Church of the Nazarene

Moving Ministers: April 2024

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 21:59:10 +0000

Moving Ministers: April 2024

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 21:59

Nazarene News Staff

Compiled by the General Secretary's Office from district reports, Moving Ministers is a monthly listing of Nazarene ministers in new assignments on the USA/Canada Region.

Roles included in the latest report are pastor, student, and pastoral service. Entries were received in April 2024.

To view the April report, click here.

For previous reports, see usacanadanazarene.org.

02 May, 2024

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Virginia church’s versatile pandemic innovations foster broader community

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 21:20:18 +0000

Virginia church’s versatile pandemic innovations foster broader community

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 21:20

Zachary Lee for Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations

In March 2020, Pastor Charles Tillman knew that his church would have to do its Sunday services differently in light of the pandemic, but he didn’t think it would require so much sweat.

Tillman pastors Woodville Church of the Nazarene, located in Richmond, Virginia. His congregation was included in Understanding the Pandemic Impact on Black and Multiracial Congregations, co-authored by Clarvon Watts, a sociologist and postdoctoral research fellow at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The study was part of the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations: Innovation Amidst and Beyond COVID-19 project.

Watts’ report in particular focused on the “similarities and differences between majority-Black, majority-white, and multiracial congregations in how they approached the pandemic and the extent of how they are impacted.” One of the main insights gleaned from the study was in the versatility of worship offerings that majority Black-led congregations offered in comparison to their nonwhite peers.

Woodville Church of the Nazarene exemplified this versatility through an array of in-person and virtual options during the height of the pandemic. For Tillman, this approach was imperative to maintaining a sense of community with his congregation.

First, Sunday services were held in the church’s parking lot. Congregants could drive into the parking lot and participate in the comfort and safety of their air-conditioned cars. This process continued through October, when the church began to slowly phase back into having services in their building.

Tillman’s memories of the outdoor services immediately gravitated toward the hot summer months.

“When I was preaching, it was 90 degrees out there,” he said. “We got a cooler full of water. People sat in their cars and rolled down the windows and listened to the service. There were also a few people who brought chairs and sat on the perimeter of the parking lot as well.”

Tillman recalled how having those outdoor services fostered a stronger community with those who lived in the neighborhood.

“Neighbors came out and sat on the porch and they began listening to our services,” he said.

As much of an ordeal as these services were, he said the congregation appreciated it.

“We’re very vocal in the Black church. I’m accustomed to my congregation talking back to me. When I’m preaching, there’s a lot of back and forth. It’s different than in the Anglo church,” he shared, adding that congregants as well as the new neighbors who joined were grateful for the outdoor services as they offered some semblance of embodied community.

Learning how to foster community for the church’s Wednesday Bible study was a challenge. Prior to the pandemic, the church had no live stream component but soon began conducting Wednesday night Bible studies via Zoom.

“That was new to me,” Tillman said.

The new format required more imagination to keep people engaged.

“Given that many people were calling in on their phone, I didn’t want the study to be a straight lecture,” he said. “I allowed input from the congregation. Throughout the lesson, we interacted more than we had in person and had more of a discussion.”

Tillman braced himself for more pushback from the congregation but found that they were receptive to the new initiatives. The adjustments resulted in shorter services, which Tillman joked was a highlight for the congregation.

“Inside the building, our services would last about two hours but once we did the parking lot we were more in the one hour and 15 (minutes) to one hour and 20-minute range,” he said.

Ultimately, he is excited to see how the church develops in four to five years. The adaptions due to COVID gave them the freedom to imagine how to grow their ministry.

“All these are things that we never would’ve even imagined had we not gone through COVID. So, in that regard, COVID has caused us to be better in terms of how we offer ministry. I see those areas expanding and allowing us to reach more people and be a stronger congregation because of it,” he said.

This story was adapted from a version that was published by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. To read the full story, click here.

02 May, 2024

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In Memoriam: 3 May 2024

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 20:08:36 +0000

In Memoriam: 3 May 2024

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 20:08

Nazarene News Staff

The following is a weekly listing of Nazarene ministers and leaders who recently went home to be with the Lord. Notices were received 29 April - 3 May 2024.

Philip Amburgey, 71, of London, Ohio, passed away 24 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served at Grove City Church of the Nazarene in Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Marie Amburgey.

F. Pat Bozeman, 85, of Newton, Texas, passed away 25 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served in Texas and Indiana. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie Bozeman, who passed away in 2017.

Marla Carlton, 85, of Canyon City, Oregon, passed away 22 April 2024. She was a retired minister who served in Washington and Oregon. She is survived by her husband, Earl Carlton Jr., whom she served alongside.

Sharon Casey, 79, of Lakeland, Florida, passed away 29 April 2024. She was the wife of T. Daniel Casey, a retired minister who served in Georgia, Nebraska, and Arkansas.

Robert Dean, 76, of Charleston, West Virginia, passed away 29 April 2024. He was the pastor of Rand Bethel Church of the Nazarene in West Virginia since 1986. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Dean. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Janet Dean, who passed away in 1999.

Carl Gilmore, 83, of Anderson, Indiana, passed away 27 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served in Indiana. He is survived by his wife, Lois Gilmore.

Ruthelma Hunter, 78, of Norman, Oklahoma, passed away 29 April 2024. She was the wife of Eliot Hunter, a retired minister who served in Oregon, California, and Oklahoma.

Edith Johnson, 93, of New Castle, Indiana, passed away 30 April 2024. She was the widow of Garland Johnson, a retired minister who served in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Indiana.

Syble Laws, 93, of Nampa, Idaho, passed away 27 April 2024. She was the widow of Delbert Laws, a retired minister who served in Washington, Idaho, California, and Oregon. Delbert passed away in 2013.

Edward Ray Savage, 88, of Sparta, Tennessee, passed away 25 April 2024. He is a retired minister who served in Kentucky, Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Savage, who passed away in 2018.

William Donald Whatley, 75, of East Point, Georgia, passed away 26 April 2024. He was a minister serving at East Point Church of the Nazarene. He is survived by his wife, Christine Whatley.

Note: Please join us in prayer for the families who have lost loved ones. Click on names for full stories, funeral information, local online obituaries, and/or guest books (if available). To submit an entry of a minister or church leader, send to news@nazarene.org.

--Compiled by Nazarene News

02 May, 2024

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Hugo Archila Arriaza appointed superintendent of Ecuador Costa District

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 19:57:27 +0000

Hugo Archila Arriaza appointed superintendent of Ecuador Costa District

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 19:57

South America Region Church of the Nazarene

Hugo Archila Arriaza was appointed district superintendent of the Ecuador Costa District. He currently pastors Pancho Jacome Iglesia del Nazareno in Guyaquil.

Archila’s appointment was effective 20 March 2024. He was ordained a minister on 27 March 2010.

His ministry experience spans diverse fields, including pastoring, teaching, church planting, and chaplaincy. Through his work as a chaplain, he has collaborated with state and private educational institutions in Guayaquil, imparting a prevention message on the consumption of controlled substances and alcohol.

He has led the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries for the Ecuador Costa District and is the current national leader of the NCM.

In addition to his ministerial training at the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas (SENDAS), he has carried out secular studies at the Faculty of Jurisprudence, Social and Political Sciences of the University of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Hugo and his wife, Carmen, have two daughters and currently reside in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

02 May, 2024

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Africa Region brings the gospel to camelback

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 14:42:01 +0000

Africa Region brings the gospel to camelback

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 14:42

Africa Region Church of the Nazarene

There are vast stretches of land in Africa where people make their living through camel herding. These nomadic people travel with their herds for grazing and water. They often cross borders with no regard for modern political states. While some romanticize this lifestyle as free and easy, nomadic people groups are classified as some of the most unreached people groups.

Traditionally, it has been challenging to evangelize and establish churches within a people group that is never in the same place for more than a few weeks. The hardships of this lifestyle have prevented many would-be evangelists or missionaries from reaching these groups.

But God gifted the leadership of the Church of the Nazarene with the wisdom to develop a strategy for reaching these nomads with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This strategy came from a missionary's conversation with a nomad in the 1980s.

The missionary asked the nomad, "What would it take for you to become a follower of Jesus?"

The nomad replied, "When you can put your church on the back of my camel, I will consider becoming a Christian."

And that is what evangelists have done—put the church on camelback. Through this strategy, a team of two evangelists share the responsibility for a small herd of camels owned by the Church of the Nazarene. These evangelists themselves come from a nomadic background. They take turns traveling with the nomads in larger groups and sharing the words of Jesus with individuals in the group.

The one-on-one evangelism in the nomad's context has been highly effective, and many nomads are coming to the Lord. This strategy also works well for discipleship. The Church of the Nazarene now has several teams working among the nomads, with plans to develop more teams as resources become available.

-- Church of the Nazarene Africa Region

02 May, 2024

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Mexico church welcomes new believers thanks to Easter service

dlsperry94 — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:42:07 +0000

Mexico church welcomes new believers thanks to Easter service

dlsperry94 Wed, 05/01/2024 - 20:42

Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica Region

During this past Holy Week, Etla Church of the Nazarene in Mexico experienced an intentional time of seeking the Lord through different activities. Many community members gathered in increasing numbers, culminating in an Easter Sunday celebration where 400 people attended.

The activities began on Wednesday with a night of praise to celebrate God’s great love.

On Thursday, the church gathered for a time of fasting and prayer. Later, they shared a time of refreshment and fellowship. In the evening, they celebrated the Lord’s Supper and remembered the events of Maundy Thursday. Many took up the challenge to live a life of gratitude to Jesus for his sacrifice in obedience to the Father.

On Good Friday evening, the church gathered to hear the Word of God and pray for those physically and emotionally sick.

“We faithfully believe that the power (of God) was present,” said Daniela Santiago, a member of the pastoral team of the Etla Church of the Nazarene.

On Saturday morning, they gathered for ministry and prayer.

“We experienced the Lord in an incredible way and left full of him,” Santiago said.

On Easter Sunday at 5 a.m., more than 400 people celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. Josué Barrera, the pastor of the church, shared a message from the Bible.

One entire family gave their lives to Jesus. The Easter service was the first time that they had attended a church. They saw the event announcements on social media and decided to attend.

“It was noteworthy that many people who had not visited our church joined this special celebration,” Santiago said. “It was a celebration full of joy, happiness, thankfulness, and hope. We celebrate that Christ lives, that he conquered death, and that we are free, forgiven, redeemed, and transformed into a new creature through him.”

--Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica Region

01 May, 2024

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Darren Reed elected superintendent of Sacramento District

dlsperry94 — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:40:29 +0000

Darren Reed elected superintendent of Sacramento District

dlsperry94 Wed, 05/01/2024 - 20:40

Nazarene News Staff

Darren Reed was elected superintendent of the Sacramento District in California on 26 April 2024. He is currently the pastor of Denver One Hope Church of the Nazarene.

“It is an honor to join the Sacramento District team in this capacity to partner with all the great pastors and churches in the ongoing effort to lead people to Jesus and become a transformational influence in their communities,“ Reed said. “While the road ahead of us doesn’t look like the road behind us, I look forward to what the Lord has in store for our district family in his good future.”

Reed’s assignment will be effective 26 May 2024. He will replace Steven Scott, who has served as superintendent of the Sacramento District since 2006.

Reed served on staff at Orlando Restoration Church of the Nazarene briefly before pastoring Oklahoma City R.O.C. Church of the Nazarene from 1999 to 2003. He then served at Windward Church of the Nazarene in Hawaii from 2003 to 2009 before moving to California and pastoring at Tehachapi Church of the Nazarene from 2009 to 2015 and Olive Knolls Church of the Nazarene in Bakersfield from 2015 to 2020. He has served as pastor of Denver One Hope Church of the Nazarene since January of 2020.

Reed earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Point Loma Nazarene University in 1994.

He and his wife, Julie, have three children and currently reside in Englewood, Colorado.

01 May, 2024

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Celebrating the life, ministry of Margaret Hurst

dlsperry94 — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:13:00 +0000

Celebrating the life, ministry of Margaret Hurst

dlsperry94 Wed, 05/01/2024 - 20:13

Nazarene News Staff

Margaret Hurst, 82, of Indianapolis, Indiana, passed away 21 April 2024. She was a retired missionary who served in South Africa and the Philippines. She also served as a minister in Indiana.

Margaret Potter Hurst was born on 1 February 1942 in La Farge, Wisconsin, the fifth of eight children. Sensing a call to missions, she attended Free Methodist Bible College and then completed a three-year program at Bethany Missionary Training College. Following her education, she moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, to live with a sister, where she met her husband, George. They married in 1964.

Together, they attended further missionary training and then pastored a church in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, while they applied to the Church of the Nazarene for an overseas mission assignment.

In 1974, they moved to the Republic of South Africa. They learned the Zulu language and served in training local pastors, church building construction, and college teaching. She miraculously survived a devastating car accident in 1976, though she and George sadly lost their infant son in that accident.

In 1995, they left Africa to serve briefly in Manilla, Philippines, and then returned to the United States in 1996, settling in Indianapolis.

Margaret worked at Light and Life Bookstore and served as a Sunday school teacher, church treasurer, and NMI president. She completed her studies for ordination and was ordained as an elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 2004.

Outside of work and after retirement, Margaret enjoyed reading, coloring, sudoku, word puzzles, and chatting with her siblings online. She loved visits from her daughters and their husbands, and especially her grandchildren. Throughout her life, she strove to make others feel welcomed and comfortable and ministered to those around her in any situation.

Margaret is survived by her husband of 60 years, George A. Hurst; daughters Rebecca Schnurr and Christina Miller; sisters Ona Madden, Leota Chadwick, Helen Ewing, and Rozella Spry; brother Harvey Potter; one grandson and one daughter; as well as many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

She is preceded in death by her father, Stanley Potter; mother, Una Potter; sister, Mary Fish; brother, Joe Potter; and infant son, Matthew A. Hurst.

01 May, 2024

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In Memoriam: 26 April 2024

dlsperry94 — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 21:29:59 +0000

In Memoriam: 26 April 2024

dlsperry94 Thu, 04/25/2024 - 21:29

Nazarene News Staff

The following is a weekly listing of Nazarene ministers and leaders who recently went home to be with the Lord. Notices were received 22-26 April 2024.

John Baillie, 95, of Brockton, Massachusetts, passed away 21 April 2024. He was a minister who served in Massachusetts, Scotland, and Winnipeg, Canada. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bethia Baillie, who passed away in 2016.

Donald Bellomy, 74, of Ashland, Kentucky, passed away 22 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served in Kentucky, Carolina, Ohio, and Illinois. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Bellomy.

John Euton, 85, of Flatwoods, Kentucky, passed away 17 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served in Ohio, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

B. Joyce Mellish, 94, of Howell, Michigan, passed away 14 April 2024. She was the widow of John Mellish, a retired minister who served in Michigan. John passed away in 2010.

John Swartzenberg, 77, of Hamlin, New York, passed away 15 April 2024. He is the spouse of Laura Swartzenberg a minister who served in New York.

Warren Toler, 89, of Irvine, Kentucky, passed away 18 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served in Kentucky. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Toler.

Burlene Wilson, 88, of McAlester, Oklahoma, passed away 12 April 2024. She was the widow of Gene Wilson, a retired minister who served in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Gene passed away in 2003.

--Compiled by Nazarene News

25 Apr, 2024

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Three new district superintendents announced on USA/Canada Region

dlsperry94 — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:27:31 +0000

Three new district superintendents announced on USA/Canada Region

dlsperry94 Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:27

Nazarene News Staff

Three new superintendents were announced on the USA/Canada Region this week. Jeffery Barker and Daren Pitcher were elected to the Metro New York and Central California districts, respectively, and Althea Taylor was appointed superintendent of the Hawaii Pacific District.

Jeffery Barker elected Metro New York District superintendent

Jeffery Barker was elected superintendent of the Metro New York District 19 April 2024. Barker most recently served as the Metro New York District’s director of Clergy and Congregational Life.
Barker’s assignment will be effective 19 May 2024. He will replace Samuel Vassel, who has served the Metro New York District since 2018.

Barker attended Eastern Nazarene College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in ministry in 1993. He holds a Master's of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from Nazarene Theological Seminary and a Master's of Sacred Theology from Boston University.

He served as a pastor at Cape Elizabeth Church of the Nazarene in Maine from 1997 to 2002, Quincy Bethel Church of the Nazarene in Massachusetts from 2007 to 2014, and The Resurrection Church of the Nazarene in New York City from 2018 to 2022.

During his time in Massachusetts, Jeff served as a professor in the department of Religion and Philosophy at Eastern Nazarene College and as campus chaplain. His wife, Stacy Barker, was a professor in the Social Work department.

Jeffery and his wife, Stacy, have two children. They currently reside in Dexter, Maine.

Daren Pitcher elected Central California District superintendent

Daren Pitcher was elected superintendent of the Central California District on 19 April 2024. He currently serves as pastor of El Morro Church of the Nazarene in Los Osos, California.

Pitcher’s assignment will be effective 19 May 2024. He will replace Rob Songer, who is retiring after leading the Central California District since 2010.

Pitcher earned his associate’s degree from Point Loma Nazarene College (now University) in 1988 and his bachelor’s degree in secondary teaching from Azusa Pacific University in 1995.

As a minister in California for 35 years, Jeff served served on staff at Racho Cucamonga Highland Avenue Community Church of the Nazarene, Pismo Beach New Life Community Church of the Nazarene, Ontario First Church of the Nazarene, and Olive Knolls Church of the Nazarene in Bakersfield.

In 2001, he became the pastor of El Cajon Rancho Hill Community Church of the Nazarene, where served until 2005. He pastored Ridgeview Church of the Nazarene in Bakersfield from 2005 to 2018, when he took his current pastorate at El Morro Church of the Nazarene.
He and his wife, Amy, currently reside in Morro Bay, California.

Althea Taylor appointed superintendent of Hawaii Pacific District

Althea Taylor was appointed superintendent of Hawaii Pacific District on 25 April 2024. Taylor currently serves as the director of compassion, justice, and immigration for the Metro New York District.

The appointment was made by General Superintendent Christian Sarmiento in consultation with the Hawaii Pacific District Advisory Council and the Board of General Superintendents. This action was taken following the retirement of District Superintendent Rick Powers at the 2024 district assembly, which closed without electing a successor. Taylor’s appointment is effective 1 May 2024.

Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and a Master of Science in managing technology from New York University - Polytechnic School of Engineering. In addition, she holds a Master's of Divinity from Howard University, and is in the process of earning a Doctorate of Ministry from Nazarene Theological Seminary.

She became an ordained minister in 2009 and has served as a minister at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene from 2001 to 2007 and from 2013 to 2020. She served the USA/Canada Region as Nazarene Compassionate Ministries coordinator from 2008 to 2012. In 2020, she joined the Metro New York District office staff, where she has served as the director of compassion, justice, and immigration since.

25 Apr, 2024

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