Meet the 2021 Annual Conference Bible Study Leader,
Rev. Dr. William P. Payne!

We are pleased and excited to have Rev. Dr. William Payne as our Bible Study Lecturer this summer!

Dr. Bill Payne is a natural evangelist, a seasoned pastor, and a gifted professor. Since he believes that teaching is a spiritual gift, he invites the Holy Spirit to come into his classes at Ashland Theological Seminary. During many class sessions, he has clearly sensed the Lord’s thick presence. At times, a class devotion has turned into a spontaneous outpouring of the Spirit, shaking things up in ways that only God can.  We look forward to this experience in July!

Dr. Payne is not only a professor; his 29.5 years of service with the Navy and Marine Corps has provided him with ministry opportunities in 27 countries. Before retiring, he served as the Deputy Force Chaplain in Iraq and the Military Sealift Command Chaplain in San Diego. Additionally, he pastored a Cuban refugee camp in Panama, served as the community manager for all Reserve Force chaplains, worked as a hospital chaplain, commanded a unit of 17 chaplains and enlisted specialists, and deployed from Okinawa during Desert Storm. He has a military subspecialty code in religion and culture and is a Fleet Marine Force Qualified Officer (FMFQO).

Dr. Payne graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary (PhD Intercultural Studies), Emory University (M.Div.), and Florida Southern College (BA Religion). He is ordained in the United Methodist Church and is a full member of the Florida Conference. He has served the local church as a student pastor, associate pastor, pastor, senior pastor, and interim pastor. During his last pastorate, he planted a large Hispanic ministry that included satellite outposts throughout Tampa Bay.

In addition to expertise in evangelism, world missions, and chaplaincy, Dr. Payne has published widely on early American Methodism, Latin American Pentecostalism, folk religion, and spiritual warfare. He especially enjoys preaching, consulting with churches, and doing inner healing. He developed and directs the chaplaincy study degrees at Ashland Theological Seminary.

Dr. Payne will certainly inspire and challenge us to answer God’s call (Whom shall we send, and who will go for us?) and respond to God’s direction for our churches and our lives this summer.  Please plan to join us!

2021 Annual Conference Workshops

Chaplaincy – The Clinical and the Practical

This workshop, led by Chaplain John Sugden, is intended to provide a framework to better understand the emotional content of patient conversations, the dynamics of grief and loss and how we honor the patients truth and give it reverence.  A review of motivational interviewing and the healing power of listening and bearing witness will be covered in depth.

Family Wellness Workshop

We Need a Revival
 led by Rev. Eloise Chrenshaw

What is revival?  Revival is a sovereign work of God—in answer to sincere prayer—in which he: Grips his people with deep conviction, repentance, forgiveness, and deliverance from personal sins; Fills his people with the Holy Spirit and manifesting in them the fruit and graces of the Holy Spirit; Causes non-Christians to honestly seek Him; Ignites in His people, young and old a passion to bring the lost to Christ at home and around the world.

Who is responsible for revival?  God or Man? Do you work a revival up or do you pray a revival down?  What are the conditions of a revival? Man prepares the way for revival after praying to a sovereign God the creator who knows what we need.  Everything in creation is under God’s control.  He has chosen however, to give to his children the privilege of working together with Him to take the good news of His love and forgiveness in Christ to the world.  Whatever God tells you to do he will give you the power and ability to do it.

If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.  ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14

Fasting is the only discipline that meets all the conditions of 2 Chronicles 7:14.  When one fasts he humbles himself; he has more time to pray, more time to seek God’s face, and certainly he would turn from all human sin.  One could read the Bible, pray, or witness for Christ without repenting of his sins.  But one cannot enter a genuine fast with a pure heart and pure motives and not meet the conditions of this passage. 

Intergenerational Meal Packaging Event

Scheduled at Annual Conference Hotel, july 2021
 

For the first time ever, the upcoming Annual Conference is hosting a community service project for all attendees as part of the regular conference agenda.  This is something that the ICCC has wanted to do for several years, because it encourages participation and team-building, and helps others in need.

Sponsored by the ICCC Hunger Relief Mission Committee, and in conjunction with an organization called “Rise Against Hunger”, conference attendees will package more than 10,000 meals for food-challenged Third World families in only 2 hours’ time.  What’s more, attendees can do this during normal conference hours without having to leave the conference hotel.

Rise Against Hunger has helped volunteer organizations package more than 500 million meals for food-challenged people in 77 countries since its founding in 2005.  ICCC member church, The Chapel By The Sea which is located in Clearwater Beach, FL, has sponsored Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meal packaging events for the past 5 years with considerable success.

RAH provides all the food and supplies needed for the project.  A RAH representative will be on site to help guide us through the process at every step. 

Volunteers Needed Who Want to Make a Difference

WHO:  We need volunteers of all ages to package the meals.  Depending on the number of volunteers we get, you will spend one or two hours of time to help feed impoverished families in war-ravaged lands as well as in famine and natural disaster-stricken countries in the Third World.

WHEN and WHERE:  Thursday July 22, 2021

HOW:  It’s easy to volunteer.  Just let ICCC Administrator, DeAnn know that you want to help by sending her an email at icccdc@sbcglobal.net.

ICCC Hunger Relief Mission Committee

(Bob Harris, Chair; Myrtis Brame, Jan Burch & Tom Friedberg)

2021 Inclusive Pulpit Submissions Welcome!

 Deadline April 30, 2021

Preached any good sermons lately?   “The Inclusive Pulpit” – an annual publication of the International Council of Community Churches – would love to hear from you and publish your sermon in our upcoming edition.