February Newsletter

Pentecostal Church of God

Northern California/Nevada District

Newsletter

Rev. Lonnie J. Cox, District Bishop

 

For January 2013

To the excellent Pastors, Ministers, and Congregations of our District Church,

 

Welcome to DISTRICT CONVENTION 2013!!!

 

Wow! Can you believe District Convention time is here already? It seems to me like only yesterday we were all gathering into the Crowne Plaza to register for District Convention 2012. Where did the year go?

 

We have an exciting agenda this year of Worship and Business.

We are electing 2 Executive Officers this year: District Presbyter and District Secretary.  We have one resolution (so far) and it is very important. The sermon God has given me for Ordination Service is titled Come on people, work with me!

 

ATTENTION: Please remember that we need you to stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel so we can get the Convention Center free.  We’ve got the same prices as last year so it is a great deal! We’ll see you here!

Vision Visits, Conferences, Elections and Outings!

 

V Walking in a Miracle!  On Jan. 6 we were honored to preach the Dedication Service of the new Sanctuary and property we purchased for the New Covenant PCG on Bethel Island, with Pastors John and Lori Thomas.  What a stunning day! Over 150 people attended with 1 soul saved. The existing parking lot was filled to overflowing! There is ample room for another large parking lot on the property. Pastors Juan and Anna Sanchez attended with their Hispanic congregation and we loved getting to fellowship with these wonderful Christians again.  Pastor Jorge interpreted for me and it was a blast to preach with an interpreter again. I think I tortured him. But he followed me line for line and step for step!  After church we enjoyed a potluck dinner at the Bethel Island Convention Center!  I think we had people there who didn’t make the service! It was a huge success! Sunday afternoon I spent 3 hours with the church board in a teaching session on Biblical Economics. PTL! The new Sanctuary seats 200 people comfortably and can expand to 300.  This is 3 times larger than the old rented Sanctuary at the Post Office.  The property includes 2 warehouses and a kiosk building for later use. We purchased the property for ½ its market value. A miracle indeed!

People started pouring into the building early. At service time they were still arriving.  By the time I took the pulpit there wasn’t an empty seat in the house.

The beautiful, newly recovered Oak pews were donated by the COGIC, Newark. Pastor Thomas and the staff got the restrooms installed the day before the service!  They worked all night! The remodeling is just beginning, but we’re in!!!  PTL!

V The Pastor Wife Getaway!  Jan. 11 and 12 at the Orchid Suites in Sacramento.

ì Sister Gannell Standridge teaching her class.(picture unavailable)  Margaret said that she, along with Sisters Pat Jacobsen and Gloria Sinclair were outstanding.  The idea was to bring 3 leading Pastor’s Wives to the conference to speak and then follow up with an open panel discussion (including Peggy Hammond and Giovanna Cox) applying their wisdom and expertise to the questions. Everyone’s opinion mattered, and each lady present was free to gather the information they preferred from the panel.  29 Pastor Wives attended and testified to enjoying every minute of the lessons, discussions, fellowship and accommodations.  The prevailing sentiment was, “Let’s do this again!” The theme for the Getaway was, “What’s said at the Orchid Suites stays at the Orchid Suites!” That kind of scares me! Anyway…  Margaret has a great new idea for next year! Wait till you hear about it!

V 1-13. Sunday morning at New Beginnings PCG with Don and Giovanna. Pastor Don and congregation are presently remodeling the 2^nd story above the entry way to the church.  Originally it was to be Pastor Robert Trudell’s office and a conference room; but it was left an empty shell with no access.  Now, the church has built a set of stairs and is completing a beautiful, large, youth room. PTL!  

V On Saturday, Jan. 19, I was honored to preach the Mother Lode Section Rally and Presbyter Election at Full Gospel Tabernacle on Weber St. in Stockton. Presbyter David Russell, who has served the past 4 years with distinction, chose not to return to office and Pastor Ron Anderson was elected to the office on the 2^nd ballot.  His wife Linda was elected to serve as the Sectional Women’s Ministry Director. These folks are wonderful, conscientious pastors who will serve our District with excellence.  Pastor Ron è will be leaving the Home Missions Committee to serve on the District Board after ratification in March. Every Pastor in the section was present for the rally and business meeting and Presbyter Russell “crowed” about Mother Lode being the best Section in the District.  He loves his pastors and has served them well.  We will miss them on our boards after the February meeting is concluded.

 

V On Jan. 20 we visited Faith Tabernacle in North Sacramento with Pastors Eugene and Elizabeth Paden. The last time we visited we missed Sister Paden, so we were delighted to see her again.  She is still receiving chemotherapy treatments, but she said she does not get sick, feels good; and she looks great.  I liked what she said to me, “I take it a day at a time. And, as of today, I’m fine!” Brother Paden preached from Ps. 138:8 that “God created us NOT to fail.” Amen to that. We missed seeing Paul and Terri Kawamoto.                

 

 

 

V Jan. 21-25. Cruising with the District Youth Department. Over 100 of us (from 10 churches) joined 2600 others, plus 950 service personnel on the Carnival Inspiration to sail from Long Beach to Catalina Island, on to Ensenada Mexico, and back. We had a marvelous time and no one gave a “heave” offering to the Lord. 

 Queen Mary WW2 Transport Ship. We were stunned to see this old ship docked at the Long Beach Harbor.  Unlike Margaret, it’s out of service now! Margaret came to America from Germany on this very vessel in 1951. She was 4 years old, but still remembers looking up at the smoke stacks.  In fact, it brought back lots of memories, and we thought it was a “God thing” that Carnival paid to move it from New York to Long Beach.  PTL!

          é I saw this sign in a restaurant window at Avalon on Catalina Island.  I don’t think I want to eat at a restaurant where the “Special” of the day is the fact that they are “closed!” 

 

My favorite part of the cruise was dinner every night at 8:15pm. Cal, Jenny, L.J. & Callie were assigned an earlier time. I didn’t like that, but we still got to eat with them at breakfast and all day at the food court.  One dinner Jace and I sampled the Escargot (delicious, by the way!), and the next night the Alligator Fritters (not so hot!).  We sampled main entrees like Steak and Lobster; and exotic desserts like Slow Melting Fudge Cake and Baked Alaska.  To be honest, my favorite dessert was good old all-American Apple Pie and Ice Cream!  The ship is 12 stories high.  I spent lots of time in the Library on the 9^th floor with mochas and a great book.   

 

V 1-27. Back to New Beginnings to hear Terry Douglas of Radical Reality ministries, and contribute to his Cambodia mission trip! Terry preached a dynamic sermon on “Grace: God’s Unmerited Favor!” and 5 raised their hands for salvation. Pastor Don was thrilled when we raised $1000.00 for Rahab House, a rescue mission for children sold into prostitution.

çPastor Don & BIG Terry Douglas.

V 1-29. Home Missions Committee: In December, Director Ken Malone talked to our committee members about faithfulness and responsibility. We were blessed with 100% attendance at the meeting.  We discussed the Extension Fund investment from last year; and also how to best help several of our churches that are struggling. Pastor Roger Greenlee presented an excellent devotion from Ps. 84 on The God of the Valleys.  My favorite quote from the devotion is: “David, in the Psalms, always seems to find just the right words to express to God exactly what we feel!”  Amen to that!  

 

Some more great Quotes:

 

Pastor Robert Morris, “God plants a wide variety of visions in pastor’s hearts because the world is a diverse place, and He wants to reach everyone, everywhere, with His saving love.”

 

Christian Author Jerry B. Jenkins, “Our emergencies must be seen as opportunities.”

 

Anonymous, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”

 

 

ATTENTION PASTORS:

 

1. A District Convention Flyer is included with this Newsletter for your Sunday Morning Bulletins and to display on your Bulletin board.  PLEASE inform your congregation of the District Convention and its events. Hopefully they will want to attend something with you. Thank you.

 

2. Pastors, please present this note from me to your Church Board:

 

 

            “Dear Church Board, the 2013 District Convention is convening on Monday, March 4-6, 2013.  Thank you for sending your Pastor and companion to represent you as delegates at District Convention.  We need them here to conduct our business, as well as to enjoy their company in our fellowship and worship.  If you have not already done so, please receive a special love offering from the congregation to help cover your pastor’s expenses at District Convention; or allocate the appropriate amount of funds from the appropriate fund account in your church to cover their expenses.  God bless you richly for this kindness to your God given shepherds.  I also want to thank you personally for sending your Pastors to our District Convention. In Him, Bishop Lonnie J. Cox” 

 

 

3. Los Molinos PCG is now OPEN! Bro. and Sis. Tucker have done an excellent job and are retiring. The church and parsonage are in excellent condition. “God bless you Bro. & Sis. Tucker!” 

  

Until we see you again, which I hope will be on Monday, March 4, for the District Convention Talent Competition and Youth Rally…

 

We remain respectfully yours in Christ!

 

Rev. Lonnie J. Cox

District Bishop/NCAPCG