Christmas Letter from the Millers

Merry Christmas to all,

2012 in Brief.

·       Nancy served as principal of ZCA for her fourth and final year.  She has now resigned, retired, or been dismissed by the Government (a little of all of those).

To explain, She did submit a letter of  resignation as I need her at home more; retirement age in the Solomon’s is 55 (she qualifies) but you can be considered year by year after that; then also the labor department said this would be the last year for them to issue a work permit.  Principal in the Solomon’s is a position filled by local laborers.

This was a tough year for Nancy as she had excessive teacher absenteeism and tardiness.

The water supply for the past four years only arrived at our location every other day beginning at around 1-2 a.m. and it goes off by 7 a.m. so Nancy had to get to school by 6 a.m. on the days the water came to fill up the tanks and drums so they would have water.

·        George served as District Superintendent and Principal of our Solomon Island’s campus of the SPNTC [South Pacific Nazarene Theological College].

·      SPNTC – Solomon Islands offered 10 block courses this year.  All the teaching this year was performed by Nancy (3 courses) and George (7 Courses).  {For more info about this check out our blog http://georgeandnancymiller.blogspot.com or our field WEB page http://oceanianazarene.org. or www.SPNTC.net.

·    Visitors to the field this past year.

January our Field Treasurer, Joani Goossens and husband Randy visited for 5 days from PNG, to audit and help our Solomon Island treasurer (Nancy) with the books.

During the USA summer we were overjoyed to have our Son, Greg, and family (Wendy, and children Justus, Ransom, Addie, and Elisha) visit.  Their two month visit passed very quickly.  I had the privilege of baptizing our grandson Ransom during their visit.  Ransom got sick during that trip and so we took a trip to the hospital.

We went to the airport to say good bye to our departing family, heading back to the USA via Fiji, and also to pick up another visitor, Dave Kerr, our new SPNTC Chancellor stationed in Fiji.

·      Trips in 2012.

In March we (Nancy and George) travelled to Papua New Guinea.  We attended and took part in the 20^th wedding anniversary of Baru and Christina Dirye, dear friends of ours.  Baru was one of my (George’s)  first students that I helped train in our Medical Laboratory Assistant’s school, during the first year of our work in the Nazarene Hospital, Kudjip.

While in PNG I (George) had a routine medical exam which revealed some liver cysts and so we took an unexpected detour to Brisbane, Australia.  We were well looked after by the generosity of our friends Bruce and Jacque Allder, at the Nazarene Theological College, Brisbane.  

While Greg and Wendy were here, I (George) took them to Malaita to attend the Malaita Circuit youth camp, visit a church, and visit with Hannah’s uncle and family. 

In September Nancy and I went to Nadi, Fiji to attend the SPNTC Board of Trustees meeting.

In October I (George) made an emergency trip to Vella la vella Island to comfort one of our pastors and family who lost their son.

·    Nationally 2012 was a busy year
Solomon Islands hosted the Festival of Pacific Arts (FOPA).  There were over 20 Pacific Nations represented.  This was the largest FOPA ever and was a tremendous success.  The country benefitted by better infrastructure development in preparation for this event.  Greg and family were here during this time.

We hosted a major soccer match involving several Pacific Island countries.

We hosted royalty this year when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge came to visit.

The US Marines visited for the 70^th anniversary of the battle of Guadalcanal.  A Coast-watcher Memorial was erected to show the valuable partnership between the Marines and the local Coast-watchers.

Family Update:

·     Nancy’s mother, is still living by herself in a retirement home.  We praise the Lord for helping her through some health issues and no doubt healing her, so she did not have to undergo a scheduled heart procedure.

·    Gloria and Scott, with their 3 sons (Zach, Geoffrey, and Joshua) live in Nevada, TX.  Zach has really grown tall and has filled out.  He took after my Grandma Miller “Bigler’s” side of the family.  He is a star football player in his high school.  (That is American Gridiron Football, for my non-American friends.)  He plays on both sides of the ball (offense and defense).  He is active in his church’s Bible Quiz team.  Scott has his Podiatry practice and Gloria assists her husband in the practice and is busy with their active family.

·     Greg and Wendy and their children, (3 daughters and 1 son, named above) still live in Spencer, Oklahoma.  Greg is a High school teacher and Wendy is a home school mom/teacher.

·    Geoffrey and Churie live in Bethany, Oklahoma.  In September this year Churie gave birth to our 11^th grandchild, a girl named Kyla.  Kyla was welcomed into her family by her three sisters Raina, Felicity, and Tessa.  Geoffrey works as a paint contractor and the bulk of his work is at SNU (Southern Nazarene University).  Churie is the children’s pastor at their church and homeschools her children.

·     Gary is still single and working weekend security at SNU and the rest of the time he is working for his brother, Geoffrey.

Anticipating 2013: 

·     General Assembly:  Pray for our Solomon Island Delegates as they are raising money to go to the USA for General Assembly.  The dates of the General Assembly and convention to be held in Indianapolis are June 17 – 28.  We plan to return to the Solomon Islands soon after this assembly. 

·      30^th of January we begin our Bible College Block courses with Bruce Allder from Brisbane coming as our guest lecturer.

·   Looking Forward to Bible College graduation in February and our Chancellor attending and staying for a week or so to teach a class for our former graduates to train  teachers for our campus.

·     Home Assignment:  Our Home assignment begin March 5, 2013.  Maybe we can make contact with many of you.  Our schedule up to this point is printed below.

2013 Tour Schedule   Mar. 8, 2013 -June 9, 2013

March 8-10, 2013 Westminster, MD  –

March 17, 2013 NE Okla. district –

March 24, 2013 Carnegie Oklahoma, Church of the Nazarene, -  

March 26 – 8 a.m.  Southern Nazarene University – Introduction to Missions class –

March 27 p.m.  Woodson Park, OKC

April 7-14, 2013  NE Indiana District  

April 17, 2013 Spencerville, OH

April 20-28, 2013 Indianapolis District Tour 

May 12-16, 2013 Upstate New York Convention 

May 19-26, 2013 Los Angeles District Tour

May 29 – June 9  Northwest District (Eastern Washington State, Panhandle Idaho, & Small portion NorthEastern Oregon)

If you are on one of these districts listed and would like for us to speak in your church please contact your district’s deputation secretary.  If we are in your area but you are on a neighboring district or a non-Nazarene church and would like for us to share in your church, school, club, etc, please contact us directly. 

Free Dates on Home Assignment Schedule:

11 – 15 March: Reserving for Medical Checks.  Available for evening services in Dallas area, assuming the medical checks go well.

18 – 23 March: Available for services in Oklahoma/Texas or within 3-4 hour drive of OKC

25  & 26 March  (26^th Evening only) in OKC area.

28 March – April 5:  Available anywhere in USA for Faith Promise or District Tour with easy airport access.  For a one night service needs to be 2 hour drive from OKC or Dallas.  March 31 (Easter Sunday) is available.

15, 16, 18, & 19 April -  Available to speak Northeast Indiana, Northwest Ohio, or Southern Michigan.

April 29 – May 10: Available anywhere in USA with easy airport access.  May 5^th is an available Sunday.  We are reserving this time for a district tour or faith promise. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

George and Nancy Miller

Updste on Solomon Island District Assembly

I tried to post this with photos, but the photos did not come through so now I’m posting the text and later I’ll try to get the photos on there.

 

The 18^th district assembly closed the final service on November 4^th.  Nothing like promptness in posting.  A frequent comment that I received and I agree with this statement is, “This is the greatest assembly ever.”  No one attended from the International Headquarters or the Regional office.  The field strategy coordinator called the day before his scheduled arrival with the news that he had a crisis situation elsewhere, preventing his travel to the Solomon’s.  We were so looking forward to Harmon’s visit, but we our pastors filled in his preaching schedule.  This is the first assembly that I fill rested after its conclusion.  All the district leaders performed their jobs superbly.

 

What made this assembly so great?  I am convinced it was a direct result of the prayers of God’s people and an answer to your prayers.  Usually the afternoon workshop sessions of the assembly are not well attended, but not this year.  We had the largest attendance of delegates ever to attend an assembly and they stayed there throughout all the workshops.  The theme of the District Assembly was, “Equipping and Empowering the Saints to Live a Holy Life.”  The workshops were on Spiritual Formation and a lot was drawn from the book “The Upward Call” by Wes Tracy et.al.  We emphasized, prayer, fasting, Bible Reading/Study, and Accountability with others (Accountability partner, spouse, small group, and within the community of faith).  We also held a peace-building workshop.

 

Our Evening worship services began on Wednesday evening 31^st of October.  [Note: We do not celebrate Halloween in the Solomon’s, so the 31^st was just another Wednesday night for us.]  The Wednesday night was for the Sunday School emphases.  The district Sunday School/Discipleship Ministry International (SDMI) director asked me to preach that service.  I had an object lesson where I involved the congregation.  I first took two 4 year old children a boy and girl to help me.  I talked about the importance Jesus placed on children.  These two small children named Graeme and Sandreth were my ushers and they went to the audience and ushered to the platform other people (a male and female of all ages from young to very old).  These were to represent all ages and people the SDMI were to reach and disciple.  It was a simple message to illustrate that each age group has different needs and challenges.

 

Each ministry had a different service.  The Nazarene Mission International was in charge of the Thursday service and Alick Hagi, the NMI President, preached for us.  The presence of God was really felt as he preach from Mark 1:16-20 on the call of the fishermen to become Jesus’ disciples and the need to follow the right person, to have the right preparation, and the right process. 

 

Friday was the Nazarene Youth International service.  God blessed the service through Pastor Osborn’s message of Hannah from 1 Samuel 1.  Of course during the youth service the music was way too loud for me, even after they turned it down for me, but I just need to get over it, or get use to it. 

 

The District Advisory Board led the Saturday night service and I again preached.  I preached a sermon that came to me one night in a dream.  February 5, 2012, I awoke after having a dream and in the dream I was preaching this message during district assembly.  I got up in the early morning went into my office, took down my journal, and wrote this dream that I feel was given to me by the Lord.  The title of the sermon is, “The 4 Heresies of the Post Modern Evangelical Church.”  This sermon has been posted on our blog if you are interested.  As in my dream not many responded to this holiness message, but there were 10 seekers at the altar.  I was thrilled to have 5 children come for prayer.  In Solomon Islands normally children do not respond to the invitation.

 

Sunday (4^th) we had an 8 a.m. baptism service where we baptized one young lady.  Saturday night after service I went to bed without knowing about the baptism.  Lois came to the Saturday night service.  She testified that she was the “prodigal daughter” but even though she did not plan or intend to come to District meeting, but through God’s prevenient grace she came.   She was one of the adults who responded to the invitation and gave her heart to the Lord at the altar on Saturday night.  It was 5 a.m. on Sunday morning while I was in my office having my time with the Lord that the phone call came informing me of the baptism.  We had a baptism service scheduled on the program but we canceled it due to no one ready to be baptized.  We took two vehicles (25 or so people) to the Lunga River, the place where we usually baptize people.  Upon arrival at the baptism site, I noticed a gate across the road and unbeknown to me, the people have started charging money for access.  I drove up to the gate and told them what we were going to do and they opened the gate.  I had no money in my pocket but they allowed us free access.  We arrived back at the church, where the women were preparing to lead the worship.  The 9 o’clock service was ready to begin when we arrived back at church. I went to the house to change out of my wet clothes and get ready for the service.  When I walked to church I was met at the door by someone with wonderful news.  “The church is really packed out”, then the pastor who was the usher added, we have saved you one chair.  Pastor Patricia brought a powerful message on the healing of the lame man from Acts 3 and the altar was packed especially with the women.  Her message brought tears to the eyes and really resonated with the women as the response to the invitation was instant.  Then the final service last night, Pastor Jeremiah preached a powerful message from Romans 8:1-17 about their being “no condemnation” to the one in Christ. 

 

The district assembly issued 18 minister licenses.  As soon as the District Secretary tallies up the statistics we will know about the numerical growth of the district. 

 

By George Miller

 

 

Sample schedule for the 3-weeks (Nov 6-23, 2012)

Schedule:

I am frequently asked, “What is our schedule like on the field?”  To which I reply, “What do you mean?”  and I get a response such as, “What does your average day look like?  What do you do?”  I don’t have a clue where to begin, but for the three weeks (Nov 6-23), we had a rigid schedule, so I thought I’d list it for your curiosity.   Keep in mind we do squeeze in time for the essential things like, preparing the coffee, visiting the restroom, showering, and brushing tooth, etc.

 

Here is George’s schedule: Week Day Schedule, weekend schedule is different.

3:30 a.m.  Get up to begin my day. This is without help from an alarm and so is from 3-4, but usually around 3:30.

3:30 – 4:30 Prayer and devotions

4:30 – 6:00 Work on Class Preparations, preparing for teaching.

6:30 Breakfast together,

7:00 – 8:15 Grade class work, do laundry if needed, etc.

8:30 – 12 noon Teach Bible College Course - Johannine Literature Class

12 – 1 Lunch prepare for the next class.

1 – 2:30 Teach Bible College Course - History and Polity Class

2:30 – 4:30 Take a nap

4:30 – 5 Time together

5 – 8:00 Writing lesson (With District Assembly and then trip to Vella la Vella I only had 7 of the 15 lessons written prior to start of class.)

8 – 10 Supper/relax/ time with wife/ or time for students to talk with.

Goal is to get to bed by 10:30, earlier if possible, so I can get an early start the next day.

 

And now here’s Nancy’s

4:35 Get up to begin my day after the snooze goes off one time.

4:35 – 6:00 Devotions, preparations for teaching

6:00 every other day I have to go to school and collect water before the city water goes off at 7 a.m. or so. (The water only comes every other night from about 3-7 a.m.)

6:30 Breakfast together,

7:00 – 3:00 Zion Christian Academy where I am principal.

3:00 I Take off early from ZCA to prepare for teaching at the Bible College.

3 – 4:30 Preparation for teaching

4:30 – 5 Time together

5 – 8:00 Teaching of Bible College course - Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ.

8 – 10 Supper/relax/ time with husband/ or time for students to talk with.

Goal is to get to bed by 10:30, earlier if possible, so I can get an early start the next day.

 

I trust you enjoyed that one.