Discovery: Your Strengths, God’s Design

Open to ages 18-35

Friday, February 24th - Sunday, February 26

th

Winebrenner Theological Seminary

950 North Main Street, Findlay, OH

Lodging: Drury Inn & Suites 820 West Trenton Avenue, Findlay

Discover how God has uniquely created you to make the most difference in your

church, community, work and the world.

Build connections with other young adults.

Event Includes: A copy of Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your

Community. StrengthsFinder survey

January, 2017

Great Lakes Conference

Learn how to: • Unpack the passions that fulfill who you are • Discover the difference you can make in the world Understand the purpose for which God made you Use StrengthsFinder to uncover your top strengths in life

Free!

To Register: Email Earl Mills—glcdirector@cggc.org

Please provide your name, email and church affiliation.

Subject Line: Discovery: Your Strengths, God’s Design.

Made possible through a generous grant from The Foundation of the Great Lakes Conference

The FOCUS

Arthur Center and Eagle said good bye to Pastor

Jereme and Kimberly Bear and family on November

20th.

Catalyst had 3 baptisms on Nov. 13. All beautiful

steps of faith as people walk with the Lord.

They also wrapped up Bullseye Bible School. The

children learned several scripture verses, the skill of

shooting archery and some very important life les-

sons. Ex. "God Made a Way" "Aim small, miss

small" and "God's way is the best way".

Pastor LouAnn Miller, Grace Fellowship, traveled

to Israel and feels truly blessed for the opportunity.

Hopewell installed Pastor Byron Denman as their

Associate. Byron has accepted a two year internship

with the Military Chaplaincy Program and will be

serving at Hopewell Church with the hopes of estab-

lishing a Campus Ministry with Tiffin University

and Heidelberg College. The Denmans are already

involved in many ministries within the church and

their Tiffin community.

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On Sunday, December 4th, Kingdom Commu-

nity Christian Ministry and Pathway Commu-

nity Church joined together for a Celebrate

Christmas Music Sunday. In addition to holding

worship service together, the group performed at

the Stranahan Manor House for two hours provid-

ing Christmas hymns and music to hundreds of

guests that tour the house at Wildwood Metro

Park in Toledo.

On December 11th Seville Community marked

their 15th anniversary in their present building and

132 years in ministry to the community.

Pastor Brad Adams, Shawnee, has accepted an-

other pastorate and the church voted to close it’s

doors on December 18th .

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FLOURISH

Women’s Conference

March 10-11

Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findlay

www.theflourishconference.org

Camp Dates and Cost

Shower House

Advancing Christ Through Service

Scholarship

There are scholarships of $500 each, available through the Cross Cultural Commission of the Great Lakes Conference, for students to participate in an ACTS Team.*

Consideration for the Scholarship: 1. Under the age of 18 2. Active in a Great Lakes Conference Church 3. Approved and encouraged by local pastor 4. Availability to share with others about impact after the ACTS Team experience

Application must be returned to The Great Lakes Conference office by January 20th and approvals will be communicated by January 31st

The scholarship is available through a Grant from

The Foundation, Great Lakes Conference

The $500 will be utilized to reduce the registration costs listed for the trip and will be paid directly to the CGGC office.

Applications may be obtained on the GLC website or by calling the office at (419) 423-7694. Applications must be submitted by January 20, 2017.

Mission Trip Dates May 24-31: Netherlands May 27-June 3: Haiti June 1-8: Dominican Republic June 9-16: Brazil June 20-27: Fallbrook/San Diego, CA June 20-25: Southwest, USA July 9-16: Brazil July 9-17: Meridian, MS *ACTS Teams are short-term, inter-generational mission trips. Participants have the opportunity to grow in their relationship with Christ, experience the Gospel at work in a different culture, and see mission as a part of everyday life.

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Operation Christmas Child Great Lakes Conference Contributions:

Catalyst 98 (+4) Sugar Ridge 20 College First 240 Union Chapel 23 (+3) CrossPoint 157 Vanlue 9 (+2) Hopewell 228 Wharton 91 (+77) Leipsic 131 (first year!) Mendon 71 (+4) Assisting in Boone, NC: Mt. Carmel 106 (+6) From College First Bill Wollum and. Mt. Tabor 195 (+16) Don & Phyllis Dennison New Haven 210 (+79) From CrossPoint Angie Brown and Ohio City 16 Diane Iobe Olive Branch 34 (+8) From Mt. Tabor Dick and Clarabelle Pathway 60 (+10) VanHorn Ridgeway 73 Risingsun 132 (+49) Total GLC OCC boxes packed 1,909! Shawnee 15 (+2)

569 more boxes than in 2015

Children Gave

People Prayed Boxes Piled Up!

Our Sincere Sympathy

Terry Anne Keiser (1955-2016)

Terry (wife of Pastor Jim Keiser) passed away at their home in St. Marys, OH

on Wednesday, September 28th. She is survived by her husband, Jim, two

sons, D.J. (Carrie) and Adam (Marta) and three grandchildren: Olivia, Wyatt

and Ethan, her mother, and a brother.

Terry was a homemaker and had worked as a realtor and entrepreneur. She

volunteered as a youth worker and small group facilitator from 1984-2013. She

enjoyed writing, travel, word games and her family.

She was a member of New Community Missionary Church in St. Marys where she and Jim

served. Previously they had served the following Churches of God, General Conference in

Pennsylvania: Middletown First, Vander Avenue, New Brighton First, New Beginnings, High

View Ronks, Highspire First and in Ohio they had served Mt. Tabor, Celina.

For almost 26 years she fought the good fight. She may have had MS, but it never had her.

To her, MS meant—My Source, My Savior, My Strength, My Salvation. She wants everyone

to know that she has moved and that if you wish to contact her, you must receive Jesus Christ

as the Lord and Savior of your life.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, October 1st with Pastor Jim Keiser officiating. A

memorial service was also held at the Middletown First Church of God in Middletown, PA.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

Beverly Thompson (1927-2016)

Beverly, wife of Pastor O.J. Thompson, 89, passed away on October 22nd

.

She had been a secretary for three lawyers in Canton, a secretary for the Nurses at the Lima Schools and had been a saleslady at Freedlanders. She was a member of the Great Lakes Conference, Churches of God.

She is survived by her children, Rodney (Deborah) Thompson of Orrville and Ned (Dawn) Thompson of Venice, Florida and 9 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

O.J. preceded her in death on August 29th.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 1st at First Church of God, Wooster, with

the Revs. Ben Thompson and Arnie Kauffman officiating.

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Christmas Parties

Pastor and Spouse