Haiti Update

Dear Friends,
I am writing to give you a report of my last mission trip to Haiti from January 8-22. I was accompanied by four teams. I had one group each from Eastern Canada, Montana/Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina with the total being twenty adults. The twenty were very diverse consisting of four pastors, one overseer, one youth pastor, two ladies, one architect, and a variety of other backgrounds.

I am thankful to be able to report that after four months that the wall around the orphanage has been completed which includes the sea wall portion. When I first went to the orphanage a few months ago, it was overrun with goats and community people walking through the property at will. There was no sense of security at all. Now that the wall has been completed, the environment is much improved, and there was a sense of peace in the whole place. Also, the new generator has been hooked up, water is being pumped from the well, and the school is operational. We have approximately forty-six children back on the property and another one hundred and fifty attending the school on the property. GAIN had also purchased a relatively new Ford pickup truck that I was able to use while there.

Our first church building project this trip was a church building in DuFort. This building was for a thriving congregation which was worshipping under a tarp. We welded steel angle iron together, made T-posts, and set them in concrete. We braced them and made steel trusses and placed them on the walls. We then ran the lathe and attached the metal roof by special screws that we had transported from the states. The building was approximately 34 feet wide and 60 feel long. When I left, I ordered and had delivered the materials to begin building the block walls that will fill the spaces between the posts.

The second project was in Grand Gove. This church was on a narrow piece of land between two buildings, and it was 21 feet wide and about 74 feel long. This construction was not as conductive for steel construction so I purchased treated (insect and rot resistant) lumber and built frame walls and wooden trusses, and then we attached metal roofing. The ladies of this church worked with sledge hammers, picks, shovels, and wheel barrows to the point that we were simply amazed.

In short, both churches turned out to be beautiful structures of which both congregations were very proud. The people who went with me seemed thrilled with the whole experience and have already begun talking about going again next year. In fact, some are talking about going again in just a month or two.

I should also report that on the last Friday of January 21, that we visited the only pastor that we still have living in a tent. The brethren from Canada wanted to buy a piece of land to build him a house. They authorized the purchase of a lot that we were shown.

I am taking another group to work at the orphanage and in the surrounding churches in February. I have pasted some pictures below.

Pastors Retreat/Summit January 2011

"I was challenged, filled, emptied, made to rejoice, cry, and just flow into the presence of the presence of the Lord. I have been made to step up and be more than I have been." Pastor A.L. Henderson

"The retreat was absolutely amazing. Rev. Massey's messages and instructions were phenomenal." Going home we all made the statement, "We could have listened to him all day long". Randy and Cathi Jones

"My soul is bursting at the seams it's so full. Dr. Massey was God sent." Pastor Judy Lyles.

"My wife and I returned to Short Creek better equipped to shepherd God's wonderful sheep." Pastor Shane Pate

"I was truly amazed and blessed by the message of Dr. Massey. I have never seen a theological scholar who is so godly like Dr. Massey. I could feel the awesome presence of God throughout the meeting. It was wonderful. I also have decided to spend time with the Lord every morning alone for a few hours. I am still shaking in my heart because of the presence of the Holy Spirit." Pastor John Wessly

These are some of the emails that have been coming in. Dr. Massey and Dr. Cardin blessed us so much this pass weekend.

Dr. Massey taught three pastoral lessons with Dr. Cardin's message closing the retreat. Someone said of Bishop Cardin, "He put the icing on the cake".

We left feeling blessed of God and ready to forge ahead in our ministry of Pastoral Care.

More pictures will follow soon.

Update: Bishop John Doroshuk

Bishop John Doroshuk was able to spend a few days home from the hospital to be with his family over the holidays. He fights a daily battle with the tumor on his brain, but continues in steadfast faith, sharing always of the joy of the Lord

Please continue to remember Bishop John, his wife Ruth and their ever present and caring family during this time. Europe, the CIS and the Middle East continue to fast and pray for his healing and we with the family ask the church and friends to continue praying in faith.

Join The Heritage Ministries Association for 2011

The Heritage Ministries Association supports the Heritage Ministries Department, assists in maintaining and improving the Fields of the Wood, First Assembly House, Shearer Schoolhouse site, and the Holy Ghost marker.

$ 20.00 Membership card
$30.00 Membership card and Heritage Ministries T-shirt
$40.00 Membership card, T-shirt, and Heritage Ministries Calendar

$50.00 Membership card, T-shirt, Calendar and Heritage Ministries DVD

Ways to Join

Join online at http://www.cogopheritage.com/

If you attend a Church of God of Prophecy congregation, you may join through your local Heritage Ministries Director

Pursuing His Spirit

I would like to announce to you that for the fifth time I am calling the Church of God of Prophecy to begin the New Year with 21 days of prayer and fasting. We have referred to this time as our Season of Seeking. Let me share why I feel impressed to declare this call another time throughout the Church of God of Prophecy. There is clearly a God-breathed movement of prayer stirring in the world today, and I want the Church of God of Prophecy to participate and experience all that God has for those who will join Him there. Coming from our International Assembly with our theme "Pursuing His Spirit," I feel deeply that a "Season of Seeking" such as this gives all of our churches, leaders,and people an opportunity to be involved. The needs and opportunities before us as a worldwide ministry are great and I feel our only real recourse is to seek God for His strength to achieve all He has placed before us. And, finally, dedicating the first days of the New Year to calling on the name of the Lord is the best way I can think of to start the fresh New Year God has given us with eyes toward Him, ears open to Him, and hearts hungry for Him.

We at the International Offices invite all of our leaders, churches, and people to join in this Season of Seeking in any level of participation they feel is best. Fasting is always a personal conviction if it is to be of maximum benefit to anyone. Many will be fasting completely through these first 21 days of the year.

Others are certainly free to give themselves to prayer all of these days and to fast in the method they feel would be best for them. We feel the Lord is honored in a call to this 21-Day Season of Seeking, and each person's response at any level will only add to our unity in prayer and seeking God. I know that you will help us to spread the word to all of our churches about this opportunity to fast and pray. A fasting guide is available by clicking http://cogop.org/ministries/prayer-ministries/simulcast-host-locations-2.html

Because of the capability of technology, I am extremely excited about a way that people of the Church of God of Prophecy and beyond can participate in this 21-Day Season of Seeking. On Friday, January 21, we will offer a LIVE webcast service from one of our local churches that will feature an evening of worship and directed prayers. The webcast, the first of its kind for us, will give churches and members around the word an opportunity to unite together in celebration and praise, as we seek God's direction at the start of a New Year. For more information about the webcast, or to sign-up as a Host Church, click http://cogop.org/ministries/prayer-ministries/downloadable-resources.html. To find a Host location in your area, click http://cogop.org/ministries/prayer-ministries/simulcast-host-locations.html. Please check back often as this list will continue to grow.

Perhaps you have heard that the call at the Assembly for 1,000 Upper Room Prayer Ministries has already received response and participation from more than 1,500. We are in touch with these each month to unite for prayer targets and to encourage and inspire. As your leaders join in this 21-Day Season of Seeking, they will be uniting with these 1,500 prayer ministries around the world, calling on God for fresh outpourings of His Spirit so that we may declare His Gospel effectively where we minister. Together we are claiming the promises of God as we unite, pray, fast, and believe.

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13,14).

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3).

"Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession" (Psalm 2:8).

Glorifying God Through PRAYER and Leadership Development, all the HARVEST.

Bishop R. E. Howard, General Overseer

Merry Christmas From International Offices

Elba Church Gets New Pastor

November 14th, Avena Lewis was appointed and installed as the new pastor for Elba Church of God of Prophecy. She will take the place of Pastor Harless Buckner who wanted to retire.

The church welcomed Sister Lewis with opened arms. She is a member there and has worked along side them for years.

The church is very happy that Brother and Sister Buckner will remain as members.

Blessings to these dear people and the Saints at Elba.