E-Tidings Volume 2, Issue 1 February 2002
In this Issue:- From the District Superintendent
- News From Around Our Great District
- Teens Helping Teens at Flint New Life
- Hoppers to Perform Benefit Concert for Eastside Mission
- Van Needed for Flint New Life Church
- Bethel Church Set to Launch
- Skate Park Update from Brighton Church Pastor, Ben Walls
- Lake Community Church Celebrates Grand Opening
- Work & Witness Extravaganza Coming in March 2002
- PrimeTime Ministry Update
- Updates from the District Center
- 2002 Camp Dates
- 2002 Camp Meeting Rates and Policy for Gibson Center
- 10th National Laymen's Conference Coming in July 2002
From the District Superintendent:
Forty Five years ago I began my association with the Church of the Nazarene. It all happened because two laywomen by the names of Shirley Hewitt and Ruth Klingman felt that the community of Waterford Michigan, where they lived, needed the influence of a Holiness Church. These two housewives set out with a very simple plan; one would call Dr. McGuire, the then District Superintendent of the Eastern Michigan District Church of the Nazarene, and the other would call and see if the local school would let them meet in their facility. With both permissions granted, these two put into motion the establishment the new Williams Lake Church of the Nazarene.Before the first service, the core group of Nazarenes began to knock on doors inviting the neighbors of the school to attend. My family lived directly across the street from that school. We accepted the invitation and were in the very first service. If memory serves me right Ruth's mother, an ordained minister, preached. I don't remember the sermon or much of anything else about that service, but I do recall the warmth with which we were welcomed and made to feel a part of the new congregation.
Today Williams Lake Church, under the Godly leadership of Rev. Dan Wine, continues to reach out to the Waterford Community. Not only have they sent several out into ministry, but they have also been instrumental in helping to establish the Flushing Church of the Nazarene. Williams Lake has spearheaded dozens of Work & Witness trips to the Caribbean and South America. Hundreds, more likely thousands, of people have called Williams Lake their church down through these forty five years and the church continues to point people to Christ.
This story is crying out to be repeated. Eastern Michigan District is comprised of 13 counties stretching from the tip of the thumb to the Saginaw Valley, down to the Ohio line. While Michigan's 83 counties boast a population of just under 10 million people, 5.7 million of those live in our 13 county area. The temptation for us is to lean back, pat ourselves on the back for a job well done, and leave the task of spreading the gospel up to someone else. We need to resist this temptation.
I am calling on every Eastern Michigan Nazarene to pray and ask God how they can be involved in starting new churches on our great district. If you have an interest in church planting or being part of a new congregation, please contact our Church Planting Coordinator, Rev. Mike Morris. His e-mail address is mpmorris@juno.com
Thank you Shirley and Ruth for making a difference in my life.
Stephen T. Anthony
District Superintendent
News From Around Our Great District
Three of our senior pastors attended the K-Church Project in San Diego recently. The K-Church Project is a church size strategy for pastors of churches that have the potential of growing to 1000+. The pastors that attended this session were Rev. Larry Betz of Adrian 1st, Rev. Daryl Blank of East Flint, and Rev. Rob Prince of Richfield.This year, instead of having our own "C" Church Conference (Church size strategy for churches under 100 in Sunday AM attendance) we will be traveling to the national SCI Conference in St. Louis. The District Advisory Board has generously provided the airfare for any pastor that wants to attend. The Dates are March 11-13.
Swartz Creek Church
under the leadership of
Rev. Larry Gill (photo left) dedicated their new education
wing on Sunday, January 13th. The addition
contains space for children's classes, nursery
facilities, and children's church. Most of the
work was done by the church at a cost of
under $40. per square foot.
Rev. P.L. Liddell has resigned as pastor of Silverlake Church. Rev. Liddell is returning to the field of evangelism and is available for revival and special meetings. He will continue to serve at Silverlake until a new pastor is called. Linda Crawford, wife of Beulah pastor Rev. Art Crawford, has been hospitalized in Lapeer for several infections.
Rev. Wayne Brown, pastor since 1996 at Howell Church, has been appointed by the Board of General Superintendents to be the new District Superintendent of the Northern Michigan District. Under Rev. Brown's leadership, the Howell Church experienced significant growth both numerically and financially. Rev. Brown began his new assignment February 1st. He and his wife Debbie will make their home in Traverse City.
Rev. Derek Albea, youth pastor at Tecumseh Church, has resigned and will be moving back to North Carolina. Chad Hadfield has resigned as youth pastor at Fenton Church.
Teens Helping Teens at Flint New Life
Teens and their leaders from Flint West Church donated their time
and energy to help make a place for teens at the Flint New Life Church
to meet. The West Flint teens cleaned, painted and built a wall around
the boiler in the basement for the teen room. Adult volunteers Mark Boyce
and Mike Case framed the wall and hung the doors. Teen volunteers
included Brandon Bowser, Amanda Bosworth, Marcus Mancillas Steve
and Janie Case, Kiesha Henry, Lacy Henry. "They really helped a lot
and had a great spirit. They are an awesome bunch." said Pastor
Eric Slade of Flint New Life Church.
Hoppers to Perform Benefit Concert for Eastside Mission
One of southern gospel music's best-loved
singing families, the
Hoppers will be in
concert at the
Flint Central Church of the
Nazarene on
Saturday March 16, 2002.
Tickets are $12 in advance and $14 at the
door or $10 each for groups of 10 or more.
All proceeds go to benefit the Eastside
Compassionate Mission. For more information
on the Hoppers visit their Web site at
http://www.thehoppers.com.
Flint Central
Church is located at 1261 W. Bristol Road in Flint.
On a related note, the Eastside Mission is in need of Easter Baskets and Easter Candy for this year's Easter Dinner. Thank you for your continued support of the Eastside Mission's ministry.
Van Needed for Flint New Life Church
Every Tuesday evening Pastor Eric Slade of the Flint New Life Church picks up dozens of inner city teens for Teen Light Ministries at his church. He is presently having to use his own mini-van and usually it takes him several trips. The church is looking for the donation of a decent 12 or 15 passenger used van for this purpose.Bethel Church Set to Launch
Bethel Church of the Nazarene is expanding its ministry
by establishing a new mission point in the Richmond,
Michigan community. On Saturday, March 30 at 7:00
p.m. Rev. John Carr and the leadership team of the church
will launch the first service at Richmond Elementary School
in an effort to reach this adjacent community for Christ. The goal is to begin this community outreach service the second and fourth Saturdays of each month leading to the establishment of a new church in Richmond.
Skate Park Update from Brighton Church Pastor, Ben Walls
"I thought you might be interested in an update on our Skate Park. We opened
four weeks ago, with a registration of 150 skaters, we finished this week-end
with over 800 skaters registered in our computer check-in system. We offer
Skater's Church every Saturday - we've been averaging approx. 85-100 teens
coming to these services. This past Saturday, I presented a lesson on
John 3:16 and decided to get a little evangelism
aggressive and asked for a decision. 25 Skaters
held their hands up that they had prayed to ask
Christ into their hearts. This has been in the works for
4 years, working with a lot of these teens the entire
time, developing relationships with them. It was very
exciting to finally see some fruit! Praise the Lord!"
Editors Note: There is much more information available about Brighton's Skate Park ministry at
http://www.brightonnazarenechurch.org, their official Web site.
Lake Community Church Celebrates Grand Opening
Sunday, February 3 the new Lake Community Church of the Nazarene
celebrated its grand opening with 116 in attendance. Lake Community has
been developing its core group and ministry action plan under the leadership
of Pastor Jeff Haynes. The grand opening service featured excellent drama,
high energy music and a highly relevant message. The congregation followed
the service with a satellite link that allowed for the super bowl to be broadcast.
If you know anyone living in or around the Belleville area that does not have a
church home you won't want to miss the opportunity to introduce them to one of
the district's most exciting new churches.