NBC inaugurates Graves as college's fifth president

Colorado Springs--Harold B. Graves Jr. was inaugurated as the fifth president of Nazarene Bible College (NBC) during ceremonies in Strickland Chapel on Sunday afternoon, March 11.

The election of Graves as the college's fifth president was the culmination of a presidential search process which began in September 2005 with the executive committee of the Board of Trustees developing a profile of the kind of president that would lead the college into the future.

During the process, the Board of Trustees solicited input and nominations from trustees, administration, faculty, staff, alumni, college presidents, and district superintendents in the U.S. A list of names was recommended to the Church of the Nazarene Board of General Superintendents for consideration. When the Board of Trustees met in late March of 2006, Graves was elected on the first ballot.

A native of Nashville, Graves has spent his career in ministry. He served as associate pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Lombard, Illinois; the Springdale Church of the Nazarene in Cincinnati, Ohio; and First Church of the Nazarene in Kankakee, Illinois. In 1976, he became the pastor of Plaza Church of the Nazarene in Charlotte, North Carolina, and served a growing congregation until 1981. He accepted a call to be the pastor of First Church of the Nazarene in Amarillo, Texas, in 1981 and served this congregation until 1987. During his tenure in Amarillo, Graves served on the West Texas District Advisory Board, on the Board of Ministerial Studies and Credentials, as district Christian life chairman, district Christian life treasurer, and primary camp director. In 1987, he became the pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in West Chester, Ohio.

Graves' years at West Chester (1987-2001) were marked by growth and expansion. Attendance grew by 97 percent, membership by 100 percent, and money raised by 255 percent. He led the church through relocation, the construction of a 50,000 square foot building, the development of a 20 acre retirement complex, and the building of 12 churches in the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, and Peru.

While in West Chester, Graves was elected to the Mount Vernon Nazarene University Board of Trustees--a position he held for 13 years. He served on the Board's Academic, Student Development, Buildings and Grounds, Executive, and Campus Development Committees. He served the Southwestern Ohio District as district secretary, as a member of the Board of Ministerial Credentials, and the Higher Ground Conference and Retreat Center board.

In December 2000, Graves was appointed superintendent of the Northeast Oklahoma District. He assumed leadership in January 2001 and served in this position until July 2006. During his tenure, the district increased in Sunday School attendance and enrolment, morning worship attendance, membership, and money raised. He led the district in the planting of two Hispanic churches. As district superintendent, he served on the Southern Nazarene University Board of Trustees, the executive committee of the SNU Board of Trustees, and as chairman of the Church Relations and Institutional Development Committee. Graves has served as a member of the NBC Board of Trustees since 1993. He served on the executive committee as vice-chairman and as chairman.

Graves earned a bachelor of science degree in Religious Education from Olivet Nazarene University in 1974 and earned the Master of Ministry degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in 1994. In 2004, he was awarded honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees by Southern Nazarene University and Mount Vernon Nazarene University. He was ordained Elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 1979.

Graves and his wife, the former Cheryl Collins, also a 1974 Olivet graduate, have been married 32 years. They have three children--all graduates of Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Timothy is a 2000 graduate, Philip graduated in 2004, and Rebekah and her husband, Todd Bowman, both graduated in 2003.
--NBC

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Gay-rights activists target MNU; university responds by respectfully sharing its message

Olathe, Kansas--During a day and a half of meetings with a group of gay-rights activists traveling the country to battle discrimination on college campuses, MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) accomplished its goal of communicating the love of Christ to its visitors without approving of the lifestyle they have chosen.

Soulforce, a national gay-rights organization, initiated a program last spring called Equality Ride in which young adults travel by bus to Christian campuses to confront administrators, faculty, and students with policies and practices that Soulforce considers to be discriminatory against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students.

Soulforce Equality Ride was not invited to the campuses, but did give prior notice that they were coming. This year MNU and Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) are among the Christian universities targeted by the organization. The Ride is scheduled to visit NNU on April 13.

Many targeted colleges ban the activists from campus, and in most cases, the Riders have been arrested for trespassing on campus property. Before arriving at MNU on March 15, the Riders were arrested at the University of Notre Dame and Wisconsin Lutheran University.

In contrast, MidAmerica chose to welcome the activists, hosting them for a dinner with student leaders on Thursday night and six classroom presentations on Friday.

"We viewed this as an opportunity to listen to where they're coming from and share the love of God with them," said April Hansen, MNU's director of public information and on-site coordinator for the visit. "We disagree, but there's no reason to be afraid to talk to each other, to dialogue, and express Christ's love, even in our disagreement."

At an exit meeting, several Equality Riders expressed their appreciation for the kindness and openness with which they had been received by members of the university. One Rider tearfully expressed her thanks.

"When you told us you were offering Christ's love to us and that you wanted to listen to us, we kept waiting for you to say, 'but….' and then share your condemnation," the Rider said. "You didn't do that. Thank you."

For some of the Riders, it was their first experience with Christians being willing to love and listen to them.

"[The Riders] expressed how life-changing this has been," Hansen said. "Those comments were very affirming and meaningful to all of us who helped plan the university's approach to the visit."

MNU President Ed Robinson said the visit and the campus' preparations actually strengthened MNU's commitment to its policy on homosexuality.

"Our position on the prohibition of homosexual behaviors from biblical and theological foundations was strengthened in the hearts and minds of the administration and, more importantly, students," Robinson said in an e-mail report to MNU's Board of Trustees. "You would be very proud of their spiritual discernment. The preparation we invested in students was beneficial and yielded the outcomes we intended."

One of the Equality Riders wrote in his blog after the visit, "I know many, if not most, of the students differ with us in their views on homosexuality, but we were able to share fellowship. They truly modeled a Christlike response."

MNU wishes to express its gratitude for the prayers offered around the world by churches and constituents during the visit. Most of all, thanks be to God!
--MNU

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Political unrest in Sri Lanka slowing rehabilitation efforts

Kurukalmadam, Sri Lanka--The nation of Sri Lanka, which was devastated by a tsunami just over two years ago, remains in desperate need of peace.

Tsunami rehabilitation work in Sri Lanka continues--two schools have been finished in Kalmunai and more than 100 homes are being rebuilt. Due to political turmoil, however, all efforts at rebuilding, recovering, and rehabilitation have slowed considerably.

Sri Lanka has suffered from nearly 25 years of unrest and threat of civil war between the minority Tamils and the majority Singhalese.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), more than 150,000 Sri Lankans have recently fled to the Batticaloa area, leaving behind all of their belongings. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) Sri Lanka Coordinator David George Santhosam reports, "Most of them are camping under trees. The government has asked us to care for two camps in Kurukalmadam close to Kalmunai. Presently, 850 families are there with 53 infants among them and more families are joining daily. We are working together with others, but further help is urgently needed.

"During the last two days, we brought various relief supplies to Kalmunai," continues Santhosam. "We delivered thousands of crisis care kits and school pal-paks. The families and children are very thankful. On the way home, several rockets crashed down close to us. We are grateful that God protected us. Tens of thousands have left their homes due to the fighting and more and more are joining them."

NCM and its partners are evaluating the feasibility of sending medical teams, which have been requested. Funds for food, water, and clothes are another urgent need.

Prayer is requested for NCM's co-workers who are already doing their best to help, and the internally displaced persons that are not safe in their own country.

Persons and churches wishing to make a donation can mark their checks "Sri Lanka Internally Displaced People ACM2002" and mail them to the General Treasurer, 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City, MO 64131. In Canada, checks should be made payable and sent to the Church of the Nazarene Canada, 20 Regan Road, Unit 9, Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3. On-line donations may be made at ncm.org/SriLanka.
--NCM

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Flooding in Zambia's western province damaging Nazarene homes and collapsing churches

Zambezi, Zambia--The western part of Zambia on the Church of the Nazarene's Northwest District, including Zambezi, Chavuma, Watopa, and some parts of Kabompo, have been severely hit by heavy flooding resulting from significant rainfall.

This situation has been declared a disaster by Zambia's National Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit under the office of the vice president. Zambia Northwest District Superintendent Isaac Kalumbila reports churches and communities are living in fear without hope for food and safe water.

The following details of the flood's impact are based on physical assessment by District Superintendent Kalumbila:

The majority of people in Zambezi, Kabompo, and Watopa depend on rice, maize, and cassava for survival. These are staple foods and part of the produce is used as a cash crop. Nearly everything has been swallowed in water. Cassava is rotting while rice and maize cannot produce due to the water situation. Other crops such as legumes and various vegetables cannot even be seen because of the water level in most of the fields.

The flood has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Also, the Sister in charge of Dipalata Mission Hospital described the level of malaria as serious. She stated there are no drugs in the hospital apart from a small amount of quinine. Most of the people have failed to access insecticide mosquito nets and modern malaria drugs. Infant mortality has become very high in most of these communities due to malaria.

The majority of the people in these communities depend entirely on water from shallow wells. These wells have been submerged in flood waters leaving the people with no option but to drink from stagnant pools of water. This situation has also contributed to the infant mortality rate. Local health centers have reported many cases of diarrhea.

Ninety houses have collapsed--approximately nine of these belong to Nazarene pastors and members--leaving the flood victims destitute. Pastors living on the west bank of Zambezi River in Chavuma and Zambezi are living with hardships; the floods have not spared their accommodations.

"All together, 1,500 households have been affected by the floods in Zambezi West; approximately 280 of these are Nazarenes. On the east side of the Zambezi, 190 households have been affected by the floods; approximately 190 of these are Nazarenes. In Chavuma West, 2,200 households have been affected by the floods; approximately 70 of these are Nazarenes. Finally, on the east side of Chavuma, 1,300 households have been affected by the floods; approximately 250 of these are Nazarenes.

Several Nazarene churches have been submerged in water, causing the church members to worship in their dilapidated houses. Most of the churches on the west bank and a sizeable number to the east of the Zambezi River are in water. This has caused many church members to panic. Eleven Nazarene church buildings have collapsed. Despite the government helping distribute relief food, it cannot extend its help to rebuild the collapsed churches. In Chavuma, 20 churches have collapsed; 11 of these are Nazarene churches.

Most of the bridges have been washed away by the flood making the area inaccessible. Vehicles cannot reach these places and canoes must be used for any transportation.

Prayer is requested for pastors and their congregations in Zambia where flood waters have destroyed their homes and church buildings, as well as those in nearby Mozambique who continue to recover from deadly floods.

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is changing their Mozambique Flood Relief donation account to read "Zambezi River Flood Relief" in order that donations and supplies be used to aid all of the affected areas in Southeast Africa. Persons and churches wishing to make a donation can mark their checks "Zambezi River Flood Relief ACM1501" and mail them to the General Treasurer, 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City, MO 64131. In Canada, checks should be made payable and sent to the Church of the Nazarene Canada, 20 Regan Road, Unit 9, Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3. Immediate donations can also be made on-line at ncm.org/zambeziriverfloodrelief.
-- Isaac Kalumbila, NCN News-Africa

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NCN News Briefs for March 23, 2007

• The Eldoret, Kenya Church of the Nazarene's radio broadcast station was destroyed by fire on February 23. This station produced and aired three programs. Prayer is requested for rebuilding and future ministry efforts.

Nazarene schools in postseason basketball tournaments
Kansas City--Several Nazarene collegiate basketball teams were involved in national championship tournaments this month. For results, Click Here.

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