Seeking Unity in a Divided World
Prayer Concerns
Pastor Bruce Cate, who served the Lord for many years as shepherd of Aims Community Church (Corbett) and then Lighthouse Community Church (Gresham) has gone to be with His Savior. Current Lighthouse pastor Bill Skogan says Bruce passed away Monday morning at a memory care facility. His wife, Hazel, preceded him in graduating to Heaven, where I envision them having a wonderful reunion in the presence of the Lord, free from the physical ailments that plagued them both in later years. Pastor Bill does not know yet what plans might be made for a memorial service.
Please also be in prayer for pastor Bill Skogan and his wife Laura. Bill learned last week that he has prostate cancer. Surgery is scheduled December 1.
NWxNW
It was a joy to pray Monday with about 15 ministry leaders from the far northwest portion of the Northwest Oregon field. Retiring field director Jim VanVoorst and I were joined by folks from Columbia Bible Church, Deer Island Community Church, Hudson Park Bible Church, Mayger-Downing Community Church, Shiloh Basin Community Church, Woodland Park Chapel, (and I guess I should include my own church home) Aims Community Church. We had an enriching discussion of ways we can lead towards unity in times of fractured fellowship, followed by an blessed time of prayer for the needs of all present, one at a time. Thanks to Bonnie Klukas of Columbia Bible Church for hosting the gathering. Our next NWxNW get-together will be November 30 at 10 AM at Hudson Park Bible Church in Rainier (Lord willing).
The next Sandy Area Pastors’ Breakfast is planned for November 18 at 10 AM at Tollgate Inn in Sandy. The next Portland Area Pastor’s Prayer is scheduled for November 19 at 10 AM at Woodland Park Chapel.
Honors for Faithful Service
Retiring NW US InFaith Field Director Jim VanVoorst (left) passes the baton to incoming Field Director Nathan Bath.
Several folks you may know were honored for their faithful service to the Lord at Saturday’s InFaith Area Fellowship in Salem, which included InFaith missionaries and associates from Northwest Oregon and the Willamette Valley. We were privileged to be able to share affirming words with Northwest US Field Director Jim and Linda VanVoorst, who are retiring from InFaith December 31st and to receive encouragement from incoming Field Director Nathan Bath. Columbia Community Bible Church (Portland) pastor Steven Boyle and his wife Sofi were honored for five years as InFaith associates (and Steven’s involvement in InFaith/AMF ministries goes back far before his official service with the mission). Senior missionaries Dale and Marlene Caldwell were recognized for 45 years with the mission, which involved helping start some churches in the Northwest Oregon field, encouraging many others, and now pastoring Immanuel Baptist Church in Salem. And Freddy and Shelley Moran were also honored for their five years of commitment to their chaplaincy and workplace ministry in Monmouth.
Honored for years of service (L-R): Freddy Moran, Shelley Moran, Sofi Boyle, Steven Boyle, Marlene Cardwell, Dale Cardwell, Field Director Nathan Bath.
Need Some Sunday School Materials?
I received a call this week from a woman who has taught Kindergarten Sunday School for the past 65 years, and is now ready to part with her large inventory of materials including: Biblical toys for visual aids, curriculum, crayons, coloring books and more, a “huge bunch” of Fischer-Price toys, and various options for group games. If you would like to be blessed with some or all of what she has to offer, please contact Mrs. Elliot at 503-631-3366.
Kudos to Pastors
As Pastor Appreciation Month comes to a close, I want to express my appreciation for all the pastors and elders I get to learn from and work alongside, in the 20 churches affiliated with InFaith: Northwest Oregon. And I want to express special thanks to my own pastor Glenn Austin, who – along with his wife Nancy – are doing an amazing job shepherding the Aims Community Church flock through the bumps and turns of the Covid pandemic, fires, civil unrest and more of this quite interesting year. Your love for the Lord and His people is readily apparent to all of us. May you be blessed with many more years of love and ministry.
Keep Looking Up, Together
As you speak with the Lord and your fellowships this week, please pray for unity in our congregations, communities and country. We may have had more troubles in 2020 than we expected, but focusing all our attention on the immediate difficulty can obscure our vision of the Lord. As the author of Hebrews taught us, we need to keep running the race together, “…fixing our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
God bless you all!
Tom Hiscox, NW Oregon Area Missionary
thiscox@infaith.org