The CGGC recognizes that all believers are called by God, and ordained through Jesus, into a “royal priesthood”, as 1 Peter 2:9-10 says. Also in 1 Peter, we understand that we are all called to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness”. And yet, we also know that pastors specifically play an important and often central role in the life of a local church. While elders, deacons, and other offices in the church are significant in leading the local expression of Christ's body, the role of Pastor is unique and special. Indeed, the role of the pastor extends naturally into the larger local community, as their work and service make impacts on the lives of people throughout.
From child dedications to child and youth ministry; from baptisms to officiating marriages; blessings over those going off to college; all the way to the end of life through funerals and celebrations of life. The local pastors’ jurisdiction is in nearly every part of their parishioners’ lives, from birth to death, in both the sacred and the secular.
October is the month of Pastor Appreciation, and we want to acknowledge and proclaim our genuine gratitude to the many pastors alive and working now, and those throughout the history of the CGGC, who have discipled, healed, prayed for, ministered to, worshiped alongside, officiated, grieved with, journeyed with, carried, represented, celebrated, prophesied, evangelized, shepherded, taught, and laid to rest their people.
This gratitude extends not just from our office, but from our regional leadership too, across the United States, indeed, across the world. We have pastors all across the USA, from Maryland to Hawaii. We have missionaries and pastors and from the heartland of the USA to Argentina, from Haiti to Africa and to Asia and so many places in between, God has called men and women who have answered and stepped up to shepherd the Lord’s people.
We are grateful for all that you, our pastors, do: your faithfulness and fidelity to God’s call, your steadfast and prayerful heart in the storms of life, and ultimately your love and care for God’s people. You endeavor and endure, sometimes at great personal cost, but we know that it is never wasted on God's kingdom.
Now, a word from our regional leaders:
Pastor Phil Scott, Allegheny Region Director
I'm so grateful for your tireless sacrifice to reflect Jesus in all you say and do. It is noticed, transformative, and it is making a difference. Keep Shining!
Pastor Tim Welsh, California Eldership Director
I just want to thank all the pastors for being faithful to God. All the work that often goes unnoticed like the trips to the hospital to visit people, the difficult conversations, the countless hours of prayer, the searching through scriptures and the constant acts of love that many don't see. On behalf of the California Eldership, I want you to know that you are deeply valued, appreciated, and prayed for. I pray that God renews your strength and encourages your heart and reminds you that your labor in the Lord is never in vain.
Pastor Nathan Buck, Eastern Region Executive Director
It is a privilege to serve alongside of all of our pastors, who care for the needs of those in the local church, who seek to impact the needs of the communities around them, and who have re-oriented ministry around God's presence and power to be and make disciple-makers. On behalf of the staff of the ERC, we love you, we pray for God's presence and power in you, and the movement of the Kingdom through you. Thank you for BEING His first, before all the "doing." Thank you for being the ERC family. May God bless you and your families as we journey together.
Dr. David Odegard, Great Lakes Region Executive Director
During Pastor Appreciation Month, the Great Lakes Conference gives thanks for all the pastors in our whole tribe who faithfully shepherd our congregations and serve our communities. Hebrews 6:10 reminds us that God does not forget your work or the love you show in serving His people. Bless you for every sermon prepared, prayer offered, hospital visit made, and the constant love you show. Thank you for pointing people to Jesus, equipping others for ministry, and walking alongside your congregations through both joy and sorrow. We pray that you and your families experience renewed strength, deep encouragement, and the loving care you so generously extend to others.
Pastor Travis J. Bodden, Midwest Region Director
On behalf of all those who call you Pastor, we say thanks. The hours spent caring for the hurting, the time spent preparing to share a word from the Lord, the encouragement you give to people within your community. You live a life designed to serve others and we honor you for that service. May the peace of God go before you and behind you. May he fill your cup so full that it overflows and spills out on those around you. We are grateful that you said yes to the calling of Pastor.
Pastor Rich Thornton, Southeast Region Co-Director
The Southeast Region is so blessed by the Father to be able to witness the expansion of the CGGC through the efforts of our pastors in North and South Carolina and Georgia. Every day, the pastors are praying for and ministering in their communities and churches to lift up the name of Jesus as they lift up people who are in need of a Savior. I thank God for each one of the men and women who serve with us to make disciple makers. Blessings on each one and their families who serve side by side with them.
Pastor Victor Glover, Southeast Region Co-Director
It has been a joy to see how the Southeast Region CGGC has blossomed from its humble beginnings two Triennials ago. We pray for strength, protection, and many blessings over our awesome Pastors and their families, along with their congregations, in the months and years to come. May God's love be multiplied through each ministry in each city and community in Jesus' name. We declare souls being saved, set free, and delivered throughout all the regions of CGGC in Jesus ' mighty name. Amen!
Pastor Kendall D. Hughes, Western Region Director
I would like to express how grateful the region and myself are to the Pastors. Your commitment and faithfulness to the Kingdom and the region is beyond what words of thankfulness can express. May God bless each of you as you continue to serve.
One of the ways we show our appreciation is by interviewing pastors and sharing the work they do, and their perspective on a life of ministry. Below you will find selected interviews and stories from CGGC pastors.
Interview with Pastor Douglas Nolt: Read Now
Truck Stop Ministry with Mark Yarger: Read Now
Tribute to Dan Fortney: Read Now
Interview with Pastor Earl Mills: Read Now
CGGC eNews—Vol. 20, No. 40
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