Summer 2009 - Brethren in Christ Church

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in partIN MOTIONstories of the bic in actionmaking“the difference”“After 33 years of ministry in establishedchurches, you tend to becomeaccustomed to doing things a certainway,” observes Calvin Hamblin, pastorof The Difference BIC, a churchplant in Massillon, Ohio. But as Calobserves, his work with the fledglingchurch has changed that: “Churchplanting requires a high degree offlexibility and spontaneity. I’m learningto go with the flow and not be sodependent upon my own ability tobring things to pass.”Formerly the pastor at AmherstCommunity BIC (Massillon, Ohio),Cal led the 17-member core groupthat founded The Difference—whichmeets at a local elementary school—in May 2008, and the church heldits launch Sunday in October 2008.From handing out bottled waterat local athletic events to scoopingfree ice cream in nearby neighborhoods,Cal and his team have beenactively promoting the new fellowshipto everyone they meet.“The real key to our outreach hasbeen the intentional efforts of thecongregation to cultivate relationshipswith neighbors, co-workers, andfriends in order to invite them to‘join the family,’” he says. “We believethis is the heart of our outreach.”√ InPart Online:Follow the unfolding story of The DifferenceDevin ThomasBIC Communications InternMembers of The Difference spread word about the∆ church plant at the Massillon (Ohio) FunFest.New life in New MexicoIn January 2008, Kip Vaughn beganpraying for God to provide three tofive new families to Sandia ChapelBIC, the church he pastored inAlbuquerque, N.M. Sandia firstopened its doors in the early 1950s,but half a century later, the churchwas in decline as it struggled to adaptto a changing neighborhood.Meanwhile, Desert Light ChristianChurch was a young, vibrant, nondenominationalchurch plant. As EricVillanueva, who was serving as the pastorthere, explains, the thriving congregationhad “all the pieces in place, butneeded a place to do the pieces.”All of this changed when Eric andKip met through the AlbuquerqueRescue Mission and began discussingthe potential for a church merger. InJuly 2008, just two months later, SandiaChapel BIC became Desert LightChristian Church (BIC), and bothchurches found their prayers answered.“We at Desert Light had constantlycried out for a place to meet, but alsoneeded to belong to a denomination∂ PHOTO: Courtesy of Calvin HamblinEric Villaneuva (left) and Kip Vaughn pastor the∆ rejuvenated Desert Light Christian Church (BIC).whose values we shared and withwhich we could grow together,” statesEric, who now shares pastoral responsibilitieswith Kip. “The BIC becamethat for us.”Today, Desert Light ChristianChurch is a diverse body of people ofvarious ethnicities, ages, and culturescommitted to outreach. A focuson family ministry is resulting incouples coming to Christ and savedmarriages, while efforts to serve childrenand men are also flourishing.Most recently, Desert LightChristian Church leadership initiated“100 × 2”—a vision that after 100people fill the sanctuary two times,they will begin a new service or churchplant. Currently, they are lookingto add a service in Spanish. As Kipstates in his annual report for 2008,“Who would have dreamed that wewould be where we are today?Praise His Mighty name! The bestis yet to come!”Kelly FunkPalmyra (Pa.) BIC∂ PHOTO: Courtesy of Kip VaughnIN PARTINPART.ORG
IN MOTIONMany recicladores in Bogotá, Colombia, live in humble conditions and are rejected from mainstream culture,∆ a trend that Trevor Main, a BICWM missionary there, is working to change.Reaching out to the recicladoresThey can be seen in the streets ofBogotá, Colombia, late into thenight, scouring dumpsters and publictrash cans for discarded items, whichthey pile onto horse- or humandrawncarts and carry off to sell orre-use. They’re known as recicladores(“recyclers”), and they make a livingby recycling the plastics, glass, cardboard,and paper that so many otherssimply throw away. But unfortunately,the weakening global economyhas caused the value of the materialsthey sell to plummet, making theirpoverty even more pronounced.“People who do this work arerejected and stay pretty much segregatedfrom the rest of society,” TrevorMain, a BICWM missionary servingin Colombia, explains. But Trevoris working to challenge the socialstigma surrounding the recicladoresby coordinating efforts to reach outto a nearby community of workers.Every third Saturday of the month,he and his family join with a fewpeople from Tierra Linda—a BICchurch in the capital city of Bogotá—and from his son’s high school tovisit the recicladores’ shantytown.While there, the group shares Biblestories, plays games, does crafts, sings,and has snacks with about 25 childrenwho live there. During the off-weeks,some also return to learn whichchildren come from which homes andget to know their families. In December,Tierra Linda invited the kids to aChristmas party at the church, whereeach received presents donated bychurch members. Trevor reports that“generous gifts from BIC individualsin North America,” have also madeit possible to provide school kits tochildren and to distribute bread andmilk to the whole community.“It’s been exciting to see God touchingChristians’ hearts at Tierra Lindato reach out with the love of Christto a community that has largely beenoverlooked and neglected,” he shares.√ InPart Online:Watch Trevor’s video about the recicladores∂ PHOTO: Courtesy of Trevor Mainwomen at the wellThis past March, 66 women servingin all levels of ministry within theBIC Church gathered at KenbrookBible Camp (Lebanon, Pa.) for“Women at the Well: Choosing whatis better,” the fifth biennial retreatof the BIC Council for Women inMinistry and Leadership. Over thethree-day conference, participantsreflected on Luke 10:42, the themeverse, as they attended workshopson a variety of subjects, includingbiblical foundations for women inministry, observing the Sabbath, andincorporating the arts in worship.In addition to those fromRegional Conferences across NorthAmerica, three attendees came fromBIC sister churches in the UnitedKingdom. “This was the second timethat we had the opportunity to hostwomen serving in leadership positionsin BIC churches outside ofNorth America,” notes Lois Saylor,assistant chair of the Council. “It isalways exciting and worthwhile toadd this global dimension to the textureand conversation of the retreat.”Rosett Sibona-Moyo, a ministryleader at Southendon-Sea BICChurch in Essex, U.K., first heardabout the retreat from her pastor and,after receiving a scholarship from theCouncil, was able to attend. “I enjoyedthe retreat, especially the discussionsabout the challenges encountered bywomen in leadership,” she says.summer 2009
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Summer 2009 - Brethren in Christ Church

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