Women Ministers' Retreat 2008

Backroom Prayer Group

Please pray for Rev. Bill Coble, his wife Janie and their son, Noah. Bill is a senior student at the Church of God Theological Seminary and a former NC COG pastor. Last Spring they had their second child, Noah. Shortly after his birth, Noah began to have seizures and other problems. He is now in a kind of wheelchair. Because of Noah's problems, Janie has been forced to leave her job as a pharmacy technician and stay at home. This has greatly complicated their financial situation. Bill is under tremendous pressure. Pray for Noah's complete healing, for Bill and Janie's peace of mind and future ministry and for their financial situation.

KSM Board Member, Kim Alexander, Elected as Society for Pentecostal Studies Officer

I'm especially proud to report this news about my niece, KSM Board Member, Kim Alexander:

At the 2008 annual meeting the Society for Pentecostal Studies, Dr. Kimberly Alexander, a professor at the Church of God Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tennessee, was elected Second Vice President of the prestigious organization.

The election starts a succession of leadership beginning at next year's meeting where Dr. Alexander will become first vice president and program chair for the 2010 meeting. At the 2010 meeting she will become president and deliver the President's address at the 2011 meeting. From now until 2012 she will serve on the Executive Committee and have various responsibilities depending on her office. She has been serving as the Interest Group Leader for the History Interest Group.

Dr. Alexander currently serves as Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at the Church of God Theological Seminary.

Where the Lord is Leading KSM....

I've just returned from a week in God's Country....also known as "Indian Country". My husband, Pastor Don Whichard and my niece, Kim Alexander and her husband, Corky, flew to Phoenix on Tuesday, April 22. This was a research trip for my nephew, Corky and a kind of "reconnaissance mission" for me. We drove north to the Grand Canyon for a couple of days of relaxation and enjoying the beauty of God's Creation. From there we drove back down to Flagstaff to tour Hozhoni, an agency for the developmentally disabled. Fifty percent of the clients of this agency are Native American. They have an amazing art therapy program. We continued from there to the Navajo Reservation, touring Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly. [The picture is of the four of us descending 275 ft into Canyon de Chelly to view the White House Ruins, an ancient cliff dwelling]. On Sunday, we were in worship services at the Window Rock Church of God [Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation] with Senior Pastor Jerry Tom and Associate Pastor Ron Harvey. Pastor Tom's preaching was a "word in season for those who are weary". Thank God that neither miles nor cultural differences can separate us from God's love for us! On Monday, on our way back to our flight in Phoenix, we briefly visited the Hopi Reservation.

All along the way we met friendly, beautiful people who are blessed to live in a place touched by the hand of the Master Artist, our Creator!

Spring Retreat Cancelled

Due to changes in pastoral leadership at the Oak St. Church of God in Sevierville, Tennessee, the Spring Retreat (scheduled for May 1, 2) has been cancelled.

At this point we are looking at the possibility of a change of venue for the Fall Retreat (normally held in November). There are some exciting possibilities and I am looking at this as God's direction.

Keep checking the blog for news about the Fall Retreat details.

Kindred Spirit Ministries is on the move!!

Spring Encounter - Reservation Information

Hold on...it won't be long till we are all together retreating so we can advance the Kingdom of God!

The retreat will be held May 1 and 2, 2008 in the Sevierville-Pigeon Forge, TN area. Worship services will be held at the Oak St. Church of God in Sevierville.

Once again we will be staying at the Econo Lodge--Riverside (2240 Parkway, Pigeon Forge).

Rates per person are as follows:
4 to a room $50 each
3 to a room $60 each
2 to a room $70 each

This rate covers both nights and registration costs.

A non-refundable $25 deposit for each person in the room MUST be mailed to me by March 19. The remainder is due by April 16.

You may mail reservations to me, along with the appropriate amount of money.

Rev. Margaret Whichard
3608 Cowboy Ln.
Charlotte, NC 28216

Please include the name of the Church, the name of the person coordinating reservations for your group and the names of each person in the room.

YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS WHAT GOD DOES IN 2008!

Backroom Prayer Group

My mother, Sister Myrtle Ervin, was a wonderful cook and homemaker and a hard worker in a textile mill. All of these things helped to make her children grow up to be good people. But there is nothing that impacted us more than her prayers. On a regular basis my mother and several of the women from our church would gather in the "backroom" (the bedroom at the back of their small house), get on their knees and pray and intercede for others. My brothers and sister, nieces and nephews remember this as a weekly routine that went on for fifty years or so! Only eternity will tell all of the souls that were saved, bodies that were healed, marriages that were restored and miracles that were accomplished as a result of these women storming heaven in the backroom. Even in her later years, when she suffered from dementia, she could still pray the walls down!

One of the ministries of KSM has always been intercessory prayer. Unfortunately, you can't all gather together in the afternoon and get on your knees in my "backroom"; we live in different cities and states. But in the Spirit, we can gather together and pray and storm heaven for those who are in desperate need.

We want to begin keeping a prayer list of serious needs on this blogspot. The list will appear on the right side of the blog under the heading "Backroom Prayer Group". The list will only contain names, but periodic posts will give you more details so you will know how to pray. If you have urgent requests please notify me through a phone call or email or through a comment on the blog.

WHEN these prayer requests are answered we will post testimonies to give glory to God and build our faith!

Please join me in the backroom and pray!

Below are details about the urgent needs of the first three requests:

1. Erlene Nations, pastor's wife of Oak Street COG, TN. has had eye surgery to repair the retina in her right eye. Her recovery is going to be very long. She is still blind but hopefully her vision will come back.
2. Addie Morris pastor of Eagle Butte Church of God in South Dakota had to have emergency surgery to have a pacemaker put into her heart.
3. Jill Fields' son's kidneys are failing. The doctor is going to try and save his kidneys but if he can't he will have to have a transplant. Her husband is also in serious condition. Jill is a supporter of KSM and frequently sings at our retreats.

4. Gary Price, pastor of the Maranatha Community COG in Frederick, MD had knee surgery a couple of weeks ago and when the stitches were removed a staff infection was discovered. The Church Administrator of the church is also in the hospital. Please pray for this pastor, administrator and church.