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April 9, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am writing to inform you that after eighteen months of prayer, research, and listening to your hopes, concerns and convictions, the Succession Committee, along with the Ministries Council, proudly recommends to the General Assembly a candidate for ratification. The Succession Committee looked at many resumes and applications, and interviewed several excellent candidates. Being led by the Holy Spirit in our process, on March 21, 2013 the Succession Committee unanimously and joyfully presented Rev. James Lyon to the Ministries Council. After a time of deliberation and interview, the Ministries Council unanimously approved the nomination. As Jim has accepted that nomination, it is my honor to present to you our General Director-Designate, Rev. James Lyon.

Jim is not a stranger to the Church of God. Many of you submitted his name in recommendation to this position. As spokesperson for CBH English (Christians Broadcasting Hope) since 1996, Jim has been one of the premier voices for the Church of God around the country. He was senior pastor at Fairview Church of God in Seattle, Washington for over eight years and has been senior pastor at Madison Park Church in Anderson, Indiana for the past twenty-two years—congregations that have reached out strongly to the communities in which they provide a tangible illustration of the love of God for humankind. He has spoken at the North American Convention (NAC) numerous times and around the world, providing a presence and voice for the Church of God here and in other countries as well.

Jim is articulate and passionate in his love for God's church and burden for a hurting world. He is a determined servant, willing to risk using unconventional methods in order to reach out to minister to those who may be powerless and voiceless. He has a global outlook, embodying the message that the Church of God holds so dear—a message of unity with all believers in Jesus Christ. He is a strong leader and a lover of the body of Christ. He is a man with vision and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and faith in God's church.

It is my honor to chair the Succession Committee and to present to you Rev. James Lyon. Together with the Succession Committee, the Ministries Council strongly feels Jim is the person God has called to lead the Church of God into this next season of our ministry.

For your convenience, we have placed Jim's materials on the Church of God Ministries website at www.chog.org/gdd. Please prayerfully study the information, which includes Jim's resume, his faith statement, and his story of his journey with Christ.

The Ministries Council is providing an opportunity for you to send questions you may have to Jim by emailing: generaldirectorquestions@embarqmail.com. The questions will be gathered and shared with Jim, for him to reply in writing. All questions must be sent by April 26, 2013. To insure reception of your questions, please send your questions only to the above email. We will compile a list of the questions and Jim's responses and make them available electronically to the General Assembly by the week of May 6, 2013. This will facilitate, in a timely manner, those who need to send in an absentee ballot. Requests for absentee ballots must be in by May 13.

I also want to make you aware that the Ministries Council has appointed a Transition Team to facilitate the outgoing General Director and the incoming General Director-Designate. It is the desire of each of us that this transition be smooth and orderly. To that end, Dr. Ronald Fowler will be working with both Dr. Duncan and Rev. Lyon as they begin to think about and plan for issues and items that normally arise in a transition.

I encourage you to continue to pray with us as you seek God's will for the Church of God. And as you vote on June 26, be mindful that Jim Lyon cannot do this task alone. The leaders of the Church of God have always relied strongly on the prayerful and practical support of the General Assembly. As Dr. Charles Myricks, Chief Operating and Development Officer of the National Association of the Church of God, reminds us frequently, "We are better together!"

We continue as your servants for Christ,

Rebecca New-Edson—Chair, Ministries Council of the Church of God

Christians are under attack in Congo.

As you are reading this, our brothers and sisters in the eastern area of the Democratic Republic of Congo are fleeing their homes and villages to avoid violent guerilla attacks in the region. According to Tim and Colleen Stevenson, our missionaries to Uganda, rebel fighters, believed to be backed by the neighboring country of Rwanda, are wreaking havoc, terrorizing the people in the Goma and Sake areas of the Congo (DR). This group is extremely dangerous and is targeting Christians and church leaders in the Congo (DR).

The Stevensons write, “The United Nations has a large contingent in Goma, Congo, and more than ten thousand in the country at large, but they are powerless or not mandated to do anything about this.”

You are not powerless. There is something you can do to help.

Click here to join with us in a compassionate response to refugees who have fled the violence and are desperately seeking food and shelter in Church of God churches in Uganda and Congo (DR). You may also contribute by sending your donation to Attn. Hunger Relief, Church of God Ministries, PO Box 2420, Anderson, Indiana 46018. Be certain to clearly designate your gift to Project #45.04501.

Church of God Ministries has dispatched emergency funds in the amount of $10,000 to provide food and clean water, but the need is greater. The Stevensons and church leaders in Rwanda and the Congo (DR) are pleading for your help in bringing relief to our fellow believers in Christ in the weeks ahead.

Hurricane Sandy victims still need your support.

Early reports from our Church of God pastors in the region hit by Hurricane Sandy, and the resulting tropical storm, expressed gratitude that many lives were spared, but we have since learned that vital ministries in two churches were significantly impacted. First Church of God in Far Rockaway (Queens) remains without power or heat, and much of the fellowship hall has been destroyed due to flooding. All of the furnishings, supplies, and materials in the daycare and church school were lost in flood waters that exceeded eight feet. At the Church of God in Freeport (Long Island), one section of the community center’s roof collapsed. This facility is used to provide hundreds of meals daily to the homeless and to reach children and families in need in the community, but the roof must be replaced before these important programs can resume.

Thank you for caring. Because of the generosity of our Church of God family, Church of God Ministries was able to send $20,000 in response to an initial request for funds. With your continued support, the churches can begin the much-needed repairs and provide temporary shelter, personal and household items, and clothing to those families that have suffered losses. There is still more work we can do together.

Click here to give online. You may also contribute by sending your donation to Attn. Hunger Relief Church of God Ministries, PO Box 2420, Anderson, Indiana 46018. Be certain to clearly designate your gift to Project #45.04502.

For questions regarding this and other disaster relief efforts in the United States and abroad, contact Don Smith, Disaster Relief Committee chair, at DSmith@chog.org or 800-648-2464, ext. 3047.