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St. Joseph, Missouri
Missouri Nazarene ministers through prison letters
About a decade ago, Ted started working as a corrections officer in the county jail in his hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri. One day, an inmate named Joe asked to speak to him. He would like a Bible, so the next day, Ted arrived at work with a simple Bible in hand.
About a week later Joe wanted to speak with Ted again. The Bible was great, he said, but could he get a study Bible?
“I told him the Bible was not special in itself unless it was read and its message applied,” Ted said.
Joe explained that he was leading a small Bible study during the inmates’ free time every day. So Ted brought him a study Bible. When Joe was transferred to prison, he asked if he could write to Ted. It would be the first of many letters they sent. Joe and Ted wrote each other regularly, and Joe started spreading the word. Soon, more and more men in the prison wanted to write Ted, too.
Letter for letter
“There was a time when I was handwriting letters and looking stuff up in the Bible for the guys, and then it got bigger and bigger and bigger,” Ted said. “Now, nine years later, it almost scares me sometimes because I know how important these letters are to the guys.”
“I thought I was overwhelmed with 40 [men to write to], and now I write to over 40 guys in two of the prisons,” he continues. “You kind of grow with it. I’ve grown in my faith with these guys, too.”
Ted sends out a weekly five-page newsletter — the maximum most prisons allow — with Bible studies, crosswords, encouragement, and Scripture passages. When anyone writes back, he replies individually.
“They know me by first name at the post office,” Ted laughs.
Ted bases his ministry out of an unused office in his church, Turning Point Church of the Nazarene in St. Joseph. There, he has filing cabinets full of ideas for future letters and archives of past ones. He encourages recipients to go to chapel and get involved in a Bible study.
“Whatever you do,” he writes, “get involved and tell your story to someone.”
Sometimes content stands out in the pages of his archives, and he knows it’s what he should include that week.
“Every week I get personal letters — three to five a day — of people saying, ‘Thank you so much for what you sent, and you don’t know, but I’ve had this question for years and something you wrote answered it for me,’” Ted said.
Loved, not forsaken
Usually, Ted sends letters to men he’s never met and probably never will. A few of the relationships are a different, though. Several years ago, Ted got connected with Eddie, who at the time was wading through serious depression. No one had written Eddie since his mother died seven years prior, and another inmate who was receiving Ted’s letters noticed he was struggling. The man wrote to Ted and asked him to reach out to Eddie.
Eddie replied to Ted’s letter immediately. The letter was meant to warn him away: No one should want to be friends with a man like him, Eddie wrote.
“And I thought, ‘Man, here’s somebody who really, really needs God in a special way,’” Ted said.
The two men wrote each other for years and have met in person in the prison several times. While one slowly encouraged, the other slowly accepted that God could love him. Now, Eddie reads the Bible all the way through twice a year and shares it with other inmates.
Recently, Eddie learned that he lost his appeal for parole and would spend the rest of his life in prison. Ted asked how he felt. Eddie replied that he found Jesus in prison, so it is all right because he knows what he has to look forward to.
Ted said Eddie is a completely different man than he was four years ago.
“He’s my brother in Christ,” Ted said.
Many of the men Ted writes are in places similar to where Eddie was spiritually and emotionally. Some have been forsaken by relatives and others drove their friends and families away. Every week, Ted makes sure to remind the men reading his letters that they aren’t forsaken, but loved by God.
“It just seems to work,” he said. “And it works because God is directing it.”
Occasionally, Ted receives unrequested financial contributions to help cover the costs of the ministry — he spends close to $400 USD a month on postage alone — but for the most part, he funds the ministry himself. He has been working past retirement in order to sustain this work he feels called to do.
“Regardless of age or ability, everyone should be doing something to touch the world for good and for God.” [Republished with permission from the Summer 2017 edition of NCM Magazine] Read more
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Indianapolis, Indiana
Online giving available for General Assembly
The simple, one-page form is optimized for mobile and desktop devices and is a secure way to give offerings electronically during the corporate worship services at General Assembly. Users can even credit their local church for their giving and receive a charitable receipt through the service.
Simply enter your billing and payment information (both electronic checks and bank cards accepted), as well as what church you want credit to go toward, if any, then click “Donate Now.” Moments later you will receive confirmation of your gift followed by an email receipt.
Online giving allows Nazarenes around the world to participate in offerings regardless of location. Slow load times are caused by heavy traffic — a blessing in disguise — and your patience is appreciated.
To access the form, visit nazarene.org/give-ga or choose "Give to GA" in the General Assembly App (iOS and Android) menu.
For more information about General Assembly, visit nazarene.org/ga. Read more
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Indianapolis, Indiana
GA Delegate Orientation reminder
A Delegate Orientation ahead of General Assembly business meetings sponsored by the Board of General Superintendents in cooperation with the General Secretary’s Office will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, 24 June, in Halls ABC of the Indiana Convention Center.
A “Prayer and Commissioning Service” for General Assembly delegates is scheduled for Monday morning, 26 June. Time and location will be announced at the Delegate Orientation.
Translated reminder notices for the Delegate Orientation were sent to all General Assembly delegates. [Board of General Superintendents] Read more
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Global Ministry Center
Historic Nazarene Messenger now online
The Nazarene Archives staff announced The Nazarene Messenger is now online for the years 1898 through 1908. While there is only a single issue for 1898, nearly all volumes are complete for the following years. Approximately two more years of The Messenger will be online by the end of the summer.
The paper was a weekly for most of its life, and each issue downloads as a PDF file that is searchable for people, places, theological subjects, schools, and many other topics.
“We express our appreciation to Jeff Beam, Information Technology director for the Global Ministry Center, who led the GMC team in selecting a high-quality planetary scanner and to staff working in the Business Center, who began scanning The Nazarene Messenger at the beginning of summer 2016 and continued improving the scans over the course of this past winter and spring,” said Stan Ingersol, Nazarene archivist.
The Nazarene Messenger was founded by Phineas Bresee, who remained its senior editor throughout its journey. It was published in Los Angeles by the Nazarene Publishing Company under the management of C. J. Kinne, later founding manager of Nazarene Publishing House of Kansas City. The assistant (managing) editor was Robert Pierce, a native of Liverpool, England. Prior to entering the ministry, Pierce had risen to a series of foremanships in the New York City printing industry, including at The New York Observer and at the publishing house of Funk & Wagnall, where he supervised the American printing of Encyclopedia Britannica.
The Nazarene Messenger ceased publication near the end of 1911 when the assets of the Nazarene Publishing Company were merged with those of the Pentecostal Advocate Company of Greenville, Texas, and used to create the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City. At that time, The Nazarene Messenger and The Pentecostal Advocate were superseded by a new periodical that premiered in April 1912 called Herald of Holiness. [To access the paper, visit nazarene.org/messenger.] Read more
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East Africa churches give food to hungry
With the combined support of congregations in affected areas and others around the world, local churches in east Africa are working to provide food aid to more than 5,750 vulnerable individuals. These include both Nazarene church members and other community members who are facing extreme hunger. The relief efforts have prioritized households caring for orphaned children; people who have been displaced; households headed by single mothers, orphaned children, or senior adults; and others who are most vulnerable to the effects of hunger.
During a recent aid distribution in a community in eastern Kenya, 25 church volunteers distributed more than 140,000 pounds of staple food items to 400 households. They also provided education about a cholera outbreak in the region.
Sam Oketch, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries coordinator for the Africa East Field, reported the years-long drought has destroyed not only lives but also livelihoods, including farms and animals.
Anne Kavetsa, 87, is a recipient of the church’s relief efforts. Kavetsa lost six cows and all the crops on her small farm to the drought. She is among thousands of farmers in eastern Kenya affected by the drought.
“I am very thankful and hope to share with my neighbors,” she said when the church gave her food staples.
Oketch said the drought and accompanying hunger crisis has also split families apart. Men often go in search of water for their families’ livestock, sometimes traveling for several months at a time, or they go to larger towns to look for work. The wives, known as “drought widows,” are left behind to care for children on their own.
Zuurah Ndambuki is a mother of five children ranging from 7 to 20 years old. She is trying to provide for her younger children by selling firewood. She walks 20 kilometers round-trip to gather wood, which can be a dangerous journey. Ndambuki sells bundles of wood for a few shillings each. She uses the money to buy maize flour to make ugali. The food is filling, but a diet based on only maize does not provide sufficient nutrients to fight the effects of malnutrition, especially for young children.
The water crisis created by the drought also affects Ndambuki’s family and others in east Africa. Borehole wells have dried up, and impoverished families cannot afford the cost of water charged by private vendors.
Experts predict this drought will continue to worsen, as currently below-average rains are not replenishing water sources and farmlands. Households in affected areas may not see significant harvests until next year.
Church leaders in east Africa say the food assistance congregations are providing is critical. Without it, they say, many people would be in danger of starvation.
How to help
Pray
Please pray for the people affected by this hunger emergency, especially children. Pray for rain to help relieve the drought. Pray for the local churches in the affected areas as they offer a tangible expression of Jesus’ love to their neighbors.
Give
You can support the emergency relief efforts of local churches in East Africa by giving to the Africa Disaster Relief — Famine Response.
To send donations by mail:
In the U.S., make checks payable to "General Treasurer" and send them to:
Global Treasury Services
Church of the Nazarene
P.O. Box 843116
Kansas City, MO 64184-3116
Be sure to write 127362 in the Memo area.
In Canada, make checks payable to "Church of the Nazarene Canada" and send them to:
Church of the Nazarene Canada
20 Regan Road, Unit 9
Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3
Be sure to write 127362 in the Memo area.
For any other country, give through your local church or district, designating your gift to the Africa Disaster Relief — Famine Response. [Nazarene Compassionate Ministries] Read more |
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Delhi, India
Nexus trains youth leaders in India
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Flags of the Nations: United Kingdom
Since September 1, 2009, the Church of the Nazarene's Global Ministry Center (GMC) proudly flies a flag each week of one of the many nations in which the denomination is present in ministry. Leaders were invited to send a national flag to be flown at the GMC alongside the flag of the United States*. The national flags rotate weekly, and photos of them raised are sent to the church leaders of that country.
The Church of the Nazarene in the United Kingdom traces its origin to the Pentecostal Church of Scotland, which began with a congregation founded 1906 by George Sharpe. This group united with the Church of the Nazarene in 1915, and it was followed by two other holiness groups in the 1950s.
The United Kingdom had a population of 64,430,428 in 2016. That same year, the United Kingdom reported 76 Churches of the Nazarene, 75 of which had been officially organized. The United Kingdom has 3,369 total members.
There are two Phase 3 districts in the United Kingdom. It is a part of the Eurasia Region.
* = The weekly highlighted flag is raised on the middle of three poles in compliance with U.S. government protocols. It flies to the left of the GMC host-nation United States flag, which flies above the host-state flag of Kansas. The Christian flag flies on the third pole.
The Global Ministry Center is the mission and service hub of the Church of the Nazarene.
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Quincy, Massachusetts
Eastern Nazarene College announces Lynne Bollinger as chaplain
President-elect Dan Boone announced Lynne Bollinger as Eastern Nazarene College's new chaplain.
“Lynne possesses a natural ability to connect with the diverse student body at ENC,” Boone said. “Her studies and experience across cultures has prepared her to minister to the most ethnically diverse Nazarene student body in the United States.”
Bollinger, who served as assistant chaplain this year, previously served in the Asia-Pacific Region as a missionary with the Church of the Nazarene and is a contributing author to Dan Boone’s most recent release, Charitable Discourse Volume 2. She directed the 365m diploma program in cross-cultural ministries at Nazarene Theological Seminary, where she graduated, and currently serves there as adjunct faculty.
Bollinger speaks highly of her time at ENC.
“It has been such a rich experience serving as an assistant chaplain this past year, walking alongside students in their spiritual journeys and contributing to the spiritual formation and development of the people who are a part of the ENC community,” Bollinger said. “I look forward to continuing that work and providing leadership to the Office of Spiritual Development.”
Timothy Wooster, provost and chief operating officer of the college, welcomes the vision Bollinger has for her new role as college chaplain.
“Lynne brings a heart for students and a compelling ministry vision to this important campus role,” Wooster said. “The vision includes enhancing student discipleship, strengthening community partnerships, and building important synergies for pastoral care with church leadership at Wollaston and across the region.”
Bollinger’s husband, Larry Bollinger, serves as the vice president for Institutional Advancement at ENC. He previously served as the administrative director of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries. After 24 years of service in various ministry roles with the Church of the Nazarene, the couple returned to ENC, their alma mater, last July.
The Bollingers live in Quincy, Massachusetts, with their three children. [Eastern Nazarene College] Read more
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In Memoriam
Kitty Abbott, 90, of Buckeye, Arizona, passed away 8 June. She was the widow of retired minister Jack Abbott, who served in Oklahoma, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, and Arkansas. Jack Abbott passed away in 2013.
Burle DeBord, 95, of Brighton, Colorado, passed away 8 June. He was a retired minister, serving in Texas, Idaho, and Oregon. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen DeBord, in 2004.
J. Ronald Gilliland, 69, of Nampa, Idaho, passed away 11 June. He was a retired minister, serving in California, Arizona, Washington, Oklahoma, and California. He is survived by his wife, Verlyn Gilliland.
Betty Hubbard, 81, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, passed away 25 May. She was the widow of retired minister James Hubbard who served in Georgia and Tennessee. James Hubbard passed away in 2013.
Mary Manners, 97, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, passed away 11 June. She was the widow of retired minister James Shepherd, who served in Kansas and Oklahoma. James Shepherd passed away in 2009. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, retired minister Clarence Manners, who served in Missouri, Kansas, California, Colorado, Texas, and Oklahoma. Clarence Manners passed away in 2002.
Richard Powers, 83, of Gardnerville, Nevada, passed away 11 June. He was a retired minister, serving in California, Idaho, and Oregon. He is survived by his wife, Shirley Powers.
Dorothy Simmons, 91, of Beardstown, Illinois, passed away 7 June. She was the widow of retired minister, Edwin Simmons, who passed away in 1979.
Donald Stroud, 68, of Bad Axe, Michigan, passed away 16 June. He pastored the Filion, Michigan, Church of the Nazarene. He is survived by his wife, Debra Stroud. More information will be posted as it is available.
For previous editions of In Memoriam, see the "Passings" section by clicking here.
Note: Please join us in prayer for the families who have lost loved ones. Click on names for full stories, funeral information, local online obituaries, and/or guest books (if available). To submit an entry of a minister or church leader, send to news@nazarene.org. [Compiled by Nazarene News] Read more
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NBC, GMC employment opportunities
The Global Ministry Center Human Resources Office professionals strive to deliver the highest possible service to our employees, and are responsible for the recruitment, placement and retention of qualified individuals to staff the ministry and administrative positions of the GMC. The many employee services include compensation and benefit administration, payroll, employment, employee relations, training, counseling, organizational communication and events, and workplace programs.
*Volunteer opportunities for GMC ministries are available now. Email jveigl@nazarene.org for details.
Employment Opportunities
Benefits Technician (Full time)
Pensions & Benefits USA
Description: This position will assist in the processing/review of all benefit plans administered by Pensions and Benefits USA and Pensions and Benefits – International. Additional duties include, but are not limited to customer service tasks such as benefit application processing, benefit verifications, benefit distributions, and processing miscellaneous service requests.
To obtain additional information for GMC positions, please call 913-577-0500 and ask for Human Resources.
Nazarene Bible College
 The following positions are available at the NBC Administrative Offices located within the Global Ministry Center in Lenexa, Kansas:
- Academic Advisor
- Accounts Receivable Specialist
- Admissions Counselor
- Controller
- Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Finance
- Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Enrollment Management
- Institutional Research and Financial Aid Assistant
- Payroll Specialist
For information on NBC positions, visit nbc.edu/jobs.
Location of Global Ministry Center Positions
The GMC is the administrative hub for the Church of the Nazarene denominational ministries in 162 world areas. The GMC is conveniently located in Lenexa, Kansas, with easy access to I-35 and I-435 and within short driving distance to Kansas City International airport. All GMC positions report to this location.
Our Non-Discrimination Policy
The Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center offers equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, sex, or veteran status. The Global Ministry Center is an “at will” employer.
Our Faith-Based Organization
We are a faith-based organization. Acceptance of our Christian Code of Conduct is required and membership in the Church of the Nazarene is required for certain positions. The GMC and applicable remote work sites are smoke-, alcohol-, and drug-free Christian workplaces.
Application Processing
Our Human Resources Office receives and processes many employment applications annually for a limited number of positions. While we regret that we cannot respond to each applicant, we do contact those individuals possessing the skills, education/training, and experience that best match the requirements of the open position for which the application was submitted.
An application must be completed by all applicants and an application must be completed for each position for which one wishes to be considered. Applications are retained for one year. Resumés are not necessary for entry-level positions, but they are preferred for professional level positions.
Applying for Employment with the GMC
Application forms may be requested by calling 913-577-0500, emailing humanresourcesgroup@nazarene.org, or obtained in person from Human Resources at the Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center, 17001 Prairie Star Parkway, Lenexa, Kansas, 66220, Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 4:30 U.S. Central Time. Completed applications may be mailed or emailed to the attention of the Human Resources Office. Read more |
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Indianapolis, Indiana
GA worship services, plenaries to be live streamed
- Thursday, June 22, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
- Friday, June 23, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, June 24, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
- Sunday, June 25, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Plenaries
- Monday, June 26, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 3:45-5:00 p.m., 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 27, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 1:30-3:30 p.m., 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 28, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 2:00-3:45 p.m., 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- Thursday, June 29, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 2:00-5:00 p.m., 7:00-8:30 p.m.
A recording of each worship service will be available within an hour after the stream concludes. A downloadable video (without the copyrighted worship portion) will be available the following day. Recordings of the plenaries will also be available the following day.
You can also stay up-to-date on the latest GA news by searching #GA2017 on social media and following the Church of the Nazarene:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
For more information about General Assembly, visit nazarene.org/ga.
All times are listed in Eastern Daylight Time.
Read more
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Indianapolis, Indiana
Full General Assembly schedule
The 29th General Assembly and Conventions is filled with many events, including auxiliary conventions, workshops, services, church business meetings, fellowship opportunities, and much more.
The complete event schedule is now available to help you plan your visit. Events marked with asterisks require an invitation or registration.
While most events are held in the Indiana Convention Center, it is important to note the location as some events are held at off-site locations such as a nearby hotel or church.
The workshop schedule, which features presenter names and workshop descriptions, is also available. All workshops are free of charge, and some are presented multiple times.
General Assembly and its 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. The 2017 event will take place 21-30 June.
For more information, including registration, visit nazarene.org/ga.
[General Assembly Arrangements Office] Read more
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GA 2017 app now available
The app includes several features to help attendees keep track of event activities, including a daily schedule and a map of the Indiana Convention Center.
Attendees can filter events or use the search feature to look for specific activities. The schedule section also includes the option to star activities. There are optional reminders for starred events, which are then added to the “Favorites and Notes” section for easy access.
While an account is not required to use the app, attendees can create an account to connect with others at the event.
Additional app features include a General Assembly news section, access to online giving, and a link to the live stream.
To download the app, search “Nazarene GA 2017” on the App Store or Google Play. Read more
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