Messages from Special Appointments

Ministers with Special Relations and Special Appointments are Free Methodist Elders serving in non-traditional capacities. They often support para-church ministries and church plants, but may also include retired pastors or educators actively pursuing God’s calling in their communities.

Every year, we share heartfelt messages from these valued partners with the Free Methodist Church, inspiring and urging members to pray for and support theseministries and ministers.

Patrick Bower

I am blessed, serving the Lord.

Jonathan Brewer

Blessings on you.

Rosalydia Castro

I thank God for allowing me to serve him. Greetings to you, the members of this beautiful conference.  I hope God blesses you richly and prospers your lives and ministries.

Angie Colclasure

I would like to share about the awesome power we receive in the presence of Jesus Christ during trying times. On Christmas Eve 2023, my husband Ben of 44 years went home to be with the Lord due to advanced stage four liver cancer. As the days approached the presence of God filled our home in the most miraculous way. We worshiped, we prayed, and surrendered all we had to Christ! The hospice nurse told us that Ben was in a semicoma the day before he passed and that he could hear me, but he could not respond in any way. I read Psalm 123 to him, and he squeezed my hand; I put on several Christian worship songs he loved best and he responded by opening his eyes and smiling. He lifted his hand to heaven as best he could . Within hours he was in the presence of the Lord. The hospice nurse said it wasn’t possible for him to really respond when I told her what I had seen. She said that his body was shutting down. I told her his body was dying, but his spirit was alive and kicking! Friends, the Lord God brings us peace, strength, and power as we stand in his presence no matter what trial we may be going through! Phil. 4:5-7.

Cheri Coleman

I continue to experience God’s faithfulness and care in the day to day of ministry and life. The work at the VA continues to be meaningful and fulfilling. I am thankful to know that I have a community that offers me support as well as practical resources as I make my needs known. I look forward to our time together at Annual Conference and am happy to be a collaborator in Christ.

Tom Davis

I miss you all and enjoy the updates from afar.  I continue to pursue my calling to reach homeless men with the Gospel and disciple them towards Christlikeness.

Marty Edwards

What a privilege to have served in full time ministry since 1975. I have been a youth pastor (15 years), church planter (13 years) and founder and CEO of www.BlackSheepHDFC.org for the last 25 years. I am now retired but still participating whenever God opens a door…which is almost every week!

Roger Garza

Thank you for your prayers for our Perris Church & Camp Retreat with a view of the lake that we are developing.

David Goss

God is moving!

Ieda Grigg

I have just become a fully Board Certified Chaplain by APC (Association for Professional Chaplains). And I continue to experience the joy of bringing comfort to those who are suffering and offering the ministry of presence and a compassionate listening ear to those that are hurting. What a joy, what a calling in this world that is presently hurting so much that we can come alongside to bring presence and words of comfort. What good news this is! May we continue to be conduits of God’s grace to the world around us!

Carmen Hosea

I love and miss you all! Sorry I won’t see you at Annual Conference as we will be in Indiana visiting our new grandson Ari!!

A. Serounian Keir

I continue to delight in what God is doing through the Free Methodist Church. Unfortunately, there are no Free Methodist Churches in my area. In these challenging times, I pray that we will stand firmly on our faith and work to bring glory to Christ our Lord. Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!

Jason Le Shana

Our family took a big leap of faith this year to relocate to Texas to be part of a work helping families in the church who experience disability. We’re grateful for the meaningful partnership and friendship over the past years within the FMC-SC!

Bob Managbanag

Greetings and rich blessings!!!

Kevin Mannoia

God’s grace still amazes me – every day! What a privilege to partner with the Holy Spirit in advancing the work of God and bringing the Kingdom near. I am thrilled with the amazing opportunities to see God at work in the lives and thinking of leaders around the world. It’s as if the borders of my calling have fallen away, and the focus of pouring into leaders around the world has afforded deep fulfillment and exhilarating moments of flourishing as a servant of God. Kathy and I are truly blessed!

 

Karla Riggs Norton

Prayer in surrender is my focus in these weeks/months. He seems closer and very near as I push closer to Him. No magic formula, just honest talk, confession, and tears of love! I have come to believe that a measure of a Christian life is the depth and amount of time we spend in prayer.

Keith Parmelee

I pray that this year is extremely encouraging to each and every one of you.  I am praying that we all experience a very fruitful year and that God does even more than we think He will do.

Don Rogers

I celebrate the partnership that Empowering Lives International has with many of you as pastors and leaders in the So Calif Conference! We pray that more churches will be a part of this life-changing movement!

We see the promise of Jeremiah 33 ringing truer and truer. Generational poverty is being dismantled. The Kingdom of God is being experienced. LIFE is returning to lives, families, homesteads, villages, and communities. Reach out to me at any time to get connected and THANK YOU to each of you who is helping advance this Spirit-led movement and revival among the poor!

David Saltzman

I ask for special mercies and extra compassion toward those people who are unhoused in our communities. Please say Hi to them as you encounter them in our world.

Adrian “Age” Sandoval

Recently, our motorcycle chapter was invited to host a funeral at the Garden of Innocence, a non-profit organization called upon to bring a dignified funeral service to babies who were abandoned and found dead. At this funeral, which I led, I was able to share the love of God and witness people receiving that love and forgiveness. Working in this ministry weekly has brought me much joy in my service to the glory of our Father.

Lee Schierbeek

I love Jesus with everything I have.

Gene Smith

I am enjoying daily fellowship with my Lord and Savior asking Him to accomplish all He has called me to do!  I do praise God for the faithful men and women serving our Lord and continuing to fulfill Christ’s great commission of making disciples throughout all the earth!

Richard Sorenson

I am grateful for the years that I ministered alongside the FMCSC pastors! Praying that you stay the course in these challenging times.

Fraser Venter

I am continually grateful for the many in our annual conference who have supported this role in prayer, encouragement, and invitation. We still have much to overcome and yet we have seen much progress in embracing our gospel witness in the church and the world. Psalm 37 reminds us that the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones. He loves the Free Methodist Church and her continual desire to see justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Bless you, and I am looking forward to seeing you at the Annual Conference.

Denny Wayman

I continue to be excited about being a part of the Free Methodist Church in Southern California and pray for our leaders, superintendent and bishop that God’s blessing will continue to be upon us all.

Karen Strand Winslow

Everyday I’m thankful for many things but especially that Dale is doing well. And many times a week we experience other answers to prayer that may seem small but they’re not to us. We are intrigued and challenged by our grandchildren’s theological questions as we were by their parents’ questions before them.

Gay Zambrano

God has been so good in 2023-2024! In spite of the many challenges that the enemy attempts to distract us with, if we keep our eyes on Jesus and remain humble in His sight, if we continue to support one another in prayer and build each other up, encouraging each other, we can remain steadfast in pursuing the calling God has placed on our lives! If we, as Free Methodist children of God, continue to preach and teach the truth of God’s word, in love. Not wavering to the left or the right. Not bowing to the pressures of the culture and the “winds of change”. If we “stand firm in the truth”. Our God will not fail us! He will use us to bring glory and honor to His name! Be encouraged, my brothers and sisters! Be Glad! Let the Joy of the Lord be shown upon your face! This is the day that HE has made! Let us rejoice and be GLAD in it! In Jesus’ matchless & mighty name! Amen!