Global Communion to be bigger and better!

Last year, an event so big it could not be contained in one auditorium, took place during the North American Convention of the Church of God. For the first time in Church of God history, congregations from all over the world ate of the bread and drank of the cup—AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME.

Global Communion launched a groundswell of excitement from the North American Convention out into the world and back. Powerful times of worship and prayer preceded that precise moment when hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously celebrated the death and resurrection of Christ.

In North America, congregations that had split many years ago reunited for this act of unity, while other groups gathered with local churches of diverse faith backgrounds to share in worship. In some countries, the difference in time zones meant that believers met in the middle of the night, while others gathered on Sunday evening and worshiped and prayed together for several hours prior to taking Communion. It was an experience of unity on the grandest of scale that yielded praise reports and compelling testimonies from those churches that participated.

We’re gonna do it again.

And it’s going to be bigger and better. If you missed the experience last year, mark your calendars today to join the global communion service this June 28. Be sure to attend the 2009 North American Convention of the Church of God and celebrate communion with thousands of congregations together in one place during Sunday evening’s worship service. If you cannot be in Anderson, participate via the Internet. Tell your pastor to schedule a global Communion service at your church, and get everyone in on the action!

Live video streaming information will be made available at chog.org/NAC as the service approaches, as well as text for songs and readings.

Why should I attend NAC this year?

Why attend NAC this year? Why not next year? Why wasn't last year the year to attend? What makes the 123rd North American Convention of the Church of God the convention you should plan ahead to attend, set aside funds for and anticipate with much enthusiasm?

• Because there has never in NAC/Church of God Camp Meeting history been a gathering of international guests and missionaries such as what is planned for this year.

• Because, as Carma Wood, the NAC 2009 worship leader, explains, "This is a unique year for the world and the United States. The things that we're dealing with are unique. It's a unique year for the Church of God and the convention, with the missions celebration and venue changes. God shows up in a dynamic way when we're feeling maxed out and stretched."

• Because Kid's Place (the NAC children's program) is the place for kids this summer: to have fun, rock out in worship, draw closer to God and learn about other cultures.

• Because Andy Stephenson (of IYC) and the youth ministries team at Church of God Ministries have thrills, powerful worship experiences and unique opportunities in mind for the youth.

• Because the music and preaching highlight some of the best of the Church of God movement.

• Because "once in one place at one time, people travel across continents and oceans to celebrate the hope and life we have found in the Church of God," Pastor Jim Lyon, of Madison Park Church of God, explains.

• Because, "if you do not attend Camp Meeting," as Lori Salierno, of Celebrate Life International, warns, "you will miss the infusion of courage and life that is necessary to face ministry demands. You will miss out on seeing old friends and making new acquaintances. Camp Meeting could mean the difference between getting burnt out and finishing strong." Lori insists, "You will want to make this year's NAC a priority!"

Eddie Cumberbatch to make appearance!

I had an opportunity to talk with this year's worship leader about what might be special about the music this year at Camp Meeting. Many of the details are still unfolding, but she did reveal one secret: Renowned vocalist, Eddie Cumberbatch, will make an appearance during NAC! She would not say in which evening service he would share his talent, which means you will have to attend each evening service at Madison Park Church of God to find out!

Eddie Cumberbatch graduated from Anderson University in 1984. He is originally from La Pastora, Santa Cruz, Trinidad and Tobago. He is a a tenor who has sung all over the world, including for nobility such as Prince Charles. He has won numerous awards for singing, and in 2006, toured with Paul and Rita Jo Yerden. With Paul Yerden, he released a CD entitled "The Lord is My Light."

For more information about Eddie Cumberbatch, read Cara Miller's article at www.anderson.edu/signatures/spring06/journal/profiles.html.

Worship service venue changes

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS! Worship services during the 123rd North American Convention of the Church of God will NOT be held in the Kardatzke Wellness Center. Morning services will be held at Park Place Church of God (501 College Drive, Anderson, IN 46012). Evening services will be held at Madison Park Church of God (6607 N. Providence Dr., Anderson, IN 46013). The rental of the chairs and sound equipment to turn the "gymnasium" that is the Wellness Center into an auditorium got to be too pricey. Church of God Ministries wants to be the best stewards possible of the money God provides.

Celebrating Church of God Missions: 100 years!

This year's NAC is going to be extra exciting because this is the 100th year of the Church of God sending missionaries around the world. You won't want to miss a celebration like this--you know, this kind of event only comes around once every hundred years!!

The Centennial Celebration will include all kinds of missionary, international and multicultural flair. In fact, there will be so much going on that all of it just won't fit in the evening services alone. Beginning on the Sunday of NAC, there will be pre-service events at 5:30 p.m. introducing international guests and missionaries. You can mingle with all of these folks and watch multimedia presentations. Where else--and when else--can you find missionaries and international guests from all over the world gathered in one place?

On Saturday, there will be multicultural Family Day activities. On Monday night, don't miss out on the commissioning serivice. On Wednesday afternoon, there will be a "School of Missions," in which the various Church of God missions professors will be present for a time of learning and fellowship for convention-goers in their teens through their 30s. Each evening service will also be decorated to reflect a different region of the world.

Check back with the NAC ChoGger for more Centennial Celebration updates as they unfold!

Welcome!

Hey everybody!


This is a blog, created by me, the NAC ChoGger, dedicated to spreading the word about the 123rd North American Convention of the Church of God (NAC 2009), slated to take place June 26 through July 1, 2009. ChoGgers* and non-ChoGgers alike are encouraged to attend! After all, if you belong to Christ, you are a part of the church of God--and we want to see you in Anderson, Indiana this summer for a massive gathering of God's people. If you don't know God or haven't been to church much, or at all, this is still the event for you to attend! Especially if you've never been to a church convention or camp meeting, you can't miss out on this experience--you never know what will happen when you get a bunch of the family of God (like thousands of people!) together in one place! Powerful worship and preaching, exciting conferences for all ages, service opportunities, reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones from all across the fruited plain (and around the world!), make this event something worth attending!


See http://chog.org/Events/NorthAmericanConvention/tabid/581/Default.aspx for more information! The picture shows the spectacular candlelight (er, uh glow stick!) service we had at the conclusion of last year's convention.

*A Christian who attends, or once attended, a Church of God congregation affiliated with the Church of God Reformation Movement based in Anderson, Indiana--affectionately called a ChoGger!