W Encourager Header  
Welcome to EFC-ER's Weekly Encourager. We trust that this will become a bright spot each week in your emails. The purpose of the Weekly Encourager is to provide up-to-the minute information about region-wide events, prayer requests and helpful resources from the local churches. We will close each email with a quick quote and/or survey to gather helpful resources from leaders to share with our wider Friends family. 

News from the office:
* Missions Month Materials have been mailed to churches. 
(Churches who need more materials may contact the WOC.)
   
* Details for digital resources will be coming next week.

Upcoming Events to keep in your prayers:

* Sept. 27-29 - Retreat for Young Adults in Battle Creek, MI. See brochure for details.


 

*Oct. 17-19 - Northern Women's Retreat at Heartland Conference Center in Marengo, Ohio.  More details available on the WMF webpage.

Thank you for praying for the Southern WMF Retreat held last weekend in Kitty Hawk, NC. All report it was a blessed time of fellowship. "The speaker was very engaging and scriptural in her message," reflected Regina Evans. "Our ladies in the north won't want to miss her at their retreat in October!"

 
Practical Reminder for Pastors State Credentials : 

Keep in mind that pastors may need to file credentials at the state level. The guidelines vary by state and the pastor is responsible for complying with their state's guidelines to perform  weddings and funerals.

 
Attention Church Treasurers:

Some treasurer reports have been sent to the WOC addressed to Lowell Shreve. Please replace Lowell Shreve's name with our current treasurer, Clark Hoopes. All church treasurer forms and funds need to be sent directly to the EFC-ER office in care of our current Treasurer, Clark Hoopes.   Thank you.


Sharing Our Stories:
Thank you to those who've sent VBS reports! 
Expect to see new reports every week.
This week's feature: North Olmsted (OH)  Friends witness to their 'Jerusalem'

Pastor of Family Life & Discipleship Richard Bennett reports on an exciting experience for their church: 

From August 1st to the 3rd, North Olmsted Evangelical Friends Church
decided to be a witness in their "Jerusalem" by carrying out a Family
Missions Weekend in the Slavic Village area of Cleveland, Ohio. NOEFC partnered with Forward Church in Cleveland, OH by sending out over 200 people in 17 mission crews to nearby neighborhoods on Friday and Saturday. Crews served the residents by fulfilling requests for home maintenance projects. Projects ranged from building porch steps and yard cleanup to plumbing and repairs. 

On Sunday, after a joint worship celebration service, NOEFC helped host a Summer Blast Family Festival for the community featuring inflatables, games, food, and entertainment.

Here's a link to a 4 minute video from their weekend ministry.

NOEFC Family Mission Weekend 2014
NOEFC Family Mission Weekend 2014

Local News (Channel 19 News) reported on the event as well. 

A link to the written report is provided. 

(http://www.toledonewsnow.com/story/26176351/churches-unite-to-clean-up-homes-in-slavic-village)

 

Keep the stories coming! We'll continue to post links. 
Has your church experienced a great mission trip, VBS, outreach project or hosted a memorable event lately?
We'd like to hear about it and share it with our wider Friends family via website, print or other media venues as they are developed. 
Please send your pictures and stories of mission trips, church events, etc. to Julia (Barber) McDonald: jmcdonald@efcer.org.

A Few more details from the WOC Office:

* Board/ Committee Chairs --  Call Julie Jenkins with your event dates today.

We need dates for 2015 Eastern Region events! 

If you are in charge of region-wide events for next year, would you please call Julie Jenkins at the Eastern Region office so we can add those events to the master calendar. As churches are now planning their own events, they are calling  the headquarters to avoid scheduling conflicts. Thanks!


 

A special thanks to Bob Johnson --

Bob's wife, Kathy, and a group of WMF leaders used the WOC van to travel south to the the WMF Retreat last weekend. Marybeth reports that the van came back sparkling. 
"Bob came and got the van and cleaned the inside and washed the outside and even filled it with gas and brought it back here. We'd like to give him the 
'all around good guy award.'"

Weekly Encourager for September 24, 2014

SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS  - 

Don't miss this chance to schedule Todd James to speak with your sports teams.

 

Todd James is the Irish Director for The Association of Church Sports and Recreation Ministries (CSRM) and he is the author and
developer of  the evangelism tool,
"Meet My Head Coach," which was adapted and used by 
Coach John Wooden. 
 
Todd is available through October 17th during the week for sports programs to bring devotions or to participate in a game. Please call Julie Jenkins
 at the World Outreach Center 

Extending our Sympathies and Prayer:
* Our sympathies to the
 family of Etta Birt,
widow of deceased Friends Pastor, LeRoy Birt. Etta passed away on Sept. 4, 2014 at the age of 84.
See her obituary here
* We also extend sympathies to retired Friends Pastor Don Crowder and family on the passing of his wife, Clara Lee, who passed away on Sept. 13, 2014 at the age of 80. More details available here.


Church Secretaries--
Now would be a great time to promote this newsletter in your church bulletin! 
As school begins and folks get back into a routine, encourage them to stay connected with the wider Friends family.
Please be sure to print a few copies for those without computers and invite your church to go to the website, bookmark it, and sign up for the Weekly Encourager.


CONTACT US
World Outreach Center
5350 Broadmoor Cir., NW
Canton, OH 44709
1-800-334-8863
Donna Neff, Editor
dneff@efcer.org
 A Little Extra.... QUOTE FOR THE WEEK:


 

"God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. 

Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen."  

(unknown)

 

 


 

 We hope you've enjoyed catching up with news from the EFC-ER office.

 

More information and news will be coming each week.
Please send Donna any of your suggestions and/or ideas for this weekly encouragement.
 

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