The Kerusso – June | 2022
Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Asia Pacific Journey 2022 ~ By, Max Edwards, EMC IGS The Asia Pacific Conference came about as a result of ongoing compassion and evangelism efforts by Rev. Dr. Jun Mateo and his wife Marlene. They have been leading medical missions trips in the Philippines for many years. The Asia Pacific Conference was formally affiliated as a Mission Conference of the Evangelical Methodist Church at the 32nd General Conference in 2018. Because of governmental restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the church has been unable to meet face-to-face in a conference-wide gathering for over two years. But in May of 2022, the Asia Pacific Conference excitedly met together in Manila for a two-day inperson Journey meeting. It was incredible!! Pastors and delegates came from areas near and far to fellowship, learn, deliberate, and worship the Lord. The atmosphere was vibrant, and the people were delighted to be able to see one another, and to encourage and bless each other. Judy and I were excited to finally get to travel to the Philippines to see our EMC Family face-to-face. We were in Manila from May 1 – May 8, and visited several of our local churches in the towns and villages both north and south of the capital city. What a delight to meet such devoted and sincere men and women of God, eager to follow HIS call to make disciples and love people in the name of Jesus. The Journey meeting was held in Manila on May 4-5. It was an exciting time of inspiration and training, as well as a very special ordination service in which we ordained 13 men and women into vocational ministry! Rev. Mateo is retiring this year as the Superintendent of the Asia Pacific Conference, so one of the tasks facing the pastors and delegates at the conference was choosing a new leader to follow him. The vote was taken twice, and both times, Rev. Eric Ramirez and Rev. Rod Reyes received EXACTLY the same number of votes. But there was no political negativity, nor tension … just a clear expression of both loyalty and trust among Rev. Eric Ramirez and the pastors and church members toward these his wife Mona Lisa two capable leaders. It seemed to be an indication that the Lord has marked them both out as Superintendents. The decision was made to place Rev. Rod in the Superintendent’s role for two years, with Rev. Eric serving as the assistant Superintendent, and then in mid-2024 have them swap those roles. The entire conference was pleased with that solution. Rev. Rod is currently drafting a leadership and vision proposal to be presented to the conference. (Continued)
Rev. Rod Reyes
The Kerusso - June | 2022
Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Page 2
Asia Pacific Journey 2022 (continued) Perhaps the most exciting thing for us to see first-hand was the humility and commitment of the ministers and members there in the Philippines. Most of them don’t have the kind of luxuries that we are afforded here, but their genuine faith and passion for sharing the gospel with their communities was stirring. Sin is a universal condition, and the enemy of our souls is active there, attempting to trap people in addictions, lusts of the flesh, poverty, and despair. Hope is sometimes in short supply in the small villages and hamlets scattered around their country of 110 million people. The Covid-19 pandemic hit the nation very hard, with many people losing their jobs and their abilities to provide for themselves. In the most strict seasons of the lockdown, people were not allowed to leave their homes for any reason, other than one person in a household going out to a market for food. Travel was heavily restricted and curfews were stringently enforced. That is all beginning to change, but the effects will be long-lasting. Please continue to pray for the lovely people there. And pray especially for Rod Reyes and Eric Ramirez as they take up the mantle of leadership in a new way.
The Kerusso - June | 2022
Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Page 3
MEDS 2023 ~ by, Bill Walker, GBWM Chair IT’S HOT! AND HUMID! Still jet-lagged, Jun Mateo had gotten us up to leave our hotel at 1am to drive through the night south from Manila to the ferry that would take us to the island of Mindoro. Now it’s mid-morning and we are setting up a makeshift health clinic in a small village to offer help to people who until recently didn’t know what toothpaste is, much less how to use it with a toothbrush. We take medical care for granted here in the United States, at least the availability of it. What if it were not available? What if you could not get a toothbrush, or got a toothache and there was no dentist anywhere, or if eyeglasses were out of reach financially and you had to stop reading? That may sound crazy to you, but it’s a daily reality for many people. The Asia Pacific Conference of the EMC has been conducting MEDS trips for more than a decade. Medical Evangelistic Dental Surgical: meeting the felt needs of people in the Philippines to provide a platform for spiritual ministry. MEDS has been the primary method for rapid church planting and growth of the EMC in Asia Pacific. It’s more than making a big splash. The EMC pastors and lay workers of Asia Pacific do significant work ahead of and even more after every MEDS event. When MEDS comes to town, the crowds gather for the free health care. In an honor-shame culture, MEDS recognizes the value of a person, and helps restore his or her dignity in their society. In the name of Christ, our fellow EMCers lift the faces of the downtrodden, relieve their suffering, and bring them to the feet of Jesus. The “E” in MEDS stands for “evangelistic,” and this is the motivation. Everyone who receives treatment, first goes through counseling and prayer. Many Gospel seeds are planted. We hope and pray that these folks will be brought to Christ and grafted into a new local church. The pandemic made MEDS impossible for a time, but now the Philippines is open for travel again! Churches can meet, and MEDS is back on! As I write this article, Jun and Marlene Mateo are making advance preparations for MEDS 2023. You can pray and give, but you can also go! You don’t have to be a medical professional! There are plenty of ways for non-medical people (like Lisa and me) to help. Reserve these dates: January 25 - February 9, 2023. I promise you will be jet-lagged, run-ragged, inspired, heart-broken, and sweaty. You will laugh and cry. You will have late nights and early mornings. You will experience an incredibly beautiful country and be loved and appreciated by even more beautiful people. You will eat rice—lots of rice, and you will eat some of the best fruit you have ever tasted. You might just learn a few phrases in Tagalog. Beyond all that, your participation in 6 MEDS locations over 16 days will help open new areas where the EMC is not yet established. You will help pave the way for the Gospel of Salvation and the message of Scriptural holiness by selflessly loving as Jesus loved. The cost for 16 days in-country is $2,500 (meals, lodging, travel) plus the cost of airfare. Most US participants will fly together from a west coast airport; those arrangements will be made by Jun Mateo. So, the total trip cost will be approximately $4,000 to $4,500. There is an option to shorten your involvement if you are unable to commit that many days; this will also lower your in-country expense. For more information, or to reserve your spot, contact Jun Mateo at junmateo@yahoo.com (916-224-3783) or me, Bill Walker, at billwalkeremc@gmail.com (706-255-3450). If this trip is not for you, please mark your calendar anyway, and set reminders to spend time each of these 16 days in prayer for MEDS 2023! If you’d like to contribute to help with supplies and medication, designate your gift as “MEDS 2023” and send it to EMC Headquarters, PO Box 17070, Indianapolis, IN 46217.
The Kerusso - June | 2022
Page 4
Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
The Haggard School of Ministry Conflict. We All Experience It. How Do We Resolve it?
CONFLICT RESOLUTION The Haggard School of Ministry | Conflict Resolution Course | 11-15 July 2022 Facilitators: Drs. Art & Melody Wilt | Enrollment Limited to 20 Persons | 2 Continuing Ed. Credits Register By June 17, 2022 | $100 Fee | At the Heritage Learning Center, EMC Headquarters To Register contact Jim Coulston at: EMC Headquarters (317) 780-8017
Conference Timeline: Opening Session - Tuesday, July 26 | 3:00pm Evening services nightly at 7:00pm EDT Tuesday - Rev. Jim Harriman Wednesday - Rev. Jim Harriman Thursday - Dr. Ed Stetzer (Nightly Services will be live-streamed)
Adjournment - Friday, July 29 | 11:30am CLICK HERE to view the basic daily schedule
General Conference Q & A Q - Can I still register? A - Yes, as long as availability remains open, but it is not guaranteed. Click the links below or call. Q - What are the payment deadlines? A - EMC Registration must be paid by July 1st. Your Ridgecrest balance is due upon arrival in July. Q - How can I pay my EMC registration fees? A - Registration payments can be made by clicking this link: EMC ONLINE GIVING or by mailing your check labeled “GC2022” to EMC Headquarters at P.O. Box 17070, Indianapolis, IN 46217. Q - How many kids and teens are registered at this point? A - We are so excited to have 69 children and teens in our youth sessions and Kids Kamp!! Q - Is there a facility charge at Ridgecrest if I drive in, or stay offsite? A - Yes. Ridgecrest has a campus use fee of $25 per person for anyone age 12 - Adult attending the conference but staying off campus. You need to call Ridgecrest to reserve any desired meal tickets.
EMC GC2022 Registration - Click Here
Ridgecrest Reservations - Click Here
for all adult and student activity, including banquets
For lodging and meal tickets
or email: kparsons@emchurch.org
or call: 800-588-7222