NEW CHURCH: Transformation Ministries welcomes Primera Iglesia Bautista of Harbor City, CA and its interim pastor, Francisco Gomes, into their fellowship.    CHURCH NAME CHANGES: First Baptist Church, Banning, CA (Tate Crenshaw, Senior Pastor) has changed its name to LifePoint Church. Windsor Hills Baptist Church, La Mesa, CA (Sam Calhoun, Pastor) has changed its name to Windsor Hills Community Church. Church of Christian Love, Mentone, CA (George Everett, Pastor) has changed its name to Rocky Point Fellowship. NEW MINISTERS: First Mexican Baptist Church, Tucson, AZ - Rafael Rios, Pastor First Baptist Church of Big Bear Valley, CA - James Walden, Pastor First Baptist Church, Claremont, CA  -  Richard Ketchum, Pastor First Baptist Church, Downey, CA - David Norcyk, Senior Pastor First Baptist Church, Lake Isabella, CA - Gerald Goodman, Pastor St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, San Diego, CA - Michael Morrow, Sr., Pastor INTERIM MINISTERS: Madison Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ - Daniel Jackson as Interim Pastor John Coddington will be completing his time as interim minister of First Baptist Church, Claremont, CA, at the end of June. RETIREMENTS: Devonnie Morrow as Pastor of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, San Diego, CA Raymond Butcher as Pastor of First Baptist Church, Twentynine Palms, CA PRAYER REQUESTS & PRAISE REPORTS: Please pray for Scott Connell, Pastor of Adult and Care Ministries, at Pomona First Baptist Church who is now at the City of Hope in Duarte, CA, battling acute Leukemia. Please pray for him and his family. A group of eight people from Transformation Ministries, including Steve Roblee and John Hopkins, and his wife, Christeen, will be going to Burundi on a mission to train pastors and leaders.  Please pray for safe travel, strength, wisdom and protection. Pastor Scott Weatherill (Park Christian Fellowship, Chino) reports that his left shoulder is almost entirely restored and approximately 80% functionality of his right shoulder has returned through a commitment to stretching exercises and everyone's prayers. He expressed his deep gratitude for your prayer support. TRANSITIONS: On Thursday, April 24, 2008, Rev. Max T. Wiant went home to be with the Lord following a long battle with cancer.  He served as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Twenty-nine Palms, and then following retirement served as an interim for one year at the Community Baptist Church in East Los Angeles, and for four years at the First Baptist Church in Thermal.  Rev. Wiant is survived by his wife, Violet Wiant, his son, James and his daughter, Elaine. Rev. Donald H. Gorham died on March 18 at the age of 79. Don retired from pastoral ministry several years ago after serving several churches as well as a Military Chaplain. At one time he served as an interim pastor at Hope Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ. We remember his wife, Viola, and his six children (Dennis, Cynthia, Kathy, Bill, Jay, Ray and Diana. A memorial service was held at Green Acres on Tuesday, March 25. Rev. Dr. Arnold Boal died March 30, 2008.  Dr. Boal had been a member of Bellevue Heights Church, Sun City, Arizona since December 1992.  He retired as Executive Minister of the Los Angeles Baptist City Mission Society, a post he held from 1966 until 1981.  Except for a brief period as Associate Minister of Temple Baptist Church in Los Angeles, Arnold Boal's entire ministry was with the City Mission Society. Rev. Lee Jeffords went to be with the Lord  on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at the age of 89. In 1961 he was called as to be the Executive Minister of the Arizona Baptist Convention until 1970 and twice served as Interim Executive Minister of Arizona and then finally as Area Minister for Arizona when it merged with California Baptist Convention in 1970 to become ABCPSW. He retired in 1983.  One of the new churches formed during his ministry was Bellevue Heights Church in Sun City, where he later joined, loved and was loved, all during his retirement years. Lee's wife, Gladys, passed away just last September. He and Gladys were long-time residents of The Terraces Retirement Community of Phoenix.  Return to top

OTHER NEWS: Congratulations to Catalina Church of Midtown(Tucson, AZ) recently elected as having the second best website among the top 80 church websites in the country. Ted Soderholm is the lead pastor. Check out the story here and the church website here. News from the South Coastal Association  50+ Transformation Ministries churches are represented in the South Coastal Association.  This association puts great emphasis on kingdom multiplication. Read latest news. Valley Christian Centers Renovated Website Christian Centers Renovated Website Valley Christian Centers, Inc. is a faith-based non-profit regional social service center dedicated to fulfilling the needs of the community by providing assistance to individuals, families, children and the elderly.  VCC creates an atmosphere for learning, enjoyment and personal growth through structured activities.  Check out their renovated website. Politics in the Pulpit Read this insightful resource provided by the Alliance Defense Fund and the National Association of Evangelicals.  This article is an excellent summary of the rights of churches and pastors to engage in political activity as well as limits.  Read article. Protect Marriage Thanks to all the churches that participated in the collection of signatures for the California Marriage Protection Act.  The official count of signatures collected to place the marriage amendment on the ballot is 1,122,000!  Right now the Protect Marriage team is boxing up petitions, and preparing to deliver them to all the county election officials.  For more information and to read the Press Release. Pews Available Canyon Christian Fellowship, Azusa, CA, is making available 15 pews made up of solid oak with maroon coverings for free.  If interested, email Pastor Jesse Aramburo at or call at 626.202.2728. Wooden Pulpit First Baptist Church, Rosemead, CA, is making available a large wooden pulpit.  It is average height and about 2 feet wide and needs refinishing.  If interested, please call Airini Jackson in the church office at 626.287.5053. Resources Needed for New Church The Journey, a new church plant in Santa Maria, CA (Duncan Davidson, Planter) is in need of a cargo trailer to haul sound equipment, kids programming material, and several other items to the school where they meet each week.  The church is also in need of a reasonably new laptop to run Powerpoint presentations for Sunday services.  If you can help, please e-mail Ross Chenot, Church Resource Minister for New Church Planting, or call at 800.299.3448, extension 883. Your Money at Work Building God's Kingdom. At Christian Community Credit Union, every deposit you make and every account you open puts money to work in the Christian community. Open an account today.    Return to top