Susquehanna Conference Winter 2022 News |
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A Note from Heather:
Happy New Year! Are you ready for 2022? After the past couple of years, I feel as though I am standing hesitantly at the brink of this new calendar year. Yet, this week, we will collectively practice one of my favorite Brethren in Christ events: the BIC Week of Prayer and Fasting.
While none of us really enjoy fasting (do we?), I do love that we choose to begin the year in community. We read, pray, and fast together as we invite God to speak to us as a body of brothers and sisters and to lead us into the new year. I always look forward to hearing what people experience during this week devoted to seeking God together.
A few years ago, during this week of prayer and fasting, a good friend encouraged me to ask the Lord if he had a word for me. Just a word. One word. Or one phrase, she said. Something that would be unique to my journey with him over the course of the coming year.
This was a new idea for me at the time, but I am always up for trying something new. So, I decided to pray for a word and waited to see what the Holy Spirit would bring of it.
Sure enough, the Spirit impressed on my heart and mind a particular word for that year. And just as she had shared from her own experience, I was amazed to see the many ways that God showed me his character and made me aware of his presence in that specific area over the course of that year.
It was such a meaningful experience for me that I have begun to make this a practice, inviting God to set forth a particular focus for the season ahead. This past year, the word was "trust," and God has greatly increased my trust in his power, his love, his provision, and his guidance through 2021.
So, I invite you to join us collectively for the 2022 Week of Prayer and Fasting. I would also suggest that if you have never asked the Lord to give you a personal and specific word of focus for the year, you might try it this year. See how he reveals himself to you, renews your awareness of him, and revives your faith and intimacy of relationship with him.
This year, I pray that you experience God's deep love for you and the power of his presence in new ways. That you recommit to serving him with whole-hearted abandon. That you continue to grow and be transformed more and more into the likeness of our Savior. And that we, together, may stand amazed at the powerful ways our God is at work - in us, around us, and through us. To him be the glory!
“May the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13
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Meet Melissa Lowther
The Susquehanna Conference
Leadership Council Advisory Team Representative
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In 2021, a new Leadership Council Advisory Team (LCAT) was formed to help BIC U.S. work toward the fifth priority of Project 250: to increase the number of appropriately qualified women and people of color serving and advising on the BIC U.S. Leadership Council.
The advisory council includes a representative from each BIC U.S. conference and BIC U.S. World Missions. These LCAT members were nominated by regional bishops or leaders and then approved by Leadership Council. Collectively, they are adding to the depth of church conversation as group members engage both with Leadership Council and the broader church.
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Melissa Lowther represents the Susquehanna Conference on the newly formed LCAT and helped author this year's "Prayer and Fasting" devotional.
Melissa presently serves as discipleship pastor at Grantham BIC. She grew up in Phoenixville, Pa., and felt called to ministry from an early age. She graduated from the University of Valley Forge with a degree in Theological Studies and a minor in Church Music. She later received a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where she also taught Biblical Greek for two years.
Upon graduation from seminary, Melissa joined the staff of North Shore Community Baptist Church (north of Boston), first as the Office Administrator and then as the Ministry Associate for Discipleship.
Melissa has been married since 2014 to her husband Greg, who is an organist and works remotely for a software company in Boston. They have a young son named Emmett. Melissa enjoys all things chocolate, exploring local places with her family, singing harmony, and crafting with her son (because it’s the only time anyone compliments her artwork!).
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This past fall, the Bishop Leadership Team asked for your help in response to a number of significant needs experienced by pastors in our conference. Our desire was to launch a Susquehanna Conference benevolence fund to assist with these needs as well as future needs that arise. I am very pleased to share with you that we have collected almost $20,000 for this benevolence fund over the past few months.
Thank you so much for your quick and generous response!
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If you wanted to contribute to the Susquehanna Benevolence Fund but have not yet done so, we would still love to have you participate. You can send checks to:
Susquehanna Conference BIC
431 Grantham Rd
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
This also means that the fund is active and available to be used. If you are a Susquehanna Pastor experiencing difficulty (or you know of a pastor in need of additional support), please reach out through the conference office email. We will be glad to discuss how the conference can help support you.
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A Hiring Thank You:
Many of you that have been hiring new staff members over the past year or two have begun using the BIC "This I Believe" document as part of the process. Thank you!
Rob Douglass, our Bishop Leadership Team credentialing member, says that this is one of the most helpful early steps for future conversations with staff pastors who are moving ahead with BIC credentialing.
So, all new hiring should include this step. If you need a copy of the "This I Believe" document, please reach out and we will gladly provide one.
Also, please remember that all hiring of individuals from outside the denomination needs to be processed through the Bishop Leadership Team prior to an offer being extended (MDG, Article 7.1). So, we encourage you to have those conversations early in the process.
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We are looking forward to hosting our bi-annual BIC General Assembly in-person again in 2022! This event will be held in Salina, Kasas, from July 22-25. |
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Every other summer, we gather at General Assembly to celebrate what God has been doing across the country in our BIC churches. We meet together, eat together, and make decisions together. This year, we are looking forward to meeting in the Crossroads BIC Church.
Pastors and delegates from each Susquehanna church will want to go ahead and start making travel and lodging plans. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate contact one of the Susquehanna Conference team members at bicsusquehanna@bicus.org.
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January
BIC Week of Prayer & Fasting
January 2 - 9
Thurs, Jan. 6 from 8:30 am - 10:00 am
State College Pastoral Cluster
The Country Cupboard, Lewisburg
Sun, Jan. 9 - Mon, Jan 10
Pastors' Day Away
CRC, East Waterford
February
Weds, Feb. 2 from 8:00 - 9:30 am
Carlisle Pastoral Cluster
The Square Bean, Carlisle
Sat, Feb. 5 from 9:00 - 10:30 am
Bivocational Pastoral Cluster
Bittings' Restaurant, Newport
Thurs, Feb. 17 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
MDD Day - "Renewal Through Worship"
Dillsburg Meeting House
March
Thurs, Mar. 6 from 8:00 am - 9:30 am
York Pastoral Cluster
Hanover BIC Church
April
Thurs, Apr. 7 from 8:30 am - 10:00 am
State College Pastoral Cluster
The Country Cupboard, Lewisburg
Sat, Apr. 9 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Susquehanna Annual Meeting
Grantham Church
April 20, 21, 27, 28 and May 4
Leadership & Structure Core Course
Location: Zoom
Registration Open & Pre-reading required
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May
Weds, May 4 from 8:00 - 9:30 am
Carlisle Pastoral Cluster
The Square Bean, Carlisle
Sat, May 14 from 9:00 - 10:30 am
Bivocational Pastoral Cluster
Bittings' Restaurant, Newport
June
June 6-8 from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
BIC History & Values Core Course
Location: Manor Church
Registration Open & Pre-reading required
June 13-15 from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
BIC History & Values Core Course
Location: Roxbury Conference Center
Registration Open & Pre-reading required
July
July 22 - 25
BIC General Assembly
Location: Salina, KS
Registration Required
August
Aug 15-17 from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
BIC History & Values Core Course
Location: Roxbury Conference Center
Registration Open & Pre-reading required
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If you would like to contact a member of the Bishop Leadership Team, please follow this link:
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BIC Susquehanna Conference
431 Grantham Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
bicsusquehanna@bicus.org
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