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In This Issue

EFCA GODSIGHTINGS TELL YOUR STORY

When families gather, it is stories of the past and present celebrated together in laughter and tears that unify their hearts. GodSightings are the evidence of God's hand in action touching our lives. The goal of the GodSightings campaign is to unify the hearts of the EFCA family! Gather. Share. Celebrate God's handiwork across the EFCA! Email stories to Godsightings@efca.org (Please attach related pictures whenever available, and be sure to advise if the story should be communicated anonymously.)

AARK Sunday Praise Report
Thank you to each of the individuals, ministries, and churches that participated in AARK Sunday.  We have been encouraged to hear the testimonies about kingdom partnerships developing throughout our movement.  This first year we had over 20 churches set aside time in their service to celebrate God's faithfulness and to pray for AAF leaders. The Lord blessed us with nearly $4,500 through gifts and offerings which will be used to fund grants for African-American church planters in our movement. A GodSighting indeed!

CHURCH PLANTING BOOTCAMPS

An intensive five-day training experience, BootCamp covers the major issues church planters face in their first year.
 
May 14-18
Dallas Theological Seminary - Dallas, TX
OR
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School - Chicago, IL
 
Register online at http://www/efca.org/planting.  Early bird registration ends April 22.  Contact churchplanting@efca.org or (800) 745-2202 with questions, or visit the web site at http://www.efca.org/planting.

GLOBAL MINISTRY SUMMIT

The EFCA International Mission offers a training and resource ministry for churches called the Global Ministry Summit. A one day conference designed to help your missions leadership team in global outreach, the summit will stimulate your thinking to new levels, offer many practical ideas you can implement immediately, and assist you in networking with others. The summit is designed to give quick information that will help your church make a bigger impact on the world.

Topic examples include:

  • Assessment of your current missions program
  • Mission team effectiveness and healthy leadership
  • Short term training 101
  • Missionary care: On the field or at home
  • Growing and sending your own missionaries

Join us in Kearney, NE on September 15, 2007.  For more information and to register, contact mark.allen@efca.org. There are open dates for churches to host a Global Ministry Summit in 2007. For more information on hosting a GMS at your church, contact steve.austvold@efca.org.

TEDS CO-SPONSORS MIDWEST SPIRITUAL FORMATION FORUM

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS), Elmbrook Church and the Spiritual Formation Alliance are joint sponsors of the first-ever Midwest Regional Spiritual Formation Forum, June 6-8, 2007. The theme of the event is "Spiritual Formation and the Mission of the Church," and addresses two profoundly connected themes: the yearning for a deeper and richer personal inward journey with God, and our calling to address the urgent and dire needs of this world.  EFCA Pastors and leaders living in the Midwest are encouraged to take advantage of this regional seminar.
 
Plenary speakers include: Dave Johnson, Scot McKnight , Bruce Demarest, Juanita Rasmus and Mel Lawrenz. Ample space will be provided for quiet reflection, interactive workshops, and learning communities designed to address many areas of interest and ministry expertise. Elmbrook Church, a longtime leader in spiritual formation and satellite location for TEDS, provides the setting. A wrap-around course offering either graduate or undergraduate academic credit for the conference will be available through TEDS.  For more information, go to http://www.spiritualformationforum.org/midwestforum2007

CHRISTIAN INVESTORS FOUNDATION

Multiplying healthy churches among all people is the mission of the Evangelical Free Church of America. At CIF, we want to help make that mission a reality by partnering with you, our investors, and financing the construction needs of EFCA churches and ministries.  Do you know someone that may wish to be part of our ministry by investing with us?  Does your congregation know about the opportunity to partner with CIF and earn competitive rates while helping build EFCA churches?  We appreciate your referrals.  Help us "Build a Church without Picking up a Hammer."

The purchase of our Investment Certificates is subject to risks, which are described in our Offering Circular, including the right of Christian Investors Foundation to redeem the Investment Certificates prior to their final maturity.  This is not an offer to sell our Investment Certificates to you and we are not soliciting you to buy our Investment Certificates.  We will offer and sell our Investment Certificates only in states where authorized.  The offer is made solely by the Offering Circular.
Not FDIC or SIPC insured. Not a bank deposit. No EFCA guarantee.

SHORT-TERM MISSIONS TEAM LEADER TRAINING

ReachGlobal Team Leader Training event
March 30 - April 1, 2007 in St. Louis, MO
Valuable equipping for short term team leaders as they prepare a team for effective cross-cultural ministry. To register for this training weekend, please email your registrations by 12 noon on Friday, March 16. For a brochure or to register, go to http://www.efca.org/international/connect/shortterm/tlt.html or contact gary.reedy@efca.org with questions.

EFCA FOUNDATON

Do you have a will?  Does your will meet your current goals?  If not, then now might be the time to get your financial affairs in order.  Contact the EFCA Foundation to get a copy of our "Better Estate Planning" brochure. This may be the information you need to get started.  For details, contact Lanny Harris at (800) 995-8578, by email at foundation@efca.org or check out the website at http://www.efcafoundation.org.

 

 

EFCA CHAPLAIN MINISTRIES

Deployed chaplains who covet your prayers:
Ch (LCDR) Ray Bailey, USN 
Ch (MAJ) Roy Myer, USA  
Ch (CPT) Jason Tobin, USA 
Ch (MAJ) Charles Causey, USA
Ch (CPT) Tom Strong, USA
Ch (CPT) Wes Gornall, USA
Ch (LT) Patrick Niemeyer, USN
Ch (LCDR) Ron Pettigrew, USN

Assistant Minister/Chaplain in Training program
We are launching a program through which local churches can benefit from the pastoral leadership of a seminary graduate while he/she completes mandatory church training to become a military chaplain. The new program, called AMCIT (Assistant Minister/Chaplain in Training), is intentional and can last 12-36 months (depending on the needs of the church and the candidate).  The seminary graduate gains practical church ministry experience prior to seeking active military duty.  AMCIT is adaptable to the needs of the church and candidate.  We are seeking 20 churches willing to consider this concept of adding to their staff or locating a temporary pastor.  For a program example or to inquire about this concept, contact roy.bebee@efca.org or call (800) 745-2202.