E-Tidings Volume 2, Issue 4 May 2002

In this Issue:

From the District Superintendent
News From Around Our Great District
Warren Woods calls Rev. Tim Gocha as Senior Pastor
Rev. Jon Jaymes to Pastor Howell Church
Bad Axe Church calls Rev. R. Bryan Crampton
Rev. Martin Hodge to pastor Silver Lake Church
Missions Work in Poland Update
Eastern Michigan Nazarene Missions International Convention Details
PrimeTime Ministries Update From Rev. Charles Bledsoe
From the Eastside Mission
Campground Updates
2002 Camp Dates
EMD Lay Retreat Information Available
Night to Remember and Island Encounter Info Available Online
About E-Tidings

From the District Superintendent:

In just a few weeks we will be having our annual Missionary Convention and District Assembly. This year our convention and assembly will be held at the Flint Central Church on Bristol Rd. in Flint. Dr. Paul Cunningham will be our presiding General Superintendent. News From Around Our Great District Great News! Our District NYI captured 2nd place overall at the Regional Celebrate Life at Olivet this past weekend.

Rev. Drew Jolly, pastor at Merritt Rd., underwent surgery on Friday. He went home from the hospital the same day.

Rev. Art Crawford, pastor at Beulah, is recovering from recent gall bladder surgery in Lapeer. His gall bladder was severely infected. He is home recuperating.

Rev. Tom Waller resigned Sunday as pastor of the Southwest Church to accept an assignment in Clinton, Missouri. His last Sunday at Southwest will be June 2nd.

The dedication service for Rochester Church is next Sunday, May 19 at 2:00 PM.

Warren Woods calls Rev. Tim Gocha as Senior Pastor

Rev. Tim Gocha and wife Debby have accepted the call to become the third senior pastor of the Warren Woods Church of the Nazarene. Rev. and Mrs. Gocha are Michigan natives having grown up in the Swartz Creek area and attended the Flint Central Church under the ministry of Rev. John Andree. Pastor Gocha is a graduate of God's Bible College and holds a Masters Degree from Olivet Nazarene University. He is currently involved in the Beeson Institute for Advanced Church Leadership at Asbury Seminary. They have two grown daughters, Sara (Gocha) Burke and Jennifer Gocha living in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. They begin their ministry at Warren Woods on Sunday, June 9th.

Rev. Jon Jaymes to Pastor Howell Church

Rev. Jon Jaymes began his ministry as Senior Pastor at the Howell Church on Sunday May 5th. He has served on staff at Howell for the past several years under the leadership of Rev. Wayne Brown who was recently appointed district superintendent of the Northern Michigan District. Pastor Jaymes is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University holding both the BA and Masters degrees and has served 22 years in ministry, 20 of those on the Eastern Michigan District. Rev. Jaymes, wife Pam, and sons Jeremy and Jared will be moving to the Howell Community soon from their home in South Lyons.

Bad Axe Church calls Rev. R. Bryan Crampton

The Bad Axe Church welcomed their new pastor and family, Rev. Brian and Nancy Crampton and daughter Cindy on Sunday, May 5th. The Crampton's were formerly ministers in the Salvation Army and have served in Carthage, Missouri, Chicago & Waukegan, Illinois.

Rev. Martin Hodge to pastor Silver Lake Church

Rev. Martin and Mandy Hodge have accepted the call to pastor the Silver Lake Church in Pontiac. Rev. Hodge has been serving as the Youth Pastor of Howell Church of the Nazarene for the past several years. Prior to that assignment he served as Minister of Youth at Adrian First Church. The Hodges have two children, daughter Victoria and son Gabriel. A graduate of Olivet Nazarene University, Rev Hodge follows Rev. P.L. Liddell who has served at Silver Lake for two years. Rev. Liddell is reentering the field of evangelism.

Missions Work in Poland Update

We are scouting the District for interested people in Poland and the possibilities of entering Poland for the Church of The Nazarene. Rev. Philip McAlister the Field Director of Northern Europe is working with Paul Tarrant as the NCM Coordinator for Europe and Dr. Franklin Cook to find U.S. persons that might have Polish roots and be interested in praying for, or volunteering to Help in the Poland thrust. If you are interested contact: Dr. Paul Tarrant, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries - Europe, 129 Mains Drive, ERSKINE, PA8 7JJ, Scotland

An update from Dr. Tarrant, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Europe:
Dear Brothers and Friends,
Greetings from Scotland.
In February I e-mailed you as a group with a request for any information you might be able to root out on contacts that might help us in entering Poland for the Church of the Nazarene. Dale Jones form Evangelism Department in HQ/KC was kind enough to forward your e-mail addresses to me - of course I know a few of you through mutual General Board involvement.

As I introduced myself, I am the NCM Coordinator for Europe, working with Dr Franklin Cook, and the Field Directors, to strategize on entry to new communities and countries. Rev Philip McAlister is the Field Director for Northern Europe - the field that includes Poland. Much of the recent new work in Eastern Europe has been initialized through NCM projects and NIVS personnel. I was asking you for information of anyone on your districts that might have Polish roots, and be interested in praying for, or volunteering to help in the Poland thrust. To date we have received valuable information from New Jersey and Washington, DC. Thank you for any input some of you might have had in this. There are some interesting contacts from the Philippines and Argentina, as well as Germany, Romania and the UK also - The mysteries of God!!.

It may be that some of you are collecting data to forward to us, and I would appreciate if you have any more help you can offer - by way of interested parties to assist as volunteers, potential missionaries, or short-termers/W+W that you forward that data at this time.

Our strategy is to work with existing evangelical groups already in Poland. Rev McAlister and I will be back in Poland together on the 13th May, and we would like to be able to muster all a available information to present to our 3 tentmakers currently in Poland, and the partners God is providing.

God bless you in your ministries there. Of course, if any of you would be interested in a visit from one of us - on a short deputation visit, we would be happy to correspond with you on this.

Grace & Peace,
Paul Tarrant.

PrimeTime Ministries Update From Rev. Charles Bledsoe

"The 50 / 25 Principle"
Many people have never heard of the "50 / 25 Principle." It has never been studied by highly educated, professional, doctors, lawyers or truck drivers. I have never read an article in a medical magazine, legal brief, or the Readers Digest concerning this modern phenomenon. Nor have I heard Oprah Winfrey, Pat Robinson, or Fred Prince seek to clarify this commonly believed and universally understood declaration of self-actualization. However, it is alluded too in books, magazines, and remarks by a large number of everyday, living-next-door, or sitting-next-to-you-in-church, folks. You have probably used the principle and weren't even aware you did.

The "50 / 25 Principle" is paraphrased in as many ways as there are personalities
occupying this spinning ball of rock and water call Planet Earth. I'm convinced that everyone in, or qualified to be a member of, PrimeTime Ministries, has applied this unscientific, yet universally believed and vigorously defended, article of faith, to themselves, and their own life stage.

So what is the "50 / 25 Principle?" I'm glad you asked. "The "50 / 25 Principle" is simply the personal understanding and belief, that although one has experienced 50 or more birthdays, one believes and/or feels like he/she is 25, 30, 35...years old. (Either these folks are in great shape now, or they were in poor shape when they were 25, I don't know which.) The "50 / 25 Principle" is verbalized like this:

"I don't have anything in common with Senior Citizens.""I'm not a Senior Citizen!""I'm not old.""Although I carry an AARP card, I am not old. I just have it for the discounts.""I'm too young to hang out with my Mother and her friends.""I'm a young Grandparent."

As PrimeTime Ministry leaders seek to build a ministry that meets the needs of Mature Adults and their spouses, we hear many variations of these statements. A goal of this PrimeTime Ministry Director is to allow the Holy Spirit to build a ministry that is so alive; so vibrant; so full of life; so life changing and challenging; that adults will be excited as they anticipate being able to participate in this powerful ministry! That's why at the EMD's PrimeTime Spring Luncheon, I am going to announce a ministry opportunity that has rarely been organized, designed, and exclusively promoted to PrimeTimers. (I've climbed out on a limb, so leave your chain saw home.)

Yours in Christ,
Rev. Charles Bledsoe
PrimeTime Ministry Director

From the Eastside Mission

A continuing Thank-You for your support and love for the compassionate ministry to
Flint's Eastside. Visit the Flint Eastside Mission Web Site at. Eastsidemission.org.
It is up and running. Website is up and running. Thanks to our Son.
- Rev. Bill and Barb Burdine

Campground Updates

There are a few rooms left in the Gibson Center for Camp Meeting. Complete details
are available at the District Center web page. Briefly, here are the rates for Gibson
Center rooms:

single occupancy - $280
double occupancy - $328
triple occupancy - $376
quad occupancy - $424

There are still a few lots left for seasonal use or campmeeting at the District Center.
Those of you who have campmeeting lots have until June 1 to get your payments in.

District Center Contact Information
Rev. Gerald Schalau - Camp Superintendent
Karon Schalau - Office Manager
4155 N. Center Drive
Howell, MI 48843
Email: CampDirector@christianemail.com Web: campground/
Phone: 517-546-9683
Fax. 517-546-3332 page at emdnaz.org.