September 2020 Newsletter

From the Desk of the Superintendent

There have been many significant dates throughout history. Many have changed our world, our nations, our families due to the repercussions of battles, tragedies, votes, or discoveries. Some that have even been called things like, “The day that would live in infamy”. How many can you recall? Here are a few dates to test your memory. HISTORICAL What date is associated with the following events:

1. March 5, 1770 2. 2100 BC 3. March 70 AD 4. September 11, 2011 5. October 31, 1517 6. July 25, 306 7. April 9, 1865 8. June 6, 1944 9. January 20, 1783 10. December 7, 1941 ____ D Day ____ Destruction Of The Temple By Rome ____ Pearl Harbor ____ Surrender Of General Lee ____ Boston Massacre ____ Whittenburg 95 Thesis ____ Constantine Becomes Emperor ____ Destruction Of The Twin Towers ____ Abram Called Out Of Ur ____ Revolutionary War Articles Of Peace Signed

Keep track of your answers, and we will post the correct ones next month.  Throughout human history God has had a plan with significant dates all planned out. All of these in the past we just looked at, leading right up to the future. Jesus said in Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.“   We don’t know when that will be, but it appears to be soon based on the fulfillment of all the signs we see in scripture. Our Association of Churches was founded on the message of the second coming. That it could be at any time and we should be ready and make sure that our loved ones are ready as well. This led to an incredible evangelistic movement where many came to Christ. What happened to the AC message that Jesus is coming soon! He is closer now than ever before and yet we are further from the message now that we were when we began. Let’s renew the MAYBE TODAY optimism! Let this thought ignite your evangelistic passion. Make everyday count. Don’t let Covid or politics, or sports, or stuff keep you from serving Christ.  There are many valuable articles and connections in this edition of the ERA Newsletter. My prayer is that it will be a regular reminder to you of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the message of His soon coming that should so regularly be on the tip of our tongue. May the Lord bless each of you and encourage you in your daily living, for His honor and glory! - Greg

There will be a 24 hour prayer vigil from 2 pm on September 25 to 2 pm on September 26. An email with time slot sign ups will go out later this week. The final 2 hours will be the live stream of Franklin Graham's event.

Can you guess which church this is? The first person to email the office (secretary@aceasternregion.org) with the correct answer will receive a small prize. If this is your home church, we ask that you refrain from answering. The August Church was Faith Bible Church in Plainville, CT. Cathy Markavich guessed it correctly.

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DRIVEWAY FUNDRAISER After 30 years it is past time to replace the driveway at the Regional Residence & Office. This Capital Improvement will help with coming, going, sealing future cracks, and adding to the value of the property. The Board is in favor of this project and we have investigated several companies and estimates. We have chosen to go with New England Paving for an estimated amount of $15,000. We would love to have 20 gifts of $250 to help us get to the $5000 mark. For every gift of this size, the Region will send a pair of ERA drinking mugs as a thank you gift. While this is our goal, gifts of any size will be welcome! We would like to raise a portion of these funds through contributions from churches, and individuals who have a heart for the ministry of the Region. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, please send it to the Eastern Region, 32 Four Rod Road, Rochester, NH 03867 and put driveway gift on the memo line.  Article prepared in August prior to the project work. Thanks so much for considering this need! Sincerely, ERA Board of Directors & Regional Superintendent.

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A Servant's Heart Food Pantry Twenty-five years ago, a simple bookcase was the beginning of a blessing no one could have predicted, and it is still impacting people today. Faithful Christians at Faith Evangelical Church in Melrose, MA, led by Joan Dean, filled the shelves of that tiny bookcase with simple non-perishable goods to do their part in providing food for five local families. Fast-forward to 2020, and that bookcase has multiplied exponentially to become A Servant’s Heart Food Pantry which has proven to be an essential asset and lifeline to our larger community—particularly amidst this pandemic. When I first arrived at Faith Evangelical Church about a year ago, I soon discovered that I was in the middle of a lot of activity going on throughout the week. I would hear doors opening, the hustle and bustle of boxes moved, voices calling out, trucks arriving, and strangers filling our doorways. I quickly learned this weekly routine of volunteers, deliveries, donations, and patrons was all a part of the ministry of A Servant’s Heart Food Pantry. This pantry, I discovered, is quite well-known throughout the city and is run completely by volunteers and donations—and it has persisted (thrived even!) now for 25 long years!

Each Friday the pantry opens its doors to all in the community who are in need of assistance. Through community donations, partnership with a food rescue program (Lovin’ Spoonfuls), and direct purchases, the pantry is able to assist over 150 families with quality food. Our patrons are varied, among them are low-income families, elderly on a fixed income, newly arrived immigrants, those in-between jobs, homeless, or in an emergency situation. Oftentimes, patrons leave with bags full of dry-goods, bread, fruits, veggies, meats, and more! The gratitude of some patrons is overwhelming. We also invite all to a monthly community dinner where we can become better acquainted, share a brief encouragement from Scripture, and enjoy delicious food together.

The arrival of the pandemic in February/March of 2020 only amplified the necessity of this ministry. As many lost reliable incomes and the world began to shutter its doors, our numbers have risen, and we found ourselves playing a key role within the community. The city government of Melrose actually reached out to partner with us in their effort to assist the most vulnerable during this challenging time. In addition to providing for our weekly patrons, we now provide the city with 50-70 bags of groceries to be distributed to residents by government employees and volunteers. Many recipients receive these goods with literal tears of thanks. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ as we love our neighbors in a very tangible way—all in the name of Jesus. As generous donations from community members continue to pour in, we continue to partner with the city and serve as a lifeline for many in our community. We pray that as we minister holistically, and give out bread for physical sustenance, that it may lead many to find the true Bread of Life—Jesus Christ, “food which endures for eternal life.” (Jn 6:27).

From a tiny bookshelf and a small attempt to love one’s neighbor, to 25 years of faithfulness & dispelling a pandemic’s impact, the food pantry has truly been able to embody a servant’s heart, display the love of Christ, and fulfill, in part, his words from Matthew 5. “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Mt. 5:16 What small act of faithfulness can you perform today? What small faithful step can God use to embark you onto an unforeseen journey? May we place all our feeble efforts into the hands of the Almighty God who can do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. Amen Jonathan Price, Pastor of Faith Evangelical in Melrose, MA.

Fall Bible Study Classes Classes started September 14th with an introduction. There is still room if you would like to sign up. CLASS DESCRIPTIONS SHEPHERDING - Leadership Series The overall objective of this course is to build a comprehensive shepherding strategy for a church, which is rooted in the traditional pastoral care paradigm, drawn from the Scriptures, especially from Paul's early letters, rather than the secular psychological care paradigm of contemporary culture.  Mondays 7-8:30 taught by Roger Brown ESSENTIALS - Leadership Series The overall objective of this course is to build a contemporary didache (teaching), an early church manual to establish believers in the essentials of the apostles' teaching. This contemporary didache must be founded solidly upon the faith delivered by the apostles; seasoned by the historical effort of the church; and be eminently relevant to our present cultural situations. Tuesdays 4-5:30 taught by Steve Brown LANGUAGE - Cancelled PRIORITIES - Leadership Series The overall objective of this course is to create a life-management strategy founded on biblical principles and focused on a central life purpose that will guide each person to be an effective steward of his or her God-given priorities and responsibilities.  Thursdays 5:30-7 taught by Chase Mendoza

Monthly Devotional Thought Why the Old Testament? A gracEmail reader inquires, "What is the Old Testament and why is it in our Bibles?" When Jesus was born, before there were any Christians, God had worked already for 2,000 years through Abraham and his descendants the Jews. The Old Testament Scriptures were the collection of books that the Jews regarded as sacred. These holy writings told of the origins of the universe, of humankind, of sin and judgment and redemption. The 39 books from Genesis through Malachi reported, recorded, and reflected on God's dealings with people from Adam until about 400 years before Christ. The Old Testament Scriptures were the Bible of Jesus and the earliest believers in him, most of whom were also Jews. As the Christian faith spread, and as Christian literature was written by by the Apostles and some of their immediate followers, 27 of those new writings were eventually collected into what we know as the New Testament Scriptures. But these new Scriptures did not stand alone. They were based on the story and teachings of the Old Testament Scriptures, as viewed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We can no more cut off the Old Testament Scriptures and become mature Christians than a tree can cut its rots and continue to thrive. Properly used, the Old Testament Scriptures are as important to Christians as the ground floor of a house is to the second floor above it. According to New Testament writers, the Old Testament Scriptures prepared the way for the coming of Jesus (Luke 24:44-48). They give wisdom that leads to salvation through trusting Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:14-15). With Christ in mind, they equip the Christian teacher for all occasions and situations (2 Tim. 3:16-17). They give us examples of faithfulness and of disobedience (1 Cor. 10:1). They instruct and encourage us and provide hope (Rom. 15:4). They contribute the themes and concepts, the framework and structure, the vocabulary and motifs for reading and understanding the New Testament Scriptures. Jesus himself is the key to both Old and New Testament Scriptures, and that is the single most important truth of all. ‌

Online Prayer Meeting Fridays from 12-1 p.m. Prayer Meeting Previous copies of the monthly newsletter and helpful articles on Covid-19 are now on our website. Click the link below to visit the Advent Christian Voices blog. Where Advent Christians consider the past, examine the present, and define the future of the Advent Christian Church. www.adventchristianvoices.com Visit our website to make a donation online.  You can now donate through Venmo as well. To the churches who have continued to give this year, THANK YOU! Eastern Regional Association

GCTS-Thriving In Ministry Russell Giasson and I attended a teaching event that was sponsored by the Lilly Foundation and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. The school is offering 8 courses for audit or with the completion of 6 of them, the opportunity to earn a Certification. The first one started this past weekend and was held in Augusta, Maine with Dr. Jim Critchlow teaching an overview of the Old Testament. With the CASKET EMPTY theme as a reference, he focused on finding Christ in the Old Testament and taught through all of the books in the O.T. It was incredibly insightful and had some significant depth to it as he taught the meaning of various Hebrew words and how various events played a part in the timeline of the Messiah. Russell and I were incredible blessed by our time there and are looking forward to part 2 coming up this next weekend. You can find out more about other courses being offered by visiting www.thrivinginministryne.org

ERA STATS ON THE RESULTS OF COVID SURVEY PART 2 – SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER STATS Most of our churches reported that attendance is the same or less than last year, but they are strongly open to changing their meeting format. Giving is down for 42% of the churches, but it is the same or higher for 54% and this proves accurate based on the income we are seeing from our churches UM giving. Many churches report that God is doing good things in the midst of their difficulties which mostly reflect the difficulty that congregations have had in being together.   How has your overall attendance been when you consider all forms of meeting? • More than last year at this time 3 • Same as last year at this time 13 • Less than last year at this time 17 How has your income from tithes and offerings been? • More than last year at this time 9 • Same as last year at this time 9 • Less than last year at this time 14 Is your congregation more or less open to change in your meeting format since Covid 19? • More 18 • Same 11 • Less 3 • No Response 1  How has Covid-19 affected you and the way you minister to your church family?    We appreciate more the Good News of the Gospel where Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. and have the hope of fellowship without restriction but as God leads We moved to a video sermon series for about 3 months. this was totally new to most. Made it more difficult to interact on a personal level. Not much. We are in a situation where there is a "low demand" for services outside service times. I have been writing reflections on the Scriptures each week. They have been well received both by attenders and by those who can't get out. I have far fewer teaching responsibilities. I can't do hospital visitation at all, so I try to call folk on the phone. We are making a conscious effort to improve our YouTube worship. Much less face to face time with people. I am doing and feeling good but am concerned that my shepherding activity is weak. It has frustrated me. It's hard. We don't want to unintentionally expose anyone, especially our elderly and some of them do not have an online connection. For those that do, social media has been a key contact point. Periodic phone calls too to keep a check on any needs.

ERA NEWSLETTER CONVENTION NEWS The 2020 Convention is only 7 weeks away and will be here before we know it. We are very excited to be able to meet this year on Facebook Live and Zoom and save everyone some time and expense due to travel. I hope that many of you will take advantage of this opportunity to connect yourselves and your people with others across the Region. Here are a few highlights for you to take note of. Things that are new in 2020: ~  The Program will be Friday night from 6-8 pm. ~  It will include awards, recognitions, music, message, and a discussion around the message topic ~   There will be several host sites that people can attend if they want. Or they can watch from home. This list will be shared once it is finalized.  ~   The business will take place on Saturday morning on zoom. Links and a passcode will go out to everyone who registers. Retired ministers, Board members, and Convention workers will get free access. ~   Video and written reports will be available as soon as we have them. We will post new content right up till the week before. We are encouraging ministries, etc. to do video reports as they will probably get more attention than written ones. ~  We will advertise the Convention through Constant Contact (e-mail), Face Book, and our website. We will not be sending out a paper mailing this year for the first time. It will save time and money and everyone participating needs to be on the internet anyway. ~   The Lifetime servant award, Vincent Taber scholarship, and Ministry graduates will each be recognized. ~   We still need to finalize committees and the ballot. Please mark your calendars for “THE CHURCH IN CRISIS” 2020 Regional Convention!

You can now register for the Convention! Click the link below.

Convention Registration

ERA Board of Directors     Rev. George Karl, President - sumkarl@yahoo.com Rev. Frank Jewett, Vice President - frankrjewett@gmail.com Rev. Allen Latimore, Clerk - aclatimore@netzero.net Mr. Howie Munday, Treasurer - mundayhk77@gmail.com Rev. Doug Tourgee, Heritage Conf. President - dougin401@aol.com Mr. Kent Davis, Maine State Conf. Vice President - kdavis@pgagnon.com Josh Rice, Maranatha Conf. President - jrice.emmanuel@gmail.com Rev. Derek Irvine, New Life Conf. President drick1221@gmail.com Mr. Adam Facteau, New York Conf. President - afacteau@twcny.rr.com Rev. Ken Perkins, Nova Scotia Conf. President - Ken.perkins@EastLink.ca Mr. Charlie Merrill, ERA Representative to ACGC - cmerrill7967@gmail.com Rev. Steve Lawson, ACGC Executive Director - slawson@acgc.us The Eastern Regional Association Newsletter is published as a ministry of the Eastern Regional Association of the Advent Christian General Conference. Eastern Regional Association

Eastern Regional Association 32 Four Rod Road, Rochester, NH 03867 Phone: 603-332-1412 / Fax: 603-332-1648 www.aceasternregion.org