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In This Issue

2008 MIDWINTER MINISTERIAL THEOLOGICAL DISCUSSION

Dr. Ed Stetzer, author of Breaking the Missional Code, will be the guest presenter at the 2008 Midwinter Ministerial Theological Discussion to be held January 23-25, 2008 at Hope EFC in Albuquerque, NM.  "Insights from Emerging Church Ministries and An Evaluation of Emergent Church Theology" is the topic of discussion.  Registration and hotel information is available at http://www.efca.org/pastoralcare/midwinter/index.html

 

WELCOME RECEPTION FOR NEW EFCA WOMEN'S MINISTRIES DIRECTOR

Women of the EFCA are invited to a welcome reception with Jackie Redmond, new EFCA national Women's Ministries director, Saturday, October 6 at 9:00-11:00 AM hosted at Redeemer EFC, Milwaukee, WI. Join other women to hear Jackie's heart for women's ministry and an opportunity to share yours. Enjoy a time of light refreshment and coffee. The event is free, but registration is required. Please register by contacting Natalie at (800) 745-2202 ext. 765 or email natalie.bartelme@efca.org.

REMEMBER OUR TROOPS IN YOUR PRAYERS

Please remember in your prayers our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in their continued commitment to the War on Terror. EFCA Chaplains who are currently serving in combat locales include:


Joel Kornegay, USAF (in Qatar) home based at Travis AFB, CA (family in CA)
Wes Gornall, USA (in Iraq) home based at Fort Benning, GA (family in Brighton, CO)
Jason Tobin, USA (in Iraq) home based in Alaska (family in Alaska)
Vince Garcia, USA (in Iraq) home based at Fort Huachuca, AZ (family in AZ)
Ray Bailey, USN (in Iraq) home based at Marine Corps Air Station in NC
Ron Webb, USA (in Iraq) home based at Fort Bragg, NC (family in NC)
K. Don Tak, USN (in Kuwait) homebased out of Port Hueneme, CA (home is MN)
 
If your church would like to send a care package, a letter from a Sunday School class, or an encouraging message, please contact Chaplain Roy Bebee at roy.bebee@efca.org for the overseas address.

CHALLENGE 2008

The EFCA Student Ministries Youth Conference will be held in Salt Lake City on June 29-July 4, 2008.  Join us as we explore the theme of "'Sojourn - to stay as a temporary resident; to dwell for a time.' Every one is on a life journey." Watch for information to be mailed to every church in early October.

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.)

NEW! Check out video GodSighting stories now on the EFCA web site at http://www.efca.org. The story below is one of the featured videos. Click "Maria's Prayer Journal." 
 
Maria was a part of the Children's Prayer Team at New Hope Church. She was a mighty prayer warrior. As a child her prayers were not cute or sweet as people often think. Her prayers were full of faith, mighty, powerful and intimate. Her prayers touched heaven and changed earth, and now Maria is having face-to-face conversations with Jesus.

I want to tell you some things that I believe Maria would want you to know about prayer.

  • Maria would want you to know that prayer is important and that God hears and answers prayer.
  • Maria would want you to know that prayer is praising God for all things.
  • Maria would want you to know that it is important to confess to God things you have done wrong so that your prayers are not hindered. In fact, during our monthly time of praying for one another, Maria would ask us to pray that God would forgive her because she sometimes had a hard time obeying her dad and mom and sometimes would even have trouble getting along with her brother James. She also states in her prayer journal, "I have learned in prayer team that you should repent a lot." Signed Maria
  • Maria would want you to know how important it is to pray for those who don't know Jesus yet.
  • Maria would want you to know that when you pray for healing for someone you should always pray according to God's will and not your own desire.
  • Maria would want you to know that prayer is sometimes hard, but often easy. She would say that it was easy to pray and talk to Jesus, but sometimes hard to be quiet and listen to Jesus.
  • Maria would want you to know that you can pray always on all occasions.
  • Maria would want you to know that it is important to journal your prayers.

I would like to share one of the many prayers from Maria's prayer journal....
January 14th 2007
Dear Father in Heaven, I pray for Family and Children's Ministries. I pray that they would have enough workers there and that they, the children and families would become Christians.   Your Daughter, Maria

Beth Peterson
New Hope Church - New Hope, MN

EFCA FOUNDATION

Do you know someone who desires to provide gifts to multiple ministries and charities from one single stock donation?  If so, then consider the EFCA Donor Advised Fund.  It's a great way to simplify your tax reporting and recordkeeping.  Future grants may be made over a period of years.  For details, contact Lanny Harris at (800) 995-8578 or email foundation@efca.org.  Check out the web site at http://www.efcafoundation.org.

 

CHRISTIAN INVESTORS FOUNDATION

Since 1959, Christian Investors Foundation has helped hundreds of Evangelical Free Church congregations realize their dream of buying, building, or remodeling their church facility.  Our mission is to serve your congregation by providing the loan you need to make your building project a reality.  If your church is considering expansion or renovating, call or write today for a free church loan packet.  For more information and a church loan packet, call us today at (800) 995-8574, visit us online at http://www.christianinvestors.org, or email admin@christianinvestors.org.