Team Wisconsin Update 10-26-07

It was a really good day worshipping with the Spooner congregation and getting to spend a little time Pastor Ron and Karen and Pastor Chopper and Andrea. Chopper is doing a great job leading the student ministries and assisting Ron. Ron has faithfully led and developing a healthy, reproducing church in northern Wisconsin. Over a year ago when Hayward mothered The River church, Pastor Ron and the leadership at Spooner graciously gave permission for people from Spooner to assist. As a result, there have been a number of people who have jumped in to this new developing congregation in Minong. Spooner has taken the lead in Nicaragua with their strong financial support for Mike and Amy Knox, missionaries to that country. Thanks, Spooner, for being an example in building the kingdom and helping fulfill the vision here in Wisconsin of developing healthy, reproducing church here and around the world.

DBMD
We spend two plus days processing those preparing for ministry here in Wisconsin. We plan to recommend several for ordination next year. There are number of new students and staff that we had the privilege of meeting and getting to know better. It is always exciting to see how God continues to call out those who He needs to gift to lead His kingdom work.

Iglesia Cristiana Wesleyana
I caught up with Daniel Munoz last week. Here are a couple of highlights. Did you know that the pastors’ wives of all the Milwaukee churches get together once a month, too? The pastors are in an LDJ and meet monthly, too. Did you know that a little over three years ago there were 4 Wesleyan churches in the Milwaukee area and by sometime this year there will be 7? Iglesia was the first new one. Transformation city is the 2nd new one. And in another week Morillo will arrive to begin laying the groundwork for the 3rd new one. Also, last Sunday Daniel dedicated a child and 8 family members, unchurched, showed up, began asking questions and are interested in coming back. Next Sunday Daniel and his congregation will go to Hales Corners Wesleyan at 11 AM and baptize 4 more people, using Our Savior’s portable baptistry. How’s that for camaraderie and cooperation?

Spiritual Formation Training for Teachers/Leaders

WHAT: Exciting time of motivation and training for effective spiritual formation

WHO: Dr. Jim Dunn (Adult), Rev. Colleen Derr (Children) and Rev. Scott Simmons (youth) from the Spiritual Formation Department in Indy will be leading

WHEN: November 3, Saturday (southwest and southeast regions)
November 4, Sunday (north region)

WHERE: November 3—CrossPoint Nazarene Church, Madison
November 4—Spooner Wesleyan Church

FOR: Pastors, Directors, Teachers, Small Group leaders, of children, youth, and adults.

Calendar

October 25 Ballinger Fund

October 27 DBA

October 28 Drop in visit (Transformation City)

November 1 Parkway LBA Dialogue

November 3-4 Spiritual Formation Tour

November 3-4 The River (Minong) visit
November 5 Baker St. LBA Dialogue
November 6 Eastman LBA Dialogue
November 8 North Central Staff LDJ
November 8 Beulah LBA Dialogue

November 10-11 Northern Lakes Visit
November 9-10, 16-17 District Extension Class (Mukwonago)

November 12 West Allis LBA Dialogue
November 19 Burr LBA Dialogue
November 25 Burr/Valley Visit
November 26 Northern Lakes LBA Dialogue

Team Wisconsin Update 10-18-07

Last week Reenie and I spent some time on the road and in North Dakota with our new grandson and his parents, Brent and Laura. I had the privilege of dedicating Jackson to the Lord in one of the morning services at New Hope where Brent is the Family Life Pastor. Pastor Steve Norby preached a good message on the gifts of the Spirit. We had a good time catching up, visiting and getting some work done, too. We feel absolutely blessed because the Lord has gifted us with two wonderful sons, a wonderful daughter in law, a grandson, and another wonderful soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

Morillo
We have just confirmed that Morillo, along with his wife and three children, will be arriving by the first of November to begin another church plant in Milwaukee. He will initially be working alongside Daniel Munoz at Iglesia Cristiana Wesleyana, then launching in a second strategic area.

Transformation City
Jason and the team have begun to hold preview services in a downtown theatre in North Milwaukee. They’ve had new people every week and some people who are seriously interested in joining the leadership team. The Lord has answered prayer to allow them to remain at the theatre through December. The city paper has highlighted the church’s beginning and also run an article on Alya, highlighting her Russian roots and cooking. Keep up by visiting http://www.transformationcity.org/.

Connections
Last week I spent a couple of days in Bartlesville, OK for the annual GS/DS meeting. It was a good day with new ideas and resources bubbling out all over. I also spent some time with Jesse Van Horn, a ministerial student from Darrow Road. Jesse is in his final year at OWU. By the way, there’s a great place to find ribs in town – Dink’s Pit Bar-B-Que!



Spiritual Formation Training for Teachers/Leaders

WHAT: Exciting time of motivation and training for effective spiritual formation

WHO: Dr. Jim Dunn (Adult), Rev. Colleen Derr (Children) and Rev. Scott Simmons (youth) from
the Spiritual Formation Department in Indy will be leading

WHEN: November 3, Saturday (southwest and southeast regions)
November 4, Sunday (north region)

WHERE: November 3—CrossPoint Nazarene Church, Madison
November 4—Spooner Wesleyan Church

FOR: Pastors, Directors, Teachers, Small Group leaders, of children, youth, and adults.

Calendar

October 21 Spooner
October 22-23 DBMD
October 25 Ballinger Fund
October 27 DBA
October 28 Drop in visit
November 1 Parkway LBA Dialogue
November 3-4 Spiritual Formation Tour
November 3-4 The River (Minong) visit
November 5 Baker St. LBA Dialogue
November 6 Eastman LBA Dialogue
November 8 North Central Staff LDJ
November 9-10, 16-17 District Extension Class (Mukwonago)
November 10-11 Northern Lakes Visit
November 12 West Allis LBA Dialogue
November 18 Hancock Visit
November 19 Burr LBA Dialogue
November 25 Burr/Valley Visit
November 26 Northern Lakes LBA Dialogueovember 8 Beulah LBA Dialogue

Leading a great team—Your Servant, Dan Bickel, Wisconsin District Superintendent

Sand Lake is experiencing good grief these days. Pastor Jim and Terri Maness had their farewell a week ago on their final Sunday at the church they’ve led for 15 years. Last Sunday I spoke at the church and met with their board. The congregation is sad to see them go. But what is encouraging is that the church that was running in the 50’s then is a much stronger and healthy congregation of 275 today. Please pray for the church and leadership as they search for the right leader for the next season of ministry in the Coulee region.

Indiana Wesleyan University
God continues to bless IWU. I just returned from the fall Trustee board meeting. There are many new developments in the fulfillment of the mission of IWU.
· This is the first year with a guaranteed 50% tuition scholarship for all Wesleyan pastors and missionaries’ children
· A special scholarship for all Wesleyan students was initiated from a newly established Wesleyan scholarship fund
· Enrollment on the Marion campus surpassed 3,000 students
· A new three story class room building was completed and dedicated.
· New student housing units were completed this summer.
· A new indoor sports arena and tennis courts were completed this summer/fall
· A new Master of Divinity program is being studied and developed
· Michael Moffitt, a former wide receiver with the Green Bay Packers (yeah, Wisconsin!), is a new vice-president at IWU
· A new, much needed chapel is being planned

Connections
In addition to having a chance to connect with my grandson for short time, we also had the privilege of connecting with Russell and Vonnie Buck, former District Superintendent of the Wisconsin district. Russell and Vonnie are on their way to Florida where the weather is warmer and the golfing is a lot more fun in January than it is in Wisconsin.

Spiritual Formation Training for Teachers/Leaders

WHAT: Exciting time of motivation and training for effective spiritual formation

WHO: Dr. Jim Dunn (Adult), Rev. Colleen Derr (Children) and Rev. Scott Simmons (youth) from
the Spiritual Formation Department in Indy will be leading

WHEN: November 3, Saturday (southwest and southeast regions)
November 4, Sunday (north region)

WHERE: November 3—CrossPoint Nazarene Church, Madison
November 4—Spooner Wesleyan Church

FOR: Pastors, Directors, Teachers, Small Group leaders, of children, youth, and adults.

Calendar

October 7 Sand Lake
October 9-10 OWU Visit, GS/DS Meeting
October 11-16 Vacation
October 21 Spooner
October 22-23 DBMD
October 25 Ballinger Fund
October 27 DBA
October 28 Drop in visit

November 3-4 Spiritual Formation Tour Event
The River (Minong) Visit

Leading a great team—Your Servant, Dan Bickel, Wisconsin District Superintendent

Team Wisconsin Update 10-03-07

Good things are happening at Safe Harbor in Superior! Pastor Jason continues to do a good job in helping form this young, developing church. Begun six years ago as a daughter to Darrow Rd., their dream is to impact north Superior with the gospel. The finance and attendance numbers are climbing. A week ago they baptized five more people in Lake Superior (brr!). They’ve put on an addition with a restroom, ramp and back entry. They’ve put on a new roof and have raised the money for a complete, new exterior. In the past two weeks they’ve also raised the money to scholarship a student in Nicaragua. Jason and Patty have four children, with number five on the way. People’s lives continue to be transformed through this ministry.

Transformation City
Another Pastor Jason and his team had their first low-key preview service last Sunday in north Milwaukee. In addition to their launch team, there were 5 new adults with four children and it went very well. Jason and Alya Butler have been working in the area for about three months to establish a new congregation there. They are working through some opposition with zoning issues from the city fathers. Pray for them about this issue and as they work to reach people for Christ in the city.

Connections
This weekend I also had the opportunity to catch up with Alex Finseth (a licensed ministerial student) in Eau Claire, Jeff and Heather Semple (new staff pastors at Red Cedar), Todd and Kris Arneson (assistant at Red Cedar) and Damian Gonzalez (student intern at Red Cedar). I was also privileged to stop in to hear Pastor Craig Cooper preach and worship with Red Cedar on Saturday evening.

Nicaragua Scholarship Sponsors Needed
We’re about halfway in providing 20 scholarships to help a student (minister or lay) to be educated for one year. $336 pays for one student to take at least three classes for one year. Missionaries Mike Knox and Jim Eckhardt are developing and teaching the classes. We will provide you with a picture and a short bio on the student so that you can also pray for him/her while you support the student.

Spiritual Formation Training for Teachers/Leaders

WHAT: Exciting time of motivation and training for effective spiritual formation

WHO: Dr. Jim Dunn (Adult), Rev. Colleen Derr (Children) and Rev. Scott Simmons (youth) from the Spiritual Formation Department in Indy will be leading

WHEN: November 3, Saturday (southwest and southeast regions)
November 4, Sunday (north region)

WHERE: November 3—CrossPoint Nazarene Church, Madison
November 4—Spooner Wesleyan Church

FOR: Pastors, Directors, Teachers, Small Group leaders, of children, youth, and adults.

Calendar
October 4-5 IWU Board

October 21 Spooner Visit
October 6 Iglesia de Esperanza (Rice Lake)

October 22-23 DBMD
October 7 Sand Lake

October 25 Ballinger Fund
October 9-10 OWU Visit, GS/DS Meeting

October 27 DBA
October 11-16 Vacation

October 28 Drop in visit

November 3-4 Spiritual Formation Training
The River (Minong) visit