Central Gulf Coast Connection

February / March 2023

CENTRAL GULF COAST

CONNECTION

41st District Assembly and Conventions

River Region Church of the Nazarene

Millbrook, Alabama

May 9 - 11, 2023

Looking to the Future

NMI Convention

Speaker: Rev. Monte Cyr (Bethany),

Missionary, Mesoamerica Region

NDI Convention

Speaker: Rev. Monte Cyr

Mesoamerica Regional Coordinator

for Discipleship Ministries

District Assembly

Presiding General Superintendent: Dr. Eugénio R. Duarte

Worship Leaders: Vance & Jeannie Sharp

From Our District Superintendent

Dream Big

Dr. Mark Berry

In the book, God Dreams by Will Mancini, he challenges church leaders and pastors to “Think long to build a ministry that will endure.” Too often our vision is only what we see in front of us or near us. But God desires for us to dream BIG! As Acts 2:17 proclaims, “In the last days…your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."

When I first became your district superintendent, my mind was whirling with ideas. God planted in my heart and mind a vision for what the district could become. I can honestly say that everything I dreamt for the district has come to fruition. I’m not saying that there does not need to be additional ministry or improvement; but God helped me see my vision through. It’s my testimony that early on I began realizing this district needed something only God could provide.

I received the same challenge with each church God entrusted to me. I started with a vision of what I would like the church to become, and then God helped the vision unfold with much prayer and the help of dedicated laypersons.

If our vision is short, we will have small ministries. If our vision looks to the future, we will work and pray hard to get there. Your next district superintendent will start his or her ministry with a vision. Believe in that vision and stand behind your new leader. There would be no greater joy for me than to see this district take the next step in becoming a district that others want to mimic. Help build your church for the next generation—one that will endure until Jesus comes!

Central Gulf Coast District News

MOVING MINISTERS

MOBILE PARKVIEW – Rev. Susan Broadhead concluded her ministry as lead pastor at Mobile Parkview in December. She accepted a call to Dothan First as youth pastor and began her ministry on January 8, 2023.

RIVER REGION – Revs. Shawn and Bethany Grosvenor accepted a call as lead pastors and began their ministry as co-pastors on January 22, 2023. The Grosvenors come to us from the Florida District.

LEADERSHIP REVIEWS

Congratulations to Calvert Church and Pastor Tim Sullivan for recently completing a successful leadership review.

CHURCHES IN TRANSITION

Mobile Parkview | New Providence | Praise Park | Ridgeville

Please keep these churches in your prayers as they seek God's direction.

WELCOME NEW NAZARENES

Capilla de Wallace (Rev. Bayardo Cordon) – Miguel Gonzales Tiu

Iglesia del Nazareno Manantial de Vida (Revs. Abner & Lilliam Garcia) – Miguel Angel Martin, Viviana Morals

Mobile Riverside (Revs. Terry & Lisa Daugherty) – Brandt Givens, Courtney Manning, Chris Turner, Katy Turner, Sawyer Turner

Tuscaloosa South (Rev. Donald Conn) – Dany Thornton

Upcoming Events

The District Advisory Committee (DAC) invites our district family to join us for a PRAY356 online prayer meeting via Zoom, Thursday, February 2, 2023. An email was sent to lead pastors with the information needed to join the meeting. Once your pastor shares this information with you, please do not share the login information publicly to ensure the highest level of security and protection from "hackers."

We look forward to praying together

with you all as we PRAY356:

Trust. Depend. Seek. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

PASTOR'S SPIRITUAL RENEWAL

District pastors gathered for a virtual meeting on Saturday, January 28 for training on Spiritual Formation, taught by Dr. Tim Green. Pray that this time of training and renewal will bear fruit in the lives and ministries of our pastors.

CHURCH YEAR CLOSES

FEBRUARY 28

The fiscal year closes on Feb. 28 and preparations for assembly are underway. We anticipate the celebration of our accomplishments and blessings of the past year. It’s not too late to receive new members and complete financial obligations. Materials will soon be sent for annual reporting.

Please direct questions to District Secretary, Rev. Melissa Aaron, and be mindful of submission dates. Pastors, please give careful attention to these matters.

PRAYER & FASTING FOR LENT

District Superintendent Dr. Mark Berry is calling the district to a time of Prayer and Fasting during the Lenten Season, beginning February 22 through April 6. Lent is a time of prayer and preparation in anticipation of the Easter celebration.

During Lent, as God’s people humble themselves to pray, repent, seek and self-examine, also please pray for District Assembly, the election of the new DS, multicultural ministries, churches, pastors, and world missions. Resources and daily readings for Lent are available via http://www.crivoice.org/cylent.html

TREVECCA GIVING DAY

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Giving Day is a 24-hour focused time of celebrating what our broad Trevecca community can do together. Our goal is to engage and secure 1,500 donors who will impact with their gifts a variety of scholarships, facilities, and programs that benefit our students. While Trevecca Giving Day gifts may be designated to any fund, there are special projects that will be highlighted, including scholarships, our new athletic facilities, the School of STEM, Center for Wesleyan-Holiness, TAG trips, Teacher Education Assistance Fund…just to name a few!

For Global Nazarene News

visit the

Nazarene Communications Network (NCN)

Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI)

Brian Aaron, District NDI President

HEAVENLY STAR SEARCH

CGC Children's Ministries will hold the 2023 Heavenly Star Search talent contest on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the East Brewton Church of the Nazarene.

Registration forms are due February 6.

Click on the image below for details and the registration form.

Central Gulf Coast Women's Retreat

Retreat Theme: Living with Zest

March 16-19, 2023

Hampton Inn & Suites, Orange Beach AL

It’s not too late to register to attend District Women’s Retreat!

Contact Moneica Fowler, Retreat Director, at 251-269-3366 or mcfowler57@aol.com for more information.

(Click on the flyer below to download and print)

Click the photo below to read the current Global NDI newsletter!

Nazarene Missions International (NMI)

Diane Thompson, District NMI President

February Missions Emphasis - Alabaster Offering

February is set aside to give to Alabaster

The Alabaster Offering provides funds for property and buildings around the world. While we understand the church consists of the people of God and not a building, buildings erected for the purpose of ministry help provide a sense of permanence, functionally enhance ministry efforts, and convey an attitude that the Church of the Nazarene intends to "put down roots."

Alabaster funds are to be used for new churches to:

• Purchase a property or church building

• Purchase or build a church parsonage

• Build a church building

• Conversion of a property into a church gathering space

• Meet initial costs for renting a church meeting space for

a limited period

Alabaster funds may also be used to:

• Purchase or build missionary homes

• Purchase or build regional or field missions facilities

• Build or repurpose buildings on Bible college campuses

Click here to order a pack of 25 Alabaster Boxes (new design)

for $13.99 from the Foundry.

NMI CENTRAL – is a free publication released every Wednesday and available in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. It is the central location for all NMI information for a local church. Visit www.nazarene.org/nmi-central to subscribe.

MISSIONS IS FOR EVERYONE!

These young ladies, Audrey and Maddie Lee, worked hard at Praise Park putting CRISIS CARE KITS together to share the love of God with those who lost everything after the tornado that hit in Selma. Please keep building these kits because we never know when they will be needed.

NAZARENE

World Week of Prayer

February 26 - March 4, 2023

Make a Plan and Work Your Plan

TO COVER

Nazarene Mission Regions

IN PRAYER

Sunday, February 26 - Africa – Colin and Shireen Elliott – Links Missionaries

Monday, February 27 - Asia-Pacific – Joshua and Kendall Stewardson -

Papua New Guinea

Tuesday, February 28 - Eurasia – Jay and Teanna Sunberg - Poland

Wednesday, March 1 - Mesoamerica – Monte & Bethany Cyr –Guatemala

Thursday, March 2 - South America – Chad & Lindsey Dickerson - Ecuador

Friday, March 3 - USA/Canada – Joe & Amy Hall - USA

Saturday, March 4 - Where the Church is not yet, the 10/40 Window and

Creative Access Areas

Hispanic Ministries News

Continue to pray for our Hispanic ministries. With the help of Rev. Bayardo Cordon and Rev. Abner Garcia, Hispanic coordinator, we are training new leaders to help start new churches. We are looking at several other locations for Hispanic churches but need newly trained pastors to carry on the work where and when God opens the door.

Please consider receiving an offering this summer as we encourage churches

to give toward our Multi-cultural Ministries offering.

Nazarene Youth International (NYI)

Rev. Susan Broadhead, District NYI President

Facebook @Central Gulf Coast NYI

Celebrate 2023

Teens and adults from across the Central Gulf Coast District joined with Alabama North NYI January 6 - 7, 2023 to worship, build relationships and share in each other's talents in competition at Celebrate (District TNT).

UPCOMING EVENTS

2023 NYI Convention

March 25, 2023

10:00 a.m. to Noon

East Brewton Church of the Nazarene

TNT@TNU 2023

April 13 - 16, 2023

Registration with deposit due by Feb 13

Contact Pastor Angela Stephens for details:

pastor_angela.stephens@yahoo.com

NYC '23

College Signings

We want to share and congratulate two of our 2023 high school seniors. These two young ladies have been active in CGC NYI events over the years. They have both grown spiritually over the years becoming Christlike disciples and exhibit true servant hearts. They have been faithful to their local churches as well as the district NYI. We celebrate with them and prayerfully wish them well as they step into their futures.

Morgan Dupree

In November, 2022, Morgan Dupree signed a letter of intent to play Softball at Motlow State Community College starting the fall of 2023. Morgan attends Columbiana Nazarene (Pastor Jonathan Smith).

Harley Wilson

In January, 2023, Harley Wilson signed a letter of intent for the new Stunt Team (Cheer) at Trevecca Nazarene University starting the fall of 2023. Harley attends East Brewton Nazarene (Pastor Blake Mohling).