September 7, 2008

My Daughter Abby and I joined the Johnstown and Indiana Churches for worship. We had the privilege of sharing the Dorm Bathroom renovation project at Blue Mountain Academy.

Pastor Robert Fisher is doing a good job leading these two churches.

In October Pastor Fisher will be presenting an evangelistic meeting just a short distance form the church in a local motel banquet room.

The Indiana Church has been presenting a Cardiac Health Improvement Class (CHIP) for the community.

A retired physician is leading the health presentations.

Several college and university students from Indiana University of Pennsylvania are attending the Indiana Church and are involved in church projects.

Just recently, members of the Indiana Church went around the neighborhood close to the church and distributed free gasoline cards, in an effort to express caring, let people know about the church and make friends for Jesus.

Anchor Point Church plant - August 23

August 23 Jeanne and I joined the Anchor Church Plant, which is presently meeting in a Lions Club building in Centerport, PA.

The desired target community of Shoemakersville is where Anchor Point members would like to see a new congregation. In July, Ron Goff, lay leader for Anchor Point, the mission group made a request of the township to meet in a building in Shoemakersville. The township officials denied the request without giving a clear reason. At church this Sabbath, Ron shared that the day after the denial, he had been with his parents-in-law for their 50th anniversary. While with them, he learned the story of the “Riverwalk” in the center of San Antonio, TX, a beautiful downtown region of inter-connected wandering canals, walkways, trees, plants, stores, office buildings, hotels and restaurants that has become an attractive tourist destination, and makes center-city San Antonio one of the most attractive downtown regions in the country. When the engineer who was the architect and had the vision for the Riverwalk first proposed it to the city in 1929 no one thought is was a good idea. However, in 1939 WPA funding was offered for the engineers concept and work was begun on the Riverwalk. When the Riverwalk was completed, the engineer’s firm was the only business/office located on the Riverwalk and it wasn’t until 1946 before the second office was located there. Today, anywhere along the Riverwalk is prime real estate.

Ron’s observation to the Anchor Point group today, was that it was just one day after the township denied the Church Plant approval to meet at the location they had requested, he learned the story of this engineer who had the vision for San Antonio’s Riverwalk. Sometimes we need to be persistent, not give up, and keep continuing to work toward a goal that others may not recognized has any value. Especially, I would add, when we are church planting. Church planting is one of God’s directed way of enlarging the kingdom of Heaven. And the evil one will oppose the enlarging of the kingdom of God at every step. So, when it comes to Church Planting, let us not become weary in well doing. Let us press ahead, even if it takes years, for the vision God gives, will catch hold, and will mean the salvation of many precious souls.

Mt. Jewett and Derrick City August 16

August 16 Lynn Gatz invited me to share the worship hour message with his churches as he had to be away caring for the necessary family issues surrounding the loss of his father.

During the Service in Derrick City, several testimonies where shared about the ministry taking place at the County Fair and ending that night.

After last year’s PA Conference Equipping University, the Derrick City Church members in attendance with their pastor went home and asked God and each other what they could do together for outreach. They were led to utilized a booth at the Fair in a specific outreach way. The whole booth is filled with message books and magazines which they pass out, and which are eagerly requested. They play two CD films on large TV monitors simultaneously, one showing either Kenneth Cox, Shawn Boonstra or Doug Bachelor, and the other a CD film about Pathfinders and Adventurers from the Oshkosh camporee. Most of their Adventurer club is made up of non-church members. They also had a drawing last year and this year at the Fair to give away 2 Three Angels Broadcasting satellite receiver systems and they get a large amount of names for those. The names received are then followed up with offers for Bible studies. Before the Fair is over, the church members also give our spiritual books and materials to the carnival workers. These traveling carnival workers seemed to really appreciate that someone took time to give them personal attention.

Pictured at the Derrick City Church are: Karen Ames, Jan Graffius, Melinda Tyler and some of the youth who have ministered at the Fair booth.

ASI -- August 6 - 9

Last week, Jeanne and I attended the annual ASI convention in Tampa, FL. Here are some highlights of that we shared in:

* Over $8 million was pledged on Sabbath for various ASI mission projects, including the One Day Church building project which I will tell you more about below.

* Met with the General Manager of 3ABN and discussed ways to increase broadcast coverage in Pennsylvania.

* Served on the Board of “The Hope of Survivors”(THOS) which had its meeting Thursday morning at ASI. The Hope of Survivors (a Seventh-day Adventist supporting ministry) ministers directly to victims abused by Pastors of any denomination. THOS helps to restore and even bring back to church fellowship, women who never thought they would ever attend church again.

* Met and talked at length with Gary Gibbs, director of Hope TV, the GC sponsored TV Ministry. Pray for HOPE right now as they are close to being available to 17 million new households in the US.

* Met with the director of a NAD ministry that might have some job opportunities for students at BMA

* Heard inspiring messages by Jim Gilley, Mark Finley, Shawn Boonstra.

* Talked with Shawn Boonstra regarding a good potential for him to conduct a metro-wide evangelistic meeting in Philadelphia or Allentown.

* Attended the NAD President’s council with Don Schneider. Items discussed were legal issues surrounding church plants and conference ownership of buildings and properties, stipends and courtesy payroll issues, cost-of-living raise discussions, and the year of evangelism for 2009.

* A recently re-converted couple who have come back to the SDA Church in Vermont, were guests at our supper table, and told us that they had attend the PA Conference camp meeting this summer, and how it blessed them. They were especially excited about the Family Worship segment.

AN ASI ATTENDEE GAVE US HER PERSONAL TESTIMONY REGARDING HER LAY PASTOR-LED CHURCH

As we were attending the ASI convention in Tampa, Florida, Jeanne and I happened to sit next to Kathie Shanahan at supper Thursday evening. After we met at our assigned supper table seat, I learned that Kathie is a nurse from Vero Beach, FL. Her church is a very small church by Florida standards, about 30 attending. She was excited to tell me that one of the best things to happen to their church was to have a lay pastor! I asked her why? She said, “A lay pastor lets the church be the church. Pastors start things and ministries, but then they are gone. Now, with a lay pastor, it helps us to have to do the work. And the Conference gives us more funding for evangelism. Also, now there are more of us in the church who can preach. You can’t believe how successful it is. We had the best evangelistic series we ever had, and we are planning to do it again.”

ASI 1 DAY CHURCH PROJECT

Each day 11 new SDA church buildings are needed around the world. One pastor is wishing that his members would not have to walk more than 10 miles each way to their church building. There is a need for 400 church buildings just in this coming year alone.

ASI has started a “One Day Church” project which provides a roof and steel frame that can easily be erected on location and the local church can start meeting under the roof and finish the church building. The structure is earthquake proof. It is made of 14 gauge galvanized steel, manufactured and formed in the US, then shipped in a box/container measuring 20” x 20” x 7’ and weighing 1,240 lbs. The only tools needed for assembly in one day, on site are a drill, hacksaw and pliers. This church building will seat 150 and only costs $3,000.00 to manufacture. Shipping is very reasonable. Right now, there are matching funds available that will go dollar-for-dollar, so for every $1,500.00 contributed, matching funds will provide the rest to supply a church.

Wouldn’t it be great for a church family or SS class in PAS to sponsor a 1 Day church or to join with another PA church to sponsor a 1 Day church.

Right now there are 40-50,000 church families in need of a building that could benefit from this, with more church plants coming on line every day.

Sabbath, July 5, Jeanne and I joined with Bill and Darlene Peterson and 240-300 other Seventh-day Adventists, Romanian Embassy officials, the President of the Romanian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the Director of the SDA Romanian Voice of Hope Radio network with the Romanian members in dedicating their church building and church mission plant in Reading PA. They have purchased the former St. James Lutheran Church at 5^th and Chestnut Streets in Reading. The St. James Congregation was very happy to see another Christian congregation locate in their building, as the Lutheran Church family was not able to continue the financial costs of the building or the congregation. St. James had been a church plant from the larger Lutheran Church in Reading, in 1850, as the larger church only spoke German and there was a desire for an English speaking Lutheran church.

Romanians from across the US came to join in the dedication. Bill Peterson and I spoke a few words in the morning. Then for the afternoon service, I was asked to share the dedication message and lead out in the dedication prayer. Pastor Niculi Butoi is serving as a lay pastor of this church plant, and has been very energetically and sacrificially giving of his time and leadership.

A number of musical numbers were offered by various choral groups, violinists, pianists, vocalists and the Berks Chamber Orchestra.

Our prayers continue to be offered for this new work by our Romanian believers. For more information, see the story written by Tami Horst.




Tuesday morning, I was invited by Chuck Allen, Food Service Director at Blue Mountain Academy to offer the Devotional message for the gathered Adventist Food Service Administrators which held their annual convention at Blue Mountain Academy this year. My message was from John 6 and the feeding of the 5,000 where Jesus blessed a young lad’s generously offered lunch. I asked the gathered food service directors where they might see themselves in this story. The principal individuals were: The boy’s mother who baked the bread and packed the lunch, the young boy of perhaps 9-10 who offered his lunch, the disciples who mingled with the crowd, or Jesus who blessed and handed out the meal. Chuck had an excellent convention planned for our SDA food service directors from academies and youth camps.

Tuesday, I met with the MIC team which is led by Bill Peterson, and we worked diligently on helping our Churches and Pastor have a structure for our Churches being completely Mission Focused. One of the concepts that came out of Tuesdays meeting, was to invite 12 seasoned pastors of the PA Conference to participate in a Focus group over the next 2 weeks, to help identify any obstacles that exist in the Conference structure or the local church structure that either interfere with a pastor in their role to help the local church totally focus in mission and growth, or that slow it down. Please keep this in your prayers.

Wednesday, I had the privilege of spending an hour with the Cool Camp campers and staff while they are at the Reading Kenhorst Church this week. Next week they will be offering Cool Camp at the Reading Spanish Church and then the week after, at the Shamokin Church plant. Keith Bowman, the director, Kelsey Larrabee and Katie Paris shared with me how rewarding it is to share with the children who don’t really know anything about Jesus, and how important it is that church members connect with the families each day after Cool Camp. Two young non-SDA youth from the community were too old to attend Cool Camp this year, but since they attended last year and loved it so much, they have come back as volunteer Staff and they are doing real well. There were about 30-40 kids in attendance at Cool camp and only 3 were Seventh-day Adventists.

June 8, 2008

After taking part in the Columbia Union Conference Officers Retreat, and learning great lessons from the Reformation with all the Union Officers and other Conference Officers at the end of April and first of May, Jeanne and I spent a week of vacation with her parents who are in the mid-70’s. It was a joy to have personal time with these two special people.

On returning back, I had the opportunity to visit with the Derrick City, Mt. Jewett and Warren Churches regarding a change in district alignment so that these 3 churches are now under that pastoral leadership of Elder Lynn Gatz.

I have also visited with the Erie Church district as we process calling new pastoral leadership there. On the return from Erie, I spent some significant time at Laurel Lake Camp with Gary and Denise Moran.

This past Sabbath, Pastor Chris Buttery had invited me to preach at Montrose, Tunkhannock and Beaumont Churches. There is a good spirit and attitude in these churches between the church families and Pastor Buttery.

The Beaumont Church had a Pathfinder Investiture program for Sabbath School, preceding the church service. Joseph and Sandee Marr, along with Ruthie Sizemore have been the principal leaders along with assistance from others. Ernie and Faye Blachek, as Pathfinder Regional Directors did a fine job encouraging the Pathfinders and giving them support.

A surprise donation was made at the Beaumont Church by the local Church Treasurer, Linda Schneider, who herself donated half the money needed to install a much needed new roof on the church. The Congregation sang the doxology and the Pastor had tears in his eyes.

Also, at Beaumont Church, I met a lady whose mother was a pastor/evangelist here in the Pennsylvania Conference and raised up several churches in the Northeast part of the state, including the Beaumont and Kingston churches.

At Montrose, they have been conducting a Community Wellness Supper Club, with a number of guests attending. I was told that at least 5 guests are coming regularly to a Revelation Class now.

April 20, 2008

	This past Sabbath, I was invited to join the Boulevard church in Philadelphia. The Sabbath school was very well attended, with at least 5 adult classes meeting in the Sanctuary.
	Lillian Torres, the Bible instructor has been working with the members of this church, and God is using and directing them in powerful ways. One member was telling me that he was following up on a Bible study enrollment card, and the person was reluctant to take the Bible studies. Later, the doctor (who is an Adventist) that this church member works with recognized the name and called up the person who was a patient and recommended the lessons. The person has now agreed to take lessons.
	At church, 3 people walked in off the street. Members of the church ministered to them. Lillian and Pastor Andrade met with them, and during Sabbath school, led them to Christ. The 3 individuals sat near the front, stayed for fellowship dinner, and told the church members how much better they felt.
	Between Sabbath school and church, Jonathan Mall, a senior at Blue Mountain Academy shared a DVD presentation of the BMA mission trip that he participated in.
	In the afternoon I presented "Does Your Church have a Reason to Exist" at the invitation of Pastor Andrade, to his church leaders and interested members. Then I dialogued with the church family about being a Mission Intentional Church.
	Also, this Sabbath was the first Sabbath that the Boulevard church family prepared meals for a Christian husband and wife couple who have started a ministry feeding those in need. Donald and Lizette were so appreciative of the Boulevard church family.
	This church is coming alive with many ministry activities and a wonderful warm and caring spirit has developed under Moses and A’lisa Andrade’s leadership.