congregation, for which Pastor Mitch expressed his gratitude.

But then a third disaster struck in September when Pastor Mitch suffered a stroke that would leave him unable to step into the pulpit for months. “It was almost the next summer by the time I got back into the pulpit,” Pastor Mitch recounted.

In the meantime, the elders of the church stepped up to preach and fill in on Sundays for about seven months. And all the while, the church didn’t stop doing their typical outreach programs. They even passed out food from the corner where the church had been on Logan Street. The response from the community was incredulity.

“Your church is gone but you’re still here?!” A community member asked.

We often say that the church isn’t the building, the people are. But rarely are we put in a situation that makes the distinction a lived experience. It’s this distinction that helped McMechen First Church of God carry out their mission through all of the trauma. “I’ve been trying to be the cheerleader of the church,” Pastor Mitch said. “We're still a church. We lost our building, but our church and our people are still here.”

Part of cheerleading is recognizing both the church's success, and where it still needs help. Over the last six years, there has been a lot of grief in the church. The attachments to the past, to the church's history, and to the physicality of a shared communal space, all of that has left the congregation feeling anxious and worried. “There are so many layers [to grief]. There’s the spiritual aspect, losing our church home, losing our own homes. Almost losing our pastor…” Pastor Mitch said. Because of this, the congregation has been intentionally focusing on dealing with and moving through their grief. They’ve purchased hundreds of books for the church to help process their spiritual and mental health as they move towards wholeness again, and Pastor Mitch has been sensitive to all of this.

As of March, this year, McMechen Church finally broke ground on their new building, and every day they get closer to reestablishing their church home. It won’t be like the old building. It probably won’t

have large windows with stained glass, and it won’t have that commanding presence of a multi-story steeple that literally towers over the community. But that’s okay, because it’s not the building that the church is fixated on. It’s Christ.

“We are seeing a lot of hope, energy, and positive attitudes. People loosening up some finances. We’ve seen encouragement. People are anticipating, especially people in McMechen, that some of them can get back to walking to church. They've missed that for six years,” Pastor Mitch said. “The church was the center of town, and the anticipation is that we’ll be back in the center before too long.”

An Update from Pastor Mitch, January 2024:

“We had the 2nd phase in July through October of the [building’s] shell (walls, trusses, roof and siding. During this phase, the walls were built at Weaver Barn in Sugar Creek, OH and people would stop and just say, 'Wow!' on how quick the shell went up. The steeple was placed on the building January 3rd at 11 a.m.  Everyone in town has told me, 'It now looks like a church.’

“The Martin and Sperling family donated the finances for the steeple. When Sandy Sperling told her mom Virginia Martin that the family donated the steeple in her honor, she responded that 'it is God’s honor.' The Brautigan Family donated a large window for the kitchen to balance out the north end of the building. It is truly a family of God effort.

“It just continues to be a step forward all the time to rebuilding on the corner of 10th and Logan. But we continue to reach new people in worship, reaching out to new groups and with new ideas. We started a dinner church once a month with new faces and old friends coming and joining us. We have improved our website and technology capabilities over the past year. Our folks are learning new skills and stretching our faith about the future for the church.”

Rethinking Sunday Part 1: Drive-In Worship

by Pastor Dennis Arndt

During the pandemic the Lillyville Church decided to suspend worship in the building, and we were praying for ways to keep the congregation together as well as reach new people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We were led to several pastors who were utilizing drive-in worship. One pastor wrote that he had been doing drive-in worship for twenty years and would never cease offering it because there are always persons in your congregation and community that cannot attend worship in a building because of physical, medical, and emotional limitations. We also were given by God the perfect parking lot and building location for drive-in worship. The main entrance to the sanctuary is raised about four feet above the main parking lot, plus it is protected by two sidewalls and a roof. It is important for the preacher to be outside with the drive-in congregation. The physical presence of the preacher communicates love, unity, partnership and fellowship. Preachers and congregation have the joy of witnessing God’s control of the weather so that the worship service can take place. Job 28:25-26 says, “God controls the portion of rain, the power of the wind and the path of the lightning.” We purchased a portable sound system for $1,000.00 and a radio transmitter for $200.00 that transmits to each car. We began drive-in worship services in March of 2020 and have continued every Sunday except when we combine all our services for special occasions.

After the pandemic, many wanted the drive-in worship to continue so we added it to our morning worship schedule: 8:30 am inside, 9:30 am drive-in, and 10:30 am inside. Before the service every car is greeted and presented a worship folder. The drivein service includes the following: welcome and announcements, singing hymns with Alan Jackson or George Strait, prayer, Scripture, and preaching. The service runs about 40 minutes. Once a month we celebrate the Lord’s Supper using the self-contained communion cups. One of the leaders of the church assists me each Sunday by having prayer and reading Scripture. After the service each car is again greeted by three or four members of the congregation as they leave. A fish net is used to collect financial gifts and prayer requests. Children’s activity paper and treats are provided for children. We also have a treat for four-footed worshippers which includes dogs and cats.

God has used the drive-in worship service to reach many new people in our community. Two men who have not worshiped since they were children have not missed a drive-in service since we began. Many new persons begin at drive-in worship but eventually come inside. Parents

with young children appreciate the service because children seem to be more content in their car seats or asleep, allowing parents to enjoy the service without being constantly interrupted. We still average 15 to 20 cars or trucks each Sunday. During the pandemic we decided to offer a drive-in Christmas Eve service with fireworks to celebrate Jesus’s birth.This has grown into a wonderful community outreach. This year we had 55 cars and trucks totaling around 200 people gathered to celebrate Jesus’s birth and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. I would encourage you to consider establishing a drive-in worship service as a way to serve those who may have difficulty accessing your building as well as reaching new people for Christ in your community.

Pastor Dennis Arndt

Rethinking Sunday Part 2: Saturday Innovation

by Jacob Clagg and Pastor Ben Tobias

Indian Head Church of God in Indian Head PA has been faithfully leading a 7 P.M. Saturday service for the last 20 years. The service was created as a way to reach people who, for numerous reasons, just couldn’t make it to a Sunday service, but the pastors at Indian Head realized that the different service time has also created an opportunity to innovate and experiment with this service too. We asked Associate Pastor Ben Tobias about the service, since he was there from the start, and has recently come back to serve Indian Head once again.

How did the Saturday service come about?

I don’t remember the year exactly. It would have been either 2004 or 2005. I came here [to Indian Head Church of God] between 2001 and was here until 2006. It would have been about 2004 that Dennis had the vision to establish a Saturday evening service as an alternative for those who couldn’t be here on Sunday morning.

We had a number of people working at the local Seven Springs Ski Resort. During ski season, people are going to show up in the morning to go skiing, so employees were unable to attend on Sunday morning. Pretty much every morning but especially on weekends. We realized that if we provided another service at another time, they could do it.

Dennis’s idea was that it would be a fairly non-traditional service. It would be the same sermon as Sunday, but primarily contemporary instead of the traditional service on Sunday morning. He asked me to help with guitar. We had video worship that we could project and, at that time there weren’t a lot of churches doing that. It was a cutting-edge thing. We had to mount the screen on the wall and get a projector.

The elders and the church leadership were behind it. I don’t recall any tension or conflict about it at all. So, I don’t think the attendance was ever more than 30 people on a regular basis, but we did see a number of people who started coming that had never come at all. It definitely added to the congregation. It wasn’t explosive but it was there.

What was the impetus for the more contemporary service?

The informality gives people a chance to not feel like they have to dress up. Pastor Dennis, back in the day, wanted to break away from more formal clothing and the Saturday service gave us a way to do that. Twenty years later, we continue to have a different feel, in part because Pastors Doug Nolt and Ed Mikkelsen have helped to carry that on. The vision continues to be to provide an alternative time slot for people who can’t come on Sunday, and a more relaxed service.

Are there other ways Indian Head would like to innovate?

The Saturday service also has more discussion time and a more interactive sermon delivery. The fact that we often come down from the pulpit and speak from the main floor really changes the vibe. We’d like to innovate by adding more elements such as the discussion format, and maybe more extended prayer time. We have the ability to do that in the Saturday service.

Pastor Ben Tobias

God's Man in the Pentagon

with Chaplain Stephen Show

Chaplain Stephen Show retired in 2015 after a distinguished career in the United States military. Chaplain Show has served in the Air Force and Air National Guard from 1976-1981, then became an Army Chaplain Reservist from 1986-2015, spending the last 9 years on active duty in the Pentagon. Ultimately, Chaplain Show ended his military career as a full Colonel in the United States Army. But for 25 of those years, Chaplain Show was also a pastor in Churches of God churches, like Kingwood and Lillyville in the Allegheny Region. We wanted to continue our discussion from our last issue about the impact that chaplains are having in our denomination, so we asked Chaplain and Pastor Stephen Show to tell us his story, and what it means to serve God and country.

Can you give us a brief overview of your chaplaincy ministry?

I was commissioned on 31 January 1986; I was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve. I was serving the Kingwood

Global Advocate Prayer Calendar

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

2 Ask the Lord to bless Pastor Denis Droicin in Haiti as he provides a connection between the Haiti Conference and Project Help.

1 Bless the leaders of the CGWM as they minister to women at the Flourish Conference held this weekend in Findlay, OH.

9 Lift up Dr. John Costa in Bangladesh as he visits remote villages.

8 Pray for Pastor Joseph Mwaura as he leads the Voice of the Gospel ministry in Kenya. Ask God to raise up godly leaders!

7 As you interact with businesses today, pray for God to bless them and look for opportunities to honor Christ.

6 Godly marriages are of critical importance for every community and nation. Pray for married people to be faithful and serve the Lord together.

5 Seek God’s wisdom for the leaders of the Mexico Conference and Pastor Victor Montalvo who provides counsel.

4 Happy Birthday Haley Day! Praise God for her as she continues to serve him in the Southwest.

16 Lift up in prayer Bryan & Katie Crabtree as they serve as missionaries in Thailand while raising their two daughters and infant son.

15 Pray that international guests (tourists, students, and businesspeople) will be warmly welcomed and see Christ reflected by Christians.

14 Happy Anniversary, Rod & Mila Ayers! Thank God and ask Him to bless Rod & Mila’s work with Sister Churches and Schools.

13 Intercede for the CGGC Administrative Council as they continue meeting today. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide in all decisions made for God’s glory!

12 Pray for India field director, Samir Singha as he ministers to families and that he would be an example of Christ’s love.

11 Remember to pray for your neighbors who do not know the Lord and ask God to provide opportunities to befriend them and show Jesus’ love.

23 “ Create a clean heart in me, O God ” (Psalm 51:10). Take time to do a spiritual “house-cleaning” as the Lord prepares you for Holy Week.

22 Happy birthday, Toni Thumma! Pray for her health as she serves alongside John in ministry at Hooghan Nizhoni.

21 Intercede for your local homeless shelter and learn how you can help their ministry through volunteering and financial support.

20 Call on the Lord’s blessing for Pastor Ernesto Nunes and the Brazil Conference.

19 Christ is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Pray for the broken relationships in your church and community and seek to encourage them to be open to the Holy Spirit.

18 Mondays often are “days off” for pastors. Pray for YOUR pastor today to be blessed with peace and encourage them as they minister.

30 Remember Christ’s death on the cross and thank Him for saving the world. “ Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4).

29 “ Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others ” (Matthew 6:12). Ask the Lord to reveal resentments that litter your heart. Forgive as the Lord directs . (Good Friday)

28 Intercede for the many visitors who will attend Easter worship, that they would commit their hearts to Christ.

27 Support Samir & Madhumita Singha in prayer on this anniversary of Charusheela’s birth. May Christ comfort them in their grief.

26 God cares for the orphans (Psalm 10:18). Pray for godly parents to adopt children in desperate need of a home.

25 Intercede for the Global Reach Commission as they meet this evening. Seek God’s guidance in all decisions made.

31 CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! Rejoice in the hope and promise of the Resurrection because death could NOT hold our Savior!

3 Pray for unity between churches: “they will hear My voice; they will become one flock with one Shepherd” (John 10:16).

10 Pray for the ACTS Teams and those making decisions to apply as deadlines approach. Pray for life-changing opportunities to be seized!

17 Pray for Travis Helm, Victor Montalvo, Dave Odegard, Kevin & Kelly King as they visit Mexico and explore new areas over the next few days.

24 Celebrate our King Jesus on this Palm Sunday! Prepare for Holy Week as we acclaim the King of kings and Lord of lords. “Blessed be the name of the Lord!”

April 2024

Global Advocate Prayer Calendar

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

6 Pray for India’s Mission Children that they would continue to grow in fear, knowledge, and love of the Lord.

5 Pray for Army Chaplain Byron Denman and his family as they minister in Colorado.

4 Pray for the many young people who are wandering far to come back. Welcome them!

3 Jesus said, “ My house will be called a house of prayer for the nations ” (Mark 11:17). Pray for a revival of prayer in the Church.

2 Cities are important centers of culture and influence. Ask God to raise up church planters who understand the unique needs and opportunities and support their ministry.

1 As deadlines for applying to the 2024 ACTS Teams approach, ask God to speak to those who sense His call, and pray for daring action!

13 Thank God for Advancement Volunteers Jeff & Julie Burns and pray for more opportunities to speak at churches.

12 Pray for vital connections between global and local ministries. “May they be brought to complete unity” (John 17:23).

11 Ask the Lord to be with Travis Helm and Pastor Mike Poe as they travel to Brazil to fellowship with the Brazil church conference.

10 Pray for the needs of the elderly in your community. Look for ways to reach out through visiting and helping.

9 Seek God’s blessing for Lance Finley as he serves the CGGC as Executive Director. Pray for wisdom and protection from the enemy.

8 There are many disabled people who struggle to make it every day. Pray for them to receive practical help, and to know they are not alone.

7 Thank God for the ministry of Dave & Kenda Kapaku. Petition for right words and understanding as they minister.

20 Lift up Pastor David Odegard as he serves the Great Lakes Regional Conference in Ohio and Michigan.

19 Ask the Lord to bless Pastor Kendall Hughes as he visits the Southwest churches and oversees the work of the Western Regional Conference.

18 “ A new command I give you: Love each other as I have loved you ” (John 13:34). As we follow Jesus’ example, let us show this love.

17 Pray for Jacob & Haley Day that they would continue to build positive relationships with church members at Gamerco.

16 Lift up affiliate missionaries Jake & Lauren Jones as they serve with The Wajaro Foundation in Colombia.

15 Appeal for strength of body and spirit for Dr. John Costa as he desires both physical and spiritual sight for his patients at the eye clinic in Khanjanpur, Bangladesh.

14 Lift up John & Toni Thumma and their ministry at Hooghan Nizhoni. Pray the Lord demonstrates His faithfulness through divine answers to prayer.

27 Pray for Pastor Matt Ginter and Univ. of Findlay Campus Ministries . Ask the Lord to raise up more student leaders who will reach out to fellow students.

26 Intercede for Chaplain Major Matthew Shenton , as he reaches out in ministry to US military personnel.

25 Thank God for Ryan & Karla Myers who serve as Mission Advancement Volunteers.

24 As the Eastern Regional Conference convenes today and tomorrow, seek God’s guidance and unity for the Church!

23 Thank God for Pastor Phil Scott and seek God’s wisdom as he directs the Allegheny Regional Conference.

22 Support Travis Bodden in prayer as he directs the Midwest Regional Conference and travels across three states.

21 Ask for wisdom and discernment for Rod & Mila Ayers in following God as they serve.

30 Continue to pray for India field director Samir Singha . Have faith that the Lord will provide him with courage and protection.

29 Seek God’s guidance and provision for International Field Leaders who oversee ten Global Reach fields

28 Trust the Lord to encourage Victor and Alma Montalvo as they seek to do His will.

Church of God from May 1982 through February 1988, as the pastor. I served the Chemical Battalion in Johnstown Penn as the Battalion Chaplain.

We moved from Kingwood Church in 1988 to Lillyville Church of God, to pastor there, also in the Allegheny region. I was still serving the Chemical Battalion when we moved. Then I received another assignment to an Artillery Brigade in Pittsburgh in 1990. I was there from 1990-1995, then I served as the Battalion Chaplain from 1995-1997 in a Military Police Battalion in Pittsburgh. From 1997-2002 I was reassigned to a Quarter Master group in Farrell, Pennsylvania. With this reassignment to Farrell, I was responsible for units in five different states. Still, I was pastoring Lillyville Church while serving those units. I was responsible for supervising five different Chaplains in five different states.

As a pastor and an Army Reserve Chaplain you have a congregation, but you also have a responsibility to five other Chaplains, their units, their commanders, and everything that is involved in that. Every step of the way as a Chaplain, more responsibility is given, and that requires taking on more leadership and training for younger chaplains.

I was reassigned in 2002 to the headquarters of the 99th Regional Readiness Command in Pittsburgh. I was mobilized in 2003 until 2005, and in 2003 I resigned from Lillyville after 15 years of being their pastor. It was a new chapter of ministry for me, and the people of Lillyville were thoroughly supportive. Obviously, they were sad to see us go, and we were sad to leave, but they were supportive of our new adventure.

I was mobilized in Pittsburgh on active duty and served there from 2003-2005. I was then mobilized in Germany as a Chaplain to support Operation Enduring Freedom. I was there for almost a year, from 2005-2006, and then in 2006 I was assigned to the Pentagon to the Army Office Chief of Chaplains where I served in a mobilization and operations position. I was at the Pentagon from 2006 to 2015, and I retired on 30 September 2015.

What role did other Chaplains play in your journey?

Dr. Saloom was our family physician, and a doctor in an Army Reserve unit in Pittsburgh. He was instrumental in mentoring me and providing the opportunity to become an Army Chaplain. I owe my career to him. Even though he wasn’t a chaplain, I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. He also helped mentor me in the Army. The Air Force and the Army are two different worlds, but Dr. Saloom taught me how to conduct myself. I really appreciated that in the long term.

There are a couple of people in my time pastoring with the Allegheny Region while serving as a Reserve Chaplain, to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. The first one is Barry Walker. He was my first supervisor and Chaplain; he helped me get my education on track that the military required. The second person was Ernie Knoche. He helped me develop as the leader that Chaplains should become. His mentorship is unsurpassed. Without Earnie Knoche I could not have done what I did.

Gary Johnston was also a huge mentor for me when I went to the headquarters in Pittsburgh. Without Gary, at that level of command, I would not have had the level of success that I did. Each of these people were absolutely crucial to my career.

Another mentor was Larry Racster. He was an Army Reserve Chaplain for 35 years. He was working at the Pentagon in 2005, and it was because of him that I got the job at the office. He knew what it was like to serve the church, balance your life, and Larry saved my life many times over. The Pentagon’s a big place. One wrong move and you can be in a lot of hot water.

All along the way in my career, God has put these people in my life. Those things, I think we overlook for a long time, and then it hits you one day, how much you owe to people. Those people in my life, I just owe a lot to them. And I would be remiss without mentioning their names. All of my life people have mentored me, in the church and chaplaincy. I wouldn’t be here without them.

What are the main duties of a military Chaplain?

There are three things that every Army Chaplain does. They nurture the living, they care for the wounded, and they honor the fallen. As an Army Chaplain, every single one of us, those are the three core competencies. Regardless of who sponsors you, or your denomination; nurture the living, care for the wounded, and honor the fallen. That’s our commitment to the uniform.

Nurture the living: That might be the counseling, or a worship service.

Care for the wounded: I think about a combat-oriented situation. The physical presence of a Chaplain in a combat station is extremely crucial, to let them know that God is there with them.

Honor the fallen: I participated in grave side funerals, ministering to the families that might be in your unit. But the common denominator of a Chaplain is to honor the fallen and reach out to their families. I’ve folded the flag at a funeral ceremony. Things like that are where Chaplains are always in the mix.

What is the most difficult part of military chaplaincy?

The most difficult thing is the balance between being a Chaplain and an officer. In the Army, you’re a Chaplain first, a staff officer second. That’s why they put the title of the Chaplain first, and then the rank second. You are a person of God first, and a person of rank second. It’s very difficult to keep that straight. Sometimes Chaplains want to reverse that and become too heavy in the officer category and a little too light in the Chaplain category. Especially as you climb the structure of rank. You get into levels of leadership where the temptation is: I’m an officer, and the Chaplain gets overshadowed. You don’t want to overshadow either, but the priority is Chaplain first. That was the most difficult thing in my entire career.

You have to rely on God to help keep the priorities straight as a Chaplain.

What happens if we get that priority wrong?

Soldiers lose their respect for you. Now you’re an officer and not a Chaplain. They don’t see a captain; they see a Chaplain. Well, if you become too heady, they see an officer and not a Chaplain. Officers sense that too, you lose that sense of respect. I’ve seen it happen. Someone gets promoted, and they become a different person. They’ve changed. You can’t minister to your soldiers if they’ve lost respect, and you can’t be a Chaplain in that unit anymore.

It was at the training meetings where I was able to get to know the soldiers, and I gained their respect. They would reach out to me a month later, ask me to do their weddings, just from being a Chaplain during annual training when I let them know God cares for them. When you become more of an officer, you can’t do that. When soldiers lose their respect for you, you have no accessibility to them. That balance of rank and of spirituality, it’s difficult.

I was a full colonel in 2008. That carries a certain level of power to it. We had a situation that we had to fix. I had my office partner Larry Racster tell me. “Look Show, we have to fix this, and were going to have to do it in such a way that you remember that you’re a Chaplain when we do it. People saw the rank on my collar, but I also represent God. And there were times where I had some very intense conversations because [people] were not executing what they needed to, and I had some of the best relationships with those officers after that encounter, because I went in, praying and remembering who I really was representing.

How can the CGGC best support Chaplains, military or otherwise?

Without denominational support, Chaplains don’t exist. Bottom line. It’s a hand and glove kind of a thing.

Kingdom Women

by Kathy Foor, CGWM Director

The 2024 Flourish Conference has come and gone, and I hope you were able to attend! If not, I am excited to let you know that it’s not too late to take advantage of the great content, lessons and encouragement we received. Each session was recorded and is available on our YouTube channel. We invite you to gather the women in your church who were not able to attend the conference and watch them together. We’ll provide some follow up questions and resources for you on our website as well, and we’d love to hear what God does as you gather together.

If you are a child of God and a woman, then you are a Kingdom woman, but what does that mean exactly? Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth He proclaimed, “The Kingdom of God is near.”

When we pray the Lord’s prayer, we pray, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Wouldn’t it be awesome if God answered that prayer! Our world sure could use a little Heaven on earth right now, couldn’t it? Kingdom women know that this prayer is the right place to start. As women of God, we must be actively seeking God’s will and God’s ways in prayer and relationship with Him. Without prayer, there is no advancing the Kingdom.

Jesus’ final instruction to His followers was to go and make disciples of all nations. They were to spread the Good News of His Kingdom everywhere they went. That assignment has not changed. We are still called to advance the Kingdom of God by sharing the Good News wherever we are.

We have never lived in a time more ripe for the harvest than right now! The most powerful moves of God throughout history have come during times of hardship and darkness. People always need the Lord, but in hard times hearts seem to know that our help comes from the Lord. Wherever we look, we see people who are trapped in sin, filled with anger, hatred, fear, depression and hopelessness, and nothing this world has to offer can stop the spread of darkness.

We who have the Light of Christ have the answer! We push back darkness with the Light of Christ! It can be easy to believe the enemy’s lies that you and I cannot have an impact in our families, much less our communities and our world. Don’t believe it!

You have been born for such a time as this! God has put you on the planet right now as a Kingdom builder. Esther had her time. Deborah had her time. Mary had her time. And now—it is your time and my time. Don’t let that thought intimidate you, precious woman of God!

God knows who you are. He knows the assignment He has set aside just for you. Imagine that! He also knows what you need in order to complete that assignment. I can’t tell you what your assignment is, and you can’t tell me mine, but together we can help and encourage one another to be about our Father’s business. We each need to seek the Lord, asking for His wisdom and direction. He doesn’t expect us to figure it out ourselves. He doesn’t expect us to just go do it either, but right now God is calling all workers to the harvest field. The harvest is ripe and it’s going to take all hands on deck, all boots on the ground, to get the harvest in.

Woman of God, do you know how loved you are as a daughter of the King? Do you know your identity and standing as a daughter of the King? Do you know what your Kingdom assignment is or how to discover what God has assigned to you? Are you willing to learn?

We will be exploring together in 2024 what it means to be a Kingdom woman who is actively seeking her assignment and the strategies she needs to complete it. Look for resources on our website, Facebook page and YouTube channel at the links to the right.

Global Reach Updates

Thank you for partnering with our friends and fields in Global Reach. The following are a few updates from some of our Global Reach fields. Please continue to pray for our leaders and believers as they serve God and share the Good News with seekers.

Haiti

The country has been locked down for weeks at this writing and gang activity is rampant. There is national news stating the UN hopes to send in a peace keeping force to help mediate the unrest. Locals report that the government is nonexistent, and gangs are attempting to take over the capital, Port-au-Prince. Common every day Haitian citizens across the country have begun to block roads and express dissent with the current president, corrupted government, and gang activity.

The Project Help Haiti (PHH) hospital administrator in Pierre Payen has shared that people are starting to die of starvation around Montrouis, Carpi Atre, Bois Neuf and the areas surrounding Pierre Payen. The hospital has reached its breaking point since people are hunkered down in place and not able to go out due to danger from gangs. There is no traffic and patients are rarely even able to get to hospital. More than 14 people were recently killed in the Montrouis area as gangs swept through. The hospital is no longer able to make payroll. All are struggling, and hospital and medical staff must be released due to financial hardship caused by civil unrest and corruption. We need strong prayers!

There is some good news amid this ongoing tragedy. The recently installed phase one solar energy system of Pierre Payen Hospital is functioning very well. It has cut almost half of the monthly gas cost of the hospital.

PHH Liaison Droicin and Assistant Liaison Milus make well planned out trips to the various churches to encourage and fellowship with them. They also share with them the necessary resources to help the Sister School/Church Program continue ministering to the locals.

The Haitian Church conference was even able to hold their annual conference at Borel in early January. Attendance was less than normal but that can be understood due to safety concerns related to the situation in the entire country.

There was damage to our Frecyneau campus wall that was able to be prepared recently. This is important to help with the safety and security of our school, church, and the Physical Therapy/Nursing schools that all meet there. PHH has several sister churches and schools that do not have a sponsor. There is a need for funds to help provide for these unsponsored churches and schools. If you would like to help support the unsponsored churches, give to GR2803-Ministries. To support the unsponsored school programs, give to GR2713-Education.

India

Pictured at right is Madhumita with her new laptop provided by generous donors from the Churches of God, General Conference. She is thankful to the Lord for this gift and conveys her thanks to the friends at CGGC who made this possible. She is in her first year Post Basic BS Nursing, a twoyear program at St. John’s Hospital Nursing Institution. She needs your prayers.

Pastor Sunil pictured far right, and Pastor Phillip pictured far left (in photo at left) at evening prayer meeting in the house of a new friend. The husband was caught by the police due to his bad habit of stealing from the company he worked for. The family came requesting Pastor Sunil to pray for the man that he would be released. While in police custody, he had a painful experience, and the man prayed in the name of Jesus that he may be delivered from his situation and bad habit. It is by the grace of God that he has been released. He has changed his lifestyle and become a new person. He and his family believed in the Lord.

In the same home of this man, the local people come to listen God’s Word. The children are learning Bible songs, action songs, and doing their studies as they meet there.

In another location, children at Pastor Balveer's place enjoy Sunday school and child development programs. They also have regular prayer meetings for their communities and enjoy after meeting lunch time and fellowship together. These fellowships are growing rapidly.

During the Christmas season, many childrens Sunday school classes celebrated Jesus’s birthday. There have been many new believers take baptism in various areas throughout the Mission during this winter.

Thailand

Bryan & Katie Crabtree welcomed their son, Theo Daniel, into their family on November 26, 2023.

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Mission staff have been continually active this winter. Just like in 2022, the winter in 2023 has been very cold for them. Pastors that recently received new bicycles through CGGC donors expressed their gratitude as it enables them to visit more areas in a week than if they were walking. Blankets and sarees were distributed to many areas for the Mission widowed women and among non-Christian community people.

Please pray for the children who are enrolled in the hostels. There are many new children, and most are from our churches, and they are also from poorer families. Some blankets have been provided for the poorest children in the Mission hostel.

In 2024, the Mission has started a couple of child development programs for the underprivileged children in our most northern ministry areas. Most of the children come for class and for Sunday school type programs. Pray for their hearts to be touched as they come each day. We also gave them their tutoring books as well as Sunday school materials.

Please remember to keep Haiti in your prayers as the difficulties are many right now. Our Asia fields are also facing various challenges of resistance and it is becoming ever increasingly hard to share the Good News. God is faithful.

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