Greetings Members and Friends,

It is with pleasure that Light of Christ Community Church announces Rev. Tom H. Hemphill has been appointed Executive Director, effective June 1, 2012. He and his wife, Judith, arrived in the village this week from Florida, and are settling in as new Sparrow Hawk Village residents. Tom is actively getting acquainted with the work at LCCC/SSS and becoming familiar with life in Tahlequah, OK.

The recruitment for an Executive Director had fruitful results. Tom comes to LCCC with a rich background in leading not-for-profits, much of this work international. He has a strong background in management, marketing and operations. He is a long-term ordained minister of LCCC. Tom has served as the President of Religious Research, an organization created by Dr. Franklin Loehr, who authored the book on psychography which is used in the Sancta Sophia Seminary curriculum.

Tom will be working with the Board of Trustees, the Board of Governors, and the membership of LCCC to develop a vision for the future. We look forward to abundant opportunities to further enrich a long standing community which grounds the work of LCCC and SSS.
 
Another area that is expanding for LCCC is Fund Development. Katherine Garlough, a returning resident to SHV and alumni of SSS, has a background in Planned Giving, Fundraising, Higher Education Accreditation and Curriculum. LCCC will extend Katherine's current work to include consulting with the LCCC Board to develop a formal Fund Development Plan. More will be shared as this unfolds.

We welcome both Tom and Katherine to LCCC and are confident they bring the skills and dedication required to guide the organization into its next phase of development. At this same time, the Board of Trustees wants to thank Rev. Thia McGinnis for her selfless service in many roles within the LCCC organization. We are grateful for her continued willingness to help our church and school develop into the future. Best wishes to Thia as she moves to Asheville, NC.

Very soon you will receive a request for workshops for the 2012 Annual Homecoming Conference. It's always rewarding to have our colleagues share the work they are doing as World Servers. The conference planning committee has been diligently working to put together a great schedule of events. The Keynote Speaker this year is Gita Saraydarian. You can inquire about the newest book released by the Torkom Saraydarian Foundation by contacting Isaac Porter at Sophia's Nest.

As 2012 progresses and the cosmic energy flows in and around our lives, we are asked to step up the vibration of our service to humanity. It is the combined efforts of the larger group that supports and enhances our individual work.

"People advance by the power of their innate divinity. Divinity in man is an expanding reality.  It is a growing Beauty. Nothing can stand in its way. Those whose divine spark is aflame lead humanity as torches in a dark night." Torkom Saraydarian

In Gratitude and Blessings,

The Board of Trustees