Minutes of Oho Association 4C Fall Meeting 10/24/2009 Held @ Grace Chapel, 1060 E. Turkeyfoot Lake Rdl, Green, OH 44320 Rev. Harry Knotts, Pastor
Worship and Devotions: Harry Knotts: drawn from Joshua 14 & Numbers 13: Caleb vs. the Naysayers
Keynote Presenter: Mark Zimmerman, Moody Radio Network, morning host with WCRF: derived from Mark 11:28-34, on Loving the Lord with all of your faculties, loving your neighbor as yourself: the neighbors in the case being orphans in El Salvador.
Lunch, prepared by the ladies of the Knotts family. Thank you for a delicious meal!
Business Meeting: Opening Prayer
- Treature’s Report provide by Rev. Dave Lippert.
- Minutes of May 2009 meeting: Rev. Marshall Pierson advised the minutes can be read on the Ohio Association web site at www.ccccohio.org
- Winter Banquet: to be held at Troyer’s Restaurant; date to be announced.
- Missions: Dr. Franklin Shannon. Cooperative International Studies:
- 1.Russia is not closed to foreign Christian endeavors; the Orthodox Church, in lockstep with the Russian national government, is now compelling all dissenting Christians to attend Orthodox churches. Non-compliance is, according to Dr. Shannon’s contacts in Russia, resulting in the following sanctions:
- 1.loss of residence; if still non-compliant;
- 2.loss of employment, if still non-compliant;
- 3.incarceration; if still non-compliant;
- 4.death by murder.
- .Dr. Shannon also mentioned that the general economic situation is grim for the vast majority of Russian citizens; that there is virtually no middle class; that virtually all wealth and power is held by the current edition of the elites, simply having replaced the top communists, who had previously replaced the Czar and his associates; but that life goes on in Russia for most people as it has cor centuries: a very grim existence. Dr Shannon also mentioned efforts he is involved in to assist certain of his contact to have a ministry of compassion, counseling, and recovery to girls and women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse. He state that virtually 100% of women raised in the rural areas have been sexually victimized as children. Finally, Dr. Shannon disclosed that nothing so far has begun in the Philippines.
- 1.Russia is not closed to foreign Christian endeavors; the Orthodox Church, in lockstep with the Russian national government, is now compelling all dissenting Christians to attend Orthodox churches. Non-compliance is, according to Dr. Shannon’s contacts in Russia, resulting in the following sanctions:
- Church planting in Ohio: Rev. Pat Street, Salem Evangelical Church, Marion: 4 students have successfully completed the Salem School of Ministry, two being Salem church members who have now been ordained and commissioned to begin new church plants; and two were sent to the school by a local Church of Christ congregation. Pat states that this gospel endeavor is transforming the folks at Salem!
- National CCCC 2011 Convention to be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio. It will be a 3-day conference from Monday evening through noon Thursday. Dr. John Hood, Ohio Association Moderator, advised that “all hands are needed” from the Ohio Association, which is the host association, to make this work.
- “Connected in Christ…Changing Communities”: Rev. Steve Carmany, national CCCC Area Representative, provide a brief report about this program and its current developmental stage, advising that fund need to be raised to go to the national office to help subsidize costs of redevelopment to struggling local churches.
- Area Representative Meeting in January 2010 in Orlando, FL: the assembled delegates for the 10/24/2009 Ohio CCCC Meeting approved a gift of $200 to Rev. Carmany to help defray his costs for attending this meeting.
- Simon Horn, representative, Dennis Rainy Family Life (www.familylife.com); Simon explained the work of this ministry that is oriented towards strengthening marriages, including their weekend marriage seminars. Simon is available to speak at local churches concerning this ministry.
- Rev. Phil Ross: ccccohio.org web site costs are currently being absorbed by him.
- Rev. Steve Carmany: Matt Reed, a licensed CCCC minister, currently pastor of Wakeman Congregational UCC, is preparing himself to be examined by a CCCC vicinage council to be conducted this coming Winter, the Lord willing; Steve will be contacting certain Ohio CCCC ministers soon to see if they are willing and able to review the candidate’s written doctrinal statements in order to be adequately prepared to engage in a meaningful examination of the candidate.
- Trouble churches and pastors: several were mentioned. Prayer was offered for them, including for one pastor present at the meeting.
- Prayer of Adjournment: Rev. Steve Carmany.
Submitted by:
Marshall Pierson, Secretary
10/26/2009