Rocky Mountain District
Christian & Missionary Alliance
News  2010

September 1,  2010
Burdick’s Prayer Update
Gary Burdick, Assistant to the Superintendent

August is over? Wow! It has been a full, wild and tumultuous month for us. Let me update you. First, our vacation was great fun. We did canoe 302 miles of the Yellowstone River. The first 3 days Shannon came along. That equates to about 8 hours on the river each of the 8 days. While tiring it was also awesome. Shannon’s eye continues to improve but he is still doing drops, hopefully just 2 more weeks.

The Billings church plant has been the primary up and down for us. First Alliance here in Billings felt the plant needed to be a District plant and not a daughter plant. Then one of the core group families accepted a job in PA and is moving there September first. Thus the District Executive Committee (DEXCOM) decided at its August meeting not to approve the church plant. DEXCOM also decided, and both my D.S. Tim Owen and I agree, that we are not interested in continuing my present fulltime position. So a ministry search ensued. After ascertaining that the primary church planting opportunities available are ‘parachute drops’ (little or no already established contacts in the town or area) we decided we could try that right here in Billings where we already live. So presently, we are exploring that option and are planning to revisit the idea both with First Alliance and with DEXCOM. Please pray for wisdom and direction. This has not been easy. We really do want to be of service to Christ, His church and the District / C&MA. We need wisdom.

          

On a different note, Kim and I have just returned from Boise / Nampa where we led The Rock church in Nampa in launching a core group to begin a work in Boise. The Rock determined to move forward in faith even though they did not have a senior pastor at the time. What a step of faith. The families to the right have chosen to join this faith venture, and all but one is already moved into the neighborhood in Boise. God has really met them and they are an excited, dedicated and motivated group. Please continue to pray for them and for The Rock.

By the way, the Rock has called David Underwood to be their pastor and he is due to begin October 1. What an encouragement to see this 7 year old congregation give birth to their first daughter church. I hope you caught that – their first daughter. This congregation is looking to trust God for more daughter churches and before very long their first granddaughter church launched from the Boise church. Please pray that these faith filled visions will be exceeded beyond their imaginations.

Thanks so much for praying for these requests and for your regular encouragement to us. We really do appreciate you.


Blessings,

Gary and Kim

August 30, 2010
District Update
Tim Owen - Superintendent

Greetings! We are all wrapping up summer and preparing for fall ministries. May God bring all those people back to church! I trust God is inspiring you for the new school year ministry cycle.

Things are happening in the District for you to know about and that will inform your prayers and interests.

Paul Sponheim has accepted the call to become pastor of the Richey Alliance Church. He is already there and preached yesterday! Paul most recently served as an associate pastor in Ottumwa, Iowa. He is a native of Fairview, Montana, growing up on a farm near there in North Dakota. Welcome Paul and Cindy and their three children!

Dave Underwood has accepted the call to be the next pastor of The Rock Church of the C&MA in Nampa, Idaho beginning October 1. Dave served as associate pastor in an independent church in Portland, Oregon for several years and then as senior pastor of the Kent Alliance Church, in Kent, Washington. He is married and has three children. Welcome Underwoods!

Shane Haynes was recently accredited, licensed and appointed to serve as Associate Pastor of Youth Ministries of the Neighborhood Alliance Church in Riverton, Wyoming, serving with pastor Kurt Niemeyer, who began his ministry as senior pastor there this summer. Shane served as youth director as a lay volunteer and then part time staff and is now full time. He is married to Nina and they have 3 children. Welcome Haynes'!

Churches in various stages of search for their next pastor are Lewistown, Ronan, Cody and Casper. Please be praying for God to provide each with his choice. Pray that God give each search committee, candidate and me wisdom, and discernment.

Team Leadership Conference (TLC) plans are progressing well. We have planned for shorter meetings, more free time, some meals at the church, one lunch where you are on your own among all the great restaurants of Billings, and a concluding fine dining experience at Briarwood Country Club on Wednesday evening. Briarwood has a great menu and beautiful views of the golf course, city of Billings and mountains. Bring some nice clothes for that event. Also we have asked Eric Engerbretson to provide some fun and inspiring music. You won't want to miss him and his ministry.

Here is a report from Dave and Marcia Nagel. Let us continue to pray for them as they serve in Indonesia. They are two of our RMD International Workers.

Dave has attended several meetings in Bali this summer since our time at FF. A meeting of 80 Mission Organization reps in Indonesia attended a consultation hosted by the Dept of Religion.

A week later we were host to the Alliance Pacific Region meeting. Alliance Church Presidents and other leaders from ten Asian countries were represented during this week of meetings.

The Alliance World Fellowship President, Arie Verdyn, as well as the former APAC regional president spoke as well.

Michelle has had a good start to her job teaching at CB school here in Bandung. Bill and Courtney Miller are adjusting well as Bill teaches at CB school in Bandung. Their two kids, Quinn and Zoe are learning to enjoy all that Indonesia has to offer! Both the Millers and Michelle are applying to Marketplace Ministries (Formerly IFAP).

August 1, 2010
District Update
Tim Owen - Superintendent

District Family,

Howdy! I hope you are all doing well this summer. I hear reports that some of you are experiencing "summer slump." That is a hard summer reality as the church faces the stiff competition of the out of doors, sports and recreation. May God make his people faithful. Meanwhile, I join you in prayer and faithfulness in serving. One old Christian leader told me early in my ministry to "save the best sermons, worship services, etc. for the smallest crowds. Reward them for their faithfulness. Don't punish them by letting down your standards of sermon prep and delivery and ministry in general just because the crowd is low in number. May we celebrate the "Audience of One, Jesus. 

District News:

Adriaan Overbeeke has accepted a call to be pastor of the Crossroads Alliance Church in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota beginning September 15. Let us join in prayer for the Cody, and Crossroads church and the Overbeekes as they make this transition. Adriaan has had a wonderful ministry in Cody and the Rocky Mountain District. He has served on DEXCOM and led the 24.14 Missions Mobilization Team. He will be sorely missed.

Speaking of Cody - Congratulation to Kelly and Wendy Carnahan on the July 1 birth of their son!  They believe God has great plans for him and have named him accordingly.  Their 7 pound 7 ounce 20 inch long baby is named Daniel Danger Kyle Carnahan.  Blessings to Kelly, Wendy, Daniel Danger, and family!

Kenny White has accepted a call from the Mid-America District to restart a church in St. Peters, MO, a suburb of St. Louis beginning October 1. Let us join in prayer for all involved in this transition, including the Casper Alliance Church, the Whites and the church in Missouri.

The Rock Church in Nampa is hearing a candidate soon. Other churches in search mode include Richey, Lewistown, and Ronan, Mt. and Cody and Casper, Wy. Pray that God will provide godly, qualified candidates for these churches. Pray that these churches prosper during the transition.

Giving to DOB is strong this year so far. Though contributions for July are down, at about 88% of budget, the year to date level of giving is at 103%.  In our budget preparations for 2010 we reduced our expense projections significantly, and on the spending side of the budget we have held those expenses to about 87% of the projection.  The costs of District support for LIFE 2010 and for the Nampa Idaho property have run slightly less than projected year to date.  This has been accomplished by the shared effort of all concerned.  Let us thank God for his provision for his ministry in and through the RMD. 

RMD giving to the GCF
is very low this year. June giving was at 64% of 2009 and year to date at 74%. How are we to interpret this dramatic decline in giving to GCF? Please send me your answer to that question by e-mail. I need to hear why our churches are not giving to GCF at levels previously experienced. We need to find out what is going on so we can respond. Thanks for your help. Please reply.

Team Leadership Conference (TLC) 2010 October 4-7 - Billings Montana 

TLC: Our speaker this year is Steve Fowler, pastor of the Salem, Oregon Alliance Church. Steve was raised as an MK whose parents are Chuck and Midge Fowler, International Workers to China and Hong Kong. Steve worked in a secular career for a fishing lure company in Hood River, Oregon in which his job was to test lures! He left that kind of fishing for the other kind (men), and served as pastor of the Kelso Alliance Church in Washington and then as associate to John Stumbo in Salem, Oregon and then as lead pastor there. Steve is a godly man with a heart for loving God and his people, a strong encourager and gifted speaker.

Other information has been supplied to District workers, and more schedule and details are being prepared.  Watch your email for this distribution.  A closing banquet is scheduled for Wednesday evening as a part of TLC. Come with nice clothes (not necessarily suits and ties and dresses, but business casual, which for some is jeans and a t-shirt!).

 

 

 

August 1,  2010
Burdick’s Prayer Update
Gary Burdick, Assistant to the Superintendent

Kim and I leave for a week of vacation on Friday. We plan to canoe about 300 miles of the Yellowstone River. The first 3 days Shannon will join us. It should be fun! We want to get this letter out to you before we head out since it will be well into August (already) before we get back. Here are some quick updates.

Mio is back from a nice visit to Japan and is healing very well. Shannon too is healing, although he continues to have to put eye drops in. Hopefully he will get released from Doctor’s care on Monday the 2nd.

The Billings church plant core group held an outreach picnic that was fun and had 4 visitors. Please continue to pray for decisions related to the possibility of this launch. The District Executive Committee will address Gary’s proposal on August 9 or 10. The proposal is to do three part-time jobs, District Church Planting Director, Church Planter and some secular work.

Missoula Downtown Church continues to make good progress and have lots of great conversations with new attenders who are formerly unchurched folks. Please continue to uphold this project.

The Boise church plant is progressing. The Rock at Nampa (the mother church) will be hearing a pastoral candidate shortly. Please pray for wisdom in that process. The selection of a senior pastor there will clear the way for Dusty Benner to move on to the church plant.

The time at Dickey Lake Camp went well and the time with Gary’s Dad was a real blessing. Thanks for praying for that opportunity.

As always we really appreciate your faithful prayerful support. Keep up the good work.

Blessings,

Gary & Kim