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Newsletter
March 4, 2026
Greetings!
On March 14th, annual Regional Conference meetings will kick off, continuing through April. I invite you to pray that these gatherings will encourage and edify ministers and strengthen our Regional Conferences. Pray also for our bishops, regional administrative assistants, and denominational staff as they prepare for the gatherings.
You can find a list of dates and locations at the end of this newsletter.
Be blessed!
Salynda Hogsett
BIC U.S. Communications, content editor
| | During their Ash Wednesday service, the Open Door BIC congregation (Lexington, Ky.) tore cloth as they prayed, an action reminiscent of the traditional Jewish act of grieving with ashes and sackcloth. They placed the cloths on the cross where they will remain until celebrating God’s gift of reconciliation at Easter. | | |
📰 In this month's issue:
‣ Scripture Meditation: Lenten Reflection
‣ Jose F. Rodriguez named next Southeast Conference Bishop
‣ BIC Foundation celebrates growth in 2025
‣ New Church Building Project in Malawi
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Scripture Meditation
Lenten Reflection
📖 READ
Joel 2:13 - Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
🙏 REFLECT
In this season of Lent, we are reminded of our reliance on God and are invited to worship him through sacrifice and lament. What do you need to grieve in his presence? How is he inviting you to depend on him?
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Jose F. Rodriguez Named Next Southeast Conference Bishop
His term will start in August.
We are thrilled to announce Jose F. Rodriguez has been confirmed to serve as the next bishop of the Southeast Conference, his term starting August 1, 2026. He will take over from Bishop Aner Morejon who has led the conference since 2012.
“As a pastor and member of several boards and commissions, Jose has already been a huge blessing to the BIC family,” says Alan Robinson, national director of BIC U.S. “I look forward to his leadership in the Southeast Conference’s next chapter.”
Jose is deeply invested in the Southeast Conference, having previously served on the conference’s Board of Directors. “I believe the Southeast Conference has tremendous potential,” Jose says, “not only to impact the area where we are, but also to perhaps help other regional conferences establish Hispanic ministries.”
| | To wrap up their February meetings, the members of Leadership Council and several of their spouses held a dinner in honor of Bishop Aner Morejon (center front) who will retire this July after leading the Southeast Conference for 14 years. | | |
Celebrating Growth: Annual Report
New investors, loans, and staff added in 2025.
2025 was a year of growth for the BIC Foundation, adding $2.1 million in new investments and issuing $4.9 million in new loans to BIC congregations and ministries.
“Our work reflects a dedication to innovation, collaboration, and the enduring belief in the transformative power of our shared faith,” writes Jim Reynolds, executive director of the Foundation, in their 2025 Annual Report. “Together, we are building a foundation that meets current needs while preparing for future opportunities and challenges.”
Jim additionally writes about several staff transitions and the adoption of a five-year strategic plan. Find it all in the Annual Report.
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Church Buildings in Malawi
Creating safe, durable spaces for worship and ministry.
Imagine reconstructing your church building every 2-3 years.
Exhausting, right?
For many BIC congregations in Malawi, this is a reality.
Most Malawian BIC churches are brick and mud structures with grass roofs that don’t last very long, often collapsing within 2-3 years. This frequent reconstruction and maintenance places unnecessary strain on congregations and hinders their ability to grow through discipleship and outreach.
More durable building materials could mitigate this strain, but the cost of these resources is economically out of reach for rural congregations.
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First photo: A typical BIC church in Phalombe that needs a new roof.
Second photo: A congregation in Chickwawa uses tarps for temporary sun shelter as they meet inside the partially constructed walls of their church.
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Our new Church Buildings in Malawi project aims to provide cement and sheet metal so congregations can construct more durable buildings for worship gatherings.
By contributing to this project, you will partner with BIC Malawi to help congregations build a church, allowing them to meet and worship in a safe, lasting structure.
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🙏 Annual Regional Conference Meeting Schedule
- March 14
- Midwest at Bethany Church (Thomas, Okla.)
- Pacific at Solid Ground BIC (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
- Southeast at Cristo Vive (Hialeah, Fla.)
- March 28
- Atlantic at Cross Roads Church (Mount Joy, Pa.)
- April 11
- Allegheny at Mt. Rock Worship Center (Shippensburg, Pa.)
- Susquehanna at Mountain Ridge BIC (Dillsburg, Pa.)
- April 25
- Great Lakes at Lakeview Community Church (Goodrich, Mich.)
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