Evergreen Notes Pray for Churches Seeking Pastoral Leadership Filipino-American Chris- tian Fellowship (FACF), First Baptist Church- Mountlake Terrace, Community Church of Issaquah, Fairview Community Church, Grace Baptist Church- San Jose, Fremont Baptist Church, and Mount Zion Baptist Church In This Issue Haiti Pgs. 2-3 Connect to a Worship Ser- vice Pg. 4 Stay Away because You Matter Pg. 4 Fremont Calls Barker as Pastor Pg. 5 Happenings Around the Region Pg. Perla Belo: Gratitude for a Life Well-Lived Pg. 7 Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches Monthly Newsletter January 2021 Volume 20, Issue 1 MLK, Jr. Day Virtual Community Worship Service Monday, January 18, 2021 7 PM The Evergreen Association joins New Beginnings Christian Fellowship in sponsoring the 2021 MLK Day Community Worship Service to be held virtually on Monday, January 18, 2021, 7 PM. Join us! Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle, President Emeritus, Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School. We aim for The Evergreen Choir, other musical selections and wor- ship leaders to be representative of the diversity that is Evergreen. Music/Choir Directors please contact Minister Sam Townsend at [email protected]to assure your church’s musical participation. Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle, President Emeritus, Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School The Prophet Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our Preacher
Transcript
Evergreen Notes
Pray for Churches Seeking Pastoral Leadership Filipino-American Chris-
tian Fellowship (FACF),
First Baptist Church-
Mountlake Terrace,
Community Church of
Issaquah, Fairview
Community Church,
Grace Baptist Church-
San Jose, Fremont
Baptist Church, and
Mount Zion Baptist
Church
In This Issue
Haiti Pgs. 2-3
Connect to a Worship Ser-vice Pg. 4
Stay Away because You Matter Pg. 4
Fremont Calls Barker as Pastor Pg. 5
Happenings Around the Region Pg.
Perla Belo: Gratitude for a Life Well-Lived Pg. 7
Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches Monthly Newsletter January 2021
Volume 20, Issue 1
MLK, Jr. Day Virtual Community Worship Service Monday, January 18, 2021 7 PM
The Evergreen Association joins New Beginnings Christian Fellowship in sponsoring the 2021 MLK Day Community Worship Service to be held virtually on Monday, January 18, 2021, 7 PM. Join us!
Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle, President Emeritus, Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School.
We aim for The Evergreen Choir, other musical selections and wor-ship leaders to be representative of the diversity that is Evergreen.
Music/Choir Directors please contact Minister Sam Townsend at [email protected] to assure your church’s musical participation.
Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle,
President Emeritus,
Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity
School
The Prophet
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Our Preacher
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Dear Loved Ones,
Greetings. We wish you all
a Blessed Merry Christmas
and Richly Happy New
Year 2021.
Throughout the years, the
eye clinic has learned to
be thankful to God. We
have gone through the
ups and downs of life in
Haiti. We have seen and
heard a lot. In the midst of
this troubled life, God has
been good and continues
to use us as His feet and
the hands to care for oth-
ers as He cares for us.
We end each year with
some special occasions
where we go treat people
in their villages and we
offer our patients free or
reduced-cost services. In
November, we organized
two mobile services in Fort
-Liberte and at the border
city of Ouanimanthe.
Haiti: Be Thankful in All Circumstances
Then on Friday December
4th, we had such a special oc-
casion at the eye clinic in Cap-
Haitian. We consulted 91 pa-
tients and gave out more than
22 pair reading glasses to the
patients who needed them.
Thirty people were diagnosed
with glaucoma and we will
now begin closely monitoring
them so they don’t become
blind. Ten people had cata-
racts without knowing it and
20 with other problems: cysts,
infections, etc...
So, the year to come is look-
ing bright to those who will
now be able to:
- read again,
-see again,
- continue to provide for their
families again,
-begin seeing again thanks to
the dynamic team who will
remove their cataracts!
Let us all join hands in prais-
ing and giving thanks to God
that we are able to see an-
other year in spite of the
pandemic.
May God richly bless you.
In Haiti,
Nzunga & Kihomi.
Kihomi & Nzunga
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Nzunga Preaches at Scottsdale FBC
Dear Loved Ones,
Greeting. The last Sunday of
November 2020, we wor-
shiped with our beloved
brothers and sisters at
Scottsdale First Baptist
Church in Scottsdale, Arizona
where we brought the word
of God from Mathew 14:22-
33. My subject was Fixing our
Eyes on Jesus. The exterior
conditions of these times can
easily distract us, bringing us
into despair which in turn
can lead us to lose our focus.
Peter lost his ability to walk
on water when he looked at
the situation instead of fo-
cusing on Jesus, the Master.
We visited this church for the
first time in 2014 or 15 when
we went to meet missionary
Glen Chapman from Congo,
DRC who was speaking
there. Kihomi spoke there to
a group of women years lat-
er. It was at this church that
we recorded our virtual
presentation for the 2020
World Mission Conference .
About 2 weeks ago we were
there sharing at a women’s
prayer meeting.
Scottsdale Baptist Church is
interesting to us because
that is where Mr. & Mrs. Gor-
don & Lois Bottmiller are still
members since 1972. The
Bottmillers were my first
missionary contact when I
started Junior High school at
Kikongo. They were my pro-
fessors and Junior High prin-
cipal. The first day of class,
Tata Bottmiller gave all his
students close to 20 new
books each and a book or
two for all the subjects. For a
village boy, those books
scared me to death. I spent
the first week admiring the
beauty of all my brand-new
books and the pictures in-
side instead of reading them.
The Bottmillers, along with
future missionaries I met in
high school shaped my fu-
ture.
Kikongo as a mission sta-
tion has a unique im-
portance in the life of the
Nzunga family. It was at
Kikongo I met the first mis-
sionaries. It was at Kikongo
that I was the only student
admitted to Kimpese for
high school. Kimpese at
the time was what is Har-
vard university in the
world today. It was at
Kikongo that God called
me into the pastoral minis-
try. Thus, Kikongo is a SA-
CRED PLACE for the
Nzunga family. It was to
Kikongo that the Executive
Board of our denomina-
tion decided to send me in
1981 right after my studies
in the States. I refused
then - sorry. And finally, it
was from Kikongo that the
Nzungas packed their suit-
cases for Haiti after two
fruitful ministries.
To preach at Scottsdale
First Baptist Church was to
reconnect with our past
history.
All praises be to God.
Yours in Haiti,
Nzunga & Kihomi.
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Evergreen Spanish-Speaking Congregations: Meditacion del domingo 11 a.m. Pacific Time (PT)
Sunday, 11 a.m. PT via Zoom, contact Doug Avilesbernal to connect. Burien Community Church, Burien WA Sunday, 11 a.m. PT Live on Facebook Cambridge Drive Com-munity Church, Goleta, CA Worship via YouTube Channel Community Church of Is-saquah, Issaquah WA Sunday, 11 a.m. PT Live on Facebook Fairview Community Church, Costa Mesa, CA Sunday, 10 a.m. PT Live on Facebook First Baptist Church, Denver CO InSpired Words and Mu-sic on YouTube First Baptist Church, Salt Lake City UT Worship via YouTube Channel Fremont Baptist Church, Seattle WA Sunday, 10:30 a.m. PT via Zoom, contact the church to connect.
Connect to a Worship Service
Good Shepherd Baptist Church, Lynnwood WA Sermons and worship aids posted on website Also Sunday, 10:30 a.m. PT via Zoom, contact Rev. M. Christopher Boyer to connect. Grace Baptist Church, Ta-coma WA Worship via "Virtual Grace" YouTube Channel Japanese Baptist Church, Seattle WA Sunday, 11 a.m. PT Live on Facebook Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church, Oakland CA Sunday, 10 a.m. PT on Zoom, contact the church to connect. Martin Luther King, Jr. Me-morial Baptist Church, Renton WA Sunday, 11 a.m. PT on Zoom, contact the church to connect. New Beginnings Christian Fellowship, Kent WA Sunday, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. PT Live on Face-book or live at thenbcf.org Olympia First Baptist Church, Olympia, WA Sunday, 10 a.m. Worship via video on website
Panther Lake Community Church, Kent WA Sunday, 10 a.m. PT Live on Facebook Queen Anne Baptist Church, Seattle WA Sunday, 11 a.m. PT Live on Facebook Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle WA Sunday, 11 a.m. PT Live on Facebook Shell Ridge Community Church, Walnut Creek CA Sunday, 11 a.m. PT Live on Facebook
We are living in unprecedented times that call for unprecedented decisions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Executive Committee of the Board of General Ministries has made the decision not to hold a face-to-face Biennial Mission Summit, originally scheduled to take place in our beloved ABC of Puerto Rico region on June 25-27, 2021. We will be together in some format in 2021. Our hope is to hold a virtual Biennial Mission Summit in 2021 and to reschedule our on-site Biennial Mission Summit in Puerto Rico in 2023. Perhaps God had something in mind as God guided us toward the theme of “Imagine” for our 2021 Biennial!
Please go online to www.ea-abc.org and click on “Give” to
donate.
We are grateful for your continued support!
2021 Biennial Mission Summit to be Virtual
Covid Grants DEPLETED for Family Stability; Tech-
nology/Equipment/Software and New and Existing Minis-
tries
Keep Grace Baptist Church, San Jose and the
Community in your prayers
Fremont Calls Jeff Barker as Pastor Fremont Baptist Church Moderator, Jan Winterroth shared that on Sunday, Dec 27, 2020 the congregation unanimously determined and herein excitedly announce that Rev. Jeffrey L. Barker was called to be the next Permanent Pastor of Fremont Baptist Church. He will offi-cially begin this journey with the church in January 2021. Congratulations Pastor Jeff and congregation!
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Good Shepherd Baptist Church, Lynnwood WA will hold an Ordination Council for candidate Denise Aanenson. The Committee on Ministerial Standards and Con-cerns has recommended that an ordination by Good Shepherd be recognized by ABC-USA. Due to the pandemic, this council will take place on Zoom on Saturday, Janu-ary 9, 2021, at 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time. Contact Good Shepherd for details.
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Evergreen Spanish-Speaking Congregations Meditacion del domingo 11 a.m. PT Sundays, 11 a.m. PT via Zoom, contact Doug Avilesbernal ([email protected]) to con-nect.
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Continue praying for Rev. Ram Hei Cin and family (Seattle Chin Community Church) as Pastor Ram’s father, Thawng Cin, passed away on Monday December 14, 2020 in Indianapolis. The funeral was held December 18, 2020 in Indianapolis.
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Manager Sought for PCBA Website and Digital Communication –
The Pacific Coast Baptist Association is seeking a volunteer manager for its website and digital communications. The responsibility would include • maintaining the web-site, https://pcba.org/ • maintaining email lists of members, friends, and subscribers to the e-version of PCBA NOTES • transmitting periodical notices and the e-version of the NOTES • managing a postal address label file. Those interested in this consider-ing this task should contact Dale Edmondson, PCBA Communications Chair, at [email protected].
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American Baptist Women of the Pacific Northwest Conference Committee has begun planning for Women’s Conference 2021! Save the dates—April 30—May 2, 2021, Howard Johnson Hotel, Yakima. The following elections are official: Regional President—Gail Aita; Literature Chair—Lorna Flannery; Coordinator of AB Girls—Gayhtoo Thaw and Coordinator of Young Adult Women—Ehlertha Win. Additionally, the North Puget Sound Area Board and the Far West Area Board determined to merge and become one body with the Region ABW.
Perla Dirige Belo born August 19, 1938 in Manila Philippines went to be with her Lord on Saturday, December 5, 2020.
Our dear Past Chair (2011-2013), the Rev. Perla Belo, was the second person to serve as Chair from the Asian Caucus. She and her husband Gasat Belo were co-founders of the Filipino-American Christian Fellow-ship in Lynnwood Washing-ton. She served as pastor and teacher in the church after she retired from serving as director of Asian Minis-tries for American Baptist Home Mission Societies. Perla was born in the Philip-pines, and came to the Unit-ed States to study at Fuller Seminary where she met Gasat. They eventually set-tled on Queen Anne in Seat-tle. Perla was a life-long learner who loved to teach as well. We enjoyed her leadership and will miss her enthusiasm for God’s word and her al-ways gracious ways. Rev. Dr. Marcia Patton
I am so sorry to hear this, but also celebrate the life and ministry of Pastor Belo. Blessings and peace to the family and to our sisters and brothers at Filipino American Christian Fellowship. Rev. Dr. Tim Phillips
Perla was a light among lights and lived a Christ-like life that I will remember al-ways. Having been her pas-
tor for nearly 13 years in PA, prior to moving to CO, she, Gasat, and their fami-ly were near and dear to our family. Rev. Brian Henderson
Perla was a relentless wit-ness to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and persis-tently reminded us of how important it is to lift up Christ in our life together as Evergreen. Her passion for the gospel was evident in everything she did. Rest In Peace Perla, you have earned it. Rev. Curtis Price
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 12/11/20)—The Rev. Perla Dirige Belo of Seattle, WA… from 1990 until retiring in 2003, she served as director of Asian Ministries for American Baptist Home Mission Socie-ties’ (ABHMS), when it was known as National Ministries.
She was a daughter of Gregorio and Lourdes Dirige and immi-grated to the United States in 1962.
As director of Asian Ministries, she developed and oversaw many ministries with Asian and Asian-American churches. Her responsibilities included devel-oping pastoral and lay leader-ship; transforming and renewing churches; planning conferences and retreats; recruiting profes-sional leaders; providing sup-port and resources to churches; and offering scholarships to seminarians and higher educa-tion students.
In addition, she worked with the Asian American Baptist Cau-cus, run by the Office of the General Secretary, to build rela-tionships and identify emerging leaders and churches. Belo served on the ABCUSA Board of General Ministries and was
assigned by the Office of the General Secretary to ABHMS’ board of directors as a special director.
In addition to her term as Ever-green Baptist Association Chair, she taught music for Seattle pub-lic schools. She also taught mu-sic, piano and led the choir at Blaine Memorial Methodist Church in Beacon Hill, a Seattle neighborhood.
She was a member of Filipino American Christian Fellowship.
Her formal education included a major in piano at University of Philippines; a Master of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Calif.; a Master of Theology at Princeton (N.J.) Theological Seminary; and a teaching certificate at Seattle Pacific University.
She was ordained at University Presbyterian Church (UPC), as the first Asian woman to be or-dained in the Presbyterian Church USA, where she became an associate minister. She and her husband created the Interna-tional Friendship House at UPC, a ministry and residence for in-ternational students studying at the University of Washington.
