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Eastern Regional Association

September 2023 Newsletter


The Eastern Regional Convention will be held at the Blessed Hope Advent Christian Church in Waterville, ME on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28. 


Our Friday morning and afternoon plenary speaker will be Ryan Goding of Anchor New England. Ryan will be speaking about defending our faith in Christ in a world that is anti Christian. 

Our Friday night banquet speaker will be Rev. John Tate, Senior Pastor at Emmanuel Church, Rochester, NH. 


Follow this link to register or you may also register by going to our website.

Please send us an email if you are interested in being an exhibitor.

We have secured an agreement with the Fireside Inn in Waterville for lodging at $115 per night plus tax. You may reserve your room by going to the link below. Be sure to select the number of nights and the total will adjust automatically.

Fireside Inn

Anchor New England

Their Mission "is to create premium Christian worldview content and curriculum for the purpose of equipping, encouraging, and strengthening believers all over the world, in order that the gospel would be proclaimed, and the kingdom of God advanced."


Ryan Goding

Ryan Goding is the founder and Executive Director of Anchor New England. He also serves an apologetics ministry called AIIA Institute as the Vice President and Chairman of the Board of Directors. In 2008, Ryan and his wife Kylie moved to Farmington Maine and planted Summit Faith Community where Ryan presently serves as the lead Pastor. Ryan also currently works vocationally as the manager of a financial institution in his community. Ryan and Kylie are the proud parents of three children - Eve, Celia and Josiah. In his past time, he enjoys reading, hunting, fishing, movies, and spending time with family.


anchornewengland.org

Prayer and Praise List

  • For the ERA Convention to be held on October 27-28
  • For our primary speaker, Ryan Goding of Anchor New England
  • For God to be glorified and for His blessings as we meet together 

for worship, fellowship, instruction, and business

  • For Clayton Blackstone as he serves our region in the vital ministry of Interim Regional Superintendent 
  • For the ERA Board as they establish a job description for the Regional Superintendent, and as they later in the year, begin the search for a new superintendent
  • For the sale of the regional residence/office

BICS Welcomes Class of 2024

On August 27, we welcomed our new class of students to the Berkshire Institute for Christian Studies! This is our 34th cohort of students consisting of eight women and three men – our largest first-year enrollment in the last 10 years. What a joy it is to get to know these students and embark with them on this formative journey of discipleship.


We are mindful that God had already started his work in the hearts of these 11 students long before we met them – and for that we give glory to him and our thanks to the families and church families whom he has used to that end. But we are grateful that God has given them to us for the next nine months for a season of serious spiritual and life development. 


Our explicit aim is that these students would be rooted in the Word of God, continually growing in the grace of God, and ultimately, that they would flourish for the kingdom of God. 


The theme we’ve chosen for the year is “Our Refuge and Strength,” based on Psalm 46:1. We’re striving to help our students comprehend more and more of the character and promises of God so that we see that he is worthy of our complete trust and confidence. We’re praying the Lord will use this year to that end and that it will be one of the most transformative years of their lives.


Our gratitude abounds when we consider God’s gracious provision of another cohort of students and your generous support. If you have any questions about the ministry of BICS, please don’t hesitate to check out our website or get in touch: www.berkshireinstitute.org | info@berkshireinstitute.org

Join the 2024 BICS Israel Trip!

The Berkshire Institute for Christian Studies invites you to join them for the trip of a lifetime to Israel from March 6-20, 2024. Come walk where Jesus, King David, Paul and the other great men and women of Scripture lived out the stories of the faith. See firsthand the Temple Mount, the fields of Bethlehem, the beautiful Sea of Galilee, and much, much more.  

Space is limited, so for more information or to register, please go to https://www.signaturetours.com/upcoming 

or for questions, contact Mike Tuttle at mtuttle@berkshireinstitute.org.

We hope that you can join us – we promise you will never read the Bible the same again!


Pastor Appreciation

We received this from the Appalachian Region and thought it might be helpful in the planning of our ERA churches for Pastor Appreciation in the month of October. 

Pastor Appreciation Notes


“Obey your leaders and submit to them, 

for they are keeping watch over your souls, 

as those who will have to give an account. 

Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, 

for that would be of no advantage to you.” 

Hebrews 13:17


October is Pastor Appreciation Month. We’re encouraging every church member, denomination-wide, to reflect on how their pastor has ministered to them and write a note of encouragement. 

As you write your note, consider:

  • Things you’ve learned from his teaching
  • His positive impact on the church
  • Times he offered pastoral care
  • His effect in your community
  • His acts of kindness and generosity 
  • How you’ve grown under his ministry
  • Examples of his dedication
  • Challenges he has overcome
  • Evidence of his Christlike character


ACGC has prepared a flyer to help church members participate. It includes ideas for additional ways to bless your pastor.

Celebration of Fellowship North Springfield AC Church

11 Church St, North Springfield, VT 05150

Scholarship Opportunities


Dubois Scholarship - Sponsored by the Maine State Conference, amount awarded depends on number of applicants and funds available; This scholarship is given in loving memory of Rev. Wendell DuBois, Tammy DuBois and Virgene Hughes. It is designed to assist those seeking a call to vocational ministry in achieving their academic goals. The application needs to be postmarked by August 31 to be considered. The scholarship monies will be disbursed during the 2nd semester of the academic year.


Berkshire Christian College Scholarship Fund - Scholarship amount varies depending on the program of study. The purpose and description of the scholarship is:

  • Seminary education in partnership with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary at four campuses - two in Mass., one in Fla., one in NC. (www.gordonconwell.edu) Advent Christian students receive up to a 50% tuition reduction. (Additional scholarship assistance may also be available.)
  • Theological formation through the Ministry Training Institute (MTI). Students enrolled in MTI are eligible for scholarships through Berkshire Christian.


Castle Hill Scholarship Fund - The Castle Hill Advent Christian Church closed its doors in December of 2019 due to declining numbers and the difficulty of finding pastoral leadership. Through a generous donation, a Ministry Scholarship will be established in their name. It is their desire that this ministry scholarship be established to help fund individuals who are seeking vocational ministry training either from a ministry training program within the Advent Christian constituency, or if a person chooses to seek to prepare for vocational ministry outside of the Advent Christian constituency, the Christian institution must be accredited.

Applicants are required to fill out the application and have all of the required information turned in to the Superintendent’s Office by September 15th in order to be considered by the Eastern Regional Board of Directors. The Board will present scholarships to qualified applicants by dividing $2000 dollars among them per year. If only one applicant applies, the cap for an individual scholarship is $1000 dollars made out to the school of their choosing.

Visit our website for more Information and Applications

Previous copies of the monthly newsletter are on our website.

Eastern Regional Association



Online Prayer Meeting Tuesdays from 9-10 AM

Prayer Meeting

ERA Board of Directors  


Rev. George Karl, President - sumkarl@yahoo.com

Rev. Dwight Dean, Vice President - fsufandsd@gmail.com

Rev. Allen Latimore, Clerk - aclatimore@netzero.net

Mr. John Jones, Treasurer - pastorjoj@gmail.com

Rev. Doug Tourgee, Heritage Conf. President - dougin401@aol.com

Rev. Tim Soucy, Maine Conf. Vice President - bangoracc@gmail.com

Rev. Josh Rice, Maranatha Conf. President - jrice@emmanuelacc.net

Rev. Derek Irvine, New Life Conf. President - drick1221@gmail.com

Mr. Adam Facteau, New York Conf. President - afacteau@twcny.rr.com

Rev. Ken Perkins, Nova Scotia Conf. President - Ken.perkins@EastLink.ca

Mrs. Deb Reed, ERA Representative to ACGC - deborahjoreed@yahoo.com

Rev. Steve Lawson, ACGC Executive Director - slawson@acgc.us


The Eastern Regional Association Newsletter is published as a ministry of the Eastern Regional Association of the Advent Christian General Conference.

Eastern Regional Association

Eastern Regional Association

P.O. Box 214 Winchester, NH 03470

Phone: 603-332-1412