Pacific Southwest District of The Wesleyan Church

Pastoral Newsletter

For May 2008

2008 District Conference

District Conference will be held on July 8 and 9, 2008 at the El Cajon Wesleyan Church in San Diego County.  Please note that the ordination service is on Tuesday evening.  It is vital that all pastors and delegates be present for this service.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 -        

1:00 PM - District Board of Administration meeting

5:00 PM – Banquet for pastors and their families

7:00 PM - Evening service – ordination

8:45 PM - Ordination reception

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 -   

7:30 AM – Oklahoma Wesleyan University breakfast

7:30 AM - Asbury Theological Seminary breakfast

9:00 AM - District and Wesleyan Women business session

10:30 AM - Break

11:00 AM - Spiritual Life service - State of Church message

12:15 (noon) - Wesleyan Women’s luncheon

12:15 (noon) - Wesleyan Men’s fellowship

1:30 PM - District and Wesleyan Women business session

4:00 PM - Anticipated end of business sessions

4:00 PM - District Board of Administration meeting

2009 Cruise for Ministers and Mates Retreat

Our 2009 Ministers and Mates Retreat will be aboard a Carnival cruise ship off the coast of Mexico!  The cruise departs San Diego on Monday afternoon, February 16, and returns Saturday morning, February 21, 2009.  Stops will be in Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico.  Dr. Everett Piper, President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University will be our guest speaker.  A great rate has been negotiated with the cruise line.  This is combined with a scholarship of $250.00 given to each pastor and spouse (rates begin at $219.00 p/p for an inside to $359.00 p/p for the best ocean view).  There is a special rate for children in their parent’s cabin.  In addition, a scholarship of $150.00 is being given to children. 

For those who are not currently pastoring or who are ministerial students the rates quoted above are increased by $100.00 p/p – the scholarship is $150.00 p/p.  For further information, please contact the district office.   There are a limited number of cabins in each category, so it is important to sign up soon.

Ministerial Students

Our district has five District Boards of Ministerial Development.  They will be meeting at various times throughout the spring.  The purpose of these meetings is to meet new applicants (ministerial students) and to review those already in the process.

If your church desires to recommend someone as a ministerial student, please do this as soon as possible.  The recommendation must come from the local board of administration and be sent to the district office.

Health Insurance

The month of May is open enrollment month for our district health insurance plan.  This is the only month in which those who have declined coverage in the past can enroll.  All full-time employees of local churches are eligible to be in the plan, BlueCross California-Care HMO.  The rates are somewhat high but the coverage is excellent.  We also have an out-of-state policy for those not in California.  It is a PPO plan with a $500.00 deductible and the rates are higher.  If you are interested in having your church enrolled, please contact the district office immediately.  New enrollments must be completed and submitted to Blue Cross by May 31, 2008.  Please call Mandy Hill in the district office for the rates.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Your prayers are requested for the pastors and ministries on our district.  This month please be in special prayer for the following:

Cecil Lucas (Escondido, New Hope Community) and Linda Borquez (Scottsdale, Open Arms) – their father went to be with the Lord in April.  Please be in prayer for the family.

Roger Wilson (retired ordained minister) – is seeking prayer for a variety of physical problems.

Summer Camp Dates

Northern Zone - Youth Camp

June 22-27, 2008 Sky Mountain Christian Camp

Contact Jeff Jennings jeffj@jplusinc.com

Eastern Zone - Youth and Children's Camp

July 14-19, 2008  Prescott, AZ Pine Summit Bible Camp

Contact Pastor Lucas Clinkingbeard  theclink@eskal8youth.com

 La Mesa – Skyline Wesleyan Church

Middle School

July 6-11, 2008  Hume Lake, San Diego at Point Loma College

 

High School

July 28-Aug 2, 2008  Forrest Home, San Bernrdino

Contact:  Pastor Tre Reaume  AReaume@skylinechurch.org

Promise Keepers Events

Promise Keepers will only be having one conference within our district boundaries.  You are encouraged to participate and to take the men of your church.  For further information please go to - www.promisekeepers.org – Fresno, CA on June 27-28, 2008.

ReKindle

The Department of Education and the Ministry is sponsoring classes to assist you in your ministry.  The classes will be held at the Wesleyan Conference Center in Frankfort, Indiana.  In addition, FLAME classes will also be offered for continuing education.  Full details are available at www.wesleyan.org/education.  The following ReKindle classes are being offered in 2008:

            August 11-13 – Church/Pastoral Finances – Larry Moore

            August 11-13 – Leadership by Design – Phil Stevenson

            August 13-15 – Ministry in Small Town/Rural Church – Mark Wilson

            August 13-15 – Soul Mates – Pastor’s Wives – Patty Bray

WIF now offers IRAs
Existing and prospective WIF investors have been asking about transferring their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) to WIF for years. Now you can! What better way to save for retirement while helping churches and earning the same great WIF deposit rates: 5.0% for over $35,000, 4.5% for $5,000 to $34,999, and 4.0% for balances of $1 to $4,999. Call 317.774.7300 or write info@wifonline.com today to receive a free IRA informational packet. Still Serving Higher Interests!

 

The Great Co-op Mission

Thanks you pastors of the Pacific Southwest District for opening your churches to Hrvoje and Jill Budimir and allowing them the time to come and share what God is doing in their life and the work.  The Lord s preparing for them a great ministry in Croatia. I truly appreciate you all for working together to support this family and helping them get to the place God has prepared for them to serve.

As we head toward a new fiscal year I want to encourage each church in the Pacific Southwest to continue to support our district missionaries with Prayer, with acts of Encouragement and with Finances. My hope is that by the end of the 2008-2009 fiscal year, every church in the district will be supporting at least one missionary from the Pacific Southwest District..

Missionaries from the Pacific Southwest District:

Baker, Josh and Dominique – Brazil

Bishop, Ken and Dawn - Albania

Budimir, Hrvoje and Jill – Croatia

McFrederick, Jason and Kerensa - Czech Republic

Nettleton, Phil and Lucille - Pastors to Missionaries, Europe

Pena, Nicky - Mexico

Picksley, Kent and Cheri – Croatia

Baja California/Sonora, Mexico – supporting local churches

If you have any questions about support and means or ways to support missions please call or e-mail and I will be happy to help out. Also, if you have anyone in your church that is feeling the call to the mission field, I will be glad to assist in this.

Planning a mission’s trip and want to work with another church? Let me know so we can be the co-laborers that God has called us to be

Kent & Cheri Picksley are hoping to be in the States from Aug – Nov of 2008. Please begin to pray and consider having them come and share what God has done and is preparing to do through them in 2009 and beyond.

Lastly, I am looking to put together a team of 3-4 missions-minded pastors from our district to act as leaders and guides as we work together to fulfill the Great Commission in our district. If interested, please contact me ASAP as I would like to get this started before we head into district conference.

Pastorjoe@amazingfaith.org

858-486-0100 Office

858-722-1444 Cel

 

Informing you so you can Know Them, Support Them & Send Them.

Matthew 28:19 (NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…

Pastor Joe Martin, District Director of World Missions

Church Builders Club

The Church Builders Club is a ministry of The Wesleyan denomination to assist churches in the purchase of their first church facilities.  I hope every pastor will encourage his or her people to participate in this offering.  If you desire to be involved, please order informational flyers to distribute to your congregation.  Please contact the Dept. of Evangelism and Church Growth.  (317-570-5125)

Education Month

The month of May is Education Month in The Wesleyan Church.  Our denomination believes in Christian higher education!  We are fortunate to have a number of outstanding colleges:

            Oklahoma Wesleyan University - Bartlesville, Oklahoma

            Bethany Bible College - Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada

            Houghton College - Houghton, New York

            Indiana Wesleyan University - Marion, Indiana

            Southern Wesleyan University - Central, South Carolina

It is my hope that every church will encourage their young people to seriously consider the benefits of a Christian education at one of our colleges.  Our area college is Oklahoma Wesleyan University.  The university has a beautiful campus and provides an excellent environment for learning.  Please take time in a service to talk about and receive an offering for Oklahoma Wesleyan University.  The university provides many scholarships for those attending from our district.  We need to assist by providing funds to assist the university in meeting these needs by taking an offering and/or including the university in your church budget. 

Ordination classes

FLAME – this is the name for ordination courses being offered around The Wesleyan Church.  For further information on these courses, please call the Department of Education and the Ministry at 317-774-3912. 

Core Values of The Wesleyan Church

Our core values describe who Wesleyans are and why we do what we do.  They are as follows:

BIBLICAL AUTHORITY: The Bible is the highest source of written authority of God’s plan for His people; it reveals how to live out that plan, individually and corporately.  Beliefs, practices and priorities are to be anchored in clear biblical teachings.

CHRISTLIKENESS:  Jesus Christ is the defining feature of God’s will for all humankind.  In Christ is found the highest and most practical meaning and the clearest example for holy living, or godliness.  Christ is both example and strength as Wesleyans pursue integrity, excellence, faith, hope and love.

DISCIPLE-MAKING:  Making disciples is a clear mandate from Christ.  This requires a strong focus on evangelism and training in spiritual growth and holy living.  Done effectively, this will produce and promote growth and health in and among the churches.

LOCAL CHURCH CENTERED:  The denomination joins local churches together through common beliefs, values and practices, and commitment to a common mission.  Local churches are the most fundamental and strategic points of evangelism and discipleship.  The challenge for denominational servant-leaders is to keep finding the best ways to serve and strengthen congregations.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP:  Wesleyans respect leadership that is placed over them, while realizing that the authority and effectiveness of spiritual leadership is not primarily bestowed, but earned and manifested by a loving and willing heart of obedience that serves God and mankind gladly.  Wesleyans desire to be leaders in serving.

UNITY IN VARIETY:  There is intrinsic value in every human person.  Unity becomes all the more important and beautiful in light of the wide ranges of difference in personality, culture, race, gender, talents and perspectives.  Loving each other eliminates devaluation and deprivation of life to one another.

CULTURAL RELEVANCE:  Wesleyans are called to keep serving the present age.  The Church respects and builds on its past without becoming its slave.  Wesleyans are “culture informed” for the sake of reaching people for Christ, but we are not “culture captives” in the sense of surrendering core values, beliefs and behaviors.