December 2007

Christmas Greeting from Oliver Phillips

Look for Mission Strategy.Org Magazine in January 2008. Here is a preview of two Christmas pieces that will be in the magazine:

• A Compassionate Approach to Christmas by John Mohan
• "And Peace on Earth": Christ's Message to the Urban Context by David M. Best

Barry Cunningham Moves On to Glory
Barry K. Cunningham, Ph.D., one of the most prominent African-American pastors in the Church of the Nazarene, passed away November 7 in San Diego, California.

A 1969 graduate of Olivet Nazarene College (now University), Cunningham is survived by his wife, Marion R., brother, Raymond W. (Katherine), children Barry (Michelle) Cunningham, Cynthia (Chiumbo) Montgomery, and grandchildren Barry K. and Mylee K. Cunningham.

Cunningham, a former pastor at the historic Los Angeles First Church of the Nazarene, was the son of R.W. Cunningham, who served as president of Nazarene Bible Institute.

In addition to L.A. First Church, Barry Cunningham pastored churches in Kansas City (New Hope), Detroit (New Hope), and most recently in El Centro, California. He also served on the Eastern Michigan, Colorado, Southern California, and Los Angeles districts.

Cunningham completed his ministry as senior pastor of the El Centro Church of the Nazarene on the Southern California District at the end of September 2007, due to his medical condition. He was greatly loved by the El Centro congregation and all of those on the Southern California District who served with him.

Weeks before Barry passed, Dr. Elmer Gillett, Black Ministries Mission Director visited him. Elmer wrote, “I visited with Barry and seeing him was like seeing the face of God. He was extremely encouraged that I had gone to see him. He sends greetings to all the guys on the committee.”

In lieu of flowers, and for those who desire to give to the lifelong commitment and legacy of Dr. Cunningham and his father, R.W. Cunningham, the family asks that contributions be send to:

ROAM Has Banner Year in 2007
ROAM (RVs on a Mission) reports an extraordinarily successful year in 2007.  This organization is an outreach ministry of the Church of the Nazarene through the Center for Lay Ministry that provides an opportunity for meaningful service to a number of denominational projects.  Because ROAM members travel in RVs, they are able to volunteer for longer and with less expense than traditional work & witness volunteers.

In 2007 ROAM members donated more than 11,000 hours of work in projects across the continent, from district camps and local churches to disaster response operations.  ROAM volunteers have been instrumental in the recovery efforts following the Greensburg, KS Tornado.  For more information on ROAM, please visit their website at http://www.rvsonamission.org/.

From New Mexico to Canada: Native American Ministries on the Move
Herman and Cynthia Nells met some local First Nations Christians at a ministry conference in Port Alberni, British Columbia, and wondered why they didn’t attend church.  The response, “We need a native pastor,” became a calling from God.

After seeing the need first hand, the Nells have decided to leave the congregation they have pastured in New Mexico for the past twelve years and move to Vancouver Island, 1500 miles to the North.

“The situation here is very different from where we come from,” Herman says. “We are going to make connections, ask questions. We know God is always working at revealing himself, and we don’t want to destroy what he is doing.”

The Nells will be using Port Alberni as a base of operations to minister to native populations in Victoria, Vancouver Island, and surrounding island reserves.  There is much work to be done in the area, but God has already been preparing the way.  As they visit new communities, they are meeting Christians who see their ministry as an answer to faithful prayer for Christian leadership.  Continue to prayer for this burgeoning ministry and the marvelous things that God will do among the First Nations people of Canada.

18 Black Churches Average Over 100 in A.M. Worship Attendance in 2007
Below is a listing of the predominately black congregations that reported over 100 in average AM worship attendance over the last year.  Praise the Lord for his work among African-Americans in the United States.  Don’t forget to send your statistics to Mission Strategy at sgrube@nazarene.org.

Korean Ministry Exploding Throughout the USA/Canada Region
“The Lord has been gracious to all of us in Korean Mission field here in the U.S.A and Canada.  It has been ongoing blessing for me to be involved in mission activities as one of the catalysts for the high calling of Making Christlike Disciples in the Nations,” reports Stephen Lee, Korean Mission Director.

The year 2007 has seen tremendous growth for Korean ministry in the Church of the Nazarene.  Beginning with a strong presence at the M7 conference in February, plans are underway for new ministries to Korean-Americans on the Virginia, Chicago Central, South Texas, Mid-Atlantic, Southern California, and Anaheim Districts.  As always, funding for such ministries is a struggle, but God has provided in so many ways and the Korean Strategic Readiness Team (SRT) has faith that God will continue to provide.

One of the great successes is the continued recruitment and training of Korean leadership.  In June, the Korean SRT joined with the Korean American Church Association to sponsor a ministerial conference in San Fransisco.  Nearly 100 attendees enjoyed a great time of sharing and dreaming for the future of Korean ministries.  Rev. Lee continues to teach and guide new pastors through the licensing and ordination process as the pool of Korean Nazarene ministers continues to grow.

It has been wonderful to have such great support of district leadership throughout the country who are committed to reaching Korean people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Especially noteworthy is Rev. Jung Im Moon and the Arise Church of the Nazarene in Los Angeles who have embraced a ministry to refugees from North Korea.  Rev. Lee and the Korean SRT humbly ask for your continued prayer and support as they follow the Lord’s direction in this exciting mission field.

Collingdale Church of the Nazarene Continues a Successful Transition
Pastor Gary Carnahan and the Collingdale Church of the Nazarene on the Philadelphia District have met the problem of demographic changes head on and with great success.  Collingdale has bucked the trend of congregation that die out as demographics change.  As the neighborhood has changed from predominately white to predominately black, the Collingdale Church of the Nazarene has committed to change with the neighborhood.

Pastor Carnahan reports, “I know that in the past this kind of transition caused a fight that nearly killed the church.  In Collingdale it's been no big deal.”  Recent Sunday School elections provided a SSM board with blacks outnumbering whites 3 to 1.  This change reflects the change in attendance as well; this summer saw black attendees outnumber white attendees on Sunday morning for the first time.  The Collingdale congregation continues to serve as an example of what is possible when a congregation commits seriously to reaching its community.

Change Happens at Siloam Mission
It seems that winter has fully arrived here in Winnipeg.  It is said that Winnipeg is the coldest capital city in the world.  Whether true or not, the cold is life threatening to our estimated 1,700 homeless people. On one hand, Siloam Mission brings solutions as our Hannah’s Place Emergency Shelter has expanded from the 60 beds (that we opened with May 1) to 100 beds which are nearly full every night.  However, it is now a daily and heart-breaking occurrence to see people waiting in the cold outside our doors several hours before the shelter opens at 9:00 each night. Funding limitations prevent expanding our hours to be able to bring people in sooner.

On Friday, November 16, the Saul Sair Health Centre at Siloam Mission held its grand opening.  We were privileged to have the Sair family and many other guests celebrate this state-of-the-art health centre which includes chiropractic services, optometry and general health care.  Two features of the Saul Sair Health Centre are an on-site lab and the most up-to-date dental equipment in the province.  We’re grateful for the support of numerous physicians, nurses, chiropractors and dentists who volunteer their time to bring health care to the inner city.

For more information on Siloam Mission visit their website at www.siloam.ca.

Mission Strategy Sponsors Leadership Development for Black Ministers and Leaders
The Rogers-Cunningham-Bowman Ministerial Institute, a virtual ministry geared to the development of Black American leadership, prophetic witness, social action, and theological and academic excellence in the Church of the Nazarene was held at Eastern Nazarene College in Massachusetts, October 1 through 5, 2007.  More than 40 pastors and leaders representing 18 districts in the US and Canada gathered for the 6th year of the event.

Three six-hour plenary workshops were conducted by Dr. Cleophus LaRue, Homiletics professor at Princeton Seminary; Dr. Gary V. Simpson, Senior Pastor of Concord Baptist Church of Christ, Brooklyn, NY; and Bishop Joseph E. Taylor, professor of Pastoral Theology, Howard University School of Divinity.

Smaller 90-minute “discover sessions” were conducted by other leaders who were equally qualified to engage the participants in a manifold array of leadership currencies.

The goal of the RCBMI is to offer yearly an interactive didactic event that provides the groundwork for the creation of a cadre of Black ministers who are prepared to be culturally competent, highly motivated, and eminently qualified. From its inception in 2001, more than 218 certificates in Black Ministry have been awarded to those who completed the course, and CEU credits have been claimed.

“We are now prepared to move on to the next phase in the Leadership Development motif,” said Oliver Phillips, director of Mission Strategy US/Canada, and the originator of the program six years ago.  The additional format would include the internships for Black prospective pastors who will serve for a one-year period in a congregation as part of their theological and philosophical preparation for ministry.  An ordained pastor of the congregation, in which he or she is placed, with the assistance of a partnership of the Black Strategic Readiness Team and district superintendents, will provide complementary guidance and support.

The objective of the internship program is twofold in nature. The first objective is to match interests and abilities with pastors and churches in both urban and suburban settings in a manner that strengthens the skills learned in preparation for ministry. The second is to provide a forum where new pastors will have established a bond with another minister in accountability and responsibility constructs that promote the need for the minister’s faith development and spiritual formation. For more information, contact Susan Grube at the Mission Strategy office, toll free: 800-738-7167.

Sudanese Ministries
On October 6th and 7th the Nebraska district hosted the 2nd Sudanese “Get Acquainted” retreat for Sudanese ministers and laity, as well as those who are interested in hosting or resourcing a Sudanese congregation. Thirty-five Sudanese leaders gathered to learn and strategize for further growth of congregations and leaders. Revs. Gary Miller and Cecil Jones, district superintendents from Iowa and Maine respectfully, were also present.

Dr. Jesse Middendorf was the main speaker, and he challenged the Sudanese to continue to embrace the doctrines and polity of the Church of the Nazarene. As a corollary to such an injunction Middendorf warned that "we must raise up champions that will come along side the Sudanese to walk with them.” Cheryl Wooten, the organizer of the event, stated, "We must never confuse dialect with intellect.  Each of us has much to offer and much to learn from one another.”

With three thriving Sudanese congregations, there is presently no ordained minister among this group. It is hoped that with new creative partnerships with NBC and local district ministerial boards, an accelerated track might yield at least three ordained in the next two years.

Compassionate Ministry Leaders Gather in Indianapolis
More than 50 leaders, representing nearly three dozen Compassionate Ministry Centers gathered in Indianapolis October 29-31 for a time of sharing and learning geared specifically for Executive Directors.  The first gathering of its kind in many years, the retreat featured a number of excellent speakers and covered topics of personal leadership development and self-care.

Compassionate Ministry Center directors can often feel isolated in their unique ministry positions; this conference provided an opportunity to network and support each other and also to learn from the successes of others.  Rev. Althea Taylor, Coordinator for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries USA/Canada said, “This was a great event.  It was uplifting to see so many Executive Directors and so many from new and young organizations.  We hope to continue to provide a venue for networking and learning to further strengthen our CMCs.”

Wanna Get Away?
This could be a great time to take the family on vacation in sunny Florida. The Fourth National Black Nazarene Conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, July 24 – 27, 2008.

The Mission Strategy office has planned a power-packed, Spirit-filled conference with dynamic plenary speakers, thoughtful workshops, and inspirational worship. This conference will help every local church to strengthen, reclaim, and empower the Black family and community for the 21st century. This is a gathering of Nazarenes from churches and districts who celebrate the missional move of God among a people of color who have found a home in the Church of the Nazarene.

It is expected that more than 1,500 Nazarenes would convene for a time of refreshing in the Lord. The Wyndham Orlando Resort has reserved rooms at a specially reduced rate, and it is located close to many of the familiar places like Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, and Walt Disney World.

For more information and reservation, visit the conference website at www.missionstrategy.org or call Susan at 800-738-7167.

Support the Ethnic Student Ministerial Scholarship Fund
The Ethnic Student Ministerial Scholarship Fund is your opportunity to help train workers for God’s new Mission Field.

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