The Church of God in the town of Tuqurique began meeting in a horse pasture. Each Sunday they would meet under a temporary roof set up in the pasture and learn about the love of God. People from the surrounding villages would walk to take part in the services; however, when the rainy season came, it was difficult for the people from the surrounding villages to attend. The rains usually came in the afternoon, so going to church in the morning meant that they would have to make the return trip home in the rain. For this reason and because of the distance, the people of Las Vueltas began meeting in homes. Eventually, the home meetings grew into a full-fledged congregation with their own church building. Now the church has reached the point where they have a vision for the new church at the new site. Pastor Noily Hernández wants to reach out to the community through this new facility. She even has a dream of having a football field (soccer to us gringos) next to the property so that the children from the community can play ball near the church.

4-23-08

Costa Rica is bordered on the north by Nicaragua and the south by Panama. This beautiful country covers 19,650 square miles and is divided into eighty-one counties. Nearly one-third of the country is protected in national reserves, and Costa Rica’s 3.9 million people are concentrated in the Central Highlands, where the city of San José rests. In this small land area, there are fifty-one distinct climates, which enables farmers to grow most anything. Heading out of San José to the southeast is the village of Las Vueltas.

Thirty-five leaders from across the Church of God movement met in Anderson, April 10–11, to continue the planning and development of the strategies for the implementation of the Five Strategic Goals, known as Ignite! Permeate! Free! Cultivate! and Refresh!  The two-day planning session led Dr. Ronald V. Duncan, general director of Church of God Ministries, included pastors, lay  leaders, area administrators, agency staff, and representatives from the Partners in Ministry.

“It is exciting to have brothers and sisters from across the movement engaged in meaningful work for the Lord regarding the Five Strategic Goals,” said Duncan. “I truly believe that what was accomplished here this week will significantly impact the body and lead to transformation of the culture. We fervently seek the Holy Spirit’s leading as we as individuals and as a movement attempt to live out being the body of Christ.”

On Monday, April 21, fourteen people from across the United States converged on Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, where we continued our trip on to San José, Costa Rica. This group of people met and bonded instantly. This, the first trip coordinated as part of the new Eye on the World Program at Church of God Ministries, is headed ultimately for the village of Las Vueltas in the heart of Costa Rica. Once there, the group will assist in the construction of the Church of God congregation’s new church building.

Vancouver, WA—First Church of God recently completed their first ever Financial Peace University class, and the results have been astounding, or maybe it is better described as “nothing less than a God thing,” according to Gary Cowles, associate pastor for adult education. Forty-three families who completed the course significantly improved their personal financial situation by putting into action the biblically based money management principles taught in the course.

Each person invested twenty-six hours in the class over a thirteen-week period. As a total, the class paid off $579,223 in debt and saved $173,934 in that time. The average financial improvement for this class was more than $17,500 per family! One family paid off $144,000 in debt and saved $12,000; another family paid off $133,000 and also saved $12,000.

Church of God Ministries, Inc., and Warner Press, Inc., have reached an agreement with David C. Cook Distribution Canada to sell Church of God curriculum, books, and hymnals in that country. Canadian congregations can now obtain these resources through Cook’s distribution center in Paris, Ontario.

 The agreement takes effect with the Summer 2008 quarter of “Bridges” curriculum material, which begins shipping at the end of April. Canadian churches can call Cook’s toll-free number (800-263-2664) to order. Within a few weeks, they can also order these products on Cook’s website (www.davidccook.ca).

Dr. Ronald V. Duncan, D. Min., D. D., general director of Church of God Ministries, is pleased to make available for all to read his paper titled “Congregationalism and the Church of God Reformation Movement: A Needed Conversation.” Duncan believes that one of his primary responsibilities as general director of Church of God Ministries is to initiate and facilitate needed conversations about the life of the church. Making the paper available for all to read and consider is one means to help facilitate such discussion. “I hope all will read and prayerfully consider the points discussed in the paper,” said Duncan. To download your copy, click here.

Church of God Ministries is pleased to announce CHOGnews, a monthly electronic newsletter providing news and information about what’s happening within the Church of God.

Every month, you will receive news about how the Lord is working through our national level ministries, information about our missionaries and their projects, news from our colleges and universities, stories of how local churches are spreading the word of Christ, and much, much more.

The rainy season has begun, and I am thankful. It makes things a little cooler and cuts down on the ever-present dust. But more important than the weather conditions is what the Lord is doing. Please allow me to testify to how the Lord’s hand is at work here in Uganda.
 
While I was at one of the health centers recently, I saw a newborn only three days old. He had been born at a government clinic a few miles away. He was bleeding from the umbilical cord (improperly tied), and the cord was badly infected. He had lost so much blood that he was near death. Knowing that he would not survive without blood transfusions, I took the mother and baby in my car to the hospital in the city. I honestly did not think he would survive the one-and-a-half-hour trip, but the Lord was with us and we reached the hospital.