Across the nation, June 2010
ALASKA
ANCHORAGE — The Anchorage church recently began offering its entire Sunday assemblies on its website, anchoragechurchof christ.org. Leaders say the move came after several people in outlying areas asked for more than sermons to use for their own services.
CALIFORNIA
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden Gate church conducted bilingual worship — and trilingual a cappella singing — with the help of those fluent in English, Spanish and Tagalog.
The Lake Merced church will expand on the concept June 6 by hosting ACAPINOY, which will add three more languages to the mix: Ilokano, Pangasinan and Cebuano.
CONNECTICUT
MANCHESTER — About 200 Christians from Northeastern states gathered for the recent third annual New England Church Growth Conference.
The theme was “I have many people in this city,” based on Acts 18:10. For more information on the 2010 conference and dates for next year’s event, see www.newenglandcgc.org.
FLORIDA
BRANDON — A church bus carrying 27 youth and sponsors from the Bell Shoals church was involved in a fatal crash April 24 as the group returned from a service project in a nearby community.
“Thankfully, God protected all of our young people,” associate minister Chris Hodges said.
Witnesses said a car spun out-of-control from the opposite lane into the path of the church vehicle. Bell
Shoals bus driver James Adair, 63, was praised for his quick reaction and ability to stop the bus. The car’s driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
GEORGIA
MARIETTA — Congregations from five states partnered with the East Cobb church to fill seven trailers with supplies for Haiti earthquake victims.
Those who helped included the Archer City, Texas, church; Burnt Hickory church in Marietta; Camp Creek church in Atlanta; Collegedale church in Troy, Ala.; Eatonton, Ga., church; Grace Chapel church in Cumming, Ga.; Hillcrest church in Decatur, Ga.; Lakewood church in Atlanta; Liberty City church in Savannah, Ga.; Littleton Colorado church in Littleton, Ga.; Meadowbrook church in Ocala, Fla.; Moreland Avenue church in Atlanta; North Atlanta church; Shannon church in Union City, Ga.; Schaffer Road church in Marietta; Southlake church in Morrow, Ga.; West End church in Atlanta; and White’s Ferry Road church in West Monroe, La.
KENTUCKY
MURRAY — The Glendale Road church’s Caring and Sharing building is used every day of the week.
On any day, volunteers may be found distributing food, sorting and giving out clothing, preparing supplies for shipping to mission workers or assisting those who need to borrow furniture or household items after a fire or other catastrophe.
MISSISSIPPI
YAZOO CITY — An early morning tornado cut through this community of 15,000 on April 24, killing at least 10 people, leaving dozens more injured and causing millions of dollars in property damage.
Within hours, relief workers from the White’s Ferry Road’s relief team in West Monroe, La., were headed to the area to assess needs and begin making plans for cleaning crews, said Carol Ogle, ministry coordinator.
OKLAHOMA
EUFAULA — The Eufaula church averages 100 in attendance each week. The three websites it maintains, however, are visited by tens of thousands each year.
Seekingthelost.org, histrue church.org and eufaulachurchof christ.org are consistently among the top-ranked searches for seekers asking questions having to do with biblical topics on Internet search engines, said Eufaula church member James Goddard.
TENNESSEE
JACKSON — After struggling with respiratory problems much of his life, Bryan Britt, 33, of Jackson was examined by the National Institute of Health’s Center for Undiagnosed Diseases in Bethesda, Md.
The clinic opened in May 2009 and has accepted only about 12 percent of its applicants. Britt recently spent a week in the clinic, where 28 specialists focused solely on his illness.
Britt, who is unable to work, received a diaphragmatic pacemaker in November 2009 and is on oxygen, which has helped make his condition livable.
Prior to his illness, Britt was a high school teacher and soccer coach at Jackson Christian School. He and his wife, Jenna, graduated from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson and attend the Campbell Street
Church of Christ in Jackson with their two children, Abby, 6, and Nathan, 4.
The NIH was unable to diagnose Britt but will continue to work with him for as long as he needs. To help support the Britts financially, go to www.wthfoundation.org/ makeadonation, click on the “Community Funds” link, register as a user and select “Bryan Britt Fund” from the dropdown menu.
TEXAS
COPPELL — The Riverside church is mourning the loss of elder Phil Gage, 54, and his daughter, Raychel, 20, who were killed in an automobile crash April 18.
Injured were Debbie Gage, wife and mother of the victims, and 14-month-old Zach, Raychel’s son. Both are expected to make full recoveries.
Riverside members have created a Facebook site, keywords “In loving memory of Phil and Raychel Gage” for friends and fellow Christians to share stories and offer support to Debbie and Zach.
ORANGE — Michael Lee “Mickey” McNamara, 76, was beaten with a bat and killed April 21 during what police say was a robbery at his insurance office. The victim served as an elder at the Ninth and Elm church for 15 years.
“Mickey McNamara was a man of peace and of love … one of the finest men I’ve ever met,” fellow elder Charles Block told KFDM-TV.
ANCHORAGE — The Anchorage church recently began offering its entire Sunday assemblies on its website, anchoragechurchof christ.org. Leaders say the move came after several people in outlying areas asked for more than sermons to use for their own services.
CALIFORNIA
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden Gate church conducted bilingual worship — and trilingual a cappella singing — with the help of those fluent in English, Spanish and Tagalog.
The Lake Merced church will expand on the concept June 6 by hosting ACAPINOY, which will add three more languages to the mix: Ilokano, Pangasinan and Cebuano.
CONNECTICUT
MANCHESTER — About 200 Christians from Northeastern states gathered for the recent third annual New England Church Growth Conference.
The theme was “I have many people in this city,” based on Acts 18:10. For more information on the 2010 conference and dates for next year’s event, see www.newenglandcgc.org.
FLORIDA
BRANDON — A church bus carrying 27 youth and sponsors from the Bell Shoals church was involved in a fatal crash April 24 as the group returned from a service project in a nearby community.
“Thankfully, God protected all of our young people,” associate minister Chris Hodges said.
Witnesses said a car spun out-of-control from the opposite lane into the path of the church vehicle. Bell
Shoals bus driver James Adair, 63, was praised for his quick reaction and ability to stop the bus. The car’s driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
GEORGIA
MARIETTA — Congregations from five states partnered with the East Cobb church to fill seven trailers with supplies for Haiti earthquake victims.
Those who helped included the Archer City, Texas, church; Burnt Hickory church in Marietta; Camp Creek church in Atlanta; Collegedale church in Troy, Ala.; Eatonton, Ga., church; Grace Chapel church in Cumming, Ga.; Hillcrest church in Decatur, Ga.; Lakewood church in Atlanta; Liberty City church in Savannah, Ga.; Littleton Colorado church in Littleton, Ga.; Meadowbrook church in Ocala, Fla.; Moreland Avenue church in Atlanta; North Atlanta church; Shannon church in Union City, Ga.; Schaffer Road church in Marietta; Southlake church in Morrow, Ga.; West End church in Atlanta; and White’s Ferry Road church in West Monroe, La.
KENTUCKY
MURRAY — The Glendale Road church’s Caring and Sharing building is used every day of the week.
On any day, volunteers may be found distributing food, sorting and giving out clothing, preparing supplies for shipping to mission workers or assisting those who need to borrow furniture or household items after a fire or other catastrophe.
MISSISSIPPI
YAZOO CITY — An early morning tornado cut through this community of 15,000 on April 24, killing at least 10 people, leaving dozens more injured and causing millions of dollars in property damage.
Within hours, relief workers from the White’s Ferry Road’s relief team in West Monroe, La., were headed to the area to assess needs and begin making plans for cleaning crews, said Carol Ogle, ministry coordinator.
OKLAHOMA
EUFAULA — The Eufaula church averages 100 in attendance each week. The three websites it maintains, however, are visited by tens of thousands each year.
Seekingthelost.org, histrue church.org and eufaulachurchof christ.org are consistently among the top-ranked searches for seekers asking questions having to do with biblical topics on Internet search engines, said Eufaula church member James Goddard.
TENNESSEE
JACKSON — After struggling with respiratory problems much of his life, Bryan Britt, 33, of Jackson was examined by the National Institute of Health’s Center for Undiagnosed Diseases in Bethesda, Md.
The clinic opened in May 2009 and has accepted only about 12 percent of its applicants. Britt recently spent a week in the clinic, where 28 specialists focused solely on his illness.
Britt, who is unable to work, received a diaphragmatic pacemaker in November 2009 and is on oxygen, which has helped make his condition livable.
Prior to his illness, Britt was a high school teacher and soccer coach at Jackson Christian School. He and his wife, Jenna, graduated from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson and attend the Campbell Street
Church of Christ in Jackson with their two children, Abby, 6, and Nathan, 4.
The NIH was unable to diagnose Britt but will continue to work with him for as long as he needs. To help support the Britts financially, go to www.wthfoundation.org/ makeadonation, click on the “Community Funds” link, register as a user and select “Bryan Britt Fund” from the dropdown menu.
TEXAS
COPPELL — The Riverside church is mourning the loss of elder Phil Gage, 54, and his daughter, Raychel, 20, who were killed in an automobile crash April 18.
Injured were Debbie Gage, wife and mother of the victims, and 14-month-old Zach, Raychel’s son. Both are expected to make full recoveries.
Riverside members have created a Facebook site, keywords “In loving memory of Phil and Raychel Gage” for friends and fellow Christians to share stories and offer support to Debbie and Zach.
ORANGE — Michael Lee “Mickey” McNamara, 76, was beaten with a bat and killed April 21 during what police say was a robbery at his insurance office. The victim served as an elder at the Ninth and Elm church for 15 years.
“Mickey McNamara was a man of peace and of love … one of the finest men I’ve ever met,” fellow elder Charles Block told KFDM-TV.
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