September 2021
Newsletter
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From the Desk of the Superintendent |
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Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ,
Last month we didn’t have a newsletter since I was traveling and taking some vacation time. I took two weeks off to visit with my family. We took day trips to the mountains, went shopping in N. Conway, went to 6 FLAGS, and I lost horribly at mini-golf. It was a great time after a busy summer of camps and ministry.
I spent a week traveling to Maine and another one to New York. It was a lot of miles and time away from home, but it was the first time I took extended ministry trips and it was time well spent. Zoom has its benefits, but there is nothing like spending relational time with people.
This month I am traveling to Charlotte for Executive Council meetings and then will be preparing for the Regional Convention. This year's Convention will be taking place online in October on the 22nd-23rd. I would encourage you all to mark your calendars and plan on attending.
Do you believe that we are living in the last days? I believe that we will see the second coming of Christ in our lifetime! This being the case, I believe that we need to make the most of everyday. The early church believed that Christ may return in their lifetime even. This motivated them to live differently. To proclaim Christ, and to make disciples like people on death row. Every day mattered. We live like it doesn’t really matter. We live like we have all the time in the world. I believe that we need to invest in our churches. Proclaim the gospel and establish believers. Working together with our church family to make the biggest difference. Attending the Regional Convention together is a good step.
It's also time to sign up for leadership development classes. Antioch, MTI and and Gordon-Conwell are all offering courses this fall that will help you to understand God’s Word, Ministry, and Theology better. There are many excellent choices for you to consider.
May God bless each of you as you live daily for him. Let’s make ever day matter for the honor and glory of Jesus our Lord and Savior!
Grace,
Greg
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Open Financial Secretary Position
Ed Burleigh's last day as financial secretary was July 31, 2021. For the past 13 years, he has demonstrated dedication and professionalism in working with the ERA. We are praying God's blessings upon his life as he pursues other opportunities. Superintendent Greg Twitchell has begun the search to replace Ed. If you know anyone interested in being hired as the next financial secretary, please contact Greg.
My participation in office operations will temporarily increase at this time. To minimize financial disruption until the new financial secretary is hired, Ed will begin training Missie Twitchell on bookkeeping functions under my supervision. Missie is not and will not be a candidate as the financial secretary but will assist in this transition period. We are blessed for her willingness to serve in this capacity until the Lord provides the next financial secretary.
~John Oliver Jones, ERA Treasurer
Email: pastorjoj@gmail.com
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Greg interviewed Rev. David Alves. Click the link below to watch.
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Goodwins Mills builds new parsonage |
In early July, the Goodwins Mills AC Church in Dayton, ME broke ground on a new parsonage. |
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On July 11th, this couple dedicated their children to the Lord, followed by the dad being baptized. Praise the Lord! |
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On August 7th, Darrell Young was Ordained. The service took place at Camp Washington.
Congratulations Darrell!
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Family Bible Church Baptism |
On August 15th, Family Bible Church of Loudon, NH had a baptism. Four people were baptized, including Pastor Steve's grandson. Fifty people were in attendance. This was the first fellowship gathering for them since the pandemic. It was a healing time for the church. |
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On August 29th, 2 men were baptized at the South Eliot, ME Advent Christian Church. |
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What's happening at your church? Send info and pictures to secretary@aceasternregion.org. |
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Penny Crusade
Advent Christian ministry partnerships now exist in more than 20 countries. Indian pastors, Filipino missionaries, African pastors, children’s homes, a Bible college, discipleship groups, feeding ministries, training events and new church plants are all strengthened by money raised through Penny Crusade.
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Please remember to send in your Donations. This month we are praying for the Hadzabe People.
Only two of every 100 people are Christians
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Totals through September 8th.
80% of Goal Reached!
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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 July Church was Sheffield Chapel in Sheffield, MA. No one guessed the correct answer.
Send an outside picture of your church, without the sign/name, to secretary@aceasternregion.org
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Scholarships are available for those pursuing secondary education!
Contact the Regional Office (secretary@aceasternregion.org) for more info.
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Reminder: October is Pastor Appreciation Month |
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Monthly Devotional Thought |
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One of my most favorite things to do is to have my quiet time on our back porch early each morning. From there I can sit and watch nature as the sun comes up. Just a few feet from the porch is a mature Azalea bush, which was breath-taking this spring, flanked with daffodils and tulips. It is still a source of enjoyment and beauty as I gaze on it each morning. The bird feeders are there, I enjoy watching the different kinds of birds feeding, nesting or playing in the air. I watch the chipmunks and squirrels scamper around (although I warn them not to let Steve see them…) I’ve even seen turkeys and their young feed at my serene place. This year I decided to put new bark mulch down, this helps to squelch the weeds and makes the space look clean, well-tended. Every morning I pray and contemplate God’s Word in the midst of this serenity and beauty. Then one morning the unspeakable happened! As I sat there soaking in the beauty of the morning, I saw it. Clear as day. A weed. It seemed to have popped up over night! Not wanting that to mar the beauty, still in my housecoat and slippers, I immediately walked outdoors and pulled that bugger, roots and all! Then each day I saw more and more weeds spring up. They happened so frequently that I had to ignored them until I had time to deal with them; usually I would go out every few days to pull up anything new that sprouted up. Then we went on vacation. Two weeks went by…. my once serene spot was COVERED in weeds when I got home. During that time there was heavy rains, bright sun and umm… puppy fertilizer. No one tended to the weeds the whole time we were away-those buggers flourished! It was difficult for me to sit and enjoy the beauty, instead all I could focus on were those weeds. I needed to tend my garden. I had serious work to do if I wanted my serene place back. There were some recognizable plants like corn, squash, sunflower and even a thriving strawberry plant! (Seriously, what kind of seed do they use for bird food???) There was what looked like some type of grass. This was impossible to pull up individually, so I grabbed as much of a clump as I could and pulled. The root system was shallow but extensive pulling up large portions of my bark mulch and leaving dark ugly spots in the ground – ugh, more work! Even though they aren’t weeds, I pulled up the corn and squash because they aren’t in a space where they could produce fruit. I left the strawberry plant for now; soon it will be transplanted to my strawberry patch where it can bear fruit. As I sat there weeding, the Lord gently spoke to me: “Cindy, you know this spot is illustrative of your life?” (I’m thinking He didn’t use the word “serene” because…well, let’s just say He knows me well!) I sat there thinking about this. I want to be a person of beauty, I want people to feel comfortable coming to me. I want to be available should someone need a resting place or a friend to lean on. But inevitably, because I rub elbows with the world, “seeds” will drop and can take root. I may run into “puppy fertilizer” from time to time. I may even have some plants growing that are good but are not appropriate for my life. I do all I can to stop this, but it happens because I’m still a work in progress. Maybe that’s the point. The beauty of a redeemed life is attractive to a hurting person. They watch because they see Light, yet the Light exposes everything. This means they can also see the weeds from time to time; they can smell the puppy fertilizer - sometimes more quickly than I can. The important thing is that they also see me dealing with it in a Christ-like manner. They need to see me run out in my housecoat to pull that bugger immediately. Or see me gently lead the puppy to another spot – or replant the “good” plants. People are watching, what will they see? Authenticity? Do I live the ups and downs of life in a manner that glorifies My Father? When I mess up, do they see me making right? Matthew 5:15-16 comes to mind; “And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.” (TPT). My prayer is that others will see you and glorify our Father in heaven! Go ahead, SHINE!!!
~Cindy Ludwick
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Truth Told Blog
Reality seems to have become disconnected from truth.
Click on the picture to visit Larry Anderson's blog site.
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ADVENT CHRISTIAN HISTORY
Melrose Advent Christian Church
aka Faith Evangelical Church
The Advent Christian Church began in the summer of 1900 with meetings at the home of Rev. John W. Evans at 11 Belmont Place, Melrose Highlands. Public services followed on September 2 of the same year in the hall in Deferrari’s Block with twenty-five persons present. A Sunday School was organized October 6, 1901, with ten pupils. On July 19, 1906, a group met at the little school-house on Franklin Street and formally organized the Church with eighteen charter members. Since then the membership has increased to sixty in 1949.
The following pastors have served the Church: Rev. John W. Evans, Rev. David H. Woodward, Rev. M. L. Cunningham, Rev. John M. Currie, Rev. John R. Fox, Rev. Bernard F. Brooks, Rev. G. F. Haines, Rev. Guy L. Vannah, Dr. G. A. Haines, Rev. Walter Sheppard, Martin K. Rasmussen, and the present pastor, Rev. Edwin K. Gedney.
On April 12, 1912, the Church voted to purchase the property of the Melrose Highlands Baptist Church on Franklin and Albion Streets, which it now occupies. The dedication of the Cunningham Vestry was held on March 5, 1948.
The church is especially interested in missionary work, and between October 1948 and September 1949 had collected and distributed $1,088.04 for such purposes. Besides the Woman’s Home and Foreign Missionary Society and the Sunday School, the church societies include a Men’s Fellowship, Loyal Workers and a Junior Mission.
Kemp, Edwin C.
Melrose, Massachusetts, 1900-1950. [City of Melrose] Fiftieth Anniversary Committee, 1950 [c1949], p. 66
Transcribed for Berkshire Christian College’s Adventual Library, by Duane E. Crabtree, 19 Jul 2021
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Meetinghouse Village reminds active and retired AC pastors that they may stay free of charge on Sunday and Monday overnights at our Tower Memorial Suite. Other nights are available at the reduced rate of $25 per night. Availability is dependent on prior bookings and certain Covid-19 protocols. To inquire about a reservation, email info@meetinghousevillage.org.
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Click on Willie's picture to visit his website for upcoming events. |
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The Moody Center is offering a free event on October 1st, but registration is required. Dr. Michael Youssef from Leading the Way Ministries will speak to pastors and leaders about the necessity for disciple-making along with breakout sessions with New England-based presenters. Later in the evening, Dr. Youssef will address a wider audience at the historic Moody Auditorium!
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Seminary-level teaching brought to your local New England church in partnership with Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.
We believe that as leaders and lay people in the local church are equipped (Ephesians 4), churches will thrive. These courses will be offered in area churches in two, two-day intensives starting in Sept. Visit their website to see course offerings and schedules.
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Eastern Regional Online Convention Oct. 22-23 |
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THEME: Finding Jesus in the Old Testament
VERSE: Genesis 22:16-18; John 5:28-29
COST: $20
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Previous copies of the monthly newsletter and the 2020 Convention are on our website.
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Have a mobile phone? You can now give to the Region through Venmo!
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Online Prayer Meeting Fridays from 12-1 p.m. |
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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. John Jones, Treasurer - pastorjoj@gmail.com
Rev. Doug Tourgee, Heritage Conf. President - dougin401@aol.com
Rev. Alan Chamberlin, Maine State Conf. Vice President - polarpastor@roadrunner.com
Rev. Josh Rice, Maranatha Conf. President - jrice@emmanuelacc.net
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
Mrs. Deb Reed, ERA Representative to ACGC - deborahjoreed@yahoo.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.
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Eastern Regional Association
32 Four Rod Road, Rochester, NH 03867
Phone: 603-332-1412 / Fax: 603-332-1648
www.aceasternregion.org
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