During the month of February we hosted Adult Retreat at
Pacific Beach. Our Retreat Theme was “Designed For God’s Greatness.” God has
designed all of us to do great things for Him. If we are obedient and heed His
call, He has the most spectacular plan we could ever imagine for our lives. We
were truly blessed to have Bishop David Bryan and Sister Rosita with us for
Adult Retreat. They blessed us mightily as they shared from their hearts. On
Saturday morning we watched the film, “Courageous.” After the film, we had a
consecrated time of prayer, where many took on the commitment of honoring their
spouses and promising to love God with all of their heart, mind, and strength.
We left that session Resolved with Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my House, we
will serve the Lord.” During this weekend we felt like relationships and
families were restored.
Much appreciation goes out to our Worship Team as led by
Sister Shirley Smith. The musicians did an outstanding job. We are always
grateful for all the hard work of the sound and audio team, Corey McBee and
Paul Symonds. We also want to thank all of our staff members that helped to put
this Retreat together and those that helped with the Friday night food
preparation: Ramon and Icela Maldonado, Anna Hernandez, Don and Sheri Paquette,
and Chris and Judy Knoblich. Looking forward to seeing you all next year, so
keep the first weekend of February 2013 open!
DISTRICT CONVENTIONS
The month of February ushered in our first two District
Conventions. The first Convention was held in the Tacoma Church on February 24,
2012. Bishop Rick Bear had a wonderful and challenging message of inspiring us
to get into the Word. For whatever problems we face, the answer can be found in
the Word. On the following day, Saturday, February 25, Washougal/Camas hosted
the next Convention. This Convention was a great time of encouragement as each
of the District pastors shared what was occurring in their respective areas. One
thing came out loud and clear, all of our churches are growing as they become
more community minded in reaching out to those so desperately in need of the
Savior. Both Conventions were well attended.
Our District Conventions for March are slated for Saturday,
March 10th in Kirkland and Saturday, March 17 in Kennewick. Please
come and support your local District Convention. As was stated earlier,
District Convention is a great place for worship, instruction, and fellowship.
We look forward to seeing you there.
SCHOOL OF PRACTICAL AND ADVANCED STUDIES (SOPAS)
The School of Practical and Advanced Studies is scheduled
for three days, March 22-24, 2012 at the New Horizons Church, Washougal, WA. As
you recall, we have had SOPAS I and SOPAS II in our Region. SOPAS III will be
offered this time and there will be teaching tracts in both English and
Spanish. Please note: It will not be necessary to have taken SOPAS I or
SOPAS II prior to taking SOPAS III.
(Note: There are No Tests, for those who may be
apprehensive about attending.)
(For students completing the reading assignments, a
Certificate of Completion will be awarded.)
This is a Must School for all Pastors, Ministers, and
Aspiring Church Leadership.
Information has been e-mailed to your pastor. Please ask him
or her for a form so that you can register for this School. You can also go to
our State website at wacogop.org and download a SOPAS form there.
The tuition cost is only $55.00. This includes lesson
material and lunches for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Please go to the State
website for more information regarding Lodging Information.
Students should have their “Intention Forms” and Tuition
sent to Bishop Knoblich no later than March 12, 2012.
CAMP ROGANUNDA
We are pleased and excited to report that closing has
occurred and we are now the proud owners of Camp Roganunda! This Camp is
located of off Highway 410 and is about 40 miles NW of Yakima. There are
approximately 30 buildings on 16.7 acres of land. This Camp as a Ministry of
the Church of God of Prophecy is expected to be open on schedule for all four
of our Summer Camps. Our vision is to run this Camp as a year-round facility
and to rent out to other groups, churches, and schools. If you are aware of any
groups or par-church ministries that would be interested in getting in from the
ground up, please contact Bob or Donella Gaines.
Purchasing this Camp Ground is a dream come true. (One
interesting side note: Our Camping Program for the Church began in the Summer
of 1955, where we rented from the Campfire Girls. Yes, you guessed it, it was
at Camp Roganunda!)
We are going to have our first Camp Focus and our first Camp
Workday scheduled at the new Campground for May 4th and 5th.
So please leave this date open on your Calendar. We are anticipating a
Work party of 75-100 people. So come, bring your work clothes and see the
beauty of this Camp first hand for yourself!
Events Calendar for 2012
March 10 District Convention - Kirkland (Roger Jones,
District Overseer)March 17 District Convention - Tri-Cities (Franklin Smith, District Overseer)
March 22-24 School of Practical and Advanced Studies (SOPAS III) - Washougal, WA
(English and Spanish Tracks)
April 13-15 State Ladies Retreat - (Vancouver Red Lion)
(Sherry Johnson, Director)
April 20-21 Youth Convention - Kirkland (Shelly Symonds,
Director)
April 27-29 State Men’s Retreat - White Pass (Franklin
Smith, Director)
May 4-5 Camp Focus/Workday - (Camp Roganunda) (Bob &
Donella Gaines, Coordinators)
May 17-20 Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary - Kirkland
Family Church(Homelectics, Dr. Padilla)
May 25-27 Senior Retreat - Washougal (James Cabales,
Director)
August 17-19 Washington State Convention - Kennewick
Oct. 25-28 Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary - Kirkland
Family Church (Theology - Survey II)
“Driven By The Spirit”
Bishop/Dr. Don Knoblich
Excerpts From State Overseer's Address
Over the last few months we have looked at exerpts of my
Annual Address regarding the importance of being "Full of the Holy
Ghost" so that we can be "Driven By The Spirit." We have looked
at the necessity of being "Driven By The Spirit" to Pray and
"Driven By The Spirit" to Study. The section below will focus on the
how we should be "Driven By The Spirit" to Reach The Harvest.
IV. Driven by the Spirit To
Reach The Harvest
A. If we are Driven By the Spirit to Pray and Study,
then we can be Driven by the Spirit to Reach the Harvest.
B. When we have prayed and studied, we won’t say to
Jesus, “There are four months than cometh the Harvest.” No, rather we will say,
“Lift up your eyes, look on the fields, for they are white ready to harvest!”
1. We will say, “Let’s roll up our sleeves, and get
into the Harvest Work.”
C. Some may say that Harvesting is hard work. YES, IT
IS!!!
1. But the Bible tells us, “Let
us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not.” (Gal. 6:9)
What are the Negative words here? “Faint” “Be Weary”
(we maybe focus too much on these words.)
What are the Positive words here? “Due Season” = The
Proper Time, It is God’s Time
“We Shall Reap” = To Harvest
Sometimes, we give up right before the
Harvest! This is what happens: (Matt. 13:18-23)
1.-Sometimes when we sow the seed the fowls of the air
take it away. (The devil robs from some the Word of God.)
2.-Sometimes the ground is rocky and hard. (The Sower
finds it to be hard ground, these are those that don’t seem to last too long in
the church. Here today, gone tomorrow.)
3.-Sometimes weeds and thorns creep in. (These are the
cares of the world that rob the joy and peace from those in your church.)
4.-But pastors, (leaders) keep sowing, for
eventually, your seed is going to land on good ground!
(That is 1 in 4 odds, maybe not the best.) But here’s
the good part, the seed that lands on the good ground has the ability to
multiply and bring forth fruit, some one
hundred fold, some sixty, and some thirty!!!
*****SO PASTOR, CHURCHES, DON’T
GIVE UP!!! (You plant, others Water, But it is God, But it is God, But it is
God, that Gives the Increase!!!)
-DON’T BE WEARY IN WELL DOING….DON’T FAINT (DON’T GIVE
UP!) BECAUSE IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP!!!
5. Working in the Harvest, sometimes means going to those areas that you
are not comfortable going in!
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Here we see that the Holy Spirit drives us into
Jerusalem, into Judea, into Samaria, and into the uttermost part of the earth.
-We feel comfortable going to Jerusalem and Judea,
(“Them’s my kind of people.”) But, when we are asked to go into Samaria (Those
folks aren’t like us!)
-Then we are driven by the Spirit into the “uttermost
part of the earth” that’s where the real geeks are, the people I don’t relate
to!
A church was not reaching its community. They did not
know what to do. They bought 10,000 9-volt batteries. They went door to door
and asked the question, “Have you replaced the battery for your smoke
detector?” People at the door would say,”Now, who are you?” They gave packets
out with batteries and a brochure saying who they were. Now listen
to this, 20% of the 8,000 people they reached became
associated with that church! (The Key: “JUST LOVE THEM AND CARE FOR THEM!!!”)
Our Job is to plant and water, and it is God that gives
the Increase!
