Events of general interest among Grace Brethren Churches. Details and registration information are available from sponsoring organizations or through www.fgbc.org.

Feb. 27-March 1 – South Focus Retreat, Haines City, FL (FGBC)

March 4 – On-Mission Training Day (GBIM)
March 4-12 – Spring Break, Grace College & Seminary
March 17-19 – ReMix, LaPalma, CA (CEN)

April 20 – Day Away, North of 55, Mid-Atlantic District (CEN)
April 21 – Day Away, North of 55, Wooster, OH (CEN)
April 28 – Day Away, North of 55, Lancaster, PA (CEN)

May 6 – Grace College & Seminary Commencement
May 22-24 – Northwest Focus Retreat (FGBC)

June 13-July 21 – Operation Barnabas, West Coast (CEN)
June 12-16 – ACTS Training for Church Planters (GBIM)
June 22-25 – DRIVEN06, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH (CEN)
June 25-July 1 – Great Canadian Adventure Teen Week, Toronto (GBNAM)

July 2-8 – Great Canadian Adventure Teen Week, Vancouver, BC (GBNAM)
July 22-28 – BNYC, Biola University (CEN)
July 29–August 3 – Celebrate06 National Conference, Indian Wells, CA (FGBC)

August 6-12—Canadian Adventure Adult Week (Toronto)
August 13-19—Canadian Adventure Adult Week (Vancouver)
August 23-September 4 – 4:12 Commission Orientation, Winona Lake, IN (CEN)

GBNAM = Grace Brethren North American Missions
GBIM = Grace Brethren International Missions
CEN = CE National
FGBC = Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches

Leo Boyer, of Winona Lake, Indiana, has designed and is distributing this Christmas lawn display designed to draw attention to Christ, the true meaning of Christmas. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will provide scholarships to African Bible and pastoral students.

The November/December 2005 issue of FGBC World carried a story about Leo Boyer, of Winona Lake, IN and his desire to design and promote a Christmas lawn display which more properly reflects the true meaning of Christmas. (See Lawn Display Presents Christ, Helps Africans.)

With a portion of the sale of each display going to support seminary and Bible college student scholarships in the Central African Republic, Boyer was able recently to present to Grace Brethren International Missions a check for $350 to be given to Dr. Francois Ngoumape, director of the Grace Brethren schools at Bata, CAR, for use in training African pastors and Bible teachers.

Leo Boyer's father, Dr. James Boyer, was a longtime Grace College and Seminary faculty member who served as a guest teacher at the African school, and Leo wanted a portion of the sales of the lawn displays to further the ministry in that way. He invites anyone who may have an interest in assisting in either the production or the distribution of the displays for future years to contact him by calling (574) 267-3432.

Pastor John McIntosh

1. What pastor rode his Harley-Davidson motorcycle diagonally across the entire Los Angeles basin on “the 5 Freeway” to attend the Focus Retreat?
2. What Southern California pastor also helps direct a business of nearly 400 employees—alternating two weeks in China with two weeks at home and with his church?
3. What pastor is a medical doctor who has for many years seen patients as a pediatrician one day a week, in addition to pastoring his church?
4. What seminary-trained Japanese pastor just received his R-1 visa, permitting him to be in the US for the next three years, helping Cecil O’Dell reach Japanese nationals in the Long Beach area?
   

   Nao Makino
5. What pastor led his father to the Lord, and now both are in ministry as elders in Grace Brethren churches?
6. What pastor’s church is in a shopping mall, where shoppers and passers-by can look in on worship services, including footwashing at communion?
7. What pastor has a tri-lingual church in which three separate ethnic congregations meet (Anglo, Hispanic, Mandarin Chinese), with at least one service a year (at Pentecost) occurring simultaneously in three-language translations?
8. What Grace Brethren pastor last year performed 120 weddings and 157 funerals?
9. What pastor, as a result of sitting with his wife beside Dr. Phil McGraw’s wife at the taping of a Dr. Phil show, was given a tractor-trailer load of toys to distribute to Katrina victims in Louisiana and Mississippi?
10. What pastor is the incoming chairman of the Association of Grace Brethren Ministers who will take office at this summer’s Celebrate06 national conference?
    

    Pastor Mitch Cariaga

Answers to “Pastors Quiz”

1. Pastor John McIntosh from the Grace Brethren Church of Simi Valley, CA
2. Mitch Cariaga, pastor of Mosaic, a Grace Brethren church in Rialto, CA
3. Dr. Glen Shirk, pastor of Ripon (CA) Grace Brethren Church
4. Nao Makino
5. Ed Waken, pastor at ValleyLife Grace Brethren Church in Peoria (Phoenix), Arizona and his father, Jerry, is an elder at the Community Grace Brethren Church, Long Beach, Calif. 
   

   Pastor Joel Richards
6. Pastor Chris Ball of Dimond Grace Fellowship in Anchorage, Alaska
7. Pastor Terry Daniels of the Grace Brethren Church of South Pasadena
   

   the Wakens -- Ed and Jerry
8. Pastor Roy Halberg of the Alta Loma Grace Fellowship
9. Pastor Wayne Ayer of the Norwalk, CA, Grace Brethren Church
10. Pastor Joel Richards of the La Loma Grace Brethren Church, Modesto, CA

Do you really want your life to reflect Jesus Christ to others?

BMH Books’ recent release, Walking Like Jesus Did: Studies in the Character of Christ, may be just what you need.

Walking Like Jesus Did is a challenging but easy-to-read handbook that helps Christians better understand what it means to walk as Jesus did. Author Larry McCall explains that mirroring the character of Jesus should be the normal pattern of life for a Christian. He lays out 14 character traits that Jesus demonstrated in His own life, and explains how these traits can and should be reflected in the daily lives of Jesus’ followers.

Chapter subjects include walking in meekness, walking with a mission, walking in holiness, suffering, persevering, praying, and much more. Each chapter is followed by stimulating discussion questions that have been field-tested with small groups to maximize fruitful discussion and personal application.

The author, Dr. Larry E. McCall (and his wife, Gladine) grew up in the Grace Brethren Church of West Kittanning, PA. He is a graduate of Grace College and of Grace Theological Seminary, and received his D.Min. degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Since 1981 McCall has pastored Christ’s Covenant Church in Winona Lake, IN. In that time, God has used the church to have a growing impact on its own community, the United States, and various parts of the world.

Dr. Jerry Bridges of The Navigators, writing in the foreword, says, “One of the strengths of this book is that it takes us outside the realm of what we normally think of as Christian character. We see Jesus on a mission; and by His example, we are challenged to live purposeful lives as ‘people on a mission’ ourselves. I have been personally challenged by this book to pay more attention to the actions of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels and to learn from them how I might more and more walk like He did. I trust this book will have a similar impact on all who read it.”

Nathan Zakahi, pastor of the Grace Brethren Church of Sunnyside, WA, says, “Read Walking Like Jesus Did to gain insight into normal Christian living. Read it again to shape your prayer requests for Christlikeness. Read it a third time in the hearing of another.”

Management guru Olan Hendrix says, “Larry McCall has contributed a timeless treasure to the Christian world in this work. I wish every believer desiring to obey Christ could read this wonderful work. It is solidly biblical and a source of inspiration as well as instruction. I highly recommend it!”

Grace College and Seminary professor Roger Peugh, co-author of Transformed in His Presence: The Need for Prayer in Counseling, says, “Becoming like Jesus Christ began growing as a passion in my life about 35 years ago. It is an immeasurable privilege to recommend Larry McCall's profound presentation of the character of our Lord. Over the years this book could have been used hundreds of times in my pastoral counseling and discipleship to point struggling people to God's perfect standard for us--Jesus Christ, His Son.”

The 160-page paperback retails for $10.99 and is available online at www.bmhbooks.com or by calling toll-free 1-800-348-2756. The ISBN number is 0884693031.
 

John Leonard (right) was honored recently at an open house by the Brethren Missionary Herald Company for 27 years of consecutive service with the company.

Leonard has worked for BMH since 1978, both as a printer and as distribution manager for BMH Books. BMH publisher Terry White (left) presented Leonard with a plaque and cash honorarium for John and his wife, Linda, in recognition of his years of service and Linda's assistance to the company. White gave credit to Leonard for "keeping the company alive" during the late 90s when the company's activities had essentially ceased.

In recent years Leonard’s services have been contracted to BMH by STL, the organization that purchased the Herald Bookstore. With the closing of the bookstore April 30, 2006, Leonard will once again become a full-time employee of Brethren Missionary Herald Company.

He is available to take orders for BMH Books at 1-800-348-2756, or books may also be ordered online by credit card at www.bmhbooks.com.