The Kerusso – June| 2024
Pastors and Church Leaders …
PLEASE DON’T OVERLOOK THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY
This October we are excited to host a tremendous training event at our headquarters facility in Indianapolis.
We urge leaders across the EMC to make it part of their fall planning. It will include exciting and inspirational sessions, practical training on both preaching, and church leadership, as well as multiple chances to ask questions of some distinguished experts on those subjects.
AMP2024 will include workshop times so that pastors can return home with ideas for sermon plans, and church leaders will spend time unpacking information about their leadership and ministry style. And there will even be a time slot for some peer-to-peer learning as participants are invited to share some of their ideas for future sermons and sermon plans.
A few registration scholarships are still available if you act quicklyCLICK HERE to register
AMP2024 will enjoy a special session with Gloria Gaither, an inspired author and songwriter. She has something to say to us about putting words together that impact listeners in eternal ways for the Glory of God.
Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Keeping Up with Our Global Partners
Bill Walker, EMC Board of World Missions, Co -Chair
The Best is Yet to Come
Lisa and I met Rev. Jefferson Gadiano in The Philippines in December 2023 for the Asia Pacific Leadership Camp. His church, Lord of Hosts, sent a sizeable group of young leaders to participate. I asked Pastor Jeff to write about this church’s history and ministry. He shares:
“Lord of Hosts aims to witness believers walking in God's will, displaying passion, devotion, and faithfulness. On May 1, 2011, Pastor Isidro "Sid" Matias Sr. led the first Sunday service with around 10 attendees, including missionary friends from Canada. The ministry focused on reaching out to the community through home Bible studies. Each year, the number of faithful servants of God grew, celebrating His faithfulness.”
“In 2018, two years after completing my Master of Divinity, Pastor Sid appointed me as his Assistant Pastor. It was a meaningful and joyful experience serving alongside him until his unexpected passing in August 2023. God, however, was [preparing] me for t his unforeseen event. On May 12, 2024, during the 13th Anniversary celebration themed ‘More of Jesus,’ I was installed as the Lead Pastor, accompanied by an assistant pastor and a missionary pastor who were previously faithful elders and workers. The anniv ersary event included water baptism, fun games, swimming, and a talent show.”
Rev. Gadiano is a young pastor with a beautiful family; he has been married to Melody for 9 years, and they have two handsome boys Life Stephen (8 y/o) and Caleb Zion (4 y/o). This couple has much to offer Lord of Hosts and Asia Pacific EMC. We look forward to years of their faithful and fruitful ministry. Pastor Jeff has a great vision and is leading his congregation to reach their community and family members for Jesus Christ.
Currently, Lord of Hosts’ facility only seats 60. They have more than 100 in the congregation and are trusting God to be able to reach 50 new souls during 2024. They are in a hard -to-find location with inadequate parking on a congested street. So, they hope to relocate to a more suitable meeting place in the foreseeable future. This will be necessary to accommodate their projected growth.
Check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Lhccincintl
You can watch our interview with their worship team at www.youtube.com/@TheThreadEMC
“The Church tagline is, ‘The church that exalts no other name but the Name of Jesus alone,’ and we strive to exalt Jesus in e very aspect of our ministry. Our desire is to continually seek more of Jesus in our lives. All glory and honor belong to God.”
The Best is Yet to Come!
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Pacifc Conference
Asia
Philip Dulin – West Virginia
Excerpts from Pastor Philip’s 2023 Ministry Report
It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. This year we have experienced ups and downs. Victory Child Care Center continues to grow. One of the challenges of a daycare center is we constantly have to adapt and adjust to changes in age group nee ds and requirements. Kristin and her crew have done a wonderful job. There is such a great need for this service in the community and we are already discussing the possibility of expansion. Our 2023 Annual Church Picnic was a great success. This year we included a Parent and Employee appreciation celebration as part of the picnic. It was great to see so many join us for fellowship.
The focus word for this year has been DISCIPLESHIP. This has been a trying year for many in the church. We have experienced loss, many health struggles among the congregation and have struggled to see the growth we continue to hope for. As I pray about t hese issues God continues to impress upon me that the answer is found in and through discipleship. The Discipleship Model is the most effective and efficient way to build and grow individuals and a church. This being true, we have launched what I call the Discipleship Experiment as our new Thursday Night Bible Study. The concept is simple –we will go through the discipleship study together as a small group and pray for God to bring one person to each of us to disciple one-on- one. Then the challenge is to commit a minimum of one year to that discipleship relationship. At the end of that year, the goal is for both participants to seek out another person to walk through this discipleship journey. This process will build stronger individuals, stronger relat ionships, and a stronger body of believers. Though the process may seem slow and unproductive at first, it has the greatest potential for growth and strength in the long run. It is in this truth th at I have felt God’s inspiration for this year ahead – TENA CITY. Tenacious is defined as – “persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired”. And with this word God has given me the following scripture to stand on; Galatians 6:9 (NIV) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at t he proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Dan Stiles – Ohio
Excerpts from Dan’s 2023 Ministry Report
2023 has been a year of reunions. It has been a year of striving to hear and follow God’s voice, and of challenge in doing so. In other words, it has been a year both unique and ordinary. It was the year of my 50th High School reunion, helping with organ ization and giving the invocation. It was also the year of a 50th reunion of a “band of brothers” from my undergraduate days. In both, I was greatly encouraged to see how many of my classmates, former teachers, and brothers had such wonderful Christian mi nistries, both locally and world-wide.
I continue to be available for pulpit supply within a wide circle. I teach regularly as a substitute at Emmanuel Christian Academy. Since my Ohio license allows me to administrate or teach any subject grades K -12, I have been called upon this year to subs titute long-term in such varied situations as Intervention and Avionics, and of course the more “expected” subjects like English, Bible, Music, History, Algebra, Science, etc. Each teaching assignment gives me opportunity to counsel, give testimony, and preach. My rapport with both the students and faculty has continued to grow. It is truly uplifting when a fellow teacher seeks me out or a student spots me in public and pulls his parents over to introduce them to me. [As most of you know, Dan experienced the loss of both his father and his niece this year within a very short time. Please c ontinue to remember him and his family in prayer as they walk through this difficult time.]
Michael Harden – North Carolina
Excerpt from Michael’s 2023 Ministry Report (Deacon)
I attended youth camp as a leader. There I participated in the canteen, and any other activities I was asked to do. I also assisted many of the teens with memorizing memory verses. At Welkers, I have taught Sunday School lessons, I run the sound system, a nd upload sermons to the podcast.
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MISSION EXPOSURE
With Bill & Lisa Walker EMC Board of World Missions, Co-Chairs
Monterrey, Mexico
July 23 – 30, 2024
Be in prayer for the team of five EMC’ers as they make their final preparations for travel and ministry. They will be working and ministering with all five Monterrey area Evangelical Methodist Churches. They will also have the opportunity to attend the opening service of the Mexico EMC annual conference.
If you missed the registration deadline for the Mexico Missions Trip, there is still time to prepare for the Philippines missions trip being planned for December 26, 2024 – January 2, 2025. Specific details are still being worked out, but you can fill out an application to get started now by clicking the link below.
Philippines Missions Trip Applica1on
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