The Alaska Christian Ministries Convention was hosted by Peninsula Grace on Monday and Tuesday (September 24-25). Featured tracks and leaders were: Worship (Richard Allen Farmer - gifted musician, worship leader and preacher), Youth Issues (Tom Hansen - State Director of Young Life), Kid's Ministries (Art Braendel - Royal Rangers State Director, and Chuck Thornton - Associate Pastor at PGBC), Church Governance (Kent Redfearn - Pastor of Community Assembly in Anchorage), and Adult Challenges (Keith Hamilton - President of Alaska Christian College, and Allen Humphries - Pastor of Soldotne Church of God).
Richard Allen Farmer presented a piano and vocal concert at the Soldotna Bible Chapel on the previous Sunday night, as a "prelude" to the Convention.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Peninsula Grace to have a candidate
On Sunday, September 23, Keith Randall will be candidating for the Senior Pastor position at Peninsula Grace. Keith has been serving on the PGBC staff as Director of Administration (3 years) and, more recently) as Interim Pastor (16 months). The Church will have a special business meeting on September 30, after the morning service, for the purpose of voting on Keith's call.
Arctic District Ministerium meets
The Arctic District Ministerium met on September 20 at Peninsula Grace in Soldotna. This is the fist time in several years that all Grace Brethren Cchurches in Alaska have had pastors. The most recently arrived is the new pastor at Kenai Grace. Al Kidder began serving the Kenai Church in mid-July.
Pastor Installed at Eagle River
Eagle River has a New Pastor!
On Sunday, June 17, Grady Pennell was installed as the new pastor of the Eagle River Grace Brethren Church. The guest speaker was Bill Perkins, who had mentored Grady from the time of his conversion through the early years of his Christian life. He had just completed a Seminar with the men of the Eagle River Church.: “Six Battles Every Man Must Win”.
Grady and his wife, Pat, came to the Eagle River Congregation upon retiring after twenty years service as a Chaplain in the U.S. Marines. They bring with them a son, who is a college student, and a daughter, who is completing high school.
Bill Perkins spoke to Grady during the Installation service. Chuck Thornton, representing both the Arctic District and the FGBC, spoke to the Congregation, while Kent Kelly, church moderator, led the congregation in their commitment to follow Pastor Grady’s leadership.
On Sunday, June 17, Grady Pennell was installed as the new pastor of the Eagle River Grace Brethren Church. The guest speaker was Bill Perkins, who had mentored Grady from the time of his conversion through the early years of his Christian life. He had just completed a Seminar with the men of the Eagle River Church.: “Six Battles Every Man Must Win”.
Grady and his wife, Pat, came to the Eagle River Congregation upon retiring after twenty years service as a Chaplain in the U.S. Marines. They bring with them a son, who is a college student, and a daughter, who is completing high school.
Bill Perkins spoke to Grady during the Installation service. Chuck Thornton, representing both the Arctic District and the FGBC, spoke to the Congregation, while Kent Kelly, church moderator, led the congregation in their commitment to follow Pastor Grady’s leadership.
Church Picnic - Alaskan Style
All-Church Picnic – Alaskan Style
Cars, pickups, and even a motorcycle began arriving at the site. The Tesoro Oil Company’s Picnic Grounds was the place. Some 125 people from Peninsula Grace Brethren Church, Soldotna, Alaska attended the all-church picnic on Sunday, July 15th. By 4:30 pm canoes were launched on the lake. By 5:00 kayaks had been added to the flotilla.
“Y’all come” was the invitation (some of our people hail from the south). So we did. Some regretted wearing sweatshirts, because the sun was shining and the day was… well, the day was considerably warmer than at first expected. Some hardy souls (plus a bunch of children) went swimming in the (approximately) 43 degree lake. Frisbees and footballs flew. The volleyball court was busy. People talked (some simply sat, sunned, and, maybe, snored).
Chef Leroy Heinrich and his minions ably grilled the hamburgers and hotdogs, while the ladies set out side dishes and desserts (among which was one of Janice Thornton’s strawberry-rhubarb pies – Umm-mm!). Lemonade was the beverage of (only) choice.
At 5:00 pm, the Native Youth Drummers Team played and sang Native Alaskan songs. Then we ate.
But that was just the beginning. There was more to come. After the eating, the Drummers led us in another Native song : “Jesus, Purify us”. Then we participated in a feet-washing ceremony as the second portion of the Communion service. Not always do we meet out of doors, nor do we use water dipped from the lake, but we obeyed Jesus’ command to “Wash one another’s feet”.
While this was taking place, one young boy asked his uncle : “What are the men and boys doing in the pavilion?” His uncle replied: “Washing each others’ feet. Would you like to? “Yes.” “Before you do, there is something you must understand. Everyone in the pavilion has trusted Jesus as his Savior, and only they should wash feet...Have you ever asked Jesus to be your Savior?” “No.” “Would you like to?” “Yes.”
So Tim told Carlos the Old, Old Story, and shortly after the main foot washing had ended I looked into the pavilion, and there was Tim, kneeling at the feet of his “new-born brother-in Christ” nephew, washing his feet. What a Birthday celebration there must have been in heaven just then !
Following that we shared in the Eucharist. Then, after the Drummers led us in “We Are One in the Spirit, We Are One in the Lord”, we moved to the lake front. There Pastor Keith presided as Brian, a father baptized his two daughters, Fiona and Devon, in testimony to their faith.
Then back home again. Back to...a normal week? No way! We entered the week with a renewed sense of what it means to be part of the Family of God, including being a portion of the sub-family called Grace Brethren.
Picnic – Alaskan style...now that’s the way to do it (up here on the Kenai Peninsula, at least).
Cars, pickups, and even a motorcycle began arriving at the site. The Tesoro Oil Company’s Picnic Grounds was the place. Some 125 people from Peninsula Grace Brethren Church, Soldotna, Alaska attended the all-church picnic on Sunday, July 15th. By 4:30 pm canoes were launched on the lake. By 5:00 kayaks had been added to the flotilla.
“Y’all come” was the invitation (some of our people hail from the south). So we did. Some regretted wearing sweatshirts, because the sun was shining and the day was… well, the day was considerably warmer than at first expected. Some hardy souls (plus a bunch of children) went swimming in the (approximately) 43 degree lake. Frisbees and footballs flew. The volleyball court was busy. People talked (some simply sat, sunned, and, maybe, snored).
Chef Leroy Heinrich and his minions ably grilled the hamburgers and hotdogs, while the ladies set out side dishes and desserts (among which was one of Janice Thornton’s strawberry-rhubarb pies – Umm-mm!). Lemonade was the beverage of (only) choice.
At 5:00 pm, the Native Youth Drummers Team played and sang Native Alaskan songs. Then we ate.
But that was just the beginning. There was more to come. After the eating, the Drummers led us in another Native song : “Jesus, Purify us”. Then we participated in a feet-washing ceremony as the second portion of the Communion service. Not always do we meet out of doors, nor do we use water dipped from the lake, but we obeyed Jesus’ command to “Wash one another’s feet”.
While this was taking place, one young boy asked his uncle : “What are the men and boys doing in the pavilion?” His uncle replied: “Washing each others’ feet. Would you like to? “Yes.” “Before you do, there is something you must understand. Everyone in the pavilion has trusted Jesus as his Savior, and only they should wash feet...Have you ever asked Jesus to be your Savior?” “No.” “Would you like to?” “Yes.”
So Tim told Carlos the Old, Old Story, and shortly after the main foot washing had ended I looked into the pavilion, and there was Tim, kneeling at the feet of his “new-born brother-in Christ” nephew, washing his feet. What a Birthday celebration there must have been in heaven just then !
Following that we shared in the Eucharist. Then, after the Drummers led us in “We Are One in the Spirit, We Are One in the Lord”, we moved to the lake front. There Pastor Keith presided as Brian, a father baptized his two daughters, Fiona and Devon, in testimony to their faith.
Then back home again. Back to...a normal week? No way! We entered the week with a renewed sense of what it means to be part of the Family of God, including being a portion of the sub-family called Grace Brethren.
Picnic – Alaskan style...now that’s the way to do it (up here on the Kenai Peninsula, at least).
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