Eastern Regional Association September 2024 Newsletter

We are fast approaching the time for our annual ERA Convention. This is the one time of the year that the Eastern Regional Association of the Advent Christian Church family gathers for inspiration, fellowship, workshops, and business. The dates for our convention are Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26. The Blessed Hope Advent Christian Church has graciously invited us to hold our convention at their church in Waterville, Maine.

Our speakers include ACGC Executive Director, Justin Nash; Sam Whiting, Staff Attorney for Massachusetts Family Institute; Ryan Goding, Anchor New England. We will be led in worship by Caleb Randall, the grandson of Warren and Sandy Conary. At our Friday evening session, instead of the traditional sermon, we will have a time called “Celebrate Missions” when Jeff Walsh along with some of our ERA people-Ken Perkins, Chris Barton, and Tom Loghry will talk about the exciting occurrences in International Missions. Justin Nash will also report on what is taking place in church planting, leadership development, and publications. Other activities, that evening include the awarding of scholarships, the Necrology report, the presentation of the ERA Servant Award. Throughout the convention, there will be exhibits from ministries across our region, free books and books at a reduced cost will be available. Of course, we will conduct the business of the region at which time we establish the budget for 2025 and elect a vice president, a treasurer, and a Judiciary Committee member. The schedule is different this year since we will conduct some of our business on Friday afternoon since Sam Whiting will be speaking on Saturday morning concerning non-discrimination laws and regulations that churches and their affiliated ministries need to consider and the constitutional protections that are available to them.

We have once again secured hotel rooms at the Fireside Inn for $116 a night. You can reserve rooms by clicking here. Be sure to adjust the dates you will be staying. The meal plan is $40 which includes two continental breakfasts, lunch on Friday, and the banquet on Friday evening. Registration is once again $25.

We hope you plan to attend as our ERA family joins together to celebrate God’s goodness to us this past year, and as we look forward to what He will be doing through us in the coming year.

Missions Updates

South Africa Mission Trip Update

Chris and Melanie Barton returned safely from South Africa on August 5 after about 2 1/2 weeks on the missions field there. We thank you for your consistent and powerful prayer support. The trip was packed with ministry and fellowship. 

The church in Windvogal, Port Elizabeth, SA on the Eastern Cape continues to grow both in number and in the Spiritual maturity. The church has over 100 members in regular attendance and about 15 strong leaders. When we were there last in 2019 the church was about half the size and there was a void in male leadership with Apostle Jerome and Pastor Rodney doing most of the work of the church with a number of female leaders doing the women's ministry and ministry to the children and those in need. Now they have added 3 more men as pastors (what we would likely label as elders in our congregations). These men are strong leaders in worship, in the Word, and in the care of the people. 

With such strong leadership in Windvogal, they have replanted a church on the Western Cape in the town of Heidelberg. Jerome spends about 1 week a month there, Christine the head of women's ministry spends about a week a month there, and a pastor from about 30 miles away serves in their absence. This is a house church in the heart of a neighborhood in desperate need of the church on a street named Goliath Defeats David. This new work has a local man that serves as an evangelist but needs prayer for additional leadership to emerge. When we were there about 30 attended on Sunday. 

The ministry conducted by Pastor Chris in Windvogal consisted of evening leadership development and disciple-making training with about 25 church leaders and potential leaders, participation in a Friday night service and preaching on 2 Sunday services. He also was able to do some visitation, meet with leaders, and assist in the devotional and discussion at a men's fellowship that lasted about 6 hours. In Windvogal Melanie participated in a women's prayer meeting and lead a women's conference that also was about 6 hours.

In Heidelberg the same schedule was supposed to be repeated, but when many new people began to fill the house church on the night of the first leadership training Jerome informed Chris it would be better to preach a message than deliver the training. The Holy Spirit provided the scripture and message on the spot, and we all felt the Spirit move. 

Thank you all for your support. Your prayers were felt and evident as the Spirit moved.  

Malawi Mission Trip Update

While I will not assess my own work, I can report on a very encouraging trip to Malawi. It had been five years since my last visit and I was apprehensive considering what had transpired during that time: two devastating cyclones and the chronic, ongoing hunger crisis. I am amazed and challenged by the resilience of the believers. Everywhere I went there was enthusiastic worship even though Death was never far away. I was also gratified to find the pastors remain resistant to prosperity teaching.

On August 16, a canoe with eleven people aboard was returning from searching for water plants - the last line of defense against starvation - when it was overturned by a hippo. Only five survived. One of the victims was a young wife and mother from the Nkuziwaduka Branch. During the seminar week, we paused for the funeral of a child whose family lived close to the church. As the seminars were concluding, we received word of another death near the church.

On the four Sundays I worshipped at different branches. I also visited five others. I met with eleven pastors, five of them new affiliates. These pastors are "orphans" - whether because of death or distance they were no longer being supported by the groups they had been aligned with. Four of the five cited the Advent's reputation for supporting and encouraging local branches. This speaks well of the leadership of Cliff Maclean and his nephew Isaac Sosono. Bishop Cliff lives far from the branches and is only able to visit three or four times a year. Isaac, son of founder Paul Sosono, acts as his deputy. I was more favorably impressed with him this time than ever before.

Pastors in Malawi are very concerned about their buildings (prayer houses). Without a prayer house, they have to meet outdoors (not possible in rainy season) or rent (often too expensive). Prayer houses with grass roofs are not watertight either. After the two cyclones, those with metal roofs are concerned with plastering their buildings in order to strengthen them against storms. I was able to make a contribution to six branches who had worked hard but had exhausted their resources: three with roofing, three with plastering. One of those was rebuilding.

My primary purpose in going was to teach about the Church and to translate and present a Minister's Manual that had been requested in 2019. Knowing it would not be enough time, I allowed two and a half weeks for translation. I thought to honor the tribal language of Sena, which is also the tribal language in Mozambique. It turns out that people actually speak a mixed version of Sena. Pure Sena is difficult to understand. Part 1 and part of Part 2 were completed and distributed in draft form. It quickly became clear that the translation needs to be in Chichewa. Fortunately, my translator, Lyson George, now has a good understanding of my teaching so should be able to progress well in my absence. The goal is to publish a manual with a good binding that will stand up in local conditions.

The seminars were held August 19 to 23. There were 183 registered participants, including 76 from Mozambique. We had budgeted for 150 so it was a good thing I brought extra cash. Attendance was consistent and engaged - more engaged than I expect a (North) American audience would be for the same material. I presented Part 1 of the proposed manual which addresses the nature, the activities, the characteristics, the ministries, the structure, and the (ceremonial) mysteries of the Church. I confess that I did not present (North) American Advent Christian polity. Whatever we think about it here, it is not for Africa.

In 2019, I thought it would take me five years (trips) to complete what I could offer to God in Malawi. In the intervening years, I wondered several times if I would ever make it back, or if I did would it be the last one. Now, instead of wrapping up the five-year plan, I have just concluded year one. I am encouraged by the response and pray that God gives me the health, strength, and support to complete my offering to him.

Ken Perkins

Baptisms

Upcoming Events

ACGC International Missions Update

Click the image above to read the most recent prayer points.

From Gum to Grace:

A Story of Transformation and Outreach on Sauze Street

By Craig Libby, Latin America area director

MEXICO – On the corner of Sauze and Artesano streets in Ensenada, Mexico, sits a small 20 by 20-foot Advent Christian church, Iglesia Cristiana Odres Nuevos, led by Pastor Carlos. Although the building is small, the local congregation’s vision and ministry to the residents of their neighboring streets is big. (read more)

News from ACGC

2025 AC Leaders' Conference

The 2025 AC Leaders’ Conference will be held February 4-6 at the beautiful Advent Christian Village in Dowling Park, Florida. The theme is “Rest for Your Soul” and the event will explore building healthy habits and rhythms for longevity in pastoral ministry. Our speaker is Rev. Andy Addis, the Lead Teaching and Vision Pastor at CrossPoint Church in Hutchinson, Kansas, author and host of the Rural Pastor Podcast (theruralpastor.com). Please plan to join us for this time of spiritual renewal and refreshing where you can gather with old friends and make some new ones. Please click the link below to find more info and to reigster. We hope to see you there.

Scholarship Opportunities

DuBois Scholarship - Sponsored by the Maine State Conference, amount awarded depends on number of applicants and funds available; This scholarship is given in loving memory of Rev. Wendell DuBois, Tammy DuBois and Virgene Hughes. It is designed to assist those seeking a call to vocational ministry in achieving their academic goals. The application needs to be postmarked by August 31 to be considered. The scholarship monies will be disbursed during the 2nd semester of the academic year.

Berkshire Christian College Scholarship Fund - Scholarship amount varies depending on the program of study. The purpose and description of the scholarship is:

• Seminary education in partnership with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary at four campuses - two in Mass., one in Fla., one in NC. (www.gordonconwell.edu) Advent Christian students receive up to a 50% tuition reduction. (Additional scholarship assistance may also be available.)
• Theological formation through the Ministry Training Institute (MTI). Students enrolled in MTI are eligible for scholarships through Berkshire Christian.

Castle Hill Scholarship Fund - The Castle Hill Advent Christian Church closed its doors in December of 2019 due to declining numbers and the difficulty of finding pastoral leadership. Through a generous donation, a Ministry Scholarship will be established in their name. It is their desire that this ministry scholarship be established to help fund individuals who are seeking vocational ministry training either from a ministry training program within the Advent Christian constituency, or if a person chooses to seek to prepare for vocational ministry outside of the Advent Christian constituency, the Christian institution must be accredited.

Applicants are required to fill out the application and have all of the required information turned in to the Superintendent’s Office by September 15th in order to be considered by the Eastern Regional Board of Directors. The Board will present scholarships to qualified applicants by dividing $2000 dollars among them per year. If only one applicant applies, the cap for an individual scholarship is $1000 dollars made out to the school of their choosing.

Eastern Regional Association

P.O. Box 214 Winchester, NH 03470