E-Tidings Volume 2, Issue 5 June 2002
In this Issue:- From the District Superintendent
- News From Around Our Great District
- First Worship Service Held at Northpointe Church
- Pastor Fred and Linda Hall Celebrate Ministry Milestone
- Flushing Community Holds Service in the Park
- EMD Fifty-Third Annual District Assembly and Missionary Convention
- Eastside Mission Update
- PrimeTime Ministries Update From Rev. Charles Bledsoe
- 2002 Camp Dates
- Homes Available for Rent
- EMD Lay Retreat Information Available
- About E-Tidings
From the District Superintendent:
We live in one of the great Metropolitan areas of our country. The thirteen counties that comprise Eastern Michigan District measure just over 9100 sq miles and contain 5.8 million people. The alarming statistic is that of that number over 70% are unchurched. That means that over 4 million people have no church home and worse yet they don't know Jesus Christ as their Savior.The nation of Israel is not unlike our metropolitan area. Measuring just over 8,000 sq. miles it contains 5.6 million people. It was this nation that Jesus ministered to in His time on earth and came to save from their sins. Jesus saw the people of His day, He reacted to the lost this way:
"But when He (Jesus) saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, ... Then He said to His to disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV
There it is, the harvest is still plentiful, there are still not enough laborers, so we must pray that God will send workers into the harvest. Will you join me in 30 days of prayer leading up to our district assembly on July 10th. At assembly I am proposing the most aggressive church planting program that has ever been attempted in the history of our great district. It is not our plan to just have more churches but God's instrument is the church to spread the Good News and to win the lost. We cannot and will not fail when we carry out His will.
Thank you for your commitment to prayer and to the lost of Eastern Michigan.
Stephen T. Anthony
District Superintendent
News From Around Our Great District
Linda Crawford, pastor's wife from Beulah Church is in the Marlette Rehabilitation Center following recent amputation surgery.Rev. Sherry Keeley, former assistant pastor at Lapeer Church, passed away recently in Ohio. Funeral services are scheduled Thursday in Indianapolis.
Jason Crum, son of Rev. Larry & Ruth Crum of Rochester Church, has joined the staff of Union Lake Church as their youth pastor.
Rev. Tom and Brenda Waller concluded their ministry at Southwest Church this past Sunday. They have accepted a pastorate in Clinton, MO on the Joplin District.
Sunday evening Dr. Anthony and Marilyn were at Williams Lake Church to help celebrate the 25th
Wedding Anniversary of Rev. Dan & Cindy Wine.
The congregation and staff put together the surprise
celebration. The best man at their wedding surprised
them - it was Rev. Fred Prince from Union Lake Church.
The District NYI Convention is scheduled to be held on Saturday evening, July 27, during Campmeeting, at the campground. More information will be coming soon.
Congratulations to our district pastors' kids who are graduating from high school. They are Jerry Dahlberg (Sandusky Church), Jonathan Edwards (Westland Church), Sarah Gill (Swartz Creek Church), Jeremy Jaymes (Howell Church), Paul McNett, Jr. (Caro Church), Ashley Prince (Union Lake Church).
We welcome the following staff ministers to the Eastern Michigan District:
- Adrian First - Jeffrey Case, Minister of Music and Church Administration
- Brighton - Brent Smith, Skate Park Administrator
- Fenton - John Doherty, Minister of Youth and Music
- Flint Central - Dr. Michael Kitsko, Minister of Young Adults
- Lake Louise - Mike Kimpan, Minister of Youth
- Richfield - Jon Grimshaw, Adult Ministries Director and Facilities Manager
- Tecumseh - James Risinger, Minister of Youth
First Worship Service Held at Northpointe Church
Saturday was the kick off day for the new Northpointe Church in Oxford with pastor Rev. Eriks Mezsets. Seventeen adults and 12 children were in attendance for the service and an outdoor fellowship dinner was held afterward. The meeting was held at the Christ the King Church in Oxford.Pastor Fred and Linda Hall Celebrate Ministry Milestone
Sunday, June 2nd, 2002, Pastor Fred and Linda Hall celebrated their thirtieth anniversary in ministry with the Nazarene denomination. Plymouth Church members and friends honored Pastor Hall and Linda with a special service and cake reception during the afternoon.
Dr. Stephen Anthony, Eastern Michigan District Superintendent, participated in the service by bringing the morning message. Other participants were Rev. Dortha Ross, who served with Pastor Hall in Mount Sterling, Ohio; Melissa Sipes, daughter of Fred and Linda Hall and State Representative John Stewart, who brought greetings from Michigan's state capitol and the city of Plymouth. Other special features of the day were the reading of letters from friends and colleagues, a video presentation of the Hall's life in ministry and a Thomas Kinkade oil painting given to the Halls in recognition of their faithful service to the church.
Those who would like to give greetings to Fred and Linda Hall in honor of their ministry please send your letters and cards to: Plymouth Church of the Nazarene, 45801 Ann Arbor Road, Plymouth , Michigan, 48170.
For more information, please contact Rhetta Stephens at Plymouth Church of the Nazarene at 734-453-1525.
Flushing Community Holds Service in the Park
On Sunday, June 9th, Flushing Community Church had "Church in the Park." For the third year in a row the Flushing Chamber of Commerce asked Flushing to move their service to Riverview Park to be part of the Flushing festival activities. They began with a continental breakfast and then over 300 people joined them for worship. There were a number of new young families present and a number of new contacts were made. This Sunday the Flushing congregation will be caravanning to their new property for a time of celebration and dedication.Eastside Mission Update
The Eastside Mission in Flint begun construction on their new parking lot. This has been in the making for a couple of years now. Property lot boundaries, etc., has held it up. A special thank you to the Brighton Church for their financial help with this project. Without them we couldn't have done it. Don't forget to check out the Eastside Mission on the Web at http://www.flinteastsidemission.org/! Thanks for all of your support for your mission stateside. - Barb & Bill Burdine
PrimeTime Update from Rev. Charles Bledsoe
Our Spring Luncheon was a roaring success! All 171 of us enjoyed an incredible meal provided by C. C. Catering of Brighton, Michigan; experienced wonderful fellowship as we made new friends and caught up on all the news from our current friends; and was challenged by a solid message from Rev. Derl Keefer, our Denominational PrimeTime Ministry Director. God's Spirit was present as we sang, prayed, and worshipped our Lord. PrimeTimers know how to love the Lord and each other. Thank the Lord for PrimeTimers!We offer a big "THANK YOU!" to the Williams Lake Church for hosting our Luncheon. With the help of these fine folks our Luncheon was assured a wonderful atmosphere for fellowship and worship.
May 17, 2003, is the date for the next Spring Luncheon. Mark your calendars! You won't want to miss another exciting gathering of the finest adults on the face of the earth!
We are now planning an incredible ministry event for the PrimeTimers and their spouses, on this great district. This event is possibly the first for our denomination to be planned and promoted for a district's PrimeTimers.
In September or October of 2003, we will be leading a Work and Witness Adventure for PrimeTimers to Florianopolis, Brazil! Dave Lyke (Monroe 1st) and I are flying to Florianopolis June 13 - 18, to meet with Rev. Eldon Kratz and Rev. Brian Adams, to explore the possibilities for a PrimeTime MinistryWork and Witness experience. We will NOT be doing heavy construction. We will examine the possibilities of conducting a VBS, Bible Study, canvassing, light maintenance, etc. Florianopolis is the capital city of the state of Santa Catrina, in southern Brazil. Florianopolis is a large city, with excellent medical facilities, and a population of approximately 200,000, located on an island just off the coast of the Brazilian mainland.
I am expecting 20 PrimeTimers to accept the challenge to make history, and spread the Gospel to the Brazilian people. Five adults have expressed a serious desire to participate in this adventure, and five others are praying about their participation as well. By August, I will mail an information pack to each of our local PrimeTime Ministries Directors so they can promote this exciting adventure in their own churches.
God is calling PrimeTimers to make a stand for Christ that will transform their lives, their churches, and their communities. 10,000 people, everyday, are turning 50 years old, and many of them do not know Christ as their personal savior. This is not the time to retire from your Kingdom Building commitment. This is not the time to enter into the "Play Pen" of affluent retirement. This is not the time to turn over all our responsibilities to the younger ones.
Now is the time to select the ministries upon which you will focus your time, energy, and skills. Some of us may not be able to carry the responsibilities we carried in the past, however each of us can continue to be productive in a few areas of ministries. Your church needs lay ministers to be active in the Ministry of:
- Prayer,
- Encouraging Words
- Friendly Phone Calls,
- Notes (or Emails) of Appreciation
- Kindness to Others
- Grandparenting Kids Without Grandparents
- Loving Adults Without Parents
- Befriending Unchurched PrimeTimers
- Inviting Unchurched Families to Church...
Remember: You are Loved, You are Gifted, and You are Needed. Don't ever forget it, so our church will be strong and healthy.
God Bless You!
Rev. Charles A. Bledsoe,
EMD's PrimeTime Ministries Directors