The Kerusso – January | 2024 Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Our Shared Responsibility to LEAD Max Edwards, IGS
Incredible as it may be, 2024 is upon us! To the young, it may not seem so incredible, but some of us are surprised that we are nearing the middle of the third decade of the 21st century, and Jesus has still tarried His second coming! As we transition into another year of work and service in Christ’s church, some things may have changed but the need for Godly examples in our faith families and civic communities is among those things that remain constant. The mission that Jesus himself inaugurated continues, and that is to be a living witness to His Lordship, His Love, His Life, and His Legacy. That is basic discipleship, and He commissioned us to be disciple-makers. The technological advances of the last several generations have not changed our mission. Some of them have impacted our method, but that isn’t surprising, nor is it even unfortunate. We have expanded capabilities to spread the message that God is love and that He has opened the doors of opportunity for everyone to enjoy fellowship with Him for eternity. But this message has an enemy, who tenaciously seeks to cast doubt in the minds and hearts of our audience. What can we do? Indeed, what should we do? We must LEAD, as Jesus modeled leadership for us. Jesus’ consistent message was “Follow me.” He did not simply provide a set of instructions for detached pilgrims to check off in solitude. No, He set down a set of footprints for His disciples and charged them to do the same for those coming along behind them. And the reason He did this is simple - - modeling is the most powerful form of teaching. The Apostle Paul followed this pattern in the churches he planted. He spent several years leading the growing group of disciples in Ephesus. Then later, as he was returning from a further mission, he arranged a special gathering with the Ephesian Christians on the shores of the Aegean Sea, and he charged them to do the same - - to lead others as Christlike shepherds:
“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28) In the spirit of that important commission to the church, we will spend time this year focusing on the challenge to be LEADERS of others, and not just any kind of leaders, leading people to any place. NO! We must be Christ-like leaders bearing the marks of Christ’s leadership. You can see some of those attributes in the logo we’ll be using all year long to remind us of our mission. Let us all double our resolve to be THAT kind of leader!
Happy New Year EMC’ers!
The Kerusso - January | 2024
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Journey 2024 Registration is Open!
The REGISTRATION fee is $45 per person with a group rate of $40 per person for 5 or more attendees. Registration includes two suppers and one continental breakfast. There is no registration fee for children under 18 years of age, but please provide their name(s) and age/grade on your registration form to help us plan for their attendance. The registration and payment deadline is two weeks before each Journey Regional Meeting. A detailed Journey flyer can be found by Clicking Here . To register, please use this link for an online form: Journey 2024 Registration or email Karen Parsons (kparsons@emchurch.org) for registration/payment assistance.
Arizona City EMC Hosting the First Journey Meeting of 2024 February 22 & 23 14350 S. Overfield Rd Arizona City, AZ 85123 Registration/Payment deadline is February 8
We are looking forward to a wonderful season of regional meetings with our pastors, credential holders and laypeople. Let’s take advantage of the opportunity to come together to learn, worship, and encourage one another.
The Kerusso - January | 2024
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Asia Pacific EMC Leadership Camp Revs. Bill & Lisa Walker, GBWM Co-Chairs
“NEW FRIENDS!” “YOUNG LEADERS!” “WARM RECEPTION!” “BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN VIEWS!” “ENERGETIC!” “FUN!” “EYE-OPENING!” “ENCOURAGING!” “GENUINE KOINONIA!” These are just a few phrases that could describe the 2023 Asia Pacific EMC Leadership Camp! The theme was “Leading with a Purpose.” 92 persons attended the camp, hosted at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary in the beautiful mountain city of Baguio, December 13-15, 2023.
Most of the attendees were under 30 years of age, some in their late teens. The senior leaders of the Asia Pacific Conference have the wisdom to prepare the next generation of leaders intentionally and personally, in keeping with 2 Timothy 2:2 (note: that verse mentions 4 generations of leaders/influencers for Christ). Aside from Walkers and the Edwardses, the speaker lineup included Asia Pacific General Superintendent Rev. Rod Reyes, Asst. General Superintendent Rev. Eric Ramirez, and several other pastors of the Conference. We covered spiritual and practical dimensions of Christian leadership including servanthood, training, conflict management, planning, personal stewardship, and church finances.
Perhaps just as valuable a takeaway from this event are new friendships, deepened relationships, and a strengthened international connection in the EMC global family. Although General Superintendent Reyes had been part of other organizations before joining the EMC, on this trip he stated to us unequivocally that he loves being in the EMC: “I have found a family!” THANK YOU to those who gave generously to make this trip possible and THANK YOU to those who prayed for all aspects: travel, teaching, logistics, planning, and anointing. We praise God for our Asia Pacific Conference and this well-planned and successful Leadership Camp.
The Kerusso - January | 2024
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Asia Pacific EMC Leadership Camp cont’d. DID THIS WHET YOUR APPETITE to visit our brothers and sisters in the Asia Pacific Conference? Well, we are already making preliminary plans for a mission trip back to the Philippines, possibly in late 2024 or early 2025. That trip will be open to our EMC global family for participation. If you are interested in joining, watch for more information, hopefully within the next couple of months.
From the Desk of the General Secretary-Treasurer Rev. Brian Hammond
Annual Reporting It's that time of year again…Annual Reporting! According to the EMC Discipline, no later than January 31, every credential holder is required to submit an Individual Ministry Report, and every pastor of an EMC is required to submit an additional Local Church Report with statistical and financial information. You can find the links to the online forms and instructions on our website (emchurch.org) under the Local Church tab. As a reminder to all, upon becoming a credential holder, each minister is required to sign a Ministerial Code of Ethics. And per ¶852 of the Discipline, all credential holders must sign a reaffirmation of the Ministerial Code of Ethics after the 2022 General Conference. If you have not done so, please find the link in the next paragraph below. You can find the links to the online report forms and instructions, as well as the Code of Ethics form, here: Credential /Church Reports For 2024, two Excel worksheets are available for your use. If you update them monthly, much of the information you need for the end-of-year reports is totaled for you. You can find them here: Reporting Worksheets Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the reporting process or need help with anything concerning the yearly reports.