"ALIGNED FOR MISSION"
PCCNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

FEBRUARY 2223, 2023
ALBUQUERQUE, NM

HOTEL:
Embassy Suites by Hilton
1000 Woodward Place NE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: 505-245-7100
*Request the PCCNA Conference Rate if reserving by phone.

ROOM RESERVATIONS:
PCCNA Conference Rate: $139/per room
Room Type: Standard Double Queen Beds or King Bed
Hotel stay includes a hot breakfast buffet!

REGISTRATION OPTIONS:
Early Registration: $85/Person (Before December 31, 2022)
Regular Registration: $95/Person (After December 31, 2022)
Walk-In Registration: $105 (At the Door)
Registration Includes: Luncheon & Dinner on February 22 & 23.
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Annual Membership Reminder
by Dr. Sterling Brackett
PCCNA Treasurer

You are valuable to the ministry of PCCNA as we "demonstrate unity in the power of the Spirit." We believe that together we can create an environment for the Spirit of the Lord to descend upon us for a mighty move of God in North America.

Thank you for your annual member contributions that are making a difference in our ministry efforts. We hope you will plan to attend our annual conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 22–23, 2022.

Tap the "Annual Member Contribution" button below to submit your contribution today.
WHAT IS PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH?
by Delores Smith, Crosswalk.com
Published by Christianity Today

October has long been recognized worldwide as Pastor Appreciation Month or Clergy Appreciation Month. The call to honor our church leaders’ contributions can be traced back to St. Paul. In establishing the first Christian churches, St. Paul advised the congregation to give “double honor” to the elders of the church who managed the affairs of the church well, “especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).

St. Paul further urged Christian communities to acknowledge those “who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you,” holding these spiritual leaders “in the highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

In 1994, the American Christian organization Focus on the Family began promoting Clergy Appreciation Month as a national month of observance. In highlighting Clergy Appreciation Month, Focus on the Family sought to encourage the faithful to outwardly show their appreciation for religious leaders on a national level.

When Is Pastor Appreciation Day?
From Pastor Appreciation Month grew the idea of emphasizing one specific day to nationally pay tribute to our clergy. This day became known as Pastor Appreciation Day. Also referred to as Clergy Appreciation Day, this day of showing national gratitude for clergy members is celebrated on the second Sunday in October. Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.
HONORING YOUR PASTOR
by Rev. Rick DuBose
AG News

I’ve always believed that appreciation is the highest form of currency that exists and when congregations show honor and appreciation, it is like putting gas in the spiritual tank of a pastor and his or her family.

Early in my ministry career, my wife, Rita, and I were pastoring a small church that paid $100 a week—when funds were available. But like most churches, sometimes, funds weren’t available. One such time, we found ourselves without money or food and a hungry young child. I remember crying out to God before that Wednesday night service, wondering how I was going to provide for my family. I didn’t have the answer, but I sure hoped that God did.

After the service, as we headed to our Oldsmobile Delta 88 to head home, I was still believing God to provide for us. When we opened the door to the car, it was filled with groceries. Every nook and cranny was so full of food and supplies we couldn’t even get into the car! I realized two truths that night: God would take care of my family’s needs, and I was truly loved by my congregation.

October is recognized as Pastor Appreciation Month, and many congregations use the month of October to show honor and appreciation for their pastors and church leaders. Ministry is hard work and involves a lot of hours, but I’ve noticed that when pastors feel appreciated and loved by their congregations, it makes the long hours and hard work easier.

In 1 Timothy 5:17, Paul encourages us to give “double honor” to those who preach and teach. Certainly, our pastors who so willingly serve and shepherd their congregations are worthy of appreciation. But when we show honor, it is not only the pastor who is blessed—the church congregation is blessed too. Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.
FIVE WAYS TO SHOW
JESUS LOVE TO YOUR PASTOR
by American Pastors Network
Charisma Magazine Publications

“We know from research that pastors can feel isolated and sometimes unappreciated,” said APN board member Gary Dull, who also serves as executive director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, papastors.net) and leads a church in Altoona, Pennsylvania. “Those feelings can sometime lead to early burnout, and today’s churches need committed pastors who are sold out to preaching the whole counsel of God now more than ever. Even a small word of encouragement or gesture of appreciation can make all the difference in a pastor’s life. And what better time than Pastor Appreciation Month!”

5 Reasons to Appreciate Pastors
  1. Pastors are “on call” 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They often must break away from their own families to help someone in the church through a difficult situation.
  2. Pastors are selfless and make daily sacrifices for their congregations.
  3. Pastors make the Word of God and His truth plain and simple so we may apply it to our everyday lives.
  4. Pastors are people, too. Churches tend to put their leaders on a pedestal, but they also have joys and struggles, hobbies and favorite things.
  5. Pastors have followed God’s call to give up their own life and their own desires to serve others. Tap the "Read More" button to learn about practical ways to show appreciation.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM CATHOLIC AND PENTECOSTAL CHARISMATIC CHURCHES MEET FOR ECUMENICAL DIALOGUE


September 22, 2022
 
OKLAHOMA CITY Delegations representing the Catholic Church and the Pentecostal Charismatic Movement met September 1416, 2022, for ecumenical dialogue. The meeting, hosted by Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was attended by representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA) and was a continuation of a theological exchange that began last year between the two faith groups.
 
The three-day meeting carried the theme of “healing,” which had been developed by the co-chairs for the meeting, Rev. Dr. Harold Hunter of the PCCNA and Fr. Walt Kedjierski of the USCCB with the intent to engage in exploratory dialogue on issues related to ritual, liturgy, and sacraments. The dialogue included the offering of two papers, the first by Dr. Andrew Prevot of the Department of Theology at Boston College on “Varieties of Healing: A Catholic Perspective,” and Rev. Dr. David Han, dean, Pentecostal School of Theology on “Healing in the Pentecostal Tradition.” Both papers explored aspects of Catholic and Pentecostal healing rituals and the call to healing in the lives of individuals and wider communities.
 
In addition to having an opportunity to gather and pray in the Oral Roberts University chapel, the theme of the meeting was enhanced with visits to Greenwood Rising, a museum of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre that destroyed what was considered the wealthiest African American community in the country and known as “Black Wall Street,” and to the Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park. Participants of the dialogue also had the opportunity to meet with Rev. Dr. Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University over lunch, and with Dr. Hal Reed, head of the Global Environmental Sustainability Program at ORU, who offered further insights into Pentecostal engagement for climate justice.
 
Participants attending the meeting included:
  • Dr. Kimberly Belcher, University of Notre Dame
  • Rev. Dr. Tammy Dunahoo, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
  • Dr. Martin Mittelstadt, Evangel University
  • Rev. Dr. Leonardo Gajardo, St. Paul Catholic Community (Indiana)
  • Rev. Dr. Andrew Menke, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Divine
Worship, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
  • Rev. Dr. Frederick L. Ware, Associate Dean of the Howard University School
of Divinity
 
Observers at the meeting included:
  • Rev. Mike Donaldson, Ph.D. student at Oral Roberts University
  • Rev. Allison Jones and Mr. Wesley Samuel of the International Pentecostal
Holiness Church
  • Mr. Nathan Smith of Glenmary Missioners
 
The next meeting will be hosted by the USCCB at the University of Notre Dame in September 2023.
 
The PCCNA represents 40 million Christians through its member denominations and organizations serving in Canada, the United States, and Mexico (www.pccna.org). The USCCB is the assembly of the hierarchy of Catholic bishops who jointly exercise pastoral functions on behalf of the Christian faithful of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (www.usccb.org). The provisional dialogue is sponsored by the PCCNA’s Christian Unity Commission and the USCCB’s Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
 
###
 
Barbara Gray
Executive Director
PCCNA
973.592.3411

and

Media Contacts:
Chieko Noguchi
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
(202) 541-3200, media-relations@usccb.org

Hill Unveils ‘Harvest Commission ‘24’

September 22, 2022–Cleveland, TN—Church of God General Overseer Tim Hill has announced a seven-point vision for the next two years entitled, Harvest Commission 2024.

Hill unveiled the strategy this week during a Leadership Summit held in Cleveland for state administrative bishops, youth and discipleship directors, and International Offices leaders. The summit, which began on September 18 with an intensive orientation session for new administrative bishops, concluded yesterday with a commissioning service for all state leaders and their spouses.

In explaining his vision for the 20222024 General Assembly period, Hill said, “While serving the Church of God as Director of World Missions from 2012 to 2016, God impressed upon my heart that our movement ‘must be a leading participant in finishing the Great Commission.’ During this period, we launched the FINISH Challenge, acknowledging that with the power of the Holy Spirit, we could realize the completion of the Great Commission.”

Hill went on to say that when he came to the office of general overseer in 2016, he introduced the FINISH Commitment with the now familiar acronym, FINISH, which stands for Find, Intercede, Network, Invest, Send, and Harvest.

During the Leadership Summit, with the theme, “Great Commission Kingdom Synergy,” Hill outlined the seven objectives under three headings of Harvest Commission ’24, “laborers together for Great Commission completion”... Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.
LEADING A CHURCH THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ME
by Elaine McDavid
Evangel Magazine
Church of God Publications

James Jesus Angleton, the founding director of the CIA, once called espionage a “wilderness of mirrors.” If that is true of spy work, it is no less true of Christian race relations today.

During June 2020, many major U.S. cities were rocked by violence and rioting in response to the killing of George Floyd. ATM’s were bombed by robbers. Police cars were set ablaze. Businesses were vandalized, store owners were killed, and police officers were injured.

What should the church’s reaction be? Black Americans, including many Christians, said it was long past time for racial reckoning in America. And perhaps, this judgment should start in the house of God, which in large part continues to be segregated.

Should the white church repent of historically being slow to embrace civil-rights issues? Should multicultural megachurches be concerned when their paid staff is more homogeneous than their congregations? What should the church’s response to the phrase “Black Lives Matter” be? What about the experiences of Latino and Asian-Americans? Does it matter whether or not local churches are multiethnic?

Welcome to the wilderness of mirrors, where the way forward is unclear, and what looks like objective reality is often our own reflection projected back to us. How should we navigate this wilderness?

To begin to chart a course forward, we need a map. The best map provided for us is the New Testament, which unequivocally points toward ethnic diversity within the body of Christ. Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
by Rev. Ron Flores
Foursquare Publications

My wife, Paula, and I were relaxing one evening, sharing thoughts about the success of a missional event in which our church participated. I was expecting Paula to be happy with our outreach effort; I know I sure was.

Instead, she said, “We need to do another one—real soon!” I wasn’t quite ready for her reply, and I said: “Sheesh! How much is enough? How many people do we need in church for you to be satisfied?”

At this time, we had around 150 people in the church, which for me was huge. In our first 15 years as pastors, we averaged fewer than 100 souls on any given Sunday. We were seeing a number double the size we’d had for 15 years. I would congratulate myself saying, “We’re double Foursquare’s national average!”

But Paula wasn’t impressed with my math. “Ron, I don’t know how much is enough,” she told me. “But I know this: This is not it!”

I was humbled by Paula’s simple challenge. And it turns out she was right—I would soon learn that she and the Holy Spirit were in cahoots because our church hadn’t yet reached its full potential. Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.
DISCIPLING OUR WOMEN
by Dianne Nix // The Helper Connection

Summer has flown by, and fall is around the corner. School is starting! Whether you are homeschooling, private schooling, or taking the traditional public school or charter school route, learning and discipling are happening! 

This past week I had the joy of staying with special littles in my life. I am “Mama D,” “Grandma,” or “Babcia” (Polish word for grandma). Whatever they want to call me, I will answer to any of those. I love these people. Samuel is almost eight, and Jailee is nearly six. Their parents were out of town, and I had the privilege of taking care of them. This time included “meet the teacher day” and the first day of school. Wow! I haven’t done the first day of school in a long, long time. It was such a fun and exhausting time. I would not trade it for anything. We made some memories, and I am grateful for this sweet time. 

Before I went to take care of them, I had a meeting with a group of women at my church as we are planning the year of events and discipleship for our women. A year of learning/disciplining that prayerfully will meet and change the lives of the women who attend our church. Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.
WELCOMING ORU'S HISTORY-MAKING
CLASS OF 2022

TULSA, Okla.—Spearheaded by the largest incoming class in the University’s history, Oral Roberts University (ORU) officially exceeded 5,000 students this fall, setting an all-time enrollment record. For the 14th consecutive year, the University’s enrollment increased. According to the state census, ORU enrolled 5,051 students for the fall semester. With its expanding campus and academic excellence, ORU continues to be recognized as one of the largest, fastest-growing, Spirit-empowered universities in the world. 

“With a student body of more than 5,000 and 14 years of consecutive enrollment growth, we are thrilled that ORU continues to earn the trust of students and families,” said ORU President Dr. William M. Wilson. “It is wonderful to witness the worth these families place on a Spirit-empowered whole-person education. They want a university that prioritizes values, and the ORU distinctive is attractive. ORU is committed to our bold vision, and this generation wants more than a degree; they want to change the world.”

With a focus on global education, ORU’s student body is also increasing in diversity, with 15% African American, 14% Hispanic, and 20% international. This semester, ORU enrolled new students from all 50 states. The top five represented states are Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and California. Recognizing ORU for its growing diversity and globalism, Niche named ORU as one of the most diverse colleges in America. With its internationally diverse campus, ORU enrolled students from 124 nations and added Armenia, Iceland, Iraq, and South Sudan as new nations this fall. Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.
UKRAINE RELIEF UPDATE
by Foursquare Disaster Relief News

The Foursquare Church in Ukraine, and the body of Christ overall, continues to move forward in the region, sharing the hope and message of Jesus partnered with tangible expressions of God’s love on a daily basis. Media coverage might have dwindled in some respects, but our efforts haven’t—hundreds of people are coming to Christ each week as a result of the ministry that is happening, “relief as mission” at work.

Here’s a summary of what’s happening inside Ukraine and throughout Europe, and how you can continue to partner with Foursquare Disaster Relief (FDR) through prayer and practical support.

UKRAINE:

  • We are working on a project to build 50 homes—at $5,000 each—for Ukrainians who have lost everything, their homes and their land, and don’t have a place to stay. This exciting Ukraine Home Project is in partnership with Foursquare Ukraine, YWAM and Foursquare Missions International (FMI) workers in Romania.
  • Food distribution continues to happen in five key locations, through local Foursquare churches, on a weekly basis to thousands of people. Tap the "Read More" button below to continue reading.

We invite our PCCNA member organizations to let us know how you are responding to the crisis in Ukraine. Tap the "EMAIL US" button below to submit articles or updates that we can share in one of our upcoming Communiques.

Your annual member and organizational contributions make a difference! PCCNA is a member of the ECFA.
 
Have you given your 2022 annual member contribution?
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Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America
P.O. Box 3986 | Cleveland, TN 37320-3986