Missionary Renegade: Around The Region News... from The Asia Pacific Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene in Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines "Christmas Greetings! GMC Holiday Schedule, One Thing That Never Gets Old, Loneliness in Men: Does it Matter? Intern on mission! Prayer Requests, Praises and More!" Volume 4 / Issue Number 46 for Saturday, December 17, 2016

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Around The Region News... from The Asia Pacific Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene in Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines "Christmas Greetings! GMC Holiday Schedule, One Thing That Never Gets Old, Loneliness in Men: Does it Matter? Intern on mission! Prayer Requests, Praises and More!" Volume 4 / Issue Number 46 for Saturday, December 17, 2016

Around The Region News... from The Asia Pacific Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene in Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines "Christmas Greetings! GMC Holiday Schedule, One Thing That Never Gets Old, Loneliness in Men: Does it Matter? Intern on mission! Prayer Requests, Praises and More!" Volume 4 / Issue Number 46 for Saturday, December 17, 2016

Nazarene News from Around the Globe

Africa:

Eurasia:

Mesoamerica:

Costa Rica Churches Respond After Hurricane Otto

South America:

USA / Canada:

Collegiate:

Resources:

Passings:

Engage Magazine:

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries
School Pal-Paks
School Pal-Paks provide students in Nazarene primary schools with the supplies they need to facilitate learning, such as pencils, scissors, etc.
The Church of the Nazarene operates numerous primary schools around the world, providing quality education for children.
Unfortunately, children around the world often do not have the supplies needed for school. In countries with economic challenges, families cannot afford to purchase supplies, or siblings are often
required to share the supplies.
In response to the need, Nazarene Missions International partnered with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Inc. (NCM, Inc.) to provide School Pal-Paks.
Can youth and children participate?
Since children and youth identify with the need for school supplies, School Pal-Paks are a great way to involve children and youth in missions. Of course, adults can participate in Pal-Paks, too!
How will the Pal-Paks be distributed?
Similar to Crisis Care Kits, the Pal-Paks will be distributed by NCM, Inc. based on need and availability.
For a complete contents list, click here!
For packing and shipping instructions, click here!

"Developing Leaders" by Stan Toler
7 Self- Improvements
You seldom hear a professional athlete reply to an interviewer's compliment without saying something like "Thanks, but we've got a long way to go."
Author and friend, Dan Reiland, wrote, "A good leader is able to tame his or her ego enough to keep on learning." The dictionary says "improvement" is the "state of being improved; especially: enhanced value or excellence." The opposite of improvement is stagnation or decline, and I don't think you want to go there. So, here's a suggested list of improvements.
1. IMPROVE YOUR TECHNICAL SKILLS.
Learn to read faster. Upgrade your computer skills before you upgrade your computer. What are the computing shortcuts? Improve your awareness of the Internet as it relates to your profession. What are the time-saving apps? What are the one-stop resource sites?
2. IMPROVE YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN.
When is the last time you reviewed your estate? Is your will current? What are your short- and long-range financial goals? If you're not sure, it's time for an appointment with a financial planner and a lawyer. Imbalanced personal finances often result in an imbalanced professional life.
3. IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH.
Do you have a daily exercise regimen? If not, start one. Start slow and build-but start. A half-hour walk or a ten-minute rest each day will do wonders for your mind and body. Learn to eat smarter. Check your portions. Train your sweet tooth to stay in shape for an occasional indulgence, but let it know that some foods are temporarily off limits. Choose some green over gravy or some fruits over frappes.
4. IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.
You'll get along better with your colleagues AFTER you learn to get along better with your spouse, children, extended family, or friend circle. In fact, why not treat your personal relationships with the same intentional enthusiasm and respect as you treat your professional staff?
5. IMPROVE YOUR NETWORKING BASE.
Do you have cobwebs on your contact list? It may be time for a review or an update. Who have you overlooked that needs a new look? Why not set a goal of making at least one new professional contact each month? And don't forget, the care and keeping of your contacts will strengthen your network.
6. IMPROVE YOUR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH.
Have you considered your heart condition? No, I'm not talking about the pump that keeps the blood flowing; I'm talking about the soul that keeps your spirit warmed and alert. Give yourself a daily time out. Pray every day. Read an inspirational book instead of a professional manual. Check and upgrade your value system.
7. IMPROVE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
What are the current leadership trends? Have you updated your leader methods? You can't motivate a 21st century workforce with 20th century methods. Register for a leadership conference. Read leadership books. Your investment in leadership will pay off in a happier "followership."
Somerset Maugham said, "If you refuse to accept anything but the very best, you will very often get it." Do you strive to be a five-star leader? Achieving it means you've added a star for every improvement.
Stan Toler
Please continue to pray for Stan's battle with cancer- for more information click
here.
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Share The Story!

Regional Praise Reports and Prayer Requests
Asia-Pacific Region
Student Follows God's Call to Missions Through Internship!APNTS,
Philippine-Micronesia,
Southeast Asia,
Urgent Prayer Requests

Manila, Philippines: In less than a month, Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) student Christine Rosemel Dialing will take a deeper step to follow God’s call to missions: she is set to go to Thailand for a short-term assignment, early January 2017.
Christine, who is enrolled under APNTS’s Intercultural Studies Program directed by Dr. Lynn Shmidt, will undergo an initial 2-month internship as part of her requirements to complete the course. She will be working with students at Maetang Tribal Children’s Home (MTCH) and at the School of Promise in Chiang Mai. Christine has long felt God calling her to missionary service, and this initial assignment will hopefully open some long term possibilities for her.
Please pray for traveling mercies for Christine as she steps out of her comfort zone, away from her home country, family and friends. We pray that the Lord bless her and her ministry, that the children in MTCH and School of Promise see and grow closer to the Lord through her. May God show her further the path to what she is called to do.[Submitted by: Dave Hane* Feature photo: Christine (second from left) with Drs. Bruce and Peggy Oldham and APNTS students]
Click here to get to know Christine more and her call to missions!Update on Situation in New Zealand Following Earthquake!
Australia New Zealand,
Feature,
Urgent Prayer Requests

Credit: Reuters
New Zealand: Prayer Partners around the globe – thank you for praying! We just recently received the following update from the New Zealand District Superintendent, Dr. Neville Bartle:
“The earthquake in NZ happened in a very rural part of New Zealand and has disrupted roads and railways. The town of Kaikoura has been largely cut off because of rock falls on roads.
The recovery required the NZ Army, bulldozers and heavy equipment rather than volunteers with shovels, spades and bottles of water. The cost of repairs will come to billions of dollars.
The damage in Wellington was primarily structural damage to high rise office buildings. Again it requires engineers and specialist equipment.
We appreciate people’s prayerful concern for the Church in NZ. Pray that these earthquakes will awaken New Zealanders who are spiritually complacent. May they realise that life is uncertain and unpredictable but that God loves them and wants them to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.”
Thank you for your continued prayers for New Zealand, for the Church, and for those responding to the needs.[Feature Photo Credit: (Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald/Pool via AP)]
Prominent Church Leader in Papua New Guinea Passes After Battle with Cancer.
Blog,
Feature,
Melanesia South Pacific,
News,
Urgent Prayer Requests

Papua New Guinea: After only a few short months of battling cancer, Baru Dirye, the National Health Secretary for the Nazarene Health Ministries (NHM), entered into the presence of his Savior on Thursday, November 24th, 2016.
Baru has motivated disciples to lead, started church plants, and guided hundreds to Christ. He was an inspiration to all who knew him, and the church mourns with his family.
Andy Bennett says, “During the night, Baru Dirye, our friend, brother in the Lord, leader, and man of God, quietly slipped into the arms of the One whom he had served faithfully these many years.”
“He was not only a top administrator in the health care ministry, but he and his wife Christina, have led a hugely successful Nazarene church plant. What initially started as a simple house church a few years ago eventually led to the single biggest baptism in the church’s history in PNG- with 75 people baptized in one service!” Dr. Scott Dooley, Nazarene Hospital Administrator

There is most definitely a tremendous reunion in heaven between Baru and his brother Rev. Taime, who passed in 2014. Both of these men shared an insatiable passion for seeing souls won to the Lord. Rev. Taime was a long-time pastor, church planter, evangelist, the first national district superintendent in Papua New Guinea, and a chaplain for 20 years at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital. He was also the first ordained elder and first DS in Papua New Guinea. Taime and Baryu were the eldest and youngest sons of Dirye, an early convert of Lutheran missions in the northern Wahgi valley who joined the Nazarene church when it came to their village, Warakar. What a tremendous family legacy.
Please pray for Baru’s wife, Christina, and their kids, ranging from college age down to early elementary age. Please pray for the ministry in Papua New Guinea, and pray that our church members will understand that godly men sometimes die for reasons that we don’t always understand.[Submitted by: Ingrid Kiper]
Australian District Advisory Board, Former General Board Member Passes Away.Australia New Zealand,
Current,
Feature,
News,
Urgent Prayer Requests

Graeme and Pauline Sheppard

Australia: Please pray for the family and many friends of District Advisory Board and Missional Leadership Team member & Australia-NZ Field Work & Witness Coordinator Graeme Sheppard, age 63, of Inala church. Sheppard passed away in the evening of 22 November 2016, at the St Andrews Hospital in Toowoomba, Queensland after a three-year battle with cancer. Our warmest and deepest condolences are extended to Graeme’s wife of 34 years, ANZ Field Nazarene Missions International (NMI) Coordinator and Asia-Pacific Regional NMI Global Council representative, Pauline Sheppard, and their 3 children: Paul Sheppard, Steph Sheppard, and Melody Ortado.
Please see end of story for funeral update
Graeme John Sheppard was born at the Mother’s Hospital in Toowoomba on 12 October 1953, the third and final child of the former Dorothy Hamlyn and her husband former Lieut. Clyde P. Sheppard (2/26th Battalion A.I.F), a former Prisoner of War in Changi and Sandakan for more than 3 years during World War 2; and the younger brother of Alan Clyde and Glenda.

Graeme – Circa 1975
As a young man, Graeme started attending the Coorparoo Church of the Nazarene, where he found the Lord under the ministry of the late Pastor John N. White. After graduating from Cavendish Rd High School in Holland Park, QLD in 1970, Graeme went to work as a clerk for the Queensland Housing Commission, before transferring to the QLD Main Roads (QMR) Department in 1972. While employed with Main Roads, Graeme studied part-time at the Queensland Institute of Technology, graduating with a Certificate in Civil Engineering in 1979. In August 1979, Graeme was transferred to Cloncurry, QLD, (1700km NW of Brisbane), where he was a Cadet Technician and later Laboratory Technician for QMR for the next 18 months.

In January 1981 Graeme returned to Brisbane, where he worked as a marketing consultant for 3 years and resumed attending the Coorparoo church. Soon after he met his future wife Pauline, and they were married on 8 May 1982. In 1982 Graeme enrolled part-time at the Southern QLD Institute of TAFE in Toowoomba, Queensland, graduating with a Diploma of Business Management in 1986. In January 1984 Graeme became the Lab Manager of DJ Brown and Partners in Toowoomba, forcing the Sheppards to move to Toowoomba, where they were key members and lay leaders of the fledgling Church of the Nazarene in the “Garden City”.
In March 1991, Graeme began a 25 year association with Soiltech Testing Services, a successful private civil and geotechnical Testing Authority for the building and construction industry based in Toowoomba, serving for ten years as Senior Engineering Technician, before buying the company in July 2001 and becoming the managing director.

Inspired by the words of missionary martyr Jim Elliot, who said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose,” Graeme was a dedicated layman, serving faithfully as a church board member, bus driver, and visitor in local churches at Coorparoo, Toowoomba, and Inala. Graeme served on local church and district IMPACT teams, and was elected to the District Advisory Board on the former Australia Northern Pacific District and later the Missional Leadership Team on both the ANPD and the new Australia North & West District (ANWD). Graeme also served on the National Board of the Church of the Nazarene; was a mentor for the ANPD Leadership Development Initiative and was a member of the General Board of the Church of the Nazarene from 2005 to 2013, serving on its Finance Committee, and a member of the International Church Commission of the Church of the Nazarene (2005-2009).
Graeme served as a delegate several times to both the General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene and to the Global NMI Convention, as well as to Asia-Pacific Regional Conferences.

2016 NMI Global Council Meeting, Left to Right, Connie Aebischer, Pauline and Graeme Sheppard
Passionate about Christian missions and especially the global ministry of the Church of the Nazarene, Graeme served for more than 15 years as a member of the District Nazarene Missions Council of the former Australia Northern Pacific District, including 11 years under the leadership of District NMI President Pauline Sheppard, and for another year on the new Australia North & West District NMI Council. Graeme was the ANPD Work & Witness Team Coordinator organizing W&W teams to serve on 3 occasions in Papua New Guinea, as well as to the Solomons, and Vanuatu. In recognition of his effective leadership, Graeme was appointed as the Work & Witness Coordinator for the Australia-New Zealand Field of the Church of the Nazarene, and was at the time of his death, organizing a W&W team to Fiji for August 2017.
In appreciation of his sacrificial service to the Lord, the Living Hope Church of the Nazarene was planning to present him a Distinguished Service Award on 27 November 2016. Since 1995, Graeme and Pauline have sponsored a young girl in the Philippines through Compassion International and were able to meet her in Manila for her 21st birthday in 2011.
Graeme’s pastor, Emman T Chapman wrote elsewhere:
“Graeme Sheppard, one of God’s most faithful saints and holy ones, while surrounded by his family, went to be fully in the peaceful and joyous presence of God this evening. Please pray for Pauline, Paul, Melody, Steph, and the rest of their family and friends who, in the midst of their joy for the end of his suffering, are in indescribable sorrow for the loss of a Husband, Dad, and Mate so very dear to them. Please give the family space to grieve and hold each other through this by holding your calls and visits at the moment. They know very much that you love them and that God is with them.’”
Asia-Pacific Regional Director Dr Mark Louw wrote:
“We thank God for Graeme’s amazing witness and know that the God of all Peace will be with Pauline, Paul, Melody, Steph, and the rest of the family and friends during this time of grief.”
Update: 25 Nov 2016
The following message was received from one of Graeme Sheppard’s daughters, Steph: “We are so incredibly humbled by the outpouring of thoughts, prayers and kind words. We have read each one of your messages of love and support and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
All are welcome to attend Dad’s funeral service on Wednesday, 30th November 2016, at 2.30pm at Burstows Chapel, 1020 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba.”[Submitted: Steve Walsh – Australia New Zealand Field]
Most Up-to-Date Prayer Requests & Praise Reports for the Global Church - Prayer Mobilization Line.
Christmas Greetings!

Global Ministry Center Holiday Schedule
Global Ministry Center

While there will be no staff at the Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center December 23 through January 2, if an emergency need arises for communication of information during the Christmas holidays, please leave a voicemail message at 913-577-2720. That number will be checked daily.
Note: NCN News will resume its regular schedule January 6, 2017.
Blessed holidays to everyone! Read this on our website.
Student Follows God's Call to Missions through Internship!
Manila, Philippines

In less than a month, Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) student Christine Rosemel Dialing will take a deeper step to follow God's call to missions: she is set to go to Thailand for a short-term assignment, early January 2017.
Christine, who is enrolled under APNTS's Intercultural Studies Program directed by Dr. Lynn Shmidt, will undergo an initial 2-month internship as part of her requirements to complete the course.
Learn more about Christine and the exciting journey ahead of her! Your prayers are needed as she steps out of her comfort zone to make Kingdom Impact.
Click here to read more!
One Thing That Never Gets Old
Papua New GuineaAfter living and working in Papua New Guinea for 9 years, many of the things that used to be new, bizarre, challenging, interesting, depressing or hard to handle have now become normal.

Stressful and out-of-the-ordinary situations have now been reduced to everyday occurrences that I have grown accustomed to and think little of. Shocking and strange as they seem, these circumstances don't faze me anymore. They're just same old stories.

But if there's one thing that I hope never gets old I hope it is this.
Dr. Erin Meier sure lives an exciting life as a doctor in Kudjip Nazarene Hospital! Find out that one thing she hopes she will always be excited about!
Read it here!One Thing That Never Gets Old
Blog,
Feature,
Medical Ministry,
Melanesia South Pacific,
News
Papua New Guinea: After living and working in Papua New Guinea for 9 years, many of the things that used to be new, bizarre, challenging, interesting, depressing or hard to handle have now become normal. Stressful and out-of-the-ordinary situations such as domestic violence, deaths, cancers, lack of medicines and supplies, shortage of staff and doctors have now been reduced to everyday occurrences that I have grown accustomed to and think little of.

Recently on medical ward, I met a woman who had a wound infection at the back of her legs – an unfortunate incident inflicted by her husband. Ironically it was also the husband who brought her to the clinic, and he showed no trace of remorse whatsoever to what he had done. Another patient who was brought in tried to kill himself with a weed killer, just because he was angry at his family. Shocking and strange as they seem, these circumstances don’t faze me anymore. They’re just same old stories.
But if there’s one thing that I hope never gets old, it is getting to share Christ and encouraging patients in their walk with Christ. This is the reason why I continue to love what I do – being given the chance to introduce someone to Christ or to inspire and help someone grow in their relationship with God. In the hospital, I have the privilege to pray with patients and share Jesus’ love for them.
In the case of the husband and wife, I shared the Christmas story and prayed for their marriage. I also found one of our Chaplains and asked him to counsel the couple and share God’s love for them. I was able to talk to the patient who attempted suicide and explained to him alternative ways to deal with anger, which included praying to God- to find strength in Him during the difficult times.

These might not be the medical breakthroughs that doctors dream of, nor they may not even be the spiritual breakthroughs that missionaries dream of, but we never know what sort of fruit will sprout from the seeds that are planted. I know many seeds were planted in my life before my relationship with Christ grew and I am happy to keep planting seeds, as the opportunities arise. I am also thankful that I am not alone in this process, that everyone at the hospital- from the cleaners to the nurses, chaplains and doctors- are all working each day to plant seeds along each patient’s way, showing and sharing the Love of Christ.
These small seeds that have been planted are starting to bear fruit! This year, hundreds in Kudjip have come to know Christ, new churches have been planted and lives have changed as folks have grown in their relationship with Christ. What great news to end the year and to celebrate the Christmas season![Submitted by: Erin Meier]
Thank you for your continuous prayers and support of Kudjip Nazarene Hospital!
Learn how you can partner with Nazarene Health Ministries and make a difference in the lives of the people in Papua New Guinea.
Click here for more information!
General Secretary Releases 2016 Stats
Global Ministry Center

General Secretary David P. Wilson and Nazarene Research Services released the annual church statistical reports for 2016. These detailed reports documenting the missional activities of the Church of the Nazarene on a global scale show growth for the denomination over the statistical year, as well as continued growth over the past decade.
"We are thankful for what God has helped us to accomplish this year," Wilson said. "We rejoice in areas of increase and continue to work on ministries that have not been as strong. We are optimistic about the future of the Church of the Nazarene."
The numbers are looking good! Current membership has increased, and many new Nazarenes were welcomed this year!
Follow the link to read the rest of the article and for the full statistical report!
'STEPS' Forward: Lebanon Churches Invest in Refugee Children
Engage Magazine

If you've ever lived away from your home country, even if it was just for a semester abroad, you know how important it is to have a home away from home. A place where, even if you still miss your "real" home, you feel accepted as you are, with your differences appreciated, and where you are treated with equality, dignity and respect. A place where you can really live, not just exist, as a valued and profitable member of society.

In the country of Lebanon, two million refugees from Syria and Iraq are hoping to find this: a home away from home, a place where they can lead a life of dignity today and need not fear tomorrow. Too many do not find it, and are torn between facing the terror of their war-torn home or succumbing to despair in the place where they have found refuge, but not life.
Yet there are others, too, that discover this home away from home - like the 70 Syrian and Iraqi children who were able to join the Nazarene Evangelical School (NES) in Beirut, Lebanon.
Get to know the wonderful and life-changing things that NES has done for the children! You wouldn't want to miss this! Click here for more!
Webinar- Loneliness in Men: Does it Matter?
The Discipleship Place

Tim Truesdale is a researcher and writer who shares weekly articles on
"the state of manhood in America" and has provided consultation on Men's Ministry with FamilyLife, LifeWay, the Fatherhood CoMisssion,
GrandsMatter, and the Church of the Nazarene.
On Tuesday, January 17th at 12:00 p.m. Central Time, Tim will share an overview of his findings on chronic loneliness, which impacts almost 40% of the men over age 45 in the US. This social issue has repercussions for families, workplaces, and even churches. We will explore strategies that come directly from the Gospel to engage men who wrestle with loneliness.
To register for the free webinar, click here!
District Assembly Schedule 2016- 2017
Asia-Pacific
ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
DATE
FIELD
DISTRICT
December 2016
29
Philippines
Southern Tagalog
30
Philippines
Eastern Visayas
30
Philippines
Bicol
Access the complete schedule on the Asia-Pacific website!
Follow the link for more information!
Latest WMC News Video- December 9th Edition

Home for the Homeless, Impact!
One Wheelchair at a Time, Hurricane Otto Update

Click here to watch the video and for the download link - be sure to share!
Back to Basics (And a Little Deeper)
Australia- New Zealand Field

Every Sunday as far as I can remember, my entire family was up earlier than most for one reason, CHURCH.
Patrick Montelongo, writer of this article and a pastor in Australia, recounts his childhood years as a Christian, describing he and his siblings as "born in a pew." His family and personal life have evolved around the church. Read his relatable story of living a life in ministry and learning the importance of generosity and giving back to God.
Such an insightful read- don't miss it! Follow the link for the full story!
Church of the Nazarene to Celebrate Compassionate Ministries Month
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries

December is Compassionate Ministries Month, a time to celebrate the way God is transforming lives through the Church of the Nazarene's acts of Christlike compassion worldwide.
Congregations are encouraged to set aside a Sunday during the month of December to focus on God's call to active compassion. Resources from Nazarene Compassionate Ministries are available to help congregations think about living compassion in the margins of the world and to consider what it means to join the work being done by churches around the world.
Find out how you can participate and be one with the church in celebrating with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries!
Click here to know more!
What If...? Be Part of NCM's Christmas Project 2016!
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries

Halil's* father was kidnapped in Syria. His mother fled to Lebanon to protect Halil and his brother. There, a Nazarene church reached out to his family and gave the boys a way to attend school. "I love my father, and I am missing him everyday." Halil says. Still, he is working hard and says that the Nazarene school gives him hope.
Halil has also found hope in his newfound faith. "I know Jesus, and I took Him as a personal savior," he says.
Halil is one of the fortunate enough who have been reached... yet there are still many children who face an uncertain future.
What if more children like Halil could experience hope in the midst of loss?
This year, Nazrene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) invites you to make a difference in the lives of these children, through their Christmas Project.
* Name has been changed.
Learn more about NCM's Christmas Project 2016 and how you could do your part to help. Click here!
Registration, Housing Now Open for General Assembly 2017
Resources

Excitement is growing as Nazarenes from around the world anticipate, gathering for worship and fellowship, and business next summer in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, at the 2017 General Assembly and Conventions. Housing and registration is now open.
The General Assembly is the "supreme doctrine-formulating, lawmaking, and elective authority of the Church of the Nazarene" (Manual, 300.) The General Assembly and auxiliary conventions (Nazarene Missions International, Nazarene Youth International, and Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International) convene every four years, bringing together Nazarenes from around the globe.
Excited for this event? We sure are! Find out more details on registration and housing by following this link!
Opportunity to Take Your Passion for English to a School on the Asia-Pacific Region!
Asia-Pacific

Has God gifted you with a passion for teaching English? Has God also been touching your heart, perhaps calling you to experience taking your passion for English into a cross- cultural setting?
A school on the Asia-Pacific Region is now accepting applications for part-time and full-time English teachers for 2017 and 2018. Applicants must be native English speakers, have teaching experience, a university degree, and a love for teaching children!
Click on this link for more details!
24th Global Nazarene Youth International Convention- Deadline Approaching!
Nazarene Youth International

The countdown to the Global NYI Convention continues! Each district NYI convention should be electing youth, lay, and ministerial delegates and alternates at this time. The deadline to elect NYI delegates is 31 March 2017.
Each month leading up to the Global NYI Convention, we are highlighting various aspects of the convention to help delegates prepare. The focus of this highlight is on resolutions.
Learn more about the 10 important things about resolutions, and access more information on the NYI website and Facebook page!
Follow the link for further details and be in-the-know!
New Mobile Application Connects the Word with You... And Your Heart!
Asia-Pacific Region

INITIAL PUBLIC LAUNCH!

Does engaging the Word of God truly lead to life transformation?
The Center for Bible Engagement has surveyed more than 200,000 people, ages 8- 80, across 20 countries, 75 denominations and most major religions.

What did they find?
The Power of 4 Effect
APNaz Connect is the Asia-Pacific Region's Mobile Application to help you and those whom you are discipling, actively engage the Word! An included spiritual assessment will customize the app to deliver scriptures that speak to you personally. Sign up for a specialized devotional track on a topic of interest like Anger, Worry, When Life Hurts, Growing Spiritually, Engaging in Scriptures, and more.
Take a moment and find out what the Power of 4 Effect is and how to download the app by clicking here!
Around the Region News Archive
Asia-Pacific

Do you remember seeing a particular story in one of our weekly newsletters?
Are you wishing you could send a copy of a previous newsletter to a friend? Be sure to check out the Around The Region Weekly Newsletter Archive.
Click here to find out more about the Archive.
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This newsletter is a ministry of your Asia-Pacific Regional Communications Office. Please submit questions or comments to: Regional Communications Coordinator
Connie Aebischer - Editor - Around the Region News
Writer: Laurice Maggay
World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific
Ortigas Avenue Extension
Taytay, Rizal, Philippines
Around the Region is released each week on Saturday. If you have news to share, please forward to our office by Friday at noon (PHT).
Strategic Partners Ltd, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines
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Around The Region News...from The Asia Pacific Region of The Global Church of the Nazarene in Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines "Latest WMC News Video, December is Compassionate Ministries Month, New Zealand Update after Earthquake, Digital Cocaine- It's No Game!, Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone for Kingdom Impact, Realizations on Tithing, Prayer Requests, Praises and More!" Volume 4 / Issue Number 45 for Saturday, December 10, 2016

Nazarene News from Around the Globe

Africa:

South Africa's Nazarene Inn Serves as Place of Refuge

Eurasia:

Mesoamerica:

Costa Rica Churches Respond After Hurricane Otto

South America:

South American NTS Holds 28th Graduation

USA / Canada:

Collegiate:

Resources:

Passings:

Engage Magazine:

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries
Crisis Care Kits
Crisis Care Kits (CCKs) are a cooperative effort between Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Incorporated (NCMI) and Nazarene Missions International (NMI).
CCKs continue to meet the needs around the world. The kits have gone to places like Belize, California,, Dominican Republic, Greensburg, KS, Haiti, Jamaica, Jordon, Louisiana, Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, and Zambia. Your generosity makes an incredible difference!
Each local church is challenged to donate enough kits to fill at least one banana box (six CCKs per banana box). Small churches may combine efforts to fill banana boxes with CCKs.
Information on where to send CCKs for USA/Canada can be found here.
For other areas around the world, check with your Field Strategy Coordinator.
If you would like to find more ways to get involved, click here.

"Developing Leaders" by Stan Toler
9 Ways to Become More Confident
A driver taking me to a speaking engagement met me in the baggage claim area of a major airport, holding up a sign. It read, "Dr. Stand Taller." I'll admit that wasn't the biggest boost to my self-esteem, but it started me thinking about ways we can deal with low self-esteem.
Has a job obligation, personal challenge, or a prevailing attitude from childhood pushed the "Down" button on your self-esteem elevator? Here are 9 ways to "Stand Taller."
1. INVENTORY YOUR GIFTS
We're born with skills that make us as unique as a fingerprint. Take a timeout and inventory your giftedness via Strength Finders or Team Ministry. Skip the "Aw shucks" attitude. What are the things you actually can do as good or better than anyone else? Making your list (and checking it twice) will give you a much needed boost.
2. TAKE A NAP
I read that a nap of 10 minutes improves alertness by 10 hours. Your self-esteem may be low because you're tired. You need a nap.
3. LOSE A FEW POUNDS
The CDC says nearly 35-percent of U.S. citizens are obese. Add the borderline folks, and it's no wonder we're discouraged. I can't tell you what a difference it made in my outlook when I determined to "get a handle on the fork." Try it. You don't have to lose 50 pounds to feel better, start with a couple, and get in the groove.
4. TAME A HABIT
The health police also said 90-percent of us need to cut back on sodium. Some say a sandwich without chips is just a sandwich. But cutting out the salt is more than that; it's victory over a bad routine. You'll be surprised at how much better you'll feel about yourself when you put the strong arm on something detrimental.
5. LOOK AT GOD'S PICTURES
If God had an Instagram account, you'd be a star subject. Picture in your mind what God thinks of you. You are handsome or beautiful in his eyes. You're his best effort in all of creation. He sees you as you are and says, "Perfect."
6. TAKE A WALK
When was the last time you took a walk? If you walk outdoors, take a long look at its creative beauty. Breathe deeply. Focus. Avoid the slouch. You are a walking miracle of cells and parts and wrapping. You are a major "something" in the midst of everything.
7. CREATE SOMETHING
You were born to create. Why do you think those crayons fit so well in your hand on that first day of school? Maybe they're long gone, but the computer, camera, paint brush are still around. Use those items to create your masterpiece.
8. RECONNECT WITH A FRIEND
Would you like to increase your lifespan by 22-percent, and feel better about it? An Australian study found those with a larger network of friends outlived those who had fewer. Reconnecting with a friend out of the past could be a tonic that not only extends life, but increases the quality of the current one, and throws in a self-esteem boost in the process.
9. GIVE AN ANONYMOUS GIFT
It may be as simple as picking up the Starbucks tab for the customer behind you in line, but the benefits will be a "venti" boost. When you "do good," you feel good.
Where's the #10? That's your call. Be creative. Then push the "Up" button.
Stan Toler
Please continue to pray for Stan's battle with cancer- for more information click
here.
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Regional Praise Reports and Prayer Requests

Asia-Pacific Region
Update on Situation in New Zealand Following Earthquake!
Australia New Zealand,
Feature,
Urgent Prayer Requests

There is most definitely a tremendous reunion in heaven between Baru and his brother Rev. Taime, who passed in 2014. Both of these men shared an insatiable passion for seeing souls won to the Lord. Rev. Taime was a long-time pastor, church planter, evangelist, the first national district superintendent in Papua New Guinea, and a chaplain for 20 years at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital. He was also the first ordained elder and first DS in Papua New Guinea. Taime and Baryu were the eldest and youngest sons of Dirye, an early convert of Lutheran missions in the northern Wahgi valley who joined the Nazarene church when it came to their village, Warakar. What a tremendous family legacy.
Please pray for Baru’s wife, Christina, and their kids, ranging from college age down to early elementary age. Please pray for the ministry in Papua New Guinea, and pray that our church members will understand that godly men sometimes die for reasons that we don’t always understand.[Submitted by: Ingrid Kiper]
Australian District Advisory Board, Former General Board Member Passes Away.
Australia New Zealand,
Current,
Feature,
News,
Urgent Prayer Requests

Graeme and Pauline Sheppard
Australia: Please pray for the family and many friends of District Advisory Board and Missional Leadership Team member & Australia-NZ Field Work & Witness Coordinator Graeme Sheppard, age 63, of Inala church. Sheppard passed away in the evening of 22 November 2016, at the St Andrews Hospital in Toowoomba, Queensland after a three-year battle with cancer. Our warmest and deepest condolences are extended to Graeme’s wife of 34 years, ANZ Field Nazarene Missions International (NMI) Coordinator and Asia-Pacific Regional NMI Global Council representative, Pauline Sheppard, and their 3 children: Paul Sheppard, Steph Sheppard, and Melody Ortado.
Please see end of story for funeral update
Graeme John Sheppard was born at the Mother’s Hospital in Toowoomba on 12 October 1953, the third and final child of the former Dorothy Hamlyn and her husband former Lieut. Clyde P. Sheppard (2/26th Battalion A.I.F), a former Prisoner of War in Changi and Sandakan for more than 3 years during World War 2; and the younger brother of Alan Clyde and Glenda.

Graeme – Circa 1975As a young man, Graeme started attending the Coorparoo Church of the Nazarene, where he found the Lord under the ministry of the late Pastor John N. White. After graduating from Cavendish Rd High School in Holland Park, QLD in 1970, Graeme went to work as a clerk for the Queensland Housing Commission, before transferring to the QLD Main Roads (QMR) Department in 1972. While employed with Main Roads, Graeme studied part-time at the Queensland Institute of Technology, graduating with a Certificate in Civil Engineering in 1979. In August 1979, Graeme was transferred to Cloncurry, QLD, (1700km NW of Brisbane), where he was a Cadet Technician and later Laboratory Technician for QMR for the next 18 months.

2016 NMI Global Council Meeting, Left to Right, Connie Aebischer, Pauline and Graeme SheppardPassionate about Christian missions and especially the global ministry of the Church of the Nazarene, Graeme served for more than 15 years as a member of the District Nazarene Missions Council of the former Australia Northern Pacific District, including 11 years under the leadership of District NMI President Pauline Sheppard, and for another year on the new Australia North & West District NMI Council. Graeme was the ANPD Work & Witness Team Coordinator organizing W&W teams to serve on 3 occasions in Papua New Guinea, as well as to the Solomons, and Vanuatu. In recognition of his effective leadership, Graeme was appointed as the Work & Witness Coordinator for the Australia-New Zealand Field of the Church of the Nazarene, and was at the time of his death, organizing a W&W team to Fiji for August 2017.
In appreciation of his sacrificial service to the Lord, the Living Hope Church of the Nazarene was planning to present him a Distinguished Service Award on 27 November 2016. Since 1995, Graeme and Pauline have sponsored a young girl in the Philippines through Compassion International and were able to meet her in Manila for her 21st birthday in 2011.
Graeme’s pastor, Emman T Chapman wrote elsewhere:
“Graeme Sheppard, one of God’s most faithful saints and holy ones, while surrounded by his family, went to be fully in the peaceful and joyous presence of God this evening. Please pray for Pauline, Paul, Melody, Steph, and the rest of their family and friends who, in the midst of their joy for the end of his suffering, are in indescribable sorrow for the loss of a Husband, Dad, and Mate so very dear to them. Please give the family space to grieve and hold each other through this by holding your calls and visits at the moment. They know very much that you love them and that God is with them.’”
Asia-Pacific Regional Director Dr Mark Louw wrote:

“We thank God for Graeme’s amazing witness and know that the God of all Peace will be with Pauline, Paul, Melody, Steph, and the rest of the family and friends during this time of grief.”

Update: 25 Nov 2016The following message was received from one of Graeme Sheppard’s daughters, Steph: “We are so incredibly humbled by the outpouring of thoughts, prayers and kind words. We have read each one of your messages of love and support and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
All are welcome to attend Dad’s funeral service on Wednesday, 30th November 2016, at 2.30pm at Burstows Chapel, 1020 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba.”

[Submitted: Steve Walsh – Australia New Zealand Field]

Most Up-to-Date Prayer Requests & Praise Reports for the Global Church - Prayer Mobilization Line.
Latest WMC News Video- December 9th Edition

Home for the Homeless, Impact!
One Wheelchair at a Time, Hurricane Otto Update

Click here to watch the video and for the download link - be sure to share!
Update on Situation in New Zealand Following Earthquake!
New Zealand

Prayer partners around the globe- thank you for praying!
New Zealand District Superintendent, Dr. Neville Bartle gives us an update on what is recently happening.
God is good! Thank you for your continued prayers for New Zealand, for the Church, and for those responding to the needs! May the Lord continue to guide and protect them as they start anew.[Photo Credit: (Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald/Pool via AP)]
Read the update from Dr. Bartle by clicking here!
Multiplying Medical Ministry Across the Highlands of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea

Imagine moving from your family and things familiar, to one of the most remote areas in the world?

Moving out of your comfort zone is difficult in itself- what more if you have to deal with challenging and unpredictable situations everyday? Exciting, that's for sure, but it could cause weariness too.
But you do it... because you are called to serve as the tangible hands and feet of God... To serve in places where others might fear to tread!
Meet Buckley, Charity and Rose! Get to know how they are making Kingdom impact in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea!
Follow the link to read more! Find out how you can partner in growing the ministry in Papua New Guinea!
Online Addiction- Digital Cocaine- It's No Game
Regional Announcement

Across the globe, psychologists are recognizing a trend... screen addiction! With the wave of technology sweeping the world, many have been unprepared for the hidden consequences of exposure to so much technology- we have become digitally addicted.
Who would have thought that technological advancement could cause serious harm, most especially to our children? Get more information on digital addiction! You could also attend a free webinar on the topic!
Click here to watch a short video on digital addiction and be enlightened! Find out how you could register for the free webinar too!
Back to Basics (And a Little Deeper)
Australia- New Zealand Field

December is Compassionate Ministries Month, a time to celebrate the way God is transforming lives through the Church of the Nazarene's acts of Christlike compassion worldwide.
Congregations are encouraged to set aside a Sunday during the month of December to focus on God's call to active compassion. Resources from Nazarene Compassionate Ministries are available to help congregations think about living compassion in the margins of the world and to consider what it means to join the work being done by churches around the world.
Find out how you can participate and be one with the church in celebrating with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries!
Click here to know more!
District Assembly Schedule 2016- 2017
Asia-Pacific
ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
DATE
FIELD
DISTRICT
December 2016
29
Philippines
Southern Tagalog
30
Philippines
Eastern Visayas
30
Philippines
Bicol
Access the complete schedule on the Asia-Pacific website!
Follow the link for more information!
"Stories" Volume 3- 2016 is Now Available!
Resources

INITIAL PUBLIC LAUNCH!
Does engaging the Word of God truly lead to life transformation?
The Center for Bible Engagement has surveyed more than 200,000 people, ages 8- 80, across 20 countries, 75 denominations and most major religions.

This newsletter is a ministry of your Asia-Pacific Regional Communications Office. Please submit questions or comments to: Regional Communications Coordinator
Connie Aebischer - Editor - Around the Region News
Writer: Laurice Maggay
World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific
Ortigas Avenue Extension
Taytay, Rizal, Philippines
Around the Region is released each week on Saturday. If you have news to share, please forward to our office by Friday at noon (PHT).
Strategic Partners Ltd, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines
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Around The Region News...from The Asia Pacific Region of The Global Church of the Nazarene in Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines "From a High Flying Organic Church, to a Strong Church After the Super Typhoon of 2013 with lots of Great Information In-Between, Plus Praises, Prayer Requests and More!" Volume 4 / Issue Number 44 for Saturday, December 3, 2016

Nazarene News from Around the Globe

(Bold Items - Latest News)
Africa:

South Africa's Nazarene Inn Serves As Place Of Refuge

Eurasia:

Mesoamerica:

Costa Rica Churches Respond After Hurricane Otto

South America:

USA / Canada:

Collegiate:

Trevecca Announces Pulliam Plaza Project

Resources:

Passings:

Engage Magazine:

Nazarene Compassionate MinistriesFollowing the example of Jesus, NCM partners with local Nazarene congregations around the world to clothe, shelter, feed, heal, educate, and live in solidarity with those who suffer under oppression, injustice, violence, poverty, hunger, and disease. NCM exists in and through the Church to proclaim the Gospel to all people.
NMI has come alongside NCM in leading the Nazarene church in living out compassion. The Nazarene Compassionate Ministries coordinator on the district NMI and/or local NMI council offers encouragement of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries worldwide through prayer support, giving, education, and hands-on opportunities.
December is Compassionate Ministries Emphasis month in the Church of the Nazarene. The Board of General Superintendents designated December to encourage a spirit of compassion and personal involvement among Nazarenes everywhere. NCM's prayer is that social holiness would erupt in every local church and that we could come alongside faithful members and resource them to serve.
To find out more go to theNazarene Compassionate Ministries site.
Questions or Comments? Click here.

"Developing Leaders" by Stan Toler
"Faith-Based Leadership" by Stan Toler
Please continue to pray for Stan's battle with cancer - for more information click here.
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Regional Praise Reports and Prayer Requests
Asia-Pacific Region
Prominent Church Leader in Papua New Guinea Passes After Battle With Cancer.
Australian District Advisory Board, Former General Board Member Passes Away.
Most Up-to-Date Prayer Requests & Praise Reports for the Global Church - Prayer Mobilization Line.
High-Flying Organic Church Recognized in the Philippines
Manila, Philippines

So just what is Church? If you were asked that question you might think of a building, walls, projection screens, pews or chairs, a sanctuary or auditorium... or... a Motocross Race Track??
On Saturday 19 November 2016, District Superintendent Arnel Piliin, Philippine Micronesia Field Strategy Coordinator, Stephen Gualberto, Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) President Dr. Bruce Oldham, Pastora Lucinda Tamayo and many men, women, boys and girls, dressed in brightly colored Motocross gear, gathered at MX Messiah Fairgrounds. Under bright blue and white tents they celebrated the recognition of an out-of-the-box (or perhaps out-of-the-starting-gate) ministry to people who might never otherwise enter the doors of a traditional church building.
This group of extreme sports enthusiasts has been meeting regularly for quite some time on Sunday mornings at 10:30 for Bible Study, halting the morning practice and coaching sessions.
Click here for more about this "out-of-the-box" church and photos of the recognition celebration!
High-Flying Organic Church Recognized in the Philippines
Blog,
Church Planting,
Current,
Feature,
News,
Philippine-Micronesia

Manila, Philippines: So just what is Church? If you were asked that question you might think of a building, walls, projection screens, pews or chairs, a sanctuary or auditorium… or… a Motocross Race Track??
On Saturday 19 November 2016, District Superintendent Arnel Piliin, Philippine Micronesia Field Strategy Coordinator, Stephen Gualberto, Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) President Dr. Bruce Oldham, Pastora Lucinda Tamayo and many men, women, boys and girls, dressed in brightly colored Motocross gear, gathered at MX Messiah Fairgrounds. Under bright blue and white tents they celebrated the recognition of an out-of-the-box (or perhaps out-of-the-starting-gate) ministry to people who might never otherwise enter the doors of a traditional church building.

Sam doing what he does best – sharing with the riders!This group of extreme sports enthusiasts has been meeting regularly for quite some time on Sunday mornings at 10:30 for Bible Study, halting the morning practice and coaching sessions.
Sam Tamayo, a former Shell/Yamaha Team motocross champion, had a vision several years ago of having a venue where people who are passionate about extreme sports, could come and learn, ride and play, and at the same time hear about the real race in this life. Sam’s personal story of his near death experience on the way to a race that left him in a coma and took the life of his father who was not only his coach but also his pastor and a District Superintendent, connects with people and shows them there is hope. Sam’s life is 100% dedicated to witnessing at every opportunity given, from speaking to his students, to witnessing to government officials when given the chance.

This new church type mission goes by the name of Generation Congregation Nation or GenCon Nation. Sam (a MDiv graduate of APNTS and ordained elder) alongside his NACLS bandmates and fellow NYI members, pioneered the Generation Congregation Youth movement and English Service at TFCN that now has several hundred teens and young adults in attendance every Sunday at Taytay First Church of the Nazarene. But God called him away from that dynamic group to a new thing that God wanted to do in the lives of individuals and families in a way that connects through extreme sports.

Pastora Lucinda TamayoDuring the service Pastora Lucinda Tamayo, who serves as senior pastor of Taytay First Church of the Nazarene and who also happens to be Sam’s mother, gave a moving testimony. She described how when Sam started this out-of-the-ordinary ministry, she just couldn’t see what God was doing. She now praises God for leading the way and creating a family of believers in such an unlikely place. Her presence was a symbol of the commitment and love she has for not only her son and his unique ministry, but for GenCon Nation as well.

The MMF Church Family.Metro Manila District Superintendent Arnel Piliin officiated the event, sharing the core beliefs of the Church of the Nazarene, that we are Christian, Holiness, and Missional, and welcoming this group into fellowship of the global Nazarene community. His message and challenge were to take the gospel to others and continue to strive to live a holy life as the Bible calls us to do. The glow on the face of each one present was testimony to what God has been doing in each of their lives and their passion to not only serve Him but become part of a larger community of beleivers.
True to form, the formal ceremony ended and those present got back on their dirt bikes and proceeded to practice for the upcoming race. The smiles on the faces of the riders and their times of prayer together reminded everyone present of the real race that we are all in, the race for souls.

Motocross ministry is a family ministry (Sam’s wife – Faith Tamayo).Always time for prayer!

Riders of all ages love the sport!

Motocross Church Family!DS Piliin and APNTS President Bruce OldhamWe've Taken a Re-Assignment to Fiji!
Melanesia South Pacific

Adam and Stephanie and their four daughters
Click here for more details about the Petersons and how you can get involved.Blog,
Current,
Melanesia South Pacific,
News,
Work and Witness
We are a family of six serving in the highlands of Papua New Guinea for almost four years. However, as of January, we will be taking a re-assignment to the south pacific island of Fiji. We will continue to operate as Melanesia South Pacific Field Work & Witness Coordinators. Our new home base will be in Suva, Fiji and we will be working to renovate the Fiji District Center.
We are so grateful for the opportunity the Lord has given us to serve Him in PNG, and now in Fiji. We have been amazed to see that God has taken what little we thought we had and He has multiplied it!
History:
During our Work & Witness travels to Haiti and Paraguay God opened our eyes to the possibility of full-time mission work. Over the period of a years time we committed to following Him as he has led us on a journey of patience, financial freedom, and peace!
We have now been on the Field in PNG for about 4 years. We have enjoyed working as W&W Coordinators for the Field. While on the Field, Adam has been apart of several construction projects. Including a new operating room, new doctor housing, two new toilet/shower blocks through W&W, and new short-term missionary housing. Stephanie works as Field Office Personnel obtaining work permits for incoming mission staff, as well as homeschooling, and keeping house.
We are so thankful for our church family and all their support and encouragement. We are excited to form new partnerships to accomplish the work God has set out on the Melanesia South Pacific Field and very very thankful for the current partnerships that have helped us thrive on the Field.
As we feel the Lord calling us to a re-assignment to Fiji, we know that He will be faithful to provide for our family. During our time in PNG, we saw time and time again where God spoke to His people about partnering with us and they listened.
Please pray for our family as we make this big transition to Fiji. Pray that God will bless the people we share our story with, the ones we serve on the Field, and that our family will be used to further His kingdom in Fiji.
Stay Connected:
To hear updates about our life, work, and ministry, check us out on Facebook at Steph’n’Adam Peterson. You can also email us to receive our prayer updates, just to say hello or to share your prayer requests with us. We would love to hear from you![for more information on the Petersons click here.]
Typhoon Yolanda Long Gone... The Work of the Church... Very STRONG!
Philippines

November 7th, 2013, will always remain in the memory of those who saw Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) make landfall in the Central Philippines. This storm, which holds the record as being the most powerful ever to make landfall in the history of world record keeping, ravaged Asia and left at least 10,000 dead in the Philippines.
Despite the magnitude of this tragedy, the Lord has been at work through the Church, and now just three years later, great things are happening.
The church now reaches to nearly 250 children weekly in the immediate area because the government relocated many that were along the shoreline to the area surrounding the church. With this increase of population in the immediate area, the church ministers through kids club, feeding programs, tutorials for young children and youth discipleship.
Read more about the new program "Training, Equipping A Child Holistically" (TEACH Ormoc).
Follow the link for the full story of how God is working in Ormoc.
Typhoon Yolanda Long Gone… The Work of the Church… Very STRONG!
Current,
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries,
News,
Philippine-Micronesia

The devastation in the wake of Super Typhoon Yolanda was massive.
Central Philippines: November 7th, 2013 will always remain in the memory of those who saw Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) make landfall in the Central Philippines. This storm, which holds the record as being the most powerful ever to make landfall in the history of world record keeping, ravaged Asia and left at least 10,000 dead in the Philippines.
Despite the magnitude of this tragedy, the Lord has been at work through the Church

The Church in Dulag…down but not out!

Heroic members of the NDR Team

Launching the TEACH Ormoc program – November 27, 2016.On November 27th, 2016, just three years later, the Ormoc City Church of the Nazarene launched their “Training, Equipping A Child Holistically” (TEACH Ormoc) program. An Holistic Child Development Program that reaches out to children and their families in the community surrounding the church. The goal of the program is that through cooperative participation between the community and the church, the basic needs and protection of the children would be met, as well as opportunities provided for the children to have meaningful participation in building their lives, families, and community.

The Ormoc City Church of the Nazarene has been very active in touching the lives of children in the neighborhood since the church was established there in 1990. But in the wake of Super Typhoon Yolanda, many people living in the shorelines were greatly affected. The government relocated these families near the Church, and eventually the population in the area began to swell. The church now ministers to nearly 250 children every week through kids club, feeding programs, tutorials for young children and youth discipleship.
Rev. Susan Balasbas, who pastors the Ormoc church, envisions the church as a channel of God’s grace for people to find hope, experience the love of God and to share that love of Christ to others. Together, the church hopes to build this community one child at a time.
TEACH Ormoc is a partnership between the local church, the Philippine Field Children’s Ministries Office, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, leaders of the Eastern Visayas District and local community leaders.
Anyone who would like to participate in this ongoing outreach ministry can help by sponsoring a child at TEACH Ormoc. For more information, call the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Child Sponsorship Donor Relations Team at 1-800-310-6362, indicate your preference for sponsoring a child in the Ormoc Program.[Submitted: Dan Balayo (Holistic Child Development Coordinator NCM -AP)]
Digital Cocaine: The Risks and Rewards of a Digital World
The Discipleship Place
Free webinar, Friday 9 December 2016,
2:00am - 3:00am CST
Click here for link to Show in Your Time Zone

In this webinar, Brad Huddleston will replace your confusion, hesitancy, and fear as it relates to the digital world with the facts that can make you and your family safer and more secure.
Whether it's gaming, pornography, cyberbullying, or the decline in grades, you'll get a look inside your wonderful, God-designed brain so that you will understand how it interacts with the exploding world of digital communication and how you can keep your family safe.
Your smartphone, tablet, and computer can be powerful tools to help you . . . or not. The choice is yours. Brad's work gives you the power to make that choice.
If you are a pastor, you can receive Lifelong Learning credit for this webinar. If you watch with laity in your church you can receive 50% more Lifelong Learning credit.
Click here to sign up for the free webinar!
"Stories" Volume 3- 2016 is Now Available!
Resources

The Church of the Nazarene's Stories DVD series connects churches around the world through the personal accounts of Nazarenes from diverse backgrounds.
This resource, formerly known as the World Mission DVD, is delivered three times a year through an email newsletter. The videos are a collaborative effort between regional communications offices and Global Ministry Center communications personnel.
Check out this amazing compilation and where you could view and access the videos!
Follow the link and be inspired!
District Assembly Schedule 2016- 2017
Asia-Pacific
ASIA- PACIFIC REGION
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
DATE
FIELD
DISTRICT
December 2016
29
Philippines
Southern Tagalog
30
Philippines
Eastern Visayas
30
Philippines
Bicol
Access the complete schedule on the Asia-Pacific website!
Follow the link for more information!
Breathing Deep... Burnout
Member Care

Burn-out \ˈbərn-ˌau̇t\
noun
the condition of someone who has become very physically and emotionally tired after doing a difficult job for a long time
the time when a jet or rocket engine stops working because there is no more fuel availableFor this article, Member Care Regional Coordinator Cindy Schmelzenbach tackles another important issue that shouldn't be taken lightly. More than its textbook definition, find out what Burnout is, why it matters and what could be done about it.
You may already be burnt out and you don't know it! Be in-the-know! Follow the link for this excellent read!
Latest WMC News Video - November 25th Edition

Special Ministry, Hurricane Matthew Update, Kudjip Nazarene Hospital, Seminary Anniversary,
NZ Earthquake

Great Missions Moment
/ Service Opener
Download now - click here
What If...? Be Part of NCM's Christmas Project 2016!
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries

Halil's* father was kidnapped in Syria. His mother fled to Lebanon to protect Halil and his brother. There, a Nazarene church reached out to his family and gave the boys a way to attend school. "I love my father, and I am missing him every day," Halil says. Still, he is working hard and says that the Nazarene school gives him hope.
Halil has also found hope in his newfound faith. "I know Jesus, and I took Him as a personal savior," he says.
Halil is one of the ones who have been reached...yet there are still many children who face an uncertain future.
What if more children like Halil could experience hope in the midst of loss?
This year, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) invites you to make a difference in the lives of these children, through their Christmas Project.
* Name has been changed.
Learn more about NCM's Christmas Project 2016 and how you could do your part to help. Click here!
Registration, Housing Now Open for General Assembly 2017
Resources

Excitement is growing as Nazarenes from around the world anticipate gathering for worship, fellowship, and business next summer in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, at the 2017 General Assembly and Conventions. Housing and event registration is now open.
The General Assembly is the "supreme doctrine-formulating, lawmaking, and elective authority of the Church of the Nazarene" (Manual, 300). The General Assembly and auxiliary conventions (Nazarene Missions International, Nazarene Youth International, and Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International) convene every four years, bringing together Nazarenes from around the globe.
Excited for this event? We sure are! Find out more details on registration and housing by following this link!
Opportunity to Take Your Passion For English to a School on the Asia-Pacific Region!
Asia-Pacific Region

Has God gifted you with a passion for teaching English? Has God also been touching your heart, perhaps calling you to experience taking your passion for English into a cross-cultural setting?
A school on the Asia-Pacific Region is now accepting applications for part-time and full-time English teachers for 2017 and 2018. Applicants must be native English speakers, have teaching experience, a university degree, and a love for teaching children!
Click on this link for more details!
24th Global Nazarene Youth International Convention- Deadline Approaching!
Nazarene Youth International

The countdown to the Global NYI Convention continues.... We are 10 months away! Each district NYI convention should be electing youth, lay, and ministerial delegates and alternates at this time. The deadline to elect NYI delegates is 31 March 2017.
Each month leading up to the Global NYI Convention, we are highlighting various aspects of the convention to help delegates prepare. The focus of this highlight is on resolutions.
Learn more about the 10 important things about resolutions, and access more information on the NYI website and Facebook page!
Follow the link for further details and be in-the-know!
New Mobile Application Connects The Word With You...And Your Heart!

Asia-Pacific Region
INITIAL PUBLIC LAUNCH!
Does engaging the Word of God truly lead to life transformation?
The Center for Bible Engagement has surveyed more than 200,000 people, ages 8-80, across 20 countries, 75 denominations and most major religions.

What did they find?
The Power of 4 Effect
APNaz Connect is the Asia-Pacific Region's Mobile Application to help you and those whom you are discipling, actively engage the Word! An included spiritual assessment will customize the app to deliver scriptures that speak to you personally. Sign up for a specialized devotional track on a topic of interest like Anger, Worry, When Life Hurts, Growing Spiritually, Engaging the Scriptures, and more.
Take a moment and find out what the Power of 4 Effect is and how to download the app by clicking here!
General Assembly Just One Year Away. Will You Help Us? We Need to Hear from You!
Regional Announcement

As General Assembly 2017
draws closer and planning increases by the day, the Church of the Nazarene's General Secretary's Office requests opinions from Nazarenes around the world on their expectations for the event.
The denomination's 29th General Assembly and Conventions are 21-30 June 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
To submit your thoughts and ideas
click here!
Around the Region News Archive
Asia-Pacific

Do you remember seeing a particular story in one of our weekly newsletters?
Are you wishing you could send a copy of a previous newsletter to a friend? Be sure to check out the Around The Region Weekly Newsletter Archive.
Click here to find out more about the Archive.
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This newsletter is a ministry of your Asia-Pacific Regional Communications Office. Please submit questions or comments to: Regional Communications Coordinator
Connie Aebischer - Editor - Around the Region News
Writers: Ingrid Kiper, Laurice Maggay
World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific
Ortigas Avenue Extension
Taytay, Rizal, Philippines
Around the Region is released each week on Saturday. If you have news to share, please forward to our office by Friday at noon (PHT).
Strategic Partners Ltd, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines
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Missionary Renegade

Saturday, December 17, 2016

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