United Alaska Moravian Ministry group (UAMM) Annual Meeting President’s Report given by The Rt. Rev. Dr. William H. Nicholson January 31, 2020 in Anchorage, Alaska. Full report was given at the General Church Conference, but due to its length only excerpts are included here: As we continue to enter into a new year, I believe that we are in a new era of God. We must continue to move ahead in our ministries full of the Spirit and use the spiritual and even supernatural gifts God has given us to minister more. We must keep awake, rise, and engage! Three of us will soon be travelling to Phoenix, Arizona to bring the gospel and engage people in several Indian Reservations. We are being motivated more and more to walk in the fire continually. We don’t need to mourn about the past. Instead we should be looking forward to great accomplishments in 2020. The nations desire our ministry gifts. Benny Hinn’s translator, The Rev. Edwin Villafranca of Tegucigalpa, Honduras says that he wants Bishop Nicholson back in Honduras capital city in 2020 to participate in an area wide crusade. He feels that upwards of 15,000 will be in attendance.
As the story is told in “Alaska Awakening”, our UAMM story, we all know who we were divided, excluded from our parent body the Alaska Moravian Province and out of this came UAMM. We were the first group ever to be excluded from the Unitas Fratrum for our stand against gay rights in the pulpit in Jamaica. Now its happening; we are seeing other exclusions and divisions happening around the world.
A big example of division is that recently in late 2019, the Moravian Province of Nicaragua became divided because of the gay rights agenda reportedly pressured by the Moravian Church in America. From what I heard verbally two bishops and many congregations in Nicaragua are following the Word of God and want to remain separated from apostasy. Because of this a family according to a Latin America news agency was burned alive in Nicaragua because they took a stand for righteousness. I was told verbally this was a Moravian pastor who was burned with his family.
There are those in Honduras seeing division coming there too, similar to what happened in Nicaragua. As a people of God in times like this we cannot pray for solely unity in the Church; instead more importantly we must pray that the Church of Jesus Christ must remain true to the full counsel of God’s Word.
God is seeing a new time for us; a new strategy. We must continue to remember that God is using the least to do His great Will during this end time falling away. God is supernaturally opening new doors for us! We have an assignment for multiplication. And there is no need for discouragement. In Isaiah 43:1-8 it says: Isaiah 43:1-8 New International Version (NIV) 43 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
We are a forward minded movement of God. However as we glance backwards, historically, we are a Moravian world-wide Unity Board product of Herrnhut, Germany in November 2012. UAMM was born with six Churches and Fellowships in Alaska. In 2017, UAMM grew to 18 Churches and Fellowships (one in Seattle area). In November 2019, an additional Church in La Ceiba joined UAMM.
Significantly by 2019 with the Churches joining City of Glory International under Bishop Lauden Kangele’s leadership (our national and international Mission Director), we now have 105 Churches we should be providing spiritual coverage for. UAMM continues to advocate for its member churches and give congregations accountabilities and non-profit status.
Reflecting on its international character, in its annual meeting of the General Church Conference on January 31, 2020, the UAMM Board of Directors are recommending a name change to UAMM adding the word “International”. (Note: during this GCC on January 31, 2020 the name change was unanimously approved).
UAMM is currently a member of the World Fellowship of Moravian Revival Churches (WFMRC). WFMRC was organized with UAMM Assistance and Funding in February 2018. The WFMRC is headed up by co-Chairs, Bishop William Nicholson of Alaska and Bishop Emmaus Mwamakula of Tanzania. Both bishops agreed in late 2019 to hold a WFMRC bishops conference from seven countries in Uganda by September 2020.
On January 17, 2019, UAMM held its 8th General Church Conference at 624 W. International Airport Rd. In 2019 three UAMM pastors training events held; one in January with Pastor Gordan Sweeny, who spoke on Spiritual Warfare. A second one – a Holiness Conference Singspiration and training event was held in April 2019 with The Rev. Lane Lowman. Another was conducted with The Rev. Jerry Coleman in October 2019.
Mr. Fred Nick, UAMM’s pastor in Akiachuk, Alaska was ordained by Bishop Nicholson In January 2019. “Cowboy” Johnnie Jack in Angoon, Alaska, was ordained as a UAMM pastor in May 2019 by Bishop Nicholson. Seven more called of God individuals approved by UAMM’s directors were ordained at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church by Bishop Nicholson on December 13, 2019. Those ordained include Curtis Pavila, Ina Pavile, Ruth Evon, Steven Paul Sr., Judith Lewis-Walunga, and Milton Cross.
UAMM continues to do outreaches to plant and strengthen churches. For example in January 2019, Bishop Nicholson traveled to Bethel, Alaska not only to ordain Fred Nick and but also to speak at New Fire Bethel Ministry. Another example is Bishop William Nicholson and Bishop Lauden Kangele’s trip to Ohio on March 8-11, 2019 for special meetings with Discipleship Haus, a Moravian Heritage Church group that is considering joining UAMM.
In May of 2019, Bishop Nicholson and Pastor Fred Nielsen traveled to Angoon to hold a special service with Pastor Johnnie Jack’s flock in Angoon. A prophetic word received for this area is that revival is going to happen here and move to the lower 48 states. Bishop Nicholson and Pastor Fred Nielsen have been asked to visit the community again before spring 2020.
In November 2019, Bishop Nicholson travelled to La Ceiba and Tegucigalpa, Honduras to speak, strengthen Churches, and meet in an envisioning process with UAMM’s pastors there. In April 2020, Bishop Nicholson has been asked to return to Honduras to hold a training seminar with Honduras’s leadership, consecrate at least three Honduras pastors as Deacons, one as Presbyter and possibly one new bishop.
Immediately after Christmas in December 2019, Bishop Nicholson travelled to three states to strengthen UAMM outreaches. These include Arizona, Oregon, and Washington. Main thing, here, is strengthening of our work among the Indian tribes. Pastor Victor Riley, who is UAMM’s ex-officio Director for Outreach to American Indian Tribes since February 6, 2019, is interested in ordination through UAMM.
UAMM’s existence is assured through each Church and Fellowship giving a monthly 10% tithes to UAMM’s budget, and each UAMM pastor donating their 10% tithe, including giving by Spirit-led donors. We thank Pastor Russell Lamont, Billy Olsen and Fred Nielsen, who ran the Friday Night Singspiration during winter and spring of 2019. We also thank Pastor Bob Monette who oversees this work since September 2019. The Friday night Ministry at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, weekly, is UAMM’s only specific fund raising mechanism outside of tithes by Churches and pastors.
On June 6, 2019, a New Herrnhut “Ground Breaking Ceremony” was held attended by members of UAMM’s Directors and other church leaders in Seward. A cement foundation slab was laid for the new Seminary by autumn of 2019. In spring of 2020, the walls will begin to be raised. In the meantime, Mr. Dean Carl who is building and financing the new Seminary is serving as a member of Tug Boat crew sailing the Bering Sea and Northwest. On the Tug Boat called the Reese Eagle, he is making dollars to
erect the New Herrnhut Seminary, which already has students planning on attending from Tanzania.
Sadly in 2019, we lost a good friend and supporter of UAMM. The Rev. Captain Rick, who was one of UAMM’s trainers passed on to his heavenly reward. His wife donated a great part of his library and copywrite to his book series “Historical Highways” to New Hernnhut Seminary.
We thank Rev. Russell Lamont for running his River boat on the Kuskokwim during June – August 2019 and holding several services at fish camp. He did this with a UAMM sign on his motorized vessel.
Please pray that God will raise up wealthy people to support His cause to grow the Kingdom of God before Christ comes.
The Directors of UAMM include the following: Bishop William Nicholson, Administrator and President, Rev. Tim Sergie, Vice-President, Nellie Kiunya, Secretary, Rev. Ferdinand Sharp, Treasurer, Rev. Alexie Nose, Rev. Russell Lamont, and Rev. Fred Nielsen.
UAMM continues to solicit your prayers.
