EFCA Update for 2009-05-21

In this issue of the EFCA Update

PRE-CONFERENCE MARRIAGE SEMINAR

The Family and Children's Ministries Council would like to invite the EFCA family to a free training opportunity this June prior to the EFCA Leadership Conference.  Bob Moeller will present "The Ultimate Marriage Cure: Softening your Heart toward your Spouse," a seminar that will look at the symptoms of a hard heart, why God wishes to restore to us a tender heart, and the biblical steps to softening our heart toward our spouse. While this seminar is focused on marriage, it has application to all relationships in life.
 
Tuesday, June 23, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Grace Church, Eden Prairie, MN
Pre-registration is not required. 

The EFCA Leadership Conference web site has complete information about this pre-conference event. To learn more about the EFCA Leadership Conference and to register, go to http://www.bthetree.org/.

EFCA - CARINGBRIDGE PARTNERSHIP

We are pleased to announce that the EFCA is a partner of CaringBridge, a nonprofit service that provides free Web sites to patients and families when someone is facing a serious medical condition, treatment or recovery. Let your church family and ministry members know this free service exists.

A CaringBridge Web site can easily be created by visiting www.caringbridge.org/EFCA.  Follow a few simple steps and a personalized Web site (complete with privacy options) can be started in just minutes. More information about the EFCA and CaringBridge partnership can be found on the EFCA Web site.

EFCA RESOUND WOMEN'S MINISTRY EVENT

Disciple Making Pathway Workshop
June 6, 9:15-11:30 a.m.
Living Hope EFC - Neillsville, WI
Cost: $5.00 includes breakfast and workshop materials

In this fast-pace, give-it-to-me-now world, what does it look like to live like Jesus today? And, if our lives truly reflected Him, how would this impact our lives, our families, our church and our world? We will look in God's timeless Word and discover answers as modeled by Jesus on how to intentionally live and reproduce disciples. Enjoy a time of interaction as we discuss how we can have balance in our personal spiritual life and in our ministry priorities. Leave with a personal action plan for spiritual growth. Registration closes May 29. Contact Marie Wentz, lhefc@tds.net or (715) 743-4434.

CHRISTIAN INVESTORS FOUNDATION

At CIF, we rely on our EFCA church families to help us spread the word of our work – raising investments (for which we pay competitive rates) and lending to EFCA churches and ministries (at competitive rates for the expansion or creation of ministry facilities). We have professionally created materials for use by EFCA churches that tell our story. We provide these materials at no cost to our churches. Can your church help us spread the word? Contact Kari at (800) 995-8574 if your congregation would like more information on telling CIF’s story. Someday CIF may get to be part of your congregation’s story. To see other EFCA stories, visit our website at http://www.christianinvestors.org/stories.

SABBATICAL EXPERIENCES - ONLINE SURVEY

A growing number of churches and mission organizations offer some form of a sabbatical program, but many are too unstructured, costly, and ultimately not effective. A time of sabbatical can be a life changing experience - organized to refresh and renew. If you are clergy or ministry staff (in any setting - school, missions, or church/denomination) who has taken a sabbatical, please take 14 minutes and complete this online survey.  Your feedback is appreciated.

EFCA FOUNDATION

Would you like to see how a gift annuity can provide you with fixed income for life?  For your own personal gift annuity illustration, email Lanny.Harris@efca.org and include your name and age (or both names and ages for a couple).  A personal gift annuity illustration will be prepared and you will then be provided with an online link.  Use the link to view your tailored charitable gift annuity (CGA) illustration and see for yourself the benefits of establishing a gift annuity. If you prefer, call (800) 995-8578 and we can send you a complete CGA information packet by mail on a no-obligation basis.

EFCA EQUIP - UPCOMING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

The following EFCA EQUIP courses now available. Click on the course names to register.

To view a list of dates these and other courses will be offered and to register, please visit www.efca.org/equip/calendar. You can also contact equip@efca.org for more information.
EFCA - Multiplying Healthy Churches Among All People

To unsubscribe from this broadcast, please send an to efcaupdate-leave@moodle.efca.org.

901 East 78th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55420-1300
(800) 745-2202 toll-free - (952) 854-1300 main - (952) 853-8488 fax - http://www.efca.org