Paying Honor to Judy Williams
The World Missions Ministries Division is saddened that it will be losing the services of one of its most valued and loved Director team members, Mrs. Judy Williams, Accounting Manager effective August 31, 2015. Judy’s service to the Lord and this part of His Church has been exemplary. Her tenure of service at the GMC began on April 8, 1983. She has served in the WMMD since September 1, 1990. Judy has always placed serving others above her own desires. She is looking forward to now being able to do the things that she has always dreamed of doing.
Judy is loved by the missionary family to whom she devoted her life’s work. While in Hong Kong, she was given the opportunity to tell them first-hand of her decision to retire. She received a standing ovation from them as a small token of their expression of love for her. Judy has modeled the characteristics of a Godly lady with grace. Her retirement will leave a void in our hearts and in our ministry. The WMMD honored Judy and her family with a reception at the GMC on August 25. May grace and peace be multiplied to Judy in this new season of her life!
Robert and Pamela Clark Jr.
Robert “Bobby” E. Clark Jr., 59, and his loving wife Pamela “Pam” J. Clark, 56, of Floyd, VA went to be with our Lord on August 22, 2015. They were approved by the WMMD Board as Missionary Interns to China on May 25, 2000. They left for the field in August 2001, entering China as full-time missionaries. They taught English to Kindergartners in Guangxi, China and had a passion to preach the Gospel to the Mulac People, who were almost totally unreached up to that point. They resigned from WMMD on May 9, 2002 and accepted a pastorate in the Appalachian Conference at the Abundant Life Fellowship, Pilot, Virginia, which began June 8, 2002. Bobby and Pam were equally passionate about Christ, and the WMMD is grateful for their dedication to spreading the word of God and helping those in need.
Cheryl James
We were shocked and saddened by the unexpected news that Cheryl James departed from this life on July 29, 2015. In November 2001, Cheryl made her first missions trip to Brussels, Belgium where a passion was born in her heart to ‘serve those that have never been served’. In 2003, she was approved as a Short Term Worker. The program was later restructured and is now called “Short Term Missionary.” She was an active participant with her last trip to Belgium in late 2014. In January 2015, she attended Passport to Missions in Greensboro, NC. While participating in Passport, she shared of her recent time in Belgium and of her desire to return again in the fall of 2015. Cheryl attended Passport three times in addition to attending our School of Missions program. She had a heart to learn and a strong desire to be with other missionaries and missionary candidates sharing her experiences and encouraging others interested in missions. She never missed an opportunity to visit churches, Great Commission Meals, and Conference activities where she could share her calling and needs on the missionary field.
Since 2001, she made numerous trips to Brussels. Each time she left, they invited her back. Bert Phagan, the pastor she worked most closely with, wrote to our office several times requesting her return and expressing his appreciation for her service. Cheryl was committed to her Lord Jesus Christ. She had a cheerful countenance and a servant’s heart, qualities that were greatly appreciated by all who knew her. The WMMD team and the missionary family thank the Lord for the life and ministry of Cheryl James.
WMMD Disaster Relief: Nepal Earthquake
Thank you for your continued prayers and generous financial support for the victims of the Nepal earthquakes. To date, donors like yourself have contributed $59,000 toward our disaster relief efforts. Rev. Matt Bennett, WMMD PTP, TEAMS & Disaster Relief Director, recently returned from Nepal where he met with our National Leaders Tara & Ging Bhandari, for the purpose of coordinating IPHC’s strategic short and long term responses. This natural disaster provides us with the unique opportunity of sharing the Gospel in a very relevant way to those whose lives have been so adversely affected by this calamity. Nepal is a Hindu nation. Less than 2% of the people are Christian. One of our immediate priorities is to assist the 19 churches that were affected by the earthquake so that they can become places of Hope and Promise for those in need. Please view the following video for footage of the devastation: vimeo.com/133710350. If you would like to make a contribution toward our relief efforts, you may do so online at iphc.org/ptp.
Karen Boggs Memorial Chapel
On July 29, 2015, our dear friend Karen Boggs’ earthly journey came to an end and she was ushered into the matchless presence of her Lord. Our family had just had lunch with the Boggs family prior to their leaving Youth Quest on Sunday. Karen was passionate about missions and especially the country of Belize. Karen went to Belize for the first time in July of 2007. She fell in love with the country and the people, especially the younger generations. She went back six more times before her illness would not allow her to return.
In honor of her and her love for Belize, her family would like to build the Karen F. Boggs Memorial Chapel on our IPHC campgrounds outside of Belmopan in Belize. The goal is to raise $60,000 to build and furnish this chapel. You can help in two ways: 1. Pray that the need for finances and building teams will be met in a timely manner. If you would like to be on a building team for this Chapel, please contact Rev. Gene Hancock at gene.hancock@gmail.com 2. Pray and ask the Lord what He would have you do. If you feel led to support this project financially, you can contribute through your local IPHC church; through the Upper South Carolina Conference, P. O. Box 309, Williamston, SC 29697; or directly through the Global Ministry Center in Oklahoma City (Include the Project # 69003P); or online at donations.iphc.org/belize-children-s-ministry-project. It will be our honor to assist the Boggs family in building this Chapel in Karen’s memory, along with the guidance of our missionaries, the Hancocks. I thank you in advance for joining our family in honoring Karen with this most fitting tribute.
The Awakening
Thank you to Max Barroso, Director of The Awakening, for his visionary and shepherding leadership of this ministry. Our investment in this ministry will pay dividends in years to come and I believe that it has the potential, along with Discipleship Beyond, to become primary avenues for raising up IPHC Missionaries. I asked Max to provide an overview of their summer. His remarks are as follows:
“The summer months are always a busy time at the WMMD Youth and College Department! God continues to open doors of opportunity for our team to continue to spread the name and love of Jesus as we challenge the next generation to pursue God’s purpose for their lives. By the end of the summer, The Awakening through its diverse emphasis had served individuals from the Sonshine, Appalachian, Cornerstone, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pac-West, Heartland, Tennessee Valley, Ephesians 4 Network, Lifepoint (GA), Alpha, Sonshine Hispanic, New Horizons, Redemption Ministries, Mississippi, Great Plains, Harvest (KS), and River of Life (PA).
The summer camp tour is a ministry initiative where one of our teams is available to serve at IPHC youth camps in whatever capacity they may need! We are thankful for the opportunity we had to preach, teach, lead worship, clean, serve as camp counselors, run games, plan activities, speak into teenagers’ lives, and challenge hundreds of youth to pursue God’s call for their life this summer. Thanks to the Mississippi, River of Life, Cornerstone, and Redemption Conferences and leadership for the high honor to serve your teens!
On June 8, we opened the doors to the 3rd edition of our Summer Internship. This is one of the highlights of our year as we welcome young adults to Oklahoma City for two months of training, discipleship, ministry, and missions. During these two months, the interns served not only in the US, but also in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Hungary, and Romania. They sat under the ministry of multiple denominational leaders, missionaries, and ministry practitioners; were a part of different ministry and outreach efforts; and journeyed along our Spiritual Formation track. This summer we had the privilege of planning and leading different missions and ministry teams to Belgium, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Hungary, and Romania. We had a very fruitful time of ministry with participants from 15 different IPHC conferences.
God has blessed us with the best team any ministry could ever have! Madeline Lafferty, Dreama Bryant, Garryt Bryant, Shelby Emmert, Jamin Bishop, and Betsabe Salazar did a phenomenal job of leading, nurturing, challenging, and setting the example of a servant leader at every single ministry outlet we encountered this summer! We are already in the planning stages and preparation for the 2016 summer! We are so excited for all God has in store for the IPHC and we are honored to serve the next generation as we fulfill our collective calling to be a People of Promise and a Place of Hope!”
Thank you Max, Jess, and Noah for your hearts to serve your generation. Those of us who serve with this couple recognize that God has anointed them for a special assignment. I am grateful His plan includes serving our faith family, the IPHC. Max and Jess were recognized by Charisma Magazine in its feature “Charismatic Millennials Spreading the Fame of Jesus” as follows:
“Another missions-minded couple is Rev. Max Barroso and his wife, Jessica, who launched The Awakening in 2009. The Awakening is the youth and college department of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church's World Missions Ministries Division. He is director of the program, and also spearheads Native Leader, a project of The Awakening that serves young adult leaders across the globe.”
Until Christ returns, I ask you to continue partnering with us in this Kingdom-advancing work through your prayers and your generous financial support.
Thank you for standing with us in the critical work of sending missionaries to fulfill the Great Commission!
