April/May 2025

CENTRAL GULF COAST

CONNECTION

A WORD FROM PASTOR RYAN

These are good days to be CGC!

It is such an honor for Jamie and me to travel the CGC and worship with you. We are so very privileged to serve Jesus alongside you.

M25 was great, as several from the CGC traveled to Kansas City to worship and disciple together. We experienced great worship, speakers, and breakout sessions. Oh, and great barbecue!

Celebrate, Jr. (formerly Heavenly Star Search) was very well attended. CGC children showcased the gifts and talents that the Lord has blessed them with.

Valley Indoor Camp with Dr. Mike Jackson and Mobile Indoor Camp with Rev. Daron Brown were both great, Spirit-filled times together.

District Assembly and Conventions are right around the corner. We will be at Pensacola First COTN on May 13-15. Don’t miss this year’s assembly. The Lord is already at work and it’s going to be amazing!

Rev. Ryan Brown

District Superintendent

New Pastor

Let’s welcome Rev. Art Menard as the new pastor of East Brewton COTN.

We are excited for the days ahead!

Churches in Transition:

Landmark

Pensacola First

Jackson

Please be in prayer for these churches as the Lord directs and guides.

CGC MISSION

CGC VISION

2025 DISTRICT ASSEMBLY AND CONVENTIONS

PRESIDING GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT

DR. SCOTT DANIELS

Revs. Scott & Emily Armstrong

NMI Conventon Speakers

Rev. Jeff Stark

NDI Convention Speaker

If you missed the M25 Conference, you can view the plenary sessions at M25conference.org. To view John Maxwell's session, use the password 'Gospel.'

DISTRICT NEWS & REMINDERS

CHURCH PROOF OF INSURANCE & INCORPORATION PAPERS

The District Advisory Board requests that all churches provide proof of insurance, in addition to filing incorporation papers at the District Ministry Resource Center; unless your church has already done so.

AUDIT OF TREASURER'S BOOKS

Every church is advised to conduct an annual audit of the financial records of the treasurer(s) of the church. This includes the NYI, NDI, NMI, Nazarene childcare/schools, and any other financial records of the church as mandated in the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene.

District Finance Report and District Calendar

For Global Nazarene News visit the Nazarene Communications Network (NCN)

Nazarene Discipleship Ministries (NDI)

Brian Aaron, District NDI President

District Children's Quizzing Update

On Saturday, March 8, we held our last Children’s Bible Quiz of the year! These kids put in the work and did so well. We will have one team going to Regionals in the Atlanta area at the end of April. Great job everybody! We are so proud of all of you!

WOMEN'S RETREAT 2025

Exciting Reports from the CGC District Women’s Retreat, held March 13-16 in Orange Beach, Alabama!

“It was a wonderful, uplifting, Spirit-moving experience. Already seeing answers to prayers.” Judy Burt

“I am amazed every year how God pours Himself out upon us and how we are fed time after time after time.” Anita Aldridge

“This was my first time going, and I so enjoyed myself. God was present and showed out. I plan on being there every year now.” Lucy Parnell

“I’m filled with a renewed sense of purpose and excitement. Grateful for the revitalizing presence of the Holy Spirit.” Angie Henson

DISTRICT NDI CONVENTION 2025

You don’t want to miss the 2025 District NDI Convention!

MAY 14, 2025 - PENSACOLA FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

From dynamic worship led by Rev. Sam Evans with a team of gifted vocalists and musicians on our district to our speaker, Dr. Jeff Stark, NDI Convention will be a time of worship, business, and teaching/preaching on how to live as faithful disciples of Christ. Dr. Stark is one of the Church of the Nazarene’s excellent teachers and preachers. From serving in a local church that grew exponentially in just a short time to his experience serving on staff at Olivet Nazarene University, he is well-known for his passion for reaching the lost through missional theology focusing on the intersection of Church and culture. Please make plans to attend and come with an expectation of what God is going to do through our time together.

FREE VBS from USA/CANADA NDI

Nazarene Discipleship International is thrilled to offer a high-quality, free VBS program, lovingly crafted by talented Nazarenes specifically for our Nazarene churches.

Our mandate is simple: to equip the church for meaningful discipleship. And what better place to start than with the hearts and minds of children? With captivating stories, exceptional music, and all the resources you need for a transformative VBS, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss. Best of all, it's available in both English and Spanish!

Dive in and Explore through this link! https://nazarene.org/who-we-are/organization/ministries/ndi/vbs-2025

More USA/Canada Kids Resources (click below)

A NEW Journey Coming in July

Starting in 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲, the Journey Newsletter will look a little different! We are excited to offer this newsletter in 5 different languages! English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Korean You get to choose which one of these languages you would like to receive! The articles about discipleship will be from our sisters and brothers around the globe! We are excited to share, inform, and energize the reader through this repurposed newsletter! Sign up today at this link: https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/2012297/1907947/

Nazarene Missions International (NMI)

Diane Thompson, District NMI President

centralgulfcoast.org/cgc-nmi

NACA MISSIONS TEAM UPDATE

By the time you are reading this, a team of individuals form Central Gulf Coast will be preparing to leave for this long-waited-for mission trip. Plans are to build the greenhouse and a chicken coop as well as other smaller projects around campus. Thank you for the funds you have raised for the NACA Children’s Project and for your prayer support. Please keep the team in your heart and prayers as we travel, work, enjoy some sightseeing, and build relationships with each other and the students and staff at the Native American Christian Academy in Sun Valley, AZ. God is at work here and you are a huge part of it.

NACA Mission team members: Cross Pointe: Freddy Williams (Project Leader), Brooke Bayne, Cheryl Hodo; Ensley: Carolyn McAdams, Hughette Jordan, Terry and Chris Braker; Capital City: Albert and Hong Bing Woolbright; Dothan: Donna Angerbrandt; Spencer: Diane Thompson; and Dr. Mark and Laurie Mann, Soil Specialists

CGC CHILDREN'S PROJECT

EASTER OFFERING - APRIL NMI EMPHASIS

As followers of Christ, we are all called to be ambassadors of the Kingdom throughout the world. And through the global Church of the Nazarene, you are doing exactly that. Not only are you showing Christ’s love to your neighbors locally, but you are also showing it to those thousands of miles away.

The Easter Offering goes toward meeting your World Evangelism Fund goal. When your church supports this fund, they are supporting the actions of Nazarenes loving others in Christ’s name, truly making Christlike disciples in all nations.

MEMORIAL ROLL - MAY NMI EMPHASIS

Missionary Health Care is the NMI emphasis for May. Support missionary health care through the Distinguished Service Award and Memorial Roll.

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is a tribute to Nazarenes who are living, for their service to the church. Donations received through DSAs are used to provide medical assistance for Nazarene missionaries through Missionary Health Care. Although the DSA is given through NMI, it does need not be given in the area of missions. A church may wish to honor anyone in their church for their service to Christ and the church. The DSA may be given by a church, a group within the church; a district or a group within the district.

The Memorial Roll, established in 1919, is a way to honor deceased friends and loved ones and contribute to Missionary Health Care, which provides medical assistance for Nazarene missionaries. A certificate is issued in the name of the person memorialized and is often presented to a family member or displayed in the church. Churches or individuals may place as many names on the Memorial Roll as they desire, and those memorialized do not need to be members of the church. Find more information about how to order by visiting: https://nazarene.org/who-we-are/organization/ministries/nazarene-missions-international

GET TO KNOW YOUR LINKS MISSIONARIES

Our LINKS missionaries, Jorge and Ana Betsy Banos, are serving in Coasta Rico on the Mesoamerica Region. Pray for their ministry and their family. Jorge currently serves as the National Coordinator of Ministries for Costa Rica. Ana serves as Administrator and Treasurer of the Office of Mesocentral Field. Their 18-year-old daughter, Daniella is currently attending University. Jorge and Ana-Betsy will celebrate their wedding anniversary on April 30. We encourage you to support our LINKS family with prayers and gifts, if possible, throughout the year.