Making a List and Checking It Twice...

Sunrise over Efate

No, we're not thinking of celebrating Christmas in July! 😁But, we are making a list. With only 3 1/2 months till we bid farewell to our home of 18 years, our minds have been full of many things needing to be done before we leave. Some of the items on our list are training meetings where we spend time helping others be ready to take on our responsibilities. We're so thankful for the people who have committed to taking on those roles! Though they have much to learn, they come with skills and knowledge that makes the learning easier. They also have an eagerness to learn and willingness to give their time. We're praising God for our SPNTC administrative team!

Some of the items on our list are things we're really glad to be checking off the list! Things like registering our Toyota RAV4 for the last time and the last time to face the process of renewing our residency visa. The process to accomplish these tasks seems to change every year and involves many attempts to finally get them checked off. 

Our list includes some "lasts" that are difficult because they mean letting go of something that we've really enjoyed and found very fulfilling. David is nearing the end of his last SPNTC class, and Sylvia finished teaching her class last month. As difficult as it has been to be prepared and ready to teach each class, the opportunity to be connected with our pastors, church leaders, and faculty as their teachers has brought so much joy across the years. It has been exciting to see several of our graduates move on to become teachers who are eager to make a difference in the lives of their students. 

In the midst of checking off things from our list, things that are fairly familiar, we are having to learn some brand new things which then get added to our list to pass along to others. We appreciate your prayers as we get familiar with GNECsis - the Global Nazarene Education Consortium system of recording students, classes, and grades for SPNTC. This system has been under development by people in the Nazarene Church to help small schools like SPNTC with record keeping without the cost of expensive software. We have been joining other SPNTC principals and registrars from Samoa and Fiji and another Bible college representative from Portugal via Zoom to be trained by Kindra Bible from her office in the USA. It's a huge jump from the Microsoft Word and Excel documents that have kept our records for the last 15 years here in Vanuatu. Please pray for us as we figure out the tasks and procedures for entering our information and train our SPNTC registrar and new principal, Rev. Jenny Isaac.

Our GNECsis training takes place on Zoom across many time zones.

Meriam joined students from Samoa via Zoom.

In our last newsletter we mentioned that the CALD program from Nazarene Theological College in Brisbane, Australia, was set to begin for Nazarenes in Vanuatu. Rev. Meriam Naunga has completed her first 25 hour intensive and is now working to complete her assignments in the first CALD class, Introduction to Pastoral Theology. She is finding it to be very challenging with all the lectures and discussions in English, as well as the reading assignments. She is learning to submit assignments online that she first writes in Bislama and then translates to English. Thank you for your prayers for Rev. Meriam as she pursues this training, and pray that other Nazarene graduates will join her.

Pastor David and Rev. Meriam Naunga

"See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" 

Isaiah 43:19

Learning in Our New Classroom

Our first SPNTC class of 2020 was taught by Rev. Gideon in the new classroom! Three newly enrolled students and four continuing students met for three hours each evening during the first two weeks of March to learn about Johannine Literature - the Gospel of John, the letters of John and the Revelation. We are very thankful for this dedicated space for our pastoral training courses to take place. We are looking forward to setting up the library, computers, and teacher resources to increase learning opportunities for both the teachers and the students.

Discipleship Training Seminar

We praise God for all who participated in the Discipleship Training Seminar that took place February 29th! Three ni-Vanuatu pastors and all four missionaries worked together to translate into Bislama the materials that we received at our Asia Pacific Regional Conference in October. Pastors and leaders from all the Port Vila churches and two from the churches on Tanna attended the one-day training seminar. We are so excited to see how God will use this training to help us be disciples of Jesus who lead others to be disciples also! 

Pastor Gideon (upper left), Brother William, and Pastor Taku (lower right) listening 

as the Asia Pacific Regional Discipleship Model is discussed.

We had many break-out sessions to give all of us a chance to talk. 

Pastor Anthona (front left), Pastor Morison from Tanna (second row center) and Malo from Tanna (second row right) share with each other about how they each came to be followers of Jesus.

Pastor Meriam shared the concept of "Equipping" (Bislama - Mekemrere) 

and how important it is to help people grow in their understanding of God's Word.

Three of the presenters: Pastor David Naunga (left), his wife, Pastor Meriam (center) and Pastor Jenny Isaac (right). We all learned from each other! 

It turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year (notice the fans, electric and handheld)!

Pastor Aileen (right) and Pastor Metas (center back) discuss with their small group 

about what discipleship might look like for Women's Ministries. 

Please pray for our pastors and leaders to continue to grow as disciples, 

and that God would continue to lead our churches to be faithful in making disciples in the nation of Vanuatu.

First Ordination in Vanuatu

L to R: District Superintendent Rev. Peter Isaac, Rachel Jereva, Rev. Keithly Jereva,
Rev. Meriam Naunga, David Naunga, Pastor Aline Gideon, and Rev. Gideon Sam.

Glory be to God! Great things he has done! The final day of District Assembly, 30 October 2018, families and church members gathered in the newly constructed District Center to witness this important milestone for the Nazarene Church in Vanuatu and for these three ministers!

What a joy to celebrate with Rev. Keithly and Rachel Jereva, Rev. Meriam and David Naunga, and Rev. Gideon and Pastor Aline Sam as the first ministers to be ordained in the Church of the Nazarene in Vanuatu! General Superintendent Rev. Filimao Chambo presided. Asia Pacific Regional Director Rev. Mark and Linda Louw and daughter Alex, and MSP Field Strategy Coordinator Rev. Harmon and Cindy Schmelzenbach were present for this historic occasion. 

G.S. Chambo shared with the ordinands the meaning of ordination in the Church of the Nazarene, “We…view ordination as a gift from God to the church. It is not something that we earn or deserve. It is through the local church that you came to the Lord…through the general church you had theological training … and the district has been part of your journey… they see the gifts and graces for you to be a preacher of the Word.”

Amos standing at the front door of the District Center building. He created the sign hanging over the door.

G.S. Rev. Filimao Chambo ordaining Gideon Sam.

David was honored to give the new elders their ordination certificates.

The Vanuatu ministry team with the first Nazarene elders in Vanuatu.

The Vanuatu District Center Project

This news is a little old, but we wanted to fill in the gap between March 2017 and the next blog which will be more current. 

A year ago, this is what the district center property looked like. 

Preparations were underway for the construction of 

the Church of the Nazarene District Center in 

anticipation of the arrival of a Work and Witness team

from Papua New Guinea - the first-ever PNG W&W team!

The team of 10 people arrived in March 2017 and 

poured the foundation for the new building 

and left us with a promise that they would be back...

In November 2017, Tim and Karla Deuel arrived to 

help us get ready for the next PNG W&W team!

What a blessing it is to have missionary partners with skill sets that make up for our lack! Tim and Karla have been serving at Kudjip in PNG for over five years. Tim helped our ni-Vanuatu Nazarenes get the foundation ready for the next phase of District Center development.

Everyday that there were men out working on the construction project, 

there was a beautiful group of women preparing a hot lunch for the workers.

The cement blocks started arriving as well as other supplies.

Many times when a W&W team arrives, you can tell right away which ones just got off the plane. Most of the time, W&W team members look very differently than

 the team that is ready to work with them at the project site. 

But, these two teams looked and sounded very much the same!

The building was beginning to take shape!

Because the PNG W&W team arrived in December during school break, 

some of our junior Nazarenes were able to give a hand too.

December tends to be a rainier month, but nothing kept these guys from moving forward.

Each day a different Nazarene Church was assigned to provide, prepare, and serve

lunch for the workers.

No one went hungry!

The generous funds provided by this PNG W&W team were sufficient to get the walls up, 

and it was time for them to fly back home.

But, they left with another promise...they would return in 2018 to help us finish the job!

Please pray for:

1. God's provision for expenses and project funds for the 3rd PNG W&W team.

2. Pastor Seul and his ni-Vanuatu Nazarene team to continue the project so that it is ready for the next phase of development.

3. Revs. Peter and Jenny Isaac as they travel in PNG to raise mission awareness and encourage involvement.

4. Strong relationships to be established between the people on these teams.

From Pioneer Area to Phase One District

LOOKING BACK!

With great excitement, Nazarenes from five congregations in Port Vila gathered at a rented municipal hall in November 2007 to celebrate what we thought was our first District Assembly.  We were joined by Rev. Jesse Middendorf, the General Superintendent in jurisdiction over the Asia Pacific region at that time, Rev. Verne Ward, the Asia Pacific regional director, Rev. James Johnson, the Field Strategy Coordinator for South Pacific Field, and their three wives.  The Church of the Nazarene in Vanuatu had 17 members at the time and two organized churches and three preaching points.  It was a grand celebration with special music presented by the various congregations, a big meal together, and our hearts were encouraged to continue moving forward.  We weren't really a district yet.  We were a Pioneer Area.  We had some growing to do!

L to R: Rev. Verne Ward, Jr., Rev. James Johnson, Rev. David Potter, Rev. Dr. Jesse Middendorf.

Mary Tasso and Pastor Meriam Naunga prepared the food for our meal together.

Rev. Peter Isaac joined the Tebakor and Fres Wota congregations in a special song.

NOVEMBER 2016

On Saturday, November 26, 2016, the Churches of the Nazarene in Vanuatu met together for their 10th annual assembly this time on the district land located at Erakor.  It would be our last time to gather as a "Pioneer Area."  A large canvas tent had been rented for the occassion and the local congregation had worked hard to construct a beautiful corrugated tin church for some of the activities.  For the weeks leading up to the assembly, work crews showed up almost daily to build a toilet facility and to lift up every valley, make every high place low, and the rough places smooth.

A two-stall toilet block being constructed at the district property.

Working together to level the land for the large tent.

The assembly began on Thursday night with all the churches meeting in the newly constructed Erakor Central Nazarene Church - the seventh Nazarene Church to organize in Vanuatu.  

Ladies like the two pictured below decorated the inside of the church with beautiful blue and white fabric and gorgeous flowers.  This is Pastor Meriam on the left with her daughter Ronah who had just returned from university studies in Fiji.

All five Port Vila Nazarene churches were represented along with members from the church on Aniwa Island and Tanna Island.  Yes!  The Nazarene Church in Vanuatu has grown!  This year there are 179 members attending seven organized Nazarene churches on three islands with four congregations who are not yet organized as well as four other locations where people are receiving the Word of God!  Praise the Lord!

Music has been an important part of our gatherings since the beginning!  After the preaching on Thursday night, each of the congregations were given time to share the special music or dramas that they had prepared.  In the picture below, the children and pastors of Black Sand Nazarene Church shared Bible verses that they had learned and what each verse meant.

The District Assembly began Saturday morning, November 26th.  The ladies helped to make the tent that was rented from the government disaster office look as beautiful as possible.  It was exciting to see not only adults arriving for the assembly, but lots of young people and children too!  

Our Field Strategy Coordinator, Rev. Harmon Schmelzenbach and his wife, Cindy, were able to be with us.

District Superintendent, Rev. Peter Isaac led the assembly with great enthusiasm!

Harmon shared lots of encouragement and Peter translated.

During the breaks, there were opportunities to fellowship together.  

Pastor Timothy and Pastors Gideon and Aline from the Prima Nazarene Church.

Pastor Letin from Black Sand Nazarene and Pastor Meriam from Malapoa Nazarene Church.

Bennett Isaac and Malapoa Nazarene Sunday School teacher, Christopher.

District assembly means LOTS of reports!  There are also new district leaders to be elected and district ministers' licenses to be given.

Pictured above, the nine pastors who received a district minister's license for this next year.  There are also nine locally licensed pastors.  The number of women who are feeling God's call to be pastors is growing.

Before the assembly closed at the end of the day, the pastors had prepared a special drama showing the Light of the gospel being shared first by the missionary and then by each new person that received the Light.

At a strategic point in the drama, Harmon stepped forward to declare that the Church of the Nazarene is officially a Phase One District!  This was met by enthusiastic cheers from the congregation!

The pastors who had performed the drama then shared a specially written song for the occasion expressing their joy in this important historical moment.

The next day, Sunday, all the churches gathered again at the tent to worship together and to celebrate the graduation of Pastor John Nato from South Pacific Nazarene Theological College.  

As principal of SPNTC, David had a few words to share.

Pastor Anthona led a student choir.

Pastor John shared his testimony.

For the first time in his life, Pastor John has completed an educational program - the Pastor's Course of Study - and earned a Certificate in Ministry.  When he was in grade school, the family had no more money to pay his school fees.  So he dropped out of school.  This was a very proud day for him and his entire family as he was recognized for this huge achievement.

One of the traditions in Vanuatu is to hang a flower ring or a long piece of cloth around the neck of someone you want to honor and to douse them in baby powder.  John stands nearly covered in "honor!"  His mother and father stand beside him, as well as his sisters and their children.  Pastors Seul and Letin (right) have co-pastored with John at Black Sand Nazarene Church for the last 2 years.

Following the graduation we all shared a special meal together.  The graduate was seated at a table with his father and missionary leaders.  Even though the day was very warm and humid, he refused to take off his graduation gown.  This was a special day like none he had ever experienced before, and it seemed he wanted it to go on for as long as possible!

One of the Erakor Nazarene Church members is a chef.  He is also a gifted food artist.  When he saw the preparations being made Sunday morning for the meal, he went to work carving some papayas to decorate the head table!  What a blessing!

These are exciting days for the Church of the Nazarene in Vanuatu, but we anticipate the coming days to be filled with even greater things!  The Vanuatu District wants to move to Phase Two in just one year!  What does that mean in specifics?  It means that there will need to be more than twice the members as this year, the number of organized churches should at least double, and we will need to be ready to ordain 10 pastors as elders!  That is a very ambitious goal, but the pastors and Christians were eager to work together to do their best to reach it.  Please partner with us in prayer to see these incredible goals realized.  Pray that as we grow in numbers, we will grow stronger in our faith, deeper in our relationship with Christ, and more like him in his love.

"I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth."

Psalm 57:9-11