The Faithful Messenger May/June/July 2011

A member of the Christian & Missionary Alliance | Steve Grace, Senior Pastor
coming this fall
youth Mission Trip
Volume 12, No. 3: MAY/JUNE/JULY 2011
Thailand 2011 — June 22 - July 4
Children’s
Ministry to
restructure
Photo courtesy of Catherine Davis
Goal is to provide
consistent lead teachers
who serve every week
T
his September, our children’s
Sunday school classes will be
staffed by teachers who have
committed to being there weekly for the
nine-month school year. The change
comes after two-plus years of Children’s
Ministry leadership wrestling with the
current rotation system of teachers
serving once a month or every other
week. It’s not just the logistics of
scheduling nearly 100 volunteers each
week, but more importantly, the
struggle regarding the value of what
we are trying to accomplish through
this ministry in the first place.
“Our primary goal is the formation
and cementing of the spiritual foundation of every child who passes through
this ministry,” said Karola Aleckson,
Children’s Ministry
Director. “This is a
high and holy calling
—to educate our
children in the
ways of the Lord,
to teach them to
know and love
Jesus!”
continued on page 5
In the mix Youth Pastor Catherine Davis holds the hose while Hood River students,
(L-R) Aleah DeHart, Katie White and Jen Mikkelson, mix concrete for the floor of a new
bunk house for teams to stay in when they come to work with Remember Nhu.
Hard work and play mix in Thailand
Youth team split their days between mixing
cement by hand and playing games with the girls
A
group of 17 of our high school
students and five adult chaperones
traveled to Thailand this June to partner
with Remember Nhu, an organization
dedicated to eliminating the exploitation
of children in the sex trade. They house
78 girls on their 11-acre property—44
in a home and 34 in a bunk house,
each with a set of house parents.
Several students and adult staff from
the team joined Youth Pastor Catherine
Davis on the platform on Sunday, July
17, to talk about their experience.
“This is the best team I’ve ever
taken,” Catherine remarked, “—and
this was not the easiest trip.”
The group spent their mornings
mixing concrete by hand in the heat
and humidity, then cleaned up and
headed back to play with the girls for
the rest of the day. Sleeping with ants
and showering with spiders was memorable to Holly Grace, but what really
impacted her was when Carl Ralston,
Remember Nhu founder, said 85-95%
of these girls would be in the sex trade.
“We had just spent an incredible week
continued on page 5
Summer
a t- a - g l a n c e
July 24 - Multi-Church Community
Worship Service, 10 am,
Jackson Park
July 25 - FISH Food Bank, 3:45-5pm
Also July 27 and 29
July 31 - Girls Summer Circle begins,
10:45 am, Youth Ctr (for 6 wks)
Aug 4-7 - All-Church Campout,
Hollenbeck Park, Trout Lake
Aug 13 - Men’s Breakfast, 7:45 am,
Fellowship Hall
Aug 21 -Evening of Worship,
7:00 pm, Sanctuary
Aug 27 - Community United Prayer,
11:30 am, Jackson Park
Sep 4 - Children’s Film Festival for
K-5th Grades, 2nd Service,
Fellowship Hall
Sep 10 - Men’s Breakfast, 7:45 am,
Fellowship Hall
Sep 11 - Children’s Classes begin
fall schedule
Sep 11 -River Baptism & Potluck, After 2nd service, Gay’s Home
Sep 12 -High School Youth Group
resumes, 7 pm, Youth Center
Sep 14 - Middle School Youth Group
resumes, 7 pm, Youth Center
Sep 23 - Men’s Fall Retreat (to 9/25),
Trout Lake, WA
W ee k l y S c h e d u l e
SUN d a y s .
9:00 am - First Service, Sanctuary
- Adult Class, Fellowship Hall
- Busy Bees & Preschool Classes
10:45 am - Second Service, Sanctuary
- Preschool-5th Grade Classes
T u e s d a y s .
6:00 am - Prayer Meeting, Prayer Room
w e d n e s d a y s .
8:30 am- Women’s “Body Gospel
Workouts,” Youth Center
6:15 pm- Celebrate Recovery Fellowship
7:00 pm- Celebrate Recovery Meeting
9:00 pm- Celebrate Recovery Coffee
t h u r s d a y s .
6:00 am - Men’s Bible Study, Pastor’s Office
6:30 pm - Women’s “Watered in the
Word,” Sanctuary (ends Aug 18)
Sa t u r d a y s .
6:00 pm - “Esperanza y Vida,” Sanctuary
For community groups listing, see page 7.
2
GRAC E NOT E S
Pa s t o r S t e v e G r a c e
In search of...
The Apostle Paul gives us an idea of
what to look for in an associate pastor
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of
sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
14
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to
you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit
who lives in us. —2 Timothy 1:13-14 (NIV)
13
I
others to join in this kingdom life.
was thinking about this verse today
Finally, we are looking for a man
in light of our search for an associwho walks in the power and life of the
ate pastor. Paul was writing to a
Holy Spirit. I’m not simply talking
young man who was just starting out in
about witnessing and
ministry. Timothy
experiencing “signs
was a serious
and wonders.”
believer who had
Scripture refers to
significant responsithe Holy Spirit as our
bilities in the young
counselor, our guide.
churches of the day.
The work of the Holy
His gifting and his
Spirit in our lives
leadership were
leads to sanctification
recognized early by
and holy living. We
Paul and by the
desire to have an
elders of the church.
associate pastor
They saw his abilities
The tricky part is we
life clearly
and his heart, so
can’t see the heart of a whose
demonstrates the
they laid hands on
man, so we are asking
Holy Spirit’s influhim and commisence and leading. We
sioned him for the
God for discernment.
want a man who
work of ministry.
exhibits the Fruit of the Spirit—love,
Paul tells this young pastor, first, to
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodkeep to the pattern of sound teaching.
ness, faithfulness, gentleness and
As we look for our associate pastor, we
self-control.
are looking for a man who, like Timothy,
This can seem like a lot to ask, can’t
will stay true to scripture, who will
it? But this is what Paul expected from
teach responsibly, who will not be led
Timothy, and it is what we should be
astray by new sensibilities and new
looking for in our next staff member.
ideas. We desire a man who will keep
The tricky part of a pastoral search is
to the pattern of sound teaching.
that we can’t see the heart of man, only
We are also looking for a man who
God can. So as a search team, we are
has a strong faith and love for Jesus.
asking God to give us discernment as
As a church we desire to see the people
we read résumés and interview
of our fellowship fully engaged in the
prospective candidates. We believe in
life and ministry of Jesus. We want
the same way God helped Samuel pick
people who claim to be followers of
David as the King of Israel, he can help
Jesus to actually follow him, to be
us find our next associate pastor.
involved in the things he was involved
with, to do the things he did, to value
Living the Call Together,
the things Jesus valued. We need a
man who will model this kind of living
to our community and encourage
The Faithful Messenger
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
fall change
Re p o r t Va c a t i o n B i b l e S c h o o l — J u n e 2 7 - J u l y 1 , 2 0 1 1
Regular mid-week
meetings to shift
days this fall
Youth
Groups
will move to
Monday &
Wednesday;
Celebrate Recovery will move
to Tuesday nights
C
hanges to public school activities
will affect our mid-week schedule
this fall. In an effort to avoid conflict as
much as possible with middle school
sports programs—now run by Hood
River Community Education—we will
shift our youth group nights from
Tuesday/Thursday to a Monday/
Wednesday schedule.
High school youth group will meet
Mondays, and middle school youth
group will meet Wednesdays. Both
programs will retain their format, with
open gym beginning right after school,
a simple dinner at 6:00 p.m., start-up
at 7:00 p.m., and hang time afterward
at Dairy Queen from 8:30-9:00 p.m.
Youth groups take a break during
the month of August, and will resume
the week of September 12.
This change will also mean a shift
for Celebrate Recovery. Meetings will
continue on Wednesday nights until
September 6 when they will shift to the
Tuesday night slot. The Celebrate
Recovery format will also remain the
continued on page 10
the Faithful Messenger
DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE:
Monday, September 15, 2011
We welcome your contributions. Articles
may be edited depending on space. Submit
information to the church office or email
dfrancis1@embarqmail.com.
THE FAITHFUL MESSENGER is published bimonthly by Hood River Alliance Church. Nonprofit postage paid at Hood River, OR. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to HRAC,
2650 Montello Avenue, Hood River, OR 97031.
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
Making it personal
As part of the mission project,
VBS kids sent personalized bookmarks and tie-dyed “Jesus
Loves Me” backpacks to children in Thailand. The gifts were
tangible evidence that someone cares all the way across the world!
VBS message wasn’t
Asian bamboo
just for the kids
forest where
“Pandamania”
reminded all that
God is WILD about us
Excerpts taken from Karola Aleckson’s
report to the Governing Board
children would learn that God is WILD
about them. Each of the five days,
children heard an exciting Bible story
and learned a different Bible point:
“God made you,” “God listens to you,”
“God watches over you,” “God loves
you, no matter what,” and finally, “God
gives good gifts.” Children would shout
out, “THANK YOU, GOD!” whenever
they heard the day’s point mentioned
throughout the morning.
“It never ceases to amaze me how
e had an awesome week!”
said Children’s Ministry
Director Karola Aleckson.
“Our VBS program was an amazing
combination of 121 dedicated servants
continued on page 11
giving their time and
energy and 228
wonderful children in
attendance.” The
program was at capacity
all week, and Karola was
thankful they did not
have to turn anyone
away this year. “I’ve had
to do that before and
prayed it would never
happen again,” she said.
In the weeks
preceding, volunteers
had transformed our
Shout-out Children and crew leaders respond with an
sanctuary, halls and
energetic shout of “Thank you, God!” when they hear the
day’s Bible point.
VBS photos by Chelsea Pillette
classrooms into a leafy,
The Faithful Messenger
3
F u n d r a i s e r Re c a p
Dick Duckwall Golf Classic — May 21, 2011
First Place Gross: Kevin Eakin, Dan Jeffries, Mark
Franger, and Mike Mason
Photos by Amancay Maahs
First Place Net: Todd Sherrell (in back) shares a golf cart with his son-in-law,
Daniel Reiss (left), and sons, Parker and Elliott.
Annual Duckwall Golf Classic
earns thousands for youth
by Laurie Lago
O
n Saturday, May 21, the 8th Annual Dick Duckwall Golf Tournament
was held at the Hood River Golf and Country Club. The day started
out looking grey and cold, but the rain held off and we even had a
couple of sun breaks. Thank you to all who braved the weather and came out
to support our kids. Overall, the event raised $4,500 for the group of
students and staff who traveled to Thailand this summer.
Winning teams of the day are shown above and at right. Individual
winners included Austin Krentz (Men’s Longest Drive), Roxanne McClure
(Women’s Longest Drive), and Daniel Reiss (Men’s KP).
The raffle prizes were drawn during the luncheon, with Jessie Birge
winning the Skamania Lodge Grand Prize. Many other items were auctioned
off to support the kids going to Thailand. It was a fun day that was successful
due to the many wonderful sponsors, great golfers, and the hard working
Thailand kids and parents. Thank you, everyone!
breakdown
efore a group of 17 high school students and five adult
youth staff departed for their 13-day mission in
Thailand this June, plans were in the works for over a year.
During that time, a host of fundraising efforts—big and
small—took place to help defray costs for the trip which
totaled about $1,918 per person for transportation, room
and board. Listed at right is a breakdown of where the
funds came from. Many thanks to those of you who
supported the team through your generous participation.
4
Second Place Net: Steve Grace, Eric Sletmoe,
Dave Keleher, and Mike Caldwell
Fu n d r a i s i n g S u m m a r y f o r T h a i l a n d 2 0 1 1
Students’ mission trip to
Thailand had lots of support
B
Second Place Gross: Tom & Justin Aleckson and
Tom & Slater Modrich
Duckwall Golf Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,500.00
Garage Sale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,185.85
Pie Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2,591.10
Duckwall Golf Raffle Tickets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,239.50
Murder Mystery Dinner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,175.00
Dinner Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,135.10
Potato Bake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,064.11
Rent-a-Kid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,045.00
Concession Stand at Hood River Swim Meet . . . . . . . . $ 578.87
Personal Payments and Donations from
Friends & Family, General Scholarships. . . . . . . . $ 30,668.22
Total Raised. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 48,182.75
The Faithful Messenger
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
Ready, aim… Rick Hallyburton (center) loads a water balloon
launcher the Hood River team brought. They used the device, made of
silicone tubing with a funnel in the middle, as a game after telling the
David and Goliath story. Team member Boni Franz (left) helps hold one
side while Addy Haney (right of Rick) stands by. Their target was Gabe
Holste (not shown) who was dressed as Goliath.
home lost its importance,”
Josh said.
Alia Burck
Sierra Jessup
Ben Ketler was blown away
Danae Burck
Ben Ketler*
by the servanthood of the four
Autumn Cox
Mike Ketler*
house parents. “The overwhelCatherine Davis* Josh Lago
ming love and support they
Aleah DeHart
Jen Mikkelson
show the girls—from basically
Boni Franz*
Rune Prowett
girls was the
the time they wake up until
Holly Grace*
Chloe Rocha
highlight of
they go to bed, they are serving
Tori Grace
Cesar Romero
their trip. Uno, Addy Haney
and loving those girls. It was a
Sadie Shepard
“tickle tag,”
Christina Henage Katie White
huge testimony to me of what
ping pong and
Gabe Holste
we’re called to be, and it was a
*Adult staff
Willy Huckaby
jump rope
beautiful sight to see.”
games were
Boni Franz was grateful Holly
among the fun. “We’d waste all our
killed all the spiders and bugs for her,
energy,” said Cesar Romero, 15, “and
but was most touched by our own kids.
they still had energy left.” Mike Ketler
“They worked really hard and I’m really
was humbled to be beaten at jump
proud to be able to hang out and work
rope by a five-year-old in flip-flops.
with them because they are awesome.”
Katie White, 16, was struck by how
The team took one day to tour the
the girls interact like a big family. “They
city of Chiang Mai, ride elephants, and
take care of each other like they’ve lived
see a Buddhist temple. Along the way,
together since they were born,” she said.
they were sickened by the countless
Aleah DeHart, 17, and Josh Lago, 18,
brothels they saw. It was a reminder of
both said seeing how happy the girls
the important work God is doing through
were when they had so little made a big
Remember Nhu—one in which they
impact. “Everything in my bedroom at
were privileged to play a part.
2011 Thailand Team
Thailand report
continued from page 1
and a half with these girls, playing games
and getting to know them,” Holly said,
“so that statement really hit my heart
—because now they had faces and I
knew their names. It took on a whole
new meaning for me.”
Ours was the first large team of youth
to visit the land. “The girls loved them!”
said Kerry Hallyburton, whose husband
Rick is overseeing construction of
another home on the property. “There
was so much energy! We loved having
the team here, too. It was so encouraging for us to have friends come and
help with this mission.”
Gabe Holste, 17, and others reported
that playing and hanging out with the
Children’s Ministry change
continued from page 1
Earlier this year, Karola and her
ministry assistant, Kaylene Baker,
attended a national Children’s Ministry
conference in San Diego where their
questions were answered, and they got
the affirmation they had been seeking.
Although our ministry is blessed with
many loving and committed volunteers,
Karola and Kaylene feel the best way to
reach our goals is to provide consistent
teachers on a weekly basis.
“This vision for Children’s Ministry
has become so crystal clear and something we are sure is God’s will,” Karola
wrote this May in a letter to volunteers.
They are asking lead teachers for a
nine-month commitment for the
school year, with a separate team to
cover the three-month summer period.
The idea is to create a team approach
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
where two lead teachers share the
responsibility for a class each week.
This will alleviate challenges which
arise due to sickness or vacations. It will
also help younger children transition
into class, and older children in
trusting teachers enough to develop
relationships. Positions for assistants
and helpers are available with monthly
or quarterly time commitments.
“I am so excited about this change,”
Kaylene said, “especially the way it will
encourage relationships with our kids.”
Response among volunteers about
the change has been very positive, and
five teams are already in place for fall,
but five more teams are still needed.
“Some of our teachers have been
teaching this way for a while, and they
wouldn’t have it any other way,” Karola
said. “Others are not able to make a
larger commitment like this, and we
understand that. We are praying with
The Faithful Messenger
excitement and anticipation for God to
raise up the teachers he has to serve in
this way.”
“I find it’s actually easier when you
serve regularly,” Karola stated, having
taught the 2nd-3rd class every other
week for the last five months. “You get
into a ‘groove’ and can build momentum in your lessons. You can follow-up
on prayer requests, and there’s just
more continuity in your relationships
with the kids.”
Pastor Steve welcomes the change.
“I believe as adults commit to deeper
levels of service in children’s ministry,
we will see our children grow in deeper
relationship with Jesus,” he said. “Jesus
really loves the little children, and we
can participate in his life and ministry
when we serve the ones he loves.”
If you feel a tug to be involved, call
Karola at (541) 806-5595 or Kaylene at
(541) 806-3778 to find out more.
5
HRAC h a p p e n i n g s
Join prayer walk
for our schools
This month’s inter-church
prayer meeting, CUP
(Community United
Prayer), will be a prayer
walk for our schools. Meet at
Jackson Park on Wednesday,
August 31, at 11:30 a.m.
for men
Men’s group meets
early Thursdays
6:00 - 7:00 a.m., Pastor’s Office
Pastor Steve Grace leads a men’s
study on Thursday mornings. Subjects vary.
All men are welcome. Come check it out.
Girls Summer Circle
meets Sunday mornings
For girls
who would
like to voice
their ideas and
opinions in a
fun and relaxed
environment
If you just completed grades 9-12, you are
invited to a special Sunday morning girls
group this summer. College-age girls are
invited to attend as mentors. We encourage
the development of strength, courage,
confidence, honesty, and communication
skills for girls in a Christ-centered
environment. Our goal is to enhance girls’
abilities so they can take full advantage of
who they are in Christ, while exploring
their talents, academic interests, career
pursuits, and potential for healthy
relationships. Girls Summer Circle is
facilitated by Lori Marques and meets
during second service through Sunday,
Sept. 4. Questions can be directed to Lori
at lmarques1@charter.net, or call or text
her at (541) 490-1916.
Come celebrate
Vivian Paul’s
80th birthday!
Join us for a barbecue on
Saturday, August 27 from
4:00 - 8:00 p.m. to celebrate Vivian’s 80th
birthday. Please bring a side dish to share
and a balloon (if you can) to 35 Echo Glen
Road in White Salmon, WA (two miles up
Snowden Road). If you have questions,
call Colette at (360) 635-2292.
Dishes are piling up!
Our kitchen is overloaded
with dishes. If you have
brought food for any need in
the last few months and have
not picked up your dish,
please check the kitchen.
6
Evening of
Worship
Sunday,
August 21
7:00 pm
Our worship team
will host this time
of worship, prayer,
intimacy and
celebration. Join
us as we sing new songs and familiar
songs in adoration to our God.
Get ready for fall!
8:00-9:00 AM
in Fellowship Hall
Coming soon…
Men’s
Fall Retreat
Fall start-up is right
around the corner for our
K-5th grade classes!
Sunday, September 4
Labor Day Film Festival,
10:45 a.m. in Fellowship Hall
Sunday, September 11
September 23- 25
Regular elementary classes resume
both hours—9:00 & 10:45 a.m.
at Jonah Ministries Camp
Trout Lake, Washington
For Women
Get fit with Cindy!
Cindy Brunk leads women in
Body Gospel workouts on
Wednesday and Friday mornings
at 8:30 a.m. in the Youth
Center. These fun workouts
are set to upbeat gospel music.
All fitness levels are welcome.
If you have questions, call Cindy at
(541) 490-6121, email her at
cindybrunk@mac.com or find her on
Facebook at “Get Fit with Cindy.”
Watered in the Word
continues through Aug. 18
Thursday evenings
Refreshments at 6:30 p.m.
Study from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Women are invited to spend Thursday
nights soaking in God’s Word as different
speakers bring encouragement and
insight into the scriptures each week. This
summer’s theme is “Renewal, Refreshing,
Reviving the Soul.” Don’t miss the FINALE
as we wrap up on Thursday, August 18,
with worship and testimonies.
Save the Date!
Women’s
Fall Retreat
October 14-16
Cannon Beach Conference Center
Women’s Bible Study
Thursday morning study
resumes Sept. 15
Thursdays, 9 a.m.
Fellowship Hall
After a summer break, Women’s
Bible Study will return with a new
fall study on Thursday,
Sept. 15. Lessons
begin promptly
at 9:00, so don’t
be late! Come
for teaching and
discussion.
Childcare is
always provided.
Come as you are,
come when
you can!
The Faithful Messenger
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
Celebrating Recovery
Community Groups
A g r ea t p la ce t o g r o w and connect
“My desire Many groups taking
for alcohol the summer off
was gone...” M
A sobering miracle
moment brought
Nona Moore back to
the Lord after 40 years
by Sara Michelotti
I
f you didn’t go to work, you’d get
fired. A coworker might miss you.
Someone might even declare that
no one could replace you, but eventually, they would.
Everyone would move
on, and in time, no one
would remember you
had been there at all.
That’s life. Then, there’s
God—who never
forgets. He knows
Nona Moore
exactly where we are
and where he’s taking
us. He saves our place. No one knows
that better than Nona Moore.
You’d never guess that Nona, a
bubbly, warm-hearted, one-woman
generator of the Lord’s joy, hadn’t
been to church in 40 years, or that
she’d had an addiction to alcohol.
Judging from the pictures of her and
her husband Lee’s 50th anniversary—a
joyful three generations spilling out of
every frame—you would never guess
her family had ever been anything but
in love with the Lord.
Nona remembers the exact day
everything changed. On January 24,
2009, the power of the Lord gripped
her life anew. It began with the weight
of a realization—that the bottle-a-night
“glass” of wine had become like
“another god to me.” She knew she
couldn’t stop. She felt shame and guilt,
but it was quelled by a liberating
revelation of God’s grace—a fresh
sense of his love for her, his forgiveness, and his desire and ability to
continued on page 10
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
any of our community groups and
small Bible studies are taking a
summer break and will resume in the
fall. Some, however, are continuing to
meet. They are a great way to connect
with others and grow in your faith.
SUNDAY
Adult Sunday School
Faith Lessons by Ray Vanderlaan (DVDs)
9:00 a.m., Fellowship Hall
Mark Johnson—(541) 354-2842
Pete & Erin Tegeler/Chris & Andrea Welvaert
On summer break; will resume in the fall
5:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall (or Mod 1)
Childcare available; (541) 386-2812, ext. 1010
Joe & Nancy Rinella
On summer break; will resume in the fall
Food at 5:00 p.m., Rinella residence (HR)
Childcare available; (541) 490-2449
TUESDAY
Sandie Fischer
Upper Valley Prayer Group
9:00 a.m., Odell/Parkdale; (541) 490-2911
Steve & Holly Grace
7:00 p.m., Grace residence (HR)
Children are welcome; (541) 386-2812
Linda Lorenzen (women’s study)
On summer break; will resume in Sept.
6:00 p.m., The Dalles; (541) 298-8864
Roy & Darlene Nellermoe
On summer break; will resume in the fall
7:00 p.m., Odell; (541) 354-1007
W EDNESDAY
Brian & Diana Wright / Paul & Lynne Casal
On summer break; will resume around Oct. 1
7:00 p.m., White Salmon
(509) 493-2277; (509) 493-2979
THURSDAY
Steve Grace (men’s study)
6:00 - 7:00 a.m., Pastor’s Office
(541) 386-2812
Women’s Bible Study
On summer break; will resume Sept. 15
9:00 a.m., Fellowship Hall
Childcare available for infants-preschoolers
(541) 386-2812; (541) 490-2206
Watered in the Word (women’s study)
Meets July 7 - August 18
7:00 - 9:00 p.m., Sanctuary
Snacks & fellowship begin
at 6:30 p.m.
Call leaders for
details or directions.
S u p p o r t a n d Re c o v e r y
“My grace is enough for you...”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Program offers a safe
place to share and heal
I
f you are struggling with an addiction or
destructive habit, or suffering the wounds of a
past hurt, the Christ-centered program Celebrate
Recovery is designed to help you find healing
and freedom. It meets every Wednesday (without
exception), starting with dinner at 6:15 p.m. A
large-group meets at 7:00, with small groups
beginning at 8:00 p.m. and fellowship afterward.
Wondering how to get connected? Every week a
Newcomers 101 group is available for first-timers.
If you have questions, find out more on our
website or call Lud Tolbert at (541) 308-5339.
The Faithful Messenger
Wednesday Night
Recovery Groups
For Women:
- Chemical Dependency
- Hurts, Habits & Hang-ups
- Codependent Women in
Relationship with a
Sexually-addicted Man
For Men:
- Sexual Addiction
- Hurts, Habits & Hang-ups
7
F a m i l y New s
With deepest
sympathy and love . . .
2011 Graduates receive
blessing from Youth Pastor
Our church family grieves with Mike
and Leigha Andrews and their daughter,
Ahnauna, after the loss of their son
and brother, Forest Andrews, 18, in a
skateboarding
accident on June
10—the day he
was supposed to
graduate from
high school.
Forest had been
an active part of
our youth
ministry, helping
out this past year with staffing the
middle school group, and he and
Ahnauna were both planning to go on
the mission to Thailand.
Roughly 800 people from the
community gathered on our campus
on Saturday, June 18, for a memorial
celebration of Forest’s life, packing the
sanctuary and overflowing to additional
seating in the Youth Center. Attenders
shared memories of their friend who
always had a smile, was a talented artist
and musician, and had a heart for others.
An account has been set up in
Forest’s name at Wells Fargo Bank for
those desiring to help the Andrews’
family with tangible needs. Due to Mike
and Leigha’s complex diet restrictions,
the family is not receiving meals at this
time. Personal notes, especially with
fond memories of Forest, mean a lot to
the family and can be mailed to 5709
Madison Dr., Parkdale OR 97041. They
remain in our thoughts and prayers.
See also www.ForestAndrews.com.
Some of the following high school
seniors came forward during services
on Sunday, June 5, to receive congratulations and a gift from Youth Pastor
Catherine Davis. After each student told
briefly of their plans for the coming year,
Catherine shared a final encouragement with them as their youth pastor.
“It’s not so much about what you’re
going to do in the future,” she told
them, “but more imporantly what kind
of people you’re going to become.” She
read from Proverbs 3:3-6.
“And so we know and rely on the love
God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives
in love lives in God, and God in them.”
—1 John 4:16—
Graduates from the
Class of 2011 :
Jordan Abramson
Forest Andrews
Kayla Brown
Jaclyn Bryant
Kenny Collett
Kristin Davis
David DeHart
Rodney Fischer
Jonathan Frost
Rachel Frost
Seth Fults
Emily Ing
Aspen Inouye
Mac Roy Jackson
Natalie Johnson
Josh Lago
Jesse Miles
Hayley Marques
Zach Olmstead
Brielle Perron
Chelsea Pillette
Elevia Ritchie
Brent Rovianek
Laurel Ryan
Parker Sherrell
Amalia Sletmoe
Catherine noted special thanks to
Jordan Abramson, Forest Andrews,
Josh Lago, Chelsea Pillette and Elevia
Ritchie who had stepped forward last
fall to help out with the middle school
youth group. “We couldn’t have done
it without them,” she said, and with
thanks, presented each of them with a
personalized dodge ball.
Following each service, the congregation had a chance to view picture
boards of graduates and enjoy cake in
the foyer to celebrate with them and
their families.
Concrete dedication
Members of the Thailand team marked
the cement floor of the bunkhouse they
helped finish with a special dedication to
their teammate, Forest Andrews.
Photo by Katie White
8
Celebrating 25 years!
We rejoice with Michael and Lori
Marques who celebrated 25 years of
marriage on May 31, 2011. The couple
tied the knot in Pleasant Hill, California. They moved to Hood River in the
fall of 2002. Michael and Lori have
three children, Hayley (18), Austin
(14), and Logan (9).
Multi-church offering given
for emergency vouchers
Attenders at the Community Worship
Service in Jackson Park on July 24 gave
an offering totaling $3,078.82 to the
Hood River Emergency Voucher
Program. Administered by chaplains at
Providence Hood River Memorial
Hospital, the program provides a meal,
a night’s lodging, and gas money to
people in crisis. “This is a way for us to
extend hospitality in the spirit of Christ
to those in our midst,” said Pastor
Mark Willems, citing Hebrews 13:2.
S t ew a r d ’ s W a t c h
Figures are thru July 17, 2011.
General Fund
Total Budget for 2011. . . . . . $ 671,350.00
Budgeted for 29 weeks . . . . . $ 374,406.82
Received in 29 weeks. . . . . . . $ 378,203.09
Building Fund
Received in 2011. . . . . . . . . . . $ 14,005.00
Total received . . . . . . . . . . . $1,388,548.48
Principal balance remaining. . $ 238,731.75
Great Commission Fund (Missions)
Received in 2011. . . . . . . . . . . $ 10,063.00
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.”
—Psalm 24:1—
The Faithful Messenger
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
around the grounds
Campus gets a facelift
T
M o r e F a m i l y New s
Baby blessings
Two new Tennants
Scott and Lisa
Tennant happily
announce the
addition of two
daughters to their
family! Abby Jeanine
was born April 22 in
Hood River weighing 9 lbs., and
Jocelyn Nicole
was born April 28
in Arizona
weighing 7 lbs. 13
ozs. Lisa reports that
both of their boys, Connor (5) and
Caleb (3), are loving being big brothers.
Proud grandparents are Bruce &
Jeanine Dirksen of The Dalles and Sue
Winnett of Hood River.
Lincoln David
Valentine
Pete and
Mathea Valentine
have welcomed
their third child, a
son, Lincoln David,
who was born June 9 weighing 7 lbs.
11 ozs. and measuring 21 inches. Big
sister Sierra is six and big brother
Chaz is three. Proud grandmother is
Cindy Olson of Canby, Oregon.
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
his spring, head deacon John Mooney and attender Gary
Fisher both aspired to apply their talents and energy to
projects around our campus. John started with a plan to
touch up the church’s faded teal-green trim to match the
new paint and color scheme of the Youth Center. Gary’s
focus was on the neglected landscaping.
What has resulted, thanks to their determination, effective
recruitment of others, and generous donations from many
individuals and businesses, is a complete facelift of our church
building and grounds. Most of the labor and a good portion of
the materials were donated, so improvements worth roughly
$15,000 cost us under $1,400, an amount within our budget.
New paint on everything—not just the trim—freshly
groomed landscaping, new plants and pots, even benches
and a bubbling rock water feature (shown at left) are among
the upgrades. In addition, Josh Lane (of Lane’s Paving)
restriped our parking lot. Many thanks to
all those who pitched in, especially many
volunteers from the Hope & Life congreRytan Ronald William Harder
gation, to accomplish the transformation!
Thanks also to Gorge Nursery, Morgan
Congratulations to Ryan
Paint, and Schuepbach Builders.
and Kelsey Harder
upon the birth of
mailbox
their second son,
Rytan Ronald William,
on July 6. Rytan (like
“Titan”) weighed 7 lbs. 5 ozs.
and measured 19½ inches. Big brother
Ryne is 2½. Grandparents are Ron and
Linda Harder and Brian and Karen
Shortt, all of Hood River.
Creagers send greetings!
Jeff and Linda Creager send
greetings to the church family:
The dust has finally
settled and we are
mostly unpacked in the
town of Tangent, Oregon.
Our new address is:
Jeff and Linda Creager
31916 Meadowlark Loop
Tangent, OR 97389
jlc18@ymail.com
We miss our friends back in Hood
River, but we are enjoying being closer
to our grandkids down here. We are
excited to hear of good things still
happening at HRAC! Our hearts are
filled with sadness, though, as we will
be missing VBS this year. Wishing
God’s richest blessing to all of you!
The Faithful Messenger
Thank You
To my Sweet Family at HRAC,
Thank you all so very much for
your sweet support and encouragement of the Women’s Expo and my
work with the PRC. It has meant so
much to me to know that if I need
help or prayer or a listening ear, all I
have to do is show up at the church.
You all truly exemplify what it
means to be the body of Christ~
united, serving, full of love and
willing to stand beside one another. I
speak on behalf of the PRC when I
say Thank You for all you’ve done
in the many ways you give to our
ministry and our community.
Many blessings to you all,
Melissa Kendall
Columbia Gorge Pregnancy
Resource Centers
9
Nona Moore testimony
S h e l f He l p s continued from page 7
restore her. “I’m a very weak person,”
Nona said. “I could never have done
this on my own.”
As if on cue, in what Nona could
only describe as “magical,” the power
of the Lord swept in. Crying and
weeping under the weight of the
palpable presence of the Lord, Nona
knew one thing: she no longer had any
desire for alcohol. She was completely
free of its grip on her life. Since that
miraculous day, the Lord has been on
a roll in Nona’s life. She has witnessed
things she never thought possible: the
salvation of her husband and one of
her sons, and a new closeness between
her two sons that
“I’m a very
had never existed
weak person.
before, centered
on their mutual
I could never
love of the Lord.
have done this
Today, a
on my own.”
deaconess in the
church and a “Celebrate Recovery”
regular, Nona describes her life as the
most fruitful of her 71 years. With a
smile she declares, “The Lord is
bubbling up in my life, and that’s
never happened to me—and I’ve been
a Christian my whole life!”
Mid-week shift
continued from page 3
same, starting with
dinner in the Fellowship
Hall at 6:15 p.m., largegroup meeting at 7:00 p.m.,
open share groups at 8:00
p.m. and fellowship café
from 9:00 -10:00 p.m.
If you have questions
about the changes, please
call the church office at
(541) 386-2812.
10
Summer is a great time to take in a
good book to uplift your faith!
Here are some recommendations
from our church leadership team:
The Secret Place:
Fascinating
Stories of
Forgotten
Lives
by Dr. Dale A. Fife
by Charles Swindoll
This is the eighth
in a nine-volume
series profiling great
Bible characters. This eighth volume is
primarily about lesser known Old
Testament characters and the lessons
we can learn from their lives—positive
and negative. Again, informative and
insightful reading that challenges and
builds our character. And, just a
pleasure to read.
—Dan Armstrong, Elder
Chasing
Francis
by Ian M. Cron
Chasing Francis
is a novel written
about a pastor’s
pilgrimage from
spiritual crisis to
inner healing by way
of Saint Francis of Assisi. This narrative was a great way for me to learn
about the inspiring life of Saint Francis,
and and it challenged me to grow in
my love for Christ.
—Pete Tegeler, Worship Pastor
Celebrate Recovery provides a place for
fellowship and the opportunity to meet
with people who have experienced similar
struggles. The program is open to anyone
and meets every Wednesday without
exception beginning with dinner at 6:15
p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. For more
information, call Lud Tolbert, Director of
Recovery Ministries, at (541) 308-5339.
Recommended Reading
New Fall Schedule Shift
MONDAY HS Youth Group
TUESDAY Celebrate Recovery
7:00 pm; Starts Sept. 12
6:15 pm (dinner)
Starts Sept. 6*
WEDNESDAY MS Youth Group
7:00 pm; Starts Sept. 14
*Celebrate Recovery will continue their
weekly meetings on Wednesdays until
they shift to Tuesdays on September 6.
Passionately
Pursuing His
Presence
This is one of
my favorite reads.
The part I have
earmarked is where
the author shares a
vision about a
beautiful well and what the different
levels of water within it represent. The
surface of the well represented the
“water of salvation.” (See Isaiah 12:3.)
Many believers in Jesus Christ had
dipped to drink at this entry level. Just
under the surface, a second level
identified as “fullness” represented the
experience of the baptism in the Holy
Spirit. (See Acts 1:8; 19:1-6.) Below
this were many more degrees of
revelation, an inconceivable abundance
of God’s mysteries and wisdom, hidden
in the well.
The book notes how very few
believers chose to drink from the
deeper parts of the well. Most were
content with the surface water and not
drawing up more truth for themselves.
Instead, they chose to drink from the
revelation obtained by a small minority
who were willing to pay the price to
obtain the deeper water. While the
great majority was nourished to a
degree by this drink from someone
else’s cup, they would never know the
joy and the sheer delight of drawing
the water of revelation out of the heart
of God for themselves.
When I read this, something struck
a chord inside me and I had such an
insatiable desire to encourage others to
seek God, to go deeper with Him, to
spend time with Him—to learn to
drink of the well for themselves!
Taste and see that the Lord is good!
(Psalm 34:8); Come, all you who are
thirsty, come to the waters! (Isaiah 55:1)
Don’t settle for life near the well of
God’s presence; rather, come close
and partake of it!
—Teri Bryant, Prayer Ministry Leader
The Faithful Messenger
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
PRAY E R CONN E CTIONS
Connecting people with God’s Heart
Our mission is to glorify GOD by connecting people with His heart and advancing His Kingdom through prayer.
—Jim Cymbala
Pastor of The Brooklyn
Tabernacle
If you need prayer
On Sundays, Prayer Team members are available to pray for you
or with you at stations around
the sanctuary or in the Prayer
Room. Our pastors and elders are
available to pray for you at your
request. During the week, contact
the Prayer Chain (see below).
Pray with us
Tuesdays — 6:00 a.m.
Join Pastor Steve in the Prayer
Room as he leads a time to pray
for our church, family, friends,
ministry and those in need.
Perhaps you or a family member
have a special need and would
like prayer and/or anointing. All
are welcome.
Prayer Chain
If you need immediate prayer, call
the church at (541) 386- 2812,
Janet Holste at (541) 386-2413, or
Linda Lorenzen at (541) 298-8864.
This loving service of prayer is
available to all.
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2011
Is Hood River
Alliance a
House of
Photo by Chelsea Pillette
“We found if
you can beat
the Devil on
prayer meeting
night, you beat
him on every
other level.”
Prayer?
by Janice Patton
T
he Prayer Ministry team met on Saturday,
June 25, for breakfast, teaching, and a
prayer vigil. As a church body, we know that
prayer covering is essential. The Prayer Ministry
team is sensing God’s desire to have us move
beyond what we are doing, which is prayer
stations during Sunday Services and a prayer
chain. These questions keep coming to the
surface—Are we doing enough? What does
God want to accomplish through our prayers?
Ponder this: What could God do at Hood
River Alliance Church if we gathered together as
a body every week to pray for church leadership
and decisions, missionaries, troubled marriages,
wayward children, illness, relationships, finances
—for everything, and for every situation?
In fact, we ARE commanded to pray: “Pray
without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you.” (I Thessalonians 5:17)
Our promise is this: “So let us come boldly to
the throne of our gracious God. There we will
receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help
us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16)
We hope to provide more opportunities in the
future for corporate prayer. I encourage you to
participate in these times of calling on God as a
church body. Pray also that as leaders, we would
be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s direction. Matthew
21:13 records Jesus’ words, “And he said to
them, ‘It is written that my house shall be called
a house of prayer.’” There is so much more God
wants to do, and
all we need to
do is ask!
For a great video
message from Jim
Cymbala entitled,
“My House Shall
Be Called a House
of Prayer,” visit
www.YouTube.com
and enter U79YOKje2zU.
The Faithful Messenger
Children gave generously toward the
week’s mission project focused on Rick
and Kerry Hallyburton and the ministry
in Thailand, Remember Nhu.
VBS report
continued from page 3
God is so attentive to even the smallest
details,” Karola said. “The kids were
safe, we were staffed efficiently for the
whole week, and we never ran out of
glue dots! The culmination of all the
prayers, time, effort and hard work are
always so ‘worth it’ in the end. So
many were blessed, God’s presence was
evident in so many ways, and best of
all, 58 children gave their lives to the
Lord. This part always makes me cry.
…I feel so blessed personally to have
had the privilege of being a part of
something I believe honors God.”
VBS week always includes a mission
project, and
“We were blessed
this year
once again by the
Mission
Mama Teri
amazing creativity
(Bryant) felt
and generosity of
the Lord
the children.”
wanted us to
focus on the Hallyburtons and the
ministry in Thailand, Remember Nhu.
“We were blessed once again by the
amazing creativity and generosity of
the children,” Karola said. “They gave
double what the faith goal was for a
total of $2,180! Wahoo!!”
“VBS would not have been possible
without the dedication of so many
willing servants. It’s a wonderful
picture of the body of Christ in action!
It’s just not possible to thank everyone,
so instead I pray for God’s blessing on
everyone. Really, this program isn’t
just for kids. God speaks to each one of
us through it.”
11
River
Baptism
Annual event
C o n tac t U s
Office Hours: Mon & Fri—8 a.m. - noon
Tues-Thurs—8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Phone: (541) 386-2812
Fax: (775) 871-9320
Email: office@hoodriveralliance.org
Website: www.hoodriveralliance.org
Le a d e r s h i p T E AM
Steve Grace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Pastor
Catherine Davis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Youth Pastor
Pete Tegeler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Worship Pastor
Tony Estey. . . . . . . . . . . . . Hope & Life Pastor
Karola Aleckson. . . . . Director of Children’s Ministries
Kaylene Baker. . . . . Children’s Ministry Assistant
Janet Holste. . . . . Secretary/Ministry Assistant
Chris Sherrell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Administration
Lud Tolbert. . . . . . Recovery Ministries Director
Teri Bryant /Dan & Janice Patton. . . Prayer Ministry
and Potluck
Sunday,
Sept. 11
Following 2nd service
at Tony & Sue Gay’s place
305 Morton Road, HR
The church will furnish hot dogs, buns and
drinks. We are asking each family to bring a
main dish, salad or dessert to share.
Don’t forget lawn chairs for your family members!
Please call the church office at (541) 386-2812
if you are interested in being baptized.
Governing Board:
Dan Armstrong (Elder)
Dale Bricker (Elder)
John Brunk (Elder)
Tina Graves*
Kurt Harter*
Amanda Holste*
Cory McCandliss*
Joe Rinella (Elder)
Doug Rovianek (Elder)
Bob Spotts (Elder)
*Member-at-Large
Pattycake and powder plays
2650 Montello Avenue
Hood River, Oregon 97031
hoodriveralliance.org
Change Service Requested
urtesy of
Photos co
e Davis
Catherin
Our short-term mission team played all sorts of
games with the girls who live at the Remember
Nhu children’s homes in northern Thailand. At
left, one of the girls laughs as she tries (without
success) to teach Mike Ketler the rhythm of a
pattycake game. Above, Remember Nhu intern
Harleigh Seyffert (first on left), Catherine Davis,
Holly and Tori Grace, and one of the girls
proudly display their baby-powdered faces.