Gaithersburg Church of the Nazarene
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MISSIONS
Missions Overview | Honduras Mission 2008 | Faith Promise | Mission NewsMissions Overview
GCN and the Church of the Nazarene support a variety of missions as a vital part of our ministry and worship of Christ. Many of the mission activities are planned locally. We also plan many in support of Nazarene Missions International (NMI). One of our upcoming mission activities is mission trip to Honduras.
Honduras Mission 2008
GCN has 33 members plus 5 additional brothers and sisters in Christ from other churches, including teens and adults, committed to going on a mission trip to Honduras in July 2008. Click here to read more about their mission, plans, and needs.
Faith Promise
The mission work in the Nazarene church depends entirely on giving above and beyond our tithes and offerings. Our goal this fiscal year is to raise $75,000. (Note: Our fiscal year begins March 1.) As of July 13, 2008, we have raised $25,466 towards our goal.
NMI presents Memorial Roll certificates in memory of our loved ones. Two Memorial Roll certificates were presented on May 25. The money goes to Missionary Medical Plan, to pay for medical expenses of Nazarene missionaries living outside the United States. This contribution is part of our Faith Promise budget.
Individuals may send Gifts from the Heart cards as a means of providing financial support for the health care of active and retired missionaries in the Church of the Nazarene. You may pick up cards in the GCN lobby to donate directly to NMI Missionary Health Care in memory or in honor of a loved one. Your recognition of the wonderful work our missionaries do for the Lord will help them by letting them focus on their mission of sharing the gospel.
Mission News
Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary elects new president
July 8, 2008
One of our own Mid-Atlantic District Missionaries has been elected President of the Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary! Dr. Floyd Cunningham is from our Gaithersburg Church. Please remember him in prayer as he transitions from Interim status to elected president.
Floyd Cunningham is Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary's fifth president.
Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) elects new president Manila, Philippines Thursday, July 3, 2008 In June 2008, the Board of Trustees of APNTS in Manila, Philippines, unanimously elected Floyd Cunningham as the seminary's fifth president.
Neville Bartle, chairman of the Board of Trustees, stated, "The Board has been impressed with the leadership that Dr. Cunningham has given to the seminary as interim president. We were impressed by Dr. Cunningham's commitment to the seminary over the past 25 years. As a person who has studied the history of Christianity in Asia and especially of the Church of the Nazarene in Asia, we felt that he had the background knowledge of the region that will give us good direction and vision for the future."
Cunningham has taught at APNTS since the school began in 1983. He has served as academic dean since 1989, and prior to that was the dean of students. For 16 months, Cunningham served as APNTS officer-in-charge between the presidencies of John Nielson and Hitoshi (Paul) Fukue and again after the resignation of Fukue. Since 2002, Cunningham has served as the regional education coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Region.
In addition to his work at APNTS, Cunningham pastored churches in the Metro Manila area for six years and helped plant a church in Teresa, Rizal, in the Philippines. He also taught in South Korea and Taiwan and was missionary-in-residence for a year at Nazarene Theological Seminary (Kansas City). He wrote the two church history modules for the Nazarene Course of Study and is currently editing and co-writing the Centennial History of the Church of the Nazarene.
Originally from Gaithersburg, Maryland, Cunningham received his A.B. degree from Eastern Nazarene College in 1976, the M.Div. degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary (Kansas City) in 1979, and the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the Johns Hopkins University in 1981 and 1984.
Cunningham will succeed Hitoshi (Paul) Fukue, who accepted a pastorate in Japan.
LeBron Fairbanks, education commissioner of the International Board of Education and former APNTS president, commented: "What a great selection! Dr. Cunningham will provide outstanding theological education leadership for the graduate level seminary, the Asia-Pacific Region, and, indeed, the entire denomination."
More than 300 students have graduated from Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary with master of divinity, master of arts in religious education, and master of arts in Christian communication degrees, and graduate diplomas. They are scattered around the world, serving as pastors, Christian educators, teachers, Bible college administrators, missionaries, district superintendents, and in a variety of other ministries.