October 2009 Volume 41, No. 10 Around The Conference A Young Church Ministers in Old New Hampshire by New Hampshire Area Minister David Randlett While many of the New Hampshire churches in the Former CCCC President Conference were gathered in the eighteenth and Bill Nygren Dies nineteenth centuries, Jefferson Christian Church in Jefferson, New Hampshire was founded in 2001. A Mr. William V. group of Christians gathered together in Jefferson Nygren, of with concern that the gospel message of salvation Madeline Island, through Christ alone should be proclaimed in their Wisconsin and community. With a desire to maintain the authority Mesa, Arizona of Scripture in the local church, they came together died suddenly of a and called Rev. Dean Stiles to be their pastor. massive heart Meeting in the local Odd Fellows building, Jefferson attack on Friday, Christian Church officially affiliated with the Conservative Congregational Christian May 22, 2009. Conference in 2006. Bill, a retired employee of the 3M Company, was very active in the life This is a church focused on bringing the Gospel message to the local community. of the CCCC and was a familiar face These are a people who love their neighbors, and seek to be a blessing in the name at annual conferences for many yrs. of Christ. As a church body they have sought out ways to minister to their community. For example, their missions committee recently organized a Friday He served as Conference President and Saturday Giveaway. This was a modified yard sale as all the items were given from 1990–1993 and was the only away for free. Indeed, some families came and completely outfitted their children layperson to ever serve in that position. for the coming school year with donated clothing items. He was an active member of the University Ave. Congregational Church Ladies in the congregation are often seen on Sunday mornings knitting prayer (later called Calvary Evangelical shawls. These are shawls knitted specially for people for whom the ladies are Congregational Church) in St. Paul. He burdened to pray. and his family left UACC in 1978 to be The church hosts a monthly potluck founding members of the Woodbury supper, which is open to the entire Community Church in Woodbury, community. On these occasions, Minnesota where he helped develop this members of the church get to meet young congregation into an established and talk with their neighbors while and thriving ministry. sharing a meal. Indeed, the Jefferson Christian Church has a On the inside... reputation in the community for From the Acting Conference Minister 2 gladly putting on luncheons in the CCCC 62nd Annual Family Conference 2 community whenever there is a Love God, Love Others 3 funeral or other need. Leaving a Legacy 3 Most members of the congregation take part annually in the church’s Vacation The Joy of Being a Grandparent…Church 4 Bible School. Each year, half of the children attending the VBS are not connected Calvin and Congregationalism 4 to the church. Many of the families who are now part of the Jefferson church Parkersburg — One Year Later 5 came as a result of a son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter attending Vacation 21st Century “Circuit-Riding Missionaries” 6 Bible School. Vintage Cookbooks 6 Tech Tips — Backing up Your Data 7 The church annually holds a camping and canoeing trip which culminates with an Changes and Opportunities 7 outdoor service at a local campsite. This has also been an opportunity to reach out Health Tips 7 to those locally who are in need of Christ. Praise God for the ministry of the October is Pastor Appreciation Month. 8 THE FORESEE Submitting to One Another A monthly publication of the by Acting Conference Minister Ron Hamilton Conservative Congregational Christian Conference. The CCCC family is made up of pastors and churches Conf. President: Laurence Wood from a wide variety of theological persuasions and ministry Conf. Minister: Steve Gammon practices. We all agree to a Statement of Faith and all commit to Biblical Congregationalism. Yet there are many differences among us. Conference Office: Phone: 651-739-1474 I recently had a conversation with a person who is Fax: 651-739-0750 interested in joining the Conference. Realizing the breadth E-mail: [email protected] of perspectives among us, he asked, “Do I have to Website: www.ccccusa.com compromise what I believe to be a part of the CCCC?” I Prayer Requests: immediately responded with a simple word, “No!” We do [email protected] not ask our members to compromise their convictions for Mail address: the sake of unity in the Conference. However, we do ask our members to practice 8941 Highway 5 a Biblical principle, Lake Elmo, MN 55042 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21) THE FORESEE Editor: This principle calls us to lovingly set aside our differences to promote the cause of Ken McGarvey Christ in our generation. While we remain true to our convictions, we submit them 121 Chatuga Drive to the Lord Jesus in order to build a broad fellowship that is committed to “Honoring Loudon, TN 37774 Jesus Christ Together.” We are stronger in our ministries because we submit our E-mail: [email protected] doctrines and practices to the Lord to participate with other believers from across Phone: 865-458-0680 our nation. Deadline for the November 2009 issue I have the wonderful opportunity of representing you as I visit member churches is September 20, 2009. and pastors across the nation. I see first-hand how diverse we are as a Conference. Our pastors preach sermons that reflect their beliefs. Our churches worship in a style that reveals their traditions, backgrounds, and preferences. Not only do our compromise your convictions. I also new churches look different from our established churches — they look very encourage you to join other believers different from one another. It’s really difficult to say that there is a typical CCCC in our nation in building a conference- church. wide ministry that will impact others Yet, there is a common spirit that we sense among us. It is a spirit of mutual with the good news of Jesus Christ. submission. Mutual submission is love in action. It is the power by which a Christian community is established and developed. Most of all, it reflects the love and grace You can do nothing to cause of our Lord Jesus! The CCCC is a Conference where Jesus Christ is lifted up and God to love you more — or to offered to a lost and broken world. love you less. I encourage you to dig deep into your doctrines and value your traditions. Do not Conservative Congregational Christian Conference 62nd Annual Family Conference July 26–29, 2010 At the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center Springfield, Massachusetts Volume 41 2 Number 10 Love God, Love Others Rev. Terry H. Shanahan, Northeast Regional Minister At our family Conference in Waterloo, Iowa this past July, I and sow seeds of hatred and was delighted to report all of the wonderful things that are discontent, and he has certainly done happening in the Conference in the Northeast for the sake of that in some places. When the devil God’s Kingdom. The churches that are being redeveloped, is successful, we forget our call to the new churches that have been successfully planted, the love God and love others. We love growing fellowship among our pastors and churches and the because he first loved us. If budding interest in the Conference from those outside. God anyone says, “I love God,” yet has given us an amazing vision and is blessing it as we in hates his brother, he is a liar. For obedience follow him. anyone who does not love his I was obligated to report as well on the unprecedented amount brother, whom he has seen, cannot of conflict that was encountered this past year. Pastors are love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us facing forced exits, churches are divided, we have had a this command: Whoever loves God must also love his number of sessions involving mediation and conflict resolution. brother. 1 John 4: 19–21 We continue to have a number of ongoing conflicts and I But we know the devil’s schemes are futile in the face of the predict that we will have more. I relate most of this directly awesome God we serve. God’s vision for us is to develop to the fact that we have embraced God’s vision. Our churches our existing churches to be healthy, reproducing bodies of are growing in Christ, our Conference is expanding and Satan Christ that change our communities and the world, and we doesn’t like it one bit. The devil’s scheme is to create disunity begin doing that by loving God and loving others. Leaving a Legacy Dr. John Kimball, CCCC Director of Conference Care and Church Redevelopment There was a man in my former church, a patriarch in his own church planting. Out of that single right, who led a simple but profound life. He won’t be legacy gift, ten churches have been remembered for his career (although it was an honorable planted, ten others have been helped one), nor will he be remembered by many people for anything in the early stages of their he did publicly during his life. But he will indeed be development, and the vision for a remembered for generations. This man learned early in his threefold emphasis of Conference life how to be a godly husband and father. He slipped away Care, Church Redevelopment and quietly in his 90s, and we all hated to see him go.