CCM Update
3 February 2012 (2:30 p.m.)
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
We just learned we have an opening in the Southwest schedule for a Vacation Bible School this summer. This would be at Tsaile Community Church (Tsaile, AZ). Due to their public school schedule, the best dates for them is July 16-20.
We need to fill this date as soon as possible!! Please email Kara kmn@cggc.org if you have interest in this assignment!
Thanks!
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
2 February 2012
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
Please take a few moments to answer this poll question regarding personal options for making contributions. Go to our CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries Facebook page to vote.
Thanks!
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
27 January 2012
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
Happy Friday! Pastors Caleb & Christina Acosta just returned from the Dominican Republic where they visited our newest overseas field along with Executive Director Ed & Linda Rosenberry and Pastor Travis Bodden and Ryan Wiseley from Decatur, IL New Beginnings Church. In fact, Ed's E-news today reports on their trip. If you don't get his weekly CGGC e-News, go to http://www.cggc.org/eNewsArchive.htm
We've been accumulating 2011 ministry reports from our fields in preparation for our March issue of The Missionary Signal as well as upcoming Commission meetings. We hope to update the stats on our website next week. Just as a teaser...Bangladesh added 25 new churches in 2011. They now have 158 churches with total membership of 7,217. We praise God for His working there as well as in all areas of our ministry. We now have approximately 250 churches overseas. Those churches reported a total of 1,034 baptisms in 2011.
Our financial books have closed for 2011. Shippensburg 1st Church of God (ERC) led all CGGC churches in designated giving to CGGC missions with $43,483. The top 25 churches (in order) were:
1. Shippensburg 1st, ERC
2. High View, ERC
3. Hanover 1st, ERC
4. Olive Branch, MRC
5. CrossPoint, GLC
6. Indian Head, ARC
7. College First, GLC
8.
9. Newburg 1st, ERC
10. Bare Memorial, ERC
11. Lancaster 1st, ERC
12.
13. Enola 1st, ERC
14.
15.
16. Central Manor, ERC
17. Swatara, ERC
18. Casey White Oak, MRC
19. McMechen 1st, ARC
20. Eberly’s Mill, ERC
21.
22.
23.
24.
25. Greenvillage, ERC
Our thanks to all churches which supported the CGGC Cooperative budget, as well as churches, organizations, and individuals who gave $1,016,496 to CGGC Designated ministries. Designated giving was up 8.8% over the previous year! Praise God!
Our CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries Commission meets in Findlay this next Monday and Tuesday, January 30-31. We've invited members of regional missions committees to also come and participate in portions of our meeting. Additional training sessions are also planned for regional members. We invite your prayers for this special event.
Thanks for your partnership in the gospel as together we depend on God's faithfulness.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
26 January 2012
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
Many of you have responded to the request to send fabric to Toni Thumma serving in New Mexico. Thank you for your generous response. There have been some challenges with the mailing address.
If you plan to send packages via the US Postal service please use the following address:
Pastor John B. Thumma
PO Box 176
55 Blue Jay Road
Vanderwagon, NM 87326
If you plan to send via UPS or other courier delivery please use:
Pastor John B. Thumma
55 Blue Jay Road
Vanderwagon, NM 87326
If you have any questions please let us know.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
25 January 2012
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
In recent years, we've recommended a helpful prayer tool for local churches at this time of year. Seek God for the City is designed to empower entire churches and even citywide movements to unite their prayers for a special 40-day season. Now the children’s companion guide is available—providing a way to equip children to pray along with each other and their families. The kids’ version of Seek God for the City 2012 is available as a free downloadable PDF file. You have permission to photocopy all that you need. Find it online at www.waymakers.org/childrens-guide.html
Put another tool in the hands of moms and dads that will help them teach their children to extend their prayers and passions beyond their own needs.
This year the children’s companion version has been entirely rewritten. Of course, the prayers are framed with clear, simple language, making it easy for kids to express heartfelt prayer for others. Every one of the prayers springs from the same Bible verses as the adult version, making it easy for a family to read and pray together. Don’t let the simple language fool you. The prayers are focused on Jesus, making them richly appropriate for people of any age.
Check out the new pages on their website. You’ll see a short helpful video by Trudy Landis, the author of the kids’ prayers. There are other practical ideas for Sunday School teachers and parents to help young minds learn to express prayers of hope for their community.
Don't forget to order booklets for the adults, also. Copies of Seek God for the City 2012 are moving rapidly. It’s not too late to get copies of the English and/or Spanish booklets. Call 800-264-5214, or find them online at www.waymakers.org/seek-god-for-the-city.html
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
missions@cggc.org
28 December 2011
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
Donors to this ministry usually specify a favorite ministry designation for their gift using a category number beginning with "CC_ _ _ _." Consistent giving to missionaries and projects is important and greatly appreciated! However, we also frequently receive gifts with this kind of designation: "wherever needed most!" When that happens, we select a category that is under-funded or has a special need at the time. A contribution receipt is then sent to the donor identifying where the gift was used.
It's not too late to send a year-end gift in support of CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries--whether for a specific designated fund or "where needed most."
Just a reminder that the gift needs to be postmarked prior to the beginning of the new year but the check must also be dated prior to the new year. A 2011 postmarked mailing of a 2012 dated check does not qualify for a 2011 contribution.
Thanks so much for your faithfulness to this ministry throughout the year(s).
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
missions@cggc.org
20 December 2011
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il forces potential change in that country. North Korea is at the top of the list of countries persecuting Christians. His son, Kim Jong-un, is expected to take over the reigns of leadership. For years, it has been reported that poverty and hunger are widespread in that regime. Pray for greater openness to Christian influence in North Korea and a more moderate political system.
University of Findlay student Morgan Scott leaves today for India where she will participate in a conference in Delhi in early January. In the meantime, she will fly to Kolkata and spend time at Uluberia with our field director's family--Samir & Charusheela Singha--through the end of the year. Morgan also serves part-time as CGGC Discipleship Ministries Administrative Assistant. It will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with our historic mission field! Pray for her as she travels the next couple days and then arrives safely at Uluberia. Morgan is the daughter of Pastor Phil & Nancy Scott of Penbrook Church of God (ERC).
The days of 2011 are quickly passing. Be sure to make special year-end contributions to your local church as well as to CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries. Gifts need to be postmarked by December 31st to receive a 2011 charitable contribution receipt. Several needs were highlighted earlier this month. They include:
CC2709 Bangladesh Churches & Evangelism
CC2718 Haiti Project Help Support
CC2803 Haiti Church Ministries
CC2720 India Churches & Evangelism
CC2814 Missionary Recruitment & Training
CC2834 Venezuela Outreach Assistance
CC2731 Pastor Gordon & Annie Avey Support (Brazil)
CC2750 Pastor Mike & Natinha Poe Support (Brazil)
CC2758 Pastor Everett & Mary Teller Support (Tsaile, AZ)
Mail your gift to CGGC, P.O. Box 926, Findlay, OH 45839. Thanks so much!
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
missions@cggc.org
7 December 2011
Greetings!
Dr. Wayne Boyer went home to be with the Lord last night. As a pastor and Executive Director of the Churches of God, General Conference, Wayne was a great missions motivator! He guided the CGGC to become the first denomination to join the Alliance for Saturation Church Planting following the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe. He visited all of our missions fields prior to his retirement and was a gifted communicator of God's Word whether in the States or overseas.
Viewing will be held on Friday, December 9th from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the Central Manor Church of God, 387 Penn Street, Washington Boro, PA.
Following private interment on Saturday morning, December 10th, a Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. at Central Manor Church to celebrate his life.
Condolence cards may be sent to: Mrs. Kay Boyer, 53 Duncan Street, Lancaster, PA 17602.
Many blessings to you as you remember Kay and the family in your prayers.
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
missions@cggc.org
6 December 2011
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!
I'm back in the office after an absence of almost two weeks for vacation and personal time. This past weekend, my wife (Phyllis) and I worked alongside 19 others from our College First Church team serving at Operation Christmas Child processing center in Boone, NC. In our recent Church Advocate article, we cited other CGGC churches/persons serving with Samaritan Purse's OCC ministry this year. I have become aware of at least one other church (Germantown, ERC) which also sent a team to Charlotte's center. As always, we heard several stories from around the world how specific items in a child's gift box met a particular need in that child's life. For more information about serving in 2012 or to enlist your church in preparing shoe boxes for children, you can go to SP's website at https://www.samaritanspurse.org.
While on vacation, we visited our Resurrection Christian Community Church (Len Stubbs, Senior Pastor) on Hilton Head Island, SC. We enjoyed not only a thriving multi-cultural worship on Sunday morning but also the Latino worship that evening. Pastor Daniel & Paola Sanchez (from Chile) lead the Latino congregation. The Acostas and some of the Pennsylvania Latinos visited the Hilton Head ministry late in the summer and were a great blessing to the congregation in their launch. Both ministries continue to grow and are reaching out in area. Their vision includes multiplying more disciples and churches in the coming years. You can go to my CCM Blog to read more about the ministry and see pictures.
Pray for Pastors Ed Rosenberry and Ben Tobias who left this afternoon for Kenya to participate in the first annual conference session of our churches in that country. Pray for safe journey and that God will speak through their teaching and preaching to encourage and guide the brethren there. They return next week.
I was suppose to be on that trip instead of Ben but began having some severe abdominal pains a week ago while on vacation. I went to a medical clinic last week in South Carolina and then had tests yesterday and today here in Findlay. It may be a couple days before I have the results, so your prayers are appreciated as I await the news.
The Sarvers are finally back in their home in Bangkok, Thailand after being flooded out of their home for a few weeks. Keep praying for them as they continue to clean-up and fix-up their home after recent damages. Also ask God to make them a blessing to the neighborhood. Such crises bring people together.
We still have some open weeks in the winter work team schedule for Haiti. Priority projects are at Pierre Payen where renovation has begun on our hospital facilities, but other projects are also possible. Persons with plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc. skills are especially needed. If your church is interested in reserving dates, contact Kara Norris kmn@cggc.org (419-424-1961) right away. I just checked on the web and good airline prices are also available for those dates!! Call now!!
Just a reminder that one donor has offered to match gifts to the Brazil Campo Grande construction project in Campinas through the end of 2011. This generous offer means you can DOUBLE your gift through December 31st: $10 becomes $20; $100 becomes $200; $1,000 becomes $2,000; etc. All contributions for this project should be designated for CC 2804 Brazil Church Planting and earmarked "Campo Grande Construction." Send to CGGC, Box 926, Findlay, OH 45839.
The Lord continues to bless this ministry through your faithful support. Through November, Cooperative funding is down only 1.3% from the same time last year. Designated funding is UP 4.9%!! Thanks for your faithful and generous support.
This year's special Christmas "Share the Blessing" Offering has been designated to assist our national church leaders from other countries to attend the next International Church Leaders' Forum in Bangladesh next November 9-14. Flyers, bulletin inserts and offering envelopes have already been distributed to churches. Gifts should be designated for CC 2815 International Guests Travel Fund.
In these final weeks of 2011, it's a perfect time to evaluate one's giving patterns this year. Have we been generous in supporting our local church with tithes and offerings? What about support for our CGGC global ministries where new churches are being planted and large baptisms are occurring on a regular basis?
Here are some designated ministries significantly under-funded as we approach the end of the year:
CC2709 Bangladesh Churches & Evangelism
CC2718 Haiti Project Help Support
CC2803 Haiti Church Ministries
CC2720 India Churches & Evangelism
CC2814 Missionary Recruitment & Training
CC2834 Venezuela Outreach Assistance
CC2731 Pastor Gordon & Annie Avey Support (Brazil)
CC2750 Pastor Mike & Natinha Poe Support (Brazil)
CC2758 Pastor Everett & Mary Teller Support (Tsaile, AZ)
Thanks for prayerfully considering these needs in your year-end giving.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
CGGC Cross-Cultural Ministries
missions@cggc.org