Oregon church's music room goes up in flames

Eugene, Oregon--On the day after Easter, the last thing a church wants to deal with is a big fire.

But that's exactly what happened to Fairfield Church of the Nazarene in Eugene, Oregon early Monday morning, April 9. The Eugene Register-Guard, a local newspaper, reports smoke and an orange glow drew fire crews to the church at 2:27 A.M.

According to news station KVAL, pastors at the church are just grateful the heavy damage was confined to one wing of the church. They're also thankful this didn't happen during Easter services.

"You can see where the flames were lapping at the sanctuary walls," Church Administrator Luther Bennett said. "You think, 'The Lord took control of that.'"

Senior Pastor Bob Bauer told KVAL, "One of the main support beams is charred and all the walls are charred, especially where the fire started. They're suspecting that it started from an electrical outlet shorting out."

Eugene fire crews had the blaze under control about 25 minutes later, but not before it did $275,000 (U.S.) of damage.

Bennett said Tuesday he worried initially that the fire could have been intentionally set--vandals had earlier sprayed graffiti on the building's exterior-but he was relieved to hear the cause was accidental.

Deputy Fire Marshal Keith Haggas was one of the investigators and explained, "We're working through several things in trying to rule out possible sources and get down to a source if we can."

By late afternoon on Tuesday, fire marshals ruled the blaze began in an electric bass amplifier that was left plugged in inside the church's music room. The church used this room for choir practice, and Lifegate Christian School, who occupies the same facilities, used it as a music room.

The Register-Guard reports many musical instruments were lost in the fire, along with drama costumes and documents, but other parts of the church were spared. An adjacent baptismal and a flower room were damaged in addition to the music room.

Bauer added the fire crews did save a large piano used for rehearsals in the choir room, with little or no damage done to the instrument.

According to KVAL, Bauer said, "The Lord is good and we're so grateful that it didn't spread into the sanctuary and cause even more damage. The heat melted the metal musical instruments inside the choir room and warped an exterior door. That may have saved the rest of the building. When the door warped, it triggered a burglar alarm and alerted the alarm company that something was amiss."

"I'm convinced that if that door hadn't pulled away we wouldn't have a church today," Bennett said.

The building is insured, and cleaning crews were working to remove the smoke odor. Bennett said they'll probably begin tearing out the damaged walls and cabinets inside the music room this week. The church hopes to have the sanctuary ready for services this Sunday.
--The Register-Guard, KVAL Channel 13 News

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Global Theology Conference II

Dalfsen, Netherlands--The opening event of the Global Theology Conference II, held March 31 through April 3, set the tone for a time of spiritual exploration, theological conversation, and worship. Co-chairs of the conference, Ron Benefiel, Nazarene Theological Seminary president, and Jerry Lambert, education commissioner for the International Board of Education, asked, "Why are we here?" They then reminded the nearly 300 participants from 50 countries of their purpose to engage in stimulating conversation around a central, biblically-based affirmation: "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism-unity in diversity in our Wesleyan tradition."

Benefiel stated the conference was founded on three pivotal elements: worship, exploration, and the embrace and celebration of our unity in diversity. He noted three converging disciplines meet in conversations like these: theology and its concern for an appropriate ecclesiology, missiology and its missional concerns, and pedagogy, or how the church teaches others.

"The rhythms of this conference," said Benefiel, "are community, worshipping, listening, learning, and conversation."

A number of Wesleyan hymns were sung by the audience at the event, often blending languages in recognition of the almost universal appeal of a hymnody that encourages us to sing our theology.

General Superintendent Jesse C. Middendorf offered the keynote address at the opening service, held on Palm Sunday. Throughout his address, one got the feeling that Middendorf was "exploring the rhythms of the church around the source of our faith." To illustrate our unity in diversity, Middendorf alluded to the unity candle tradition observed in many weddings in western culture. The new unity that emerges from the flames of two candles illuminated from the unity candle does not extinguish the diversity that is present in the lives of the wedding couple. Middendorf reminded the audience that our unity is not based on uniformity.

"We do not create unity; we confess our unity in Christ, for He is the basis of our unity," said Middendorf. He offered, "This unity is to be kept as a gift given to us by our Lord. Its retention requires effort and intentionality. We keep this unity through the bond of peace."

Middendorf continued: "The measure of our unity is our likeness to Jesus. We are admonished to accomplish this unity and we are urged to keep it."

He went on to state, "Christlikeness must at least be described as our living out the virtues of Jesus as expressed by Paul in his description of the fruit of the Spirit. We must reflect the character of our Lord." To enrich his point, Middendorf said, "The magnitude of our faith may be seen in the great diversity of the church. Every conversation must conclude with intentional commitment to keeping the bond of peace intact."

The Lord's Supper was celebrated with bread brought from all over the world by various conference participants. The presence of the bread reminded worshippers of the great diversity that finds its unity in the very body of Christ.

Numerous papers were presented to conference participants prior to the event for their reading and assimilation. At the event, authors of the papers presented highlights to which several respondents offered evaluations. Several papers are available on the web at the following NTS web page: Conference papers.

Note: For photos, see the April 13 photo gallery on ncnnews.com.
--NCN News

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2007 Global Missiology Conference

Dalfsen, Netherlands--If one measured the years of service represented by the respondents at the Global Missiology Conference, it would be well into the hundreds. Representing every global region, participants included missionaries, missions administrators, missiologists, as well as a variety of educators and denominational leaders involved in the global missional task of the Church of the Nazarene. The conference was held March 30-31 at the deBron Conference Center near Amsterdam in conjunction with the Global Theological Conference. David Wesley (Nazarene Theological Seminary) led in the conference planning assisted by Randy Beckum (MidAmerica Nazarene University), Howard Culbertson (Southern Nazarene University), and Bill Selvidge (NTS).

Papers for the conference were written and posted on the following NTS web page prior to the event: Conference papers.

The Missiology Conference began with an address by World Mission Department Director Louie E. Bustle who challenged the group to remember the essential task behind the evolving term, "missions." He asked participants to pray both for the task at hand as well as the conference. By kneeling for prayer, the group expressed its humility before God in the face of changes and opportunities in missions.

Participants grappled with the changing role of missions, the importance of learning new paradigms, and the dangers of fixating on one mode or model of doing missional work.

Dialogue among speakers and participants engaged sensitive topics with openness and deep reflection. All agreed the passion of the church to send people forth must be cherished and nurtured. The methodology and paradigm long associated with this enterprise will change. What must never be abandoned is this elemental passion for sending people in missional involvement.

Franklin Cook offered a powerful conclusion to the missiology conference. Cook spoke of his early days as the candidate coordinator under former general superintendent George Coulter. Cook noted he was involved in the evaluation of people like Charles and Doris Gailey and Louie and Ellen Bustle.

He asked the group, "What is the big idea that has emerged from this conference?"

"Passion trumps policy and people are more important than hardware," said Cook. The future of the global church may well rest on the tides of immigration in the world's cities. He continued, "We may be at a crucible of history when the old proverb from the American West has some merit: 'It does not work to leap a 20 foot chasm in 2, 10-foot jumps.'"

Cook reiterated, "Missions is not about sending missionaries. If people can be 'turned loose,' leaders will emerge and the mission will be done. We must get our hands off!"

General Superintendent Jerry D. Porter closed the meeting with a circle of participants whose spoken languages represent the global church. As each participant prayed in their own language, others in the circle extended their hands to the next person in a symbol of agreement and solidarity.

Note: For photos, see the April 13 photo gallery on ncnnews.com.
--NCN News

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Airline offers free freight for Crisis Care Kits to Solomon Islands

Thornlands, Australia--God has responded in amazing ways to prayer for transportation of Crisis Care Kits (CCKs) to the Solomon Islands from the Australia Northern Pacific District (ANPD).

The Solomon Islands continues to recover from an earthquake and subsequent tidal waves last week that killed more than 30 people and left thousands homeless. (Story)

NazCare (Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Australia) and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) Asia-Pacific Coordinator David Harris had been liaising with the South Pacific Melanesia Field in its disaster response since the April 2 disaster.

Contact with various Australian-based charities was unsuccessful. Soon after, a major national airline referred Harris to the Islands' national carrier, Solomon Airlines. Other international freight companies were quoting at least $1,200 (U.S.) to ship the CCKs. Subsequently, Solomon Airline's regional manager readily agreed to ship the kits at no charge.

At the same time, Pauline Sheppard (pictured), ANPD's Nazarene Missions International president, was also exploring transportation options for the CCKs.

A large number of Melanesians live in her home city of Toowoomba and were able to direct Sheppard to shipping companies they frequently use to send goods home. One of those companies responded positively to NazCare's request, agreeing to ship the CCK's for no charge. Two days later, they were on their way to Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. They will soon arrive for distribution by NCM's disaster/tsunami response team in the Solomon Islands.

NazCare is also in the midst of negotiation with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for the shipment of donated hospital beds to the Kudjip Nazarene Hospital in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands Province. An inquiry from Harris led to yet another positive response to the possibility of further shipments to the Solomon Islands by the RAAF.

Continued prayer is requested for the efforts of bringing relief, aid, comfort, encouragement, and hope to those recovering from tragedy and loss.

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has set up a donation account which will help address both the immediate needs and long term response in the Solomon Islands. Persons and churches wishing to make a donation can mark their checks "Solomon Islands Disaster Relief ACM2003" and mail them to the General Treasurer, 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City, MO 64131. In Canada, checks should be made payable and sent to the Church of the Nazarene Canada, 20 Regan Road, Unit 9, Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3. Immediate donations can also be made on-line at ncm.org.
--NazCare, NCM-Asia Pacific

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NCN News Briefs for April 13, 2007

• Over the past year, David Diehl, executive pastor of Colorado Springs First Church of the Nazarene and son of General Superintendent James H. Diehl, has undergone numerous treatments for cancer, including four surgeries. All reports had been positive until last week, when four tumors were discovered. Further treatment options are being evaluated. Prayer is requested for Pastor Diehl and the Diehl family.
  (--NMI Prayer Mobilization Line)

NNU SIFE team wins at regional competition
Nampa, Idaho--The Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team returned to campus as winners after participating in the Seattle, Washington SIFE USA Regional Competition on April 5. read more

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