Outgoing Epistle

OUTGOING EPISTLE 2009  (Website version)

Contact the office for official- release version with complete names.


Greetings in the name of Jesus from the delegation of the 197th Yearly Meeting of the Evangelical Friends Church, Eastern Region, to our brothers and sisters worldwide.

Our theme for these sessions has been "Hearing the Call - Taking the Risk". 
The Yearly Meeting initiating events, the Missionary Banquets (one at 4:00 PM and one at 7:00 PM) were well attended, with over 600 in total attendance.  Missionary speakers this year were Dave and Cindy Aufrance, home from Hong Kong, and Jason H, who is leaving for India fall 2009 (where he will be working with Arun and Shobha Massey).  A pre-banquet event and a Sunday service were held for the large Hispanic contingency of over 215.

We have enjoyed an increased level of involvement by our youth this year, in addition to our children’s program.  The youth involved in the Yearly Meeting program (this year called “Friends United”), numbering over 160 including workers, joined us for the evening service on Sunday evening for a worship experience that was not only multi-cultural, but also inter-generational in nature.  The combined choir and orchestra (made up of members from local friends churches) led the entire group in a lively medley of well-known Sunday School songs, which started the evening on a high-spirited note.  Then the worship group from Hungary, presented Christian music of the Hungarian, Gypsy, and Jewish-Gypsy genre, building the energy to welcome the presence of a men's quartet from Canton, Ohio, and a Christian Rock band, the Adam Cappa Band, who successfully involved the entire crowd in shouting to the Lord and singing praises, corporately.   Dr. John Williams presented the evening message from Genesis 12, which set the tone for the sessions’ theme regarding risk taking.  He identified 4 types of risks:  Risks you can afford to take; Risks you can’t avoid; Risks you can’t afford; and Risks you can’t afford not to take.  He reminded us that if convenience, comfort, and control direct our lives, then we will not be able to follow God’s plan for our lives, as He calls us out of our comfort zones.  He encouraged us to take risks that bring us along side of others to meet the needs of people, show God’s love, and bring others to Christ.

On Monday morning, the prayer breakfast speakers for men and women were Ed and Linda.  Following the Monday morning Concert of Prayer, the entire delegation was sent out into the community to demonstrate “Love in Action”.  Work sites included ministering at a local fire station (that recently lost a fire fighter), the Jewish Community Center, the Pregnancy Support Center, a nursing home, the yearly meeting children’s program, a playground, and private homes.  Love in action included praying, washing a fire truck, picking up trash, sorting clothes, weeding a garden, visiting elderly, washing windows, playing games with children and more.  Monday afternoon business sessions included honoring General Superintendent and wife, Dr. John and Carol Williams, for 20 years of service to the yearly meeting.  Finance and Stewardship announced that the superintendents and administrative staff are voluntarily forgoing pay increases this year in recognition of the economic hardship with which our community at large is experiencing.   Friends Action Board reported results of grant recipient awards, including a first person account from a church that created community garden plots to be able to share fresh fruits and vegetables with those in need. Friends Disaster Service announced that this past year the service performed disaster relief assistance 194 days involving 395 volunteers.  EFM announced that a prospective missionaries retreat was held with 28 prospective missionaries in attendance (who would plan to be on the field within 5 years).  Camp Gideon described a year of transition and the naming of Tom Lincoln (who has a background in food service and construction, two needed skills at the camp) as the part time director during this time or reorganization.   A post-session think tank for pastors was held with the theme “Discerning Risks – Legitimate VS Illegitimate Risks”.  

Monday evening Jason H was commissioned for the beginning of his missionary service in India.   Following his piano offertory, Phil DiSabatino, music/worship leader, was surprised by his wife, Londa, with a tender moment of  public recognition of their 35th wedding anniversary, which always falls during yearly meeting.   The speaker for the evening, pastor and author John Ed Mathison, used Acts chapter 2 as his text.  He continued the theme of risk taking by encouraging us to commit ourselves to take the risks necessary to become  “Aweful” churches using the following steps:  (1) knowing  God’s roadmap, the Bible (the problem in the church isn’t agnostics, but ignostics); (2) accepting all people and meeting their needs; (3) realizing the church isn’t about “me”, but is an avenue through which we can serve Jesus Christ and others; (4) working together like a team with a contagious attitude; (5) not just seeing the problems of the world around us, but cutting through them to get to the heart of the matter (like the difference between a spotlight and a laser); and (6) reaching others for Christ and multiplying disciples.  An ice cream social was held following the evening service co-sponsored by EFC-ER and the Malone Alumni Association.

Tuesday morning prayer breakfast speakers were Jacelyn Jones and Jason H.  The memorial service was held to honor the memory of the following beloved pastors and wives:  Leroy Birt, Jr., Dr. Herbert Dymale, Kenneth H. Hinshaw, Freeda Margaret Johnson, Mary Elizabeth Lockwood, George Edward Robinson, and Asa Waldo Seawell. Linwood Johnson will be memorialized at Yearly Meeting 2010.  The Tuesday business session included the annual Malone University report presented by Dr. Streit, reporting the 5th consecutive year of increased enrollment (with 2455 this academic year).  The staff, faculty and trustees were present for this report.  Dr. Streit presented Karen Dean Fry, Vice-President for University Relations, who spoke about strengthening the bond between the church and the University.  She, in turn, introduced Tim Pitzer, Director of Church Relations for the University.  Mr. Pitzer led the delegation in musical worship.  At the conclusion of the time of worship, Dr. Streit called the Malone personnel who were present to the front of the auditorium.  Dr. John prayed a prayer of consecration over the staff for the coming year.  The Christian Ed report included the following:  over $22,000.00 raised in the Easter offering for Evangelical Friends Missions; almost $4,000.00 raised so far this summer in vacation Bible Schools for work in the Philippines; and over 500 campers at Camp Gideon this summer.  The youth of the Yearly Meeting youth program joined the delegation for the Youth Board report.  At the conclusion of the report, which highlighted a renewed emphasis on youth ministries, Dr. John asked the youth to line the aisles.  The delegates were then asked to surround the youth with at least one hand of support on each youth, while he prayed a prayer of consecration for these precious young people, our future leaders.  The Communications Board encouraged use of the website at www.efcer.org.  The EP & E Board recommended the following for recording in this year's session:  Peter Fowler, Andy Albertini, and Roger Foote.  Additionally, Dave Aufrance, long-term missionary in Hong Kong and recorded minister in the Hong Kong church, was recommended for recording as a pastor in the EFC-ER.  Additionally, Living Hope Evangelical Friends church in Virginia was received into full EFC-ER membership. 
The Tuesday evening capstone session of our meetings, the recording service, was followed by a short cake reception, co-sponsored by ERC-ER and Malone University, to honor the recordees.

We go forth from this Yearly Meeting renewed, refreshed, and re-committed to embrace the risks we cannot afford not to take to reach our world for Christ.

With loving thoughts and prayers,

Dr. Ron Johnson
Presiding Clerk, EFC-ER
Canton, Ohio, USA