Moderator's Report, 2007-2008

It has been a great joy and privilege to serve as the moderator of the Northern Atlantic Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches since March of last year. I have endeavored to lead us as churches according to the purpose of this association of churches, “to encourage and unite member churches in obeying the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ(Matthew 28:18-20): And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
My job description has included four primary responsibilities. The first was to lead our executive committee in preparation for today’s annual meeting. We have met quarterly since last April, and I trust that you are finding our efforts satisfactory.
The second is to preside at this session of the annual meeting. You may remember that last year I gave a challenge in the evening session at Telford, in view of our rather flat growth rate in past years. My challenge was to trust and obey Christ’s command to make disciples of all the nations from the northern Atlantic, just as we read the first disciples did in the book of Acts.
Connected to that challenge was my direct challenge to each of our churches to be so intent on obeying Christ, that each church would return this year with a daughter church to join our regional association of churches. Since that time I have sought to visit each church for encouragement and prayer, and have been with most of you during this past year. This has surely been the highlight of my service as your moderator.
Today I must confess that my challenge was somewhat unrealistic and ineffective. Unrealistic, because the necessary organizational guidelines make this nearly impossible to accomplish within one year. Ineffective, because we have not added a single new church to the NAF this year.
Third, I attempted unsuccessfully to initiate a committee to bring to our annual meeting today a plan to see more active church planting in the large portion of our region north of most of our churches, in New England. Perhaps this is best left to our cooperating mission organization, Northern Atlantic Missions. I will have a recommendation in that regard at the end of this report.
Fourth and finally, the moderator is responsible to publish highlights of the annual meeting. Each of our churches received this report in June of last year.
I will close my report with a recommendation for each of the cooperating organizations of our regional association of churches here in the northeast:
 Ministerium, our ministerial organization responsible for the qualification of leaders to serve our churches: The things which we have heard in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (cp. 2 Timothy 2:2)
 NAYF, our youth organization responsible for the promotion of ministry to children and youth among our churches: Support families, so children will obey their parents in the Lord, for this is right…so sons and daughters will honor their father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with them, and that they may live long on the earth (cp. Ephesians 6:1-3).
 NAM, our mission organization responsible for vision casting and church planting within our region: Serve the churches, as we make disciples of all the nations (cp. Matthew 28:16-20).
Let us decide whether we will live up to our name or not. Let us either get serious about making disciples throughout the northern Atlantic region of our country, or let us change our name to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. May God grant us grace to lead while we can…
Your brother in Christ, Dan Jackson

COME UP AND HELP US!

For eleven years Chris and Lisa Skowronek, homegrown leaders of the work in Hartford, Connecticut, have been laboring in their hometown harvest field. God has been faithful, granting conversions, growing disciples and establishing the church. Although not weary of the work, and also knowing their labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58), our dear brother and sister are weary in laboring alone.

Rachel and I, along with the director of the Northern Atlantic Fellowship's camp, Mike Gehlert, and his wife, Yara, invested this past weekend with the Skowronek family and CenterPoint Community Church. We did come away concerned for our brother and sister. However, we also came away refreshed from their grateful, trusting obedience of Jesus Christ, and the church's joyful worship and fellowship.

Meeting in the auditorium of a local school, Chris and Lisa are leading the establishment of an indigenous church in Wethersfield, a suburb of Hartford in which they have lived for years. The singing was energetic and Christ-focused, the message from Chris evangelistic, simple and engaging. There were 60-70 in attendance, up from the twentys one year ago.

Christ is building His church in Hartford. Perhaps He is calling you to join the work there. Pray for CenterPoint Community Church in Wethersfield, Connecticut, led by Chris Skowronek.

All of the pastors of our New England churches really appreciated the visit and the personal words of encouragement to their people. A personal visit meant much more than any memo or email or telephone call ever could mean. Pray for Jack, Jake and Chris in New England, and consider what God would have you do now.

"THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING US!"

One of the dear saints in our sister church in the "Northeast Kingdom" of Vermont shared this with me after joining them for prayer meeting last Wednesday evening.

Earlier that day I had traveled to Montpelier, capital of Vermont, enroute to Island Pond. We have no church in Monteplier, or Burlington, Vermont's largest and most vibrant city.

The day before I had traveled to Concord, the capital of New Hampshire. We have no church in Concord, or Manchester, New Hampshire's largest and most vibrant city. Or anywhere else in the state.
When I called a classmate from seminary, born and raised in New Hampshire, his wife (also of New Hampshire) told me how to pray for New Hampshire: "Pray for good churches!"

Last Monday I traveled to Augusta, the capital of Maine. We have no church in Augusta, or Portand, Maine's largest and most vibrant city. Or anywhere else in the state.
When I called a fellow elder in ministry, who was born and raised in Maine, he told me how to pray for Maine: "Pray for good churches!"

During the well attended Wednesday evening meeting, I challenged the church at Island Pond to have courage to trust and obey God and His word to do again what He has done before. In the first centuries after Christ the gospel triumphed throughout the Roman Empire. Early in our nation's history and in New England, the gospel triumphed.

God has not changed; the gospel has lost none of its power; people are still people. Let's trust God to do it again, through us, for His glory.

Are we listening to our brothers and sisters? As we make disciples of all the nations in and from the northern Atlantic region, Christ will build His church. Pray for the Island Pond, Vermont Grace Brethren Church, led by Jake Kocis.

PROVIDENCE, AND BOSTON IN THE FALL

In the middle of three weekends invested with my wife visiting churches in the northern part of the Northern Atlantic Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, Rachel and I joined Jack and Christine Brown in Essex, Massachusetts. Our son, Samuel, was also along. They responded well to my challenge to "preach the gospel," bearing the good news they have to people they know who need it!

In Providence, Rhode Island, one can stand at the riverside in the downtown, and see all the structures of authority and influence. In the smallest of our United States, one can pray with eyes wide open for "all who are in authority" to the One "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:2, 4).
We have no church in Providence, or any other community in Rhode Island.

On a drive through Massachusetts, I visited three towns briefly. One was Northampton, where Jonathan Edwards led a church during the first Great Awakening. Another was Enfield, where he preached the famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

Apparenty the lampstand had been removed (Revelation 2:5)from many of the churches long ago. Now they are used for shops, museums and city halls. Northampton is now a center of radical feminism and the occult, and in Enfield only the tranisent literary works of men and women are memorialized near the church building where Edwards preached.

But thank God for the lampstand burning bright on the North Shore of Boston! Pray for the North Shore Bible Church, led by Jack Brown.

I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH

Twelve years ago, it was not certain that the Grace Brethren Church of Sherman's Valley would continue to gather for worship. Numbers had dwindled to less than a dozen, and God was being sought in prayer for a shepherd. Would Christ remove His lampstand from that place (Revelation 2:5)?

The answer of our Lord appears to be no, the lampstand will remain in Blain, PA. This smaller church in the hills of central Pennsylvania, west of Harrisburg, is growing. Attendance has been in the 70s for Sunday morning worship, and there was a typical third of that number for Wednesday evening prayer meeting earlier this week.

Jim Link, the shepherd which answered the call to Sherman's Valley GBC, explained to me of God's faithfulness exhibited through the faithfulness of the folks meeting in Blain. Attentive listening to God's Word and fervent prayer did as well. A Berean spirit (Acts 17:11) came to mind as a young adult listener carefully asked insightful questions afterwards.

God is doing a work in the Grace Brethren Church of Sherman's Valley; Christ is builing His church. Pray for the Grace Brethren Church in Blain, PA, led by Jim Link.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK!

There is more to New York than New York City, but I'll get back to that in a moment.
My wife, Rachel, and I had the thrill to be with Steve and Melanie Galegor last weekend in "the big apple." Saturday evening we joined them in Brooklyn with one of their several works with Albanians. Steve's ministry involved both evangelism and discipleship as he taught from Isaiah, challenging them to believe God for a great ministry impact in their borough.
As the center of the "Megalopolis" of the northeast, I praise God that we have a great work going on here. But there is much more to be done in New York City!
Once again, there is more to New York than New York City. I think the rest of the state of New York is often refered to as "upstate." Well, the city of Syracuse is defintely upstate. Josh Shearer, with Paul and Abigail Roark,are in the initial stage of beginning a work in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
This is a mission team sent out by New Beginnings GBC in Myerstown, PA. God is beginning to supply them with both employment and good contacts. One is a young family, also from our Fellowship of churches, who is proving to be an encouragement to the new team in town.
As one of the most populous and influential states in the United States, I praise God that we have a work beginning in the very center of the state. But there is much more to be done throughout the state of New York!
Pray for the Syracuse Grace Brethren Church, led by Josh Shearer.
Pray as well for the evangelism and discipleship leading to churches, going on among Albanians and others in New York City, led by Steve Galegor, Jr.

HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THE BODY OF CHRIST!

Last Friday evening I had the joy of seeing members of the body of Christ doing ministry together, and it was beautiful. Community Cornerstone Church, originally meeting in Loganville, PA, now gathers and serves in the Early Learning Center in York. Not only do they gather on Sunday mornings for worship, but also once a month on a Friday evening for outreach!
Comfortable music was playing as the young people entered, with food and drink being served by leaders and their families from Community Cornerstone. A young adult soon welcomed everyone to the event. Usually local bands play, which explains the 75 and more people in attendance-this night it is a film.
The members of Community Cornerstone Church are everywhere, serving food and drink, welcoming people, and engaging young people in evangelistic conversations in the hallway and in the meeting room. I joined them with the three young people at my table, using "The Intelligence Test" to move us from the natural to the spiritual. I hope they will welcome me some day into the "eternal dwellings"(Luke 17:9).
This, too, is certainly the heart and mindset of this church.
Pray for Community Cornerstone Church in York, PA, led by Ross Dunk.