E-Tidings June 2005

E-Tidings September 2005

In this Issue: (click the title to jump to the article) News From Around our Great District

From the District Superintendent:

What can we do? That seems to be the question on everyone's mind these days in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Certainly as followers of Jesus, the one that taught us our responsibility to relieve suffering, we want to reach out to those whose world has been turned up-side-down.

Two ministers of Nazarene congregations in the affected area have roots to Eastern Michigan and have been here in the aftermath of the storm:

Rev. Walter Thompson, pastor of Gulfport Mississippi

Rev. Thompson and his wife Debbie grew up in the Port Huron and Hazel Park areas. They made their home on Eastern Michigan and pastored a Free Methodist Church in Durand before moving to Imlay City to pastor the Nazarene Church. They have since pastored in Texas and most recently in Gulfport. About two years ago Debbie was diagnosed with cancer and she died on Friday, August 26th. The funeral service was scheduled to be held in Biloxi, Miss. on Tuesday, the 30th with burial in Port Huron, MI. Because of the hurricane and evacuation order, the funeral service in Biloxi was cancelled and the family drove Debbie's body to Michigan. Funeral services were held on Saturday from the Imlay City Church.

Gulfport Church had just recently sold their building and the footings for a new building have been poured. Rev. Thompson indicated that the parsonage appears to be salvageable, there is question about the viability of his congregation because many of them have left the area and some have already indicated they most likely won't be back.

Rev. Larry Bolling, pastor of New Orleans First Church

Brother Bolling and Sister Dee call Eastern Michigan home. For years Pastor Bolling served on staff with Rev. Robert Hunter at Detroit Grace Church and also worked at General Motors Corporation. In February, 2004 the Bollings accepted the call to pastor New Orleans First Church. When the evacuation order was issued last week, the Bollings came to Michigan and are staying with relatives.

Rev. Bolling indicates that the church has extensive damage and he is unsure of his house. They had just had a new home built and initial reports are that 90 percent of the homes in the area where their house is located are completely destroyed.

Their congregation also has been displaced. Two members that were unable to evacuate stayed in the church in an upper level. They indicated the church pews were floating and the water had risen above the newly installed handicap parking signs. The pair were rescued and moved to the Superdome and later relocated to Houston.

What Have We Done?

At this point, we have taken initial steps to help these two families and their congregations. This help includes:

  • The Bolling and the Thompson families have each been given $1,000 cash from our District Compassionate Ministries account to help them with their immediate needs.
  • The Dickey Cottage on the Campground has been offered as temporary housing for either family.
  • An offer to help relocate any of their congregation to Eastern Michigan and assist them with housing, food, clothing, transportation, medical care, and employment.

What Will We Do?

A brainstorming meeting is being held early this week with a group of pastors to determine what to do. Initial thoughts are:

  • Creation of a Katrina Relief Fund that churches and individuals can contribute to assist the EMD efforts.
  • Determine needs in the affected area and coordinate collection and distribution of funds and items collected.
  • Coordinate resources available district wide to provide housing, food, transportation, medical care, and employment for those wishing to relocate to EMD area.
  • Organize Work & Witness Teams from across the district to aid in the clean-up and rebuilding efforts.

A special page on our Website, www.emdnaz.org is being created which will give updated information. Contributions can be made immediately and all of the contributions will be used in the efforts of our district to assist Nazarene's in the effected area. Please make checks payable to Eastern Michigan District and mark them Katrina Relief. Send them to:

Eastern Michigan District
P.O. Box 608, Fenton, MI 48430

If you have suggestions or resources you would like to make available, please contact me at emdds@charterinternet.com or 810-750-4080.

Stephen T. Anthony

District Superintendent

More News

Hurricane Katrina Updates at Nazarene.org

Crisis Care Kits, Donations, Prayer All Needed for Katrina Victims

Nazarenes are responding to the needs of the victims of hurricane Katrina. The need in the Gulf Coast region is immense but the Church of the Nazarene has joined with other organizations to offer all they can to assist. There are several ways you can get involved. Visit the Katrina Response portal on the Denominational Web site out how you can help!

Rev. Orletta Wright has resigned as Children's Pastor at South Flint and is available for another assignment in the Flint area. She can be reached at 810-687-3527 hm or 810-742-6061 ch.

Charles Nelson has also resigned at South Flint as worship leader.

Rev. Jane Ream has been appointed Interim Pastor at Living Waters Church. She will serve in this position for the remainder of the church year.

Rev. Karla Greci

Detroit First Church has called Rev. Karla Greci as their new Pastor to Children and their Families. Karla is coming from the Indianapolis District.

Brighton Church has called Anita Balmer as part time Children's Director.

Our sympathy is extended to Rev. Linda McMullen, associate at Monroe Church in the death of her father. He was a member of the Monroe Church for more than 40 years. He had served on the church board and served as a Lay Minister and as a Hospital Chaplain for 20 years.

We have received word that Debbie Thompson, wife of Rev. Walter Thompson, who formerly pastored the Imlay City Church is in Hospice Care and not expected to live. Please pray for this fine lady and her family.

Patti Hallendy, the district office secretary since June, has resigned to accept a full time position with her former supervisor. While only be with us for a short time, Patti has been very efficient and will be missed. Kathy VanEvery has agreed to return on a short term basis until a replacement can be hired.

Rev. Darrel Harvey of Flushing Community Church reports that they had a baptism service Aug. 14 with 400 people attending to celebrate the baptism of 25 new believers.

EMD Lay Retreat

Theme: It's Not About Us

"Whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God" - 1 Cor. 10:31 September 30th - October 2nd, 2005 at the Oakwood Inn, Syracuse, Indiana.

Featuring: Christian & Margit Sarmiento and music with Rev. Gary Griffin. More...

The Great Mid-Michigan Church Shoot Out

Date & Time: October 1st at 10am
Location: Grand Blanc Hunstsman Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan

Any church is welcome to participate. The 3 highest scores from each church will determine the winning church. The venue is 100 targets. 50 sporting clays, 25 trap and 25 skeet. Cost is approximately $26 plus your shells. Ward Presbyterian Church of Northville, Michigan presently owns the trophy and is coming to defend their title. Please contact Rev. Don Frey at home 810-742-4058 or church 810-742-6061 for more details.

Celebrate Your Marriage at West Flint Church!

Jay and Laura Laffoon have helped thousands of couples Celebrate Marriage. The Laffoons' unique and inspirational events focus couples on marriage principles that create celebration.

Saturday, October 29th, 2005 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
West Flint Church of the Nazarene
2254 S. Dye Road
Flint, MI 48532
Register Online at West Flint's Web site!
$25 per person / $50 per couple


Missions_Update

Maximize Missions Day

Saturday, November 5, 2005 at Richfield Church of the Nazarene 9:00 - 3:30

  • All local NMI council members and interested pastors.
  • Bring a empty 3 ring notebook with 8-10 dividers. Expect to fill notebook with handouts
  • General NMI workshops ideas shared.
  • "Mission Called" information - Sharon Drake
  • "Beautiful Feet" Faith Promise ideas - Dawn Welton
  • "Goats at church" - Children's project - Wilda Trisch
  • "Views of missions from a paperboy - Wes Bittenbender
  • Pastor Glen Gardner
  • Crisis Care kits / School Pal kits
  • New Presidents training - Jan Fleming & Teri Dilts
  • Mission Auction - Shirley Hesselrode
  • "Weakest LINK" — Nancy Ault
  • Planning a Mission Festival: - Kim Goodwin
  • Testimony of Lisa Drake
  • Catered Lunch

Pre-registration To Diane Witt-Kingsbury $10.00 Per person (will include printing and lunch)

One Heart Many Hands Goes International in 2006

What - Providing maintenance and remodeling of homes in typical One Heart Many Hands way. This is truly an international Work and Witness project.

Where - Tuxtla, Gutirrez, (Chiappas)Mexico - There are 11 Nazarene churches in the Tuxtla area who will be participating.

Who - 500 persons from the U.S. and 500 from Mexico Adults and mature teens

When - July 22-29, 2006 - Saturday to Saturday Travel - One Heart Many Hands is considering chartering a plane from Indianapolis and one from Kansas City.

How to Register - Contact Bill Heaton, 734-591-2456 or e-mail him at BHeaton@RC.Net

Tools - Most tools, especially heavy ones will be provided by the Mexicans.

Material - The cost and method for providing funds for the material have not been identified.

Flint Eastside Mission Update
Flint Eastside Mission Logo Backpack Day 2005

Back to School Carnival 2005... Reaching children

Our recent Back to School carnival was indeed a success! We started out with 625 back packs and had less than 50 left over when the day was done. I'm sure many of you have seen our photos. (If not, please check them out here.)

Some of those left over back packs and school supplies were given to Williams Elementary, the closest elementary school to the Mission. The others will go to Potter Elementary, another elementary school close by.

Why do this? Well, it's not entirely to clear our limited storage space of extra school supplies and back packs, but it's to develop relationship with the families and children at the schools closest to us and to better understand what their needs are. We hope to assist children and their families in ways that will make the most impact for their future.

Promoting reading at Williams Elementary

The Flint Eastside Mission received a grant of $3,000 from the City of Flint for our back to school project. With a little more than half of that, we found a wholesale connection to purchase 400 back packs to ensure we'd have one for every child who came.

That still left us with a balance and the Social Action Committee of our board chose to emphasize reading. We had hoped to give a book to each child at our Back to School Carnival. That didn't take place the way we hoped, but God did indeed have something far better in mind.

We will be working with the parent coordinator at Williams Elementary School to have each teacher select a grade-level appropriate reading book from the Scholastic Book program which will be paid for by the balance of our grant monies. By doing it this way we ensure that each child gets a book they are capable of enjoying. In addition, the classroom will benefit from having a larger order than usual which could yield the teacher some free things for the classroom.

Coats for Children at Williams Elementary

Well, by now I hope you're thinking... gee, Rev. Bryce hasn't asked anything of us yet. You knew I'd get to this part, right?

For the first time, the Flint Eastside Mission is undertaking a project to provide a coat for each and every boy and girl at Williams Elementary. That's just under 500, for those of you who like numbers. And we might even ask for some pre-school sized coats if that kind of request is made.

In the past, churches have collected and donated coats to us, Flint West Church, for one. This time, we're working with Williams Elementary to get each classroom to provide us with a child's name and their coat size. (Kind of like Project Angel Tree, but don't worry, we're looking to do this from mid-September through October.) Then, churches can request the number of coats they will be providing and we'll give them the coat tickets. This way, we help ensure that each child gets a coat that fits them.

Here's where you can help: Please ask your church to be involved in making a request for coat tickets. Some churches will be able to provide 100 or 200 coats and some are able to provide five. I can guarantee this: when the frigid Michigan winter weather comes, each coat will be appreciated! I am confident that all of us working together can accomplish this (or I would not even ask).

Please be sure to work through your churches as this will help make it much easier to organize and collect the coats. If you are unsure who to ask about this at your church, either work with your pastor, your NMI President or anyone who works with outreach.

Clothing House Assistance needed

If you are interested in volunteering in the Clothing House, please contact us... we need people to help organize and work in the areas needed.

Eastside Mission Contact Info

If you have questions, please call me at (810) 664-3457 or e-mail me at mebryce@flinteastsidemission.org.

May God richly bless!

Rev. Margie Bryce

Visit the Mission online at flinteastsidemission.org!

EMD NYI

2005-2006 NYI Bible Quizzing Information

The following dates have been set aside for EMD Youth Bible Quizzing in the 2005-2006 season:
  • Sept. 10, 2005 at West Flint
  • Oct. 8, 2005 at Bethel
  • Nov. 12, 2005 at Millington
  • Dec. 10, 2005 at Plymouth
  • Jan. 14, 2006 at Richfield
  • Feb. 11, 2006 at Detroit First
  • March 24-25, 2006 TBA ( This date may have to change because of Spring Breaks and Momentum Conflicts)

For more information on NYI Bible quizzing, contact: Rev. Bob Flowers, 810-232-8081, 810-577-7721 (mobile) or reviceman@netzero.net



Sunday School Ministries Update PrimeTime Ministries Update

As we continue to serve our Lord we are amazed by the leadership God provides in our personal lives and ministry. We are fascinated by the people we meet; the phone calls and notes we receive and the increasing degree of clarity our vision experiences as we strive to focus on what our Lord has placed before us. We trust each of you will join us in prayer, faith and hope as we seek ways to motivate PrimeTimers to never give up and to always reach toward a new goals and to ask their heavenly Father to give them a vision as to what they can do to change their world.

As you read the announcements listed below, ask the Lord to reveal what you can invest your energy, spiritual gifts and talents so you can continue to show God's love to those whom you can minister. Ask the leadership of your church to help develop a ministry that addresses the needs of PrimeTimers in your congregation. Realize the least evangelized age group in America are adults over 65 years old. Pray the Lord will send forth laborers into the fields that are white unto harvest.

PrimeTime Work & Witness "Barbados Blitz 2006"

We have 52 participants, representing 14 districts; 33 local churches; 4 denominations in 13 states and 2 Canadian provinces. We have 21 "rookies" and 31 "veterans." There are: Two Mother-Son; One Father-Daughter; One Father-Mother-Daughter-Niece and Nine husband-wife combinations. We even have a retired missionary who served for a few years in Barbados! The average age of the participants is 63 years with ages ranging from 24 to 78. The 31 veterans have completed 98 W&W trips and when The Blitz is completed these teams will have a combined total of 150 W&W trips which is over 5 years of volunteer service to our Lord and missions!

Time is running out, however there is still room for YOU!

For more information go to: www.GoPrimeTime.org

Or phone: Rev. Charles A. Bledsoe at 248-684-9457

Calling All Cooks!

If you love to cook; if you love to travel; if you love to meet new and exciting friends; if you love missions then you are the exact person we want to meet! We have an opportunity for you that will shake your world and change your life.

The Missionary Training Center in Brazil is looking for cooks who will accept the challenge of living at the Center and preparing meals for the pastors and laypersons who have a passion for missions. These Brazilian Nazarenes come to the Center to receive training so they may be equipped to enable their people to become missionaries and / or to lead their own Work & Witness teams.

They are looking for individuals, like yourself, to "Donate Your Heart" and come to Brazil for 1 - 6 months to prepare meals for these courageous and daring Brazilians who hunger to change the world through missions involvement.

Your housing and language lessons are FREE. (How can you resist?)

If this has "tickled your fancy" you must contact the Center for more information.

Email: Info@ChurchOfTheNazareneBrazil.org

Phone from USA: 011-55-115-928-4305

Prime Dates to Remember!

September - 2005
  • 11 - Grandparents Day!
  • 14 - 16 National Quartet Convention - Nashville, TN
    ONU is organizing a trip to this convention. If you are a Southern Music fan you will not want to miss this opportunity to see your favorite Gospel Music groups as well as dozens of others.
    Call ONU for details: 1-800-648-1463
  • 26 - 30 PrimeTime Event at Schroon Lake, NY
    This location has historically been the most popular locations for our PrimeTime retreat. Near the scenic shores of Lake George and Lake Champlain, the word of Life Retreat Center is on a bluff above Schroon Lake, providing a breathtaking & spectacular view.
    Call PrimeTime Ministries for details: 1-800-221-6317
    Or at: WWW.Nazarene.org/ssm/adult/primetime/index.html
  • 27 PrimeTime Day at ONU!
    Featuring: Allison Durham Speer from the Gaither Homecoming Videos; Rev. J. K. Warrick, newly elected General Superintendent; Dr. John Bowling, President of ONU; Orpheus Choir from ONU
    For More Information Call: 1-800-648-1463
January - 2006
  • January 13 - 26: PT Barbados W&W Blitz - Team One
  • Jan 27 - Feb 9: PT Barbados W&W Blitz - Team Two
February - 2006
  • February 10 - 23: PT Barbados W&W Blitz - Team Three
April - 2006
  • 1: 1st Spring Luncheon - Flint East Nazarene
    Hostess: Cecilia Howe - Phone: 810-658-3323
  • 22: 2nd Spring Luncheon - Bedford Nazarene
    Hostess: Lyndene Olson - Phone: 734-850-0073
  • 25: EMD District NMI Convention - Brighton
    EMD Ordination Service - Brighton
  • 26: EMD District Assembly - Brighton
  • 29: 3rd Spring Luncheon - Allen Park Nazarene
    Hostess: Phyllis Reese - Phone: 734-283-3349
June - 2006
  • 3: PrimeTime Senior Summit @ ONU
    Evangelizing Senior Adults with Dr. Lyle Pointer of Nazarene Theological Seminary. Mrs. Paula Porter, who will join her husband, is a credentialed counselor dealing with various lifestyle issues.
    Pre-Registration Cost is $35.00.
    For more information call: 1-800-648-1463
July - 2006
  • 23 - 30 Family Camp at Howell
September - 2006
  • 10: Grandparents Day!
  • 12 - 15: PrimeTime Event at St. Charles, MO
    Rev. Jerry Porter, General Superintendent - Guest Speaker Embassy Suites / Convention Center.
    St. Louis, MO, was the launching point for the Lewis & Clark Westward expedition. This beautiful and historic city is the setting for our 2006 retreat. Plan to join with Hundreds of PrimeTime adults as we explore this celebrated location.
    More Information? WWW.Nazarene.org/ssm/adult/primetime
January - 2007
  • Dates TBD: General PrimeTime Event
    Mexican Riviera Cruise
    Departs from San Diego, California
February - 2007
  • 19 - 21 M-7 Evangelism Conference
    2007 Mid-Quadrennial Conference on Missions and Evangelism will be held at the downtown Bartle Hall Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to inspirational services, dozens of workshops provide instructional settings for discovering missional opportunities God has given our Church.
Summer / Fall - 2007
  • Work & Witness Adventure to Scotland!
    Anyone want to play a round of Golf?
    More details to follow after January 1, 2006
September - 2007
  • 9: Grandparents Day!
  • Dates TBD: General PrimeTime Event North or South Carolina
September / October - 2008
  • Dates TBD: General PrimeTime Event
    Kansas City, Missouri
    Celebrating Nazarene's 100th Anniversary!
June - 2009
  • 17 - 26 General Conventions and Assembly
    Indianapolis, Indiana... Plan to Attend!