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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-date 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. 
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

"
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 
Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) 
News from the office:
* We have received several requests for the end-of-the-year Statistical Reports packets. You will receive the yearbook pages and other information in the mail and the statistical reports and CE reports by email soon. Please return the reports to Julia McDonald by January 30th.
* There will not be a Weekly Encourager next week. We will publish the next one the first full week of January.  
* The apportionment for 2015 is $74. Yearly Meeting will be held at Malone University on July 18-21, 2015.
* Please send your apportionments and GCB Pledges for 2014 as soon as possible so we can close out the year. 
* Due to the holidays, and year-end vacations, our office hours may vary. Be assured we will still be available at the office, with slight time adjustments. We will be closed December 24-26th and December 31st to January 1st.

Upcoming Events to keep in your prayers:


* February 11-12 - 
Grand Board Retreat 
at Canton First Friends. More information will be sent in January. 
* March 21 Taking Your Church to the Next Level: One-day seminar with Dr. Gary McIntosh from 8:30am-2:15pm at North Olmsted Friends Church. The brochure can be downloaded here.
Keeping Prayer a High Priority
We trust that every church is sharing these prayer requests within their local prayer community. Here are this week's requests: 

1 - Keep the Friends family in your prayers as members travel to visit loved ones and relatives.
2 - Pray for the youth and leaders as the gather for Friends Summit 2014 in San Diego December 28 - January 1. 
3 - Wayne Evans and Frank Carter will be traveling to Panama, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic in January. Please pray for safe travels and good health as they go. 
A Peek at 2015 from Wayne Evans

"It's time to put the movement back into our movement!" Many of you have received a letter from Wayne outlining his vision for 2015. We have received several expressions of support for his approach and news of people coming to the Lord. Wayne hopes this becomes a pattern to the glory of God. If you would like your own copy of his letter, you may download it here or in Spanish here
What is your church doing for Christmas 
in your community? 
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Please let us know! We would like to report an EFC-ER total shoebox ministry count and post photos and short reports on community outreaches across the Eastern Region. Please send Donna Neff dneff@efcer.org a quick update on what your church is doing for Christmas. 

Craig Henry from Salem Southeast Friends reports, "We gave 32 shoe-boxes at Southeast Friends. That's over 1 per capita!" Orange Friends Church donated 115 filled shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child in 2014.
Weekly Encourager for December 24, 2014
Attention Churches: 
Thank you to those who have already sent ornaments for our special witness Christmas tree! We are asking each church to give a nativity scene ornament - possibly one that is unique to your area or special to your church. You may send your ornament to the World Outreach Center (5350 Broadmoor Circle NW, Canton, OH 44709). Thank you for your help in being a special witness this Christmas season!

Have family or friends in the Dayton area who may be interested in pioneering a new EFC-ER Church? We'd love to share the vision with you. For more information, contact Chris Jackson at 1-800-334-8863.

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The Website Task force is hard at work creating new areas for our website. Early in the new year, we plan on adding a new area, "Our Stories," which will provide a place to share good things that are happening in our churches. We plan to post stories in specific categories such as church anniversary celebrations, new church starts, local community outreach ideas, local or international mission trips and pictures, etc. Please email or call Donna with any questions. 
CONTACT US
World Outreach Center
5350 Broadmoor Cir., NW
Canton, OH 44709
1-800-334-8863
Julia McDonald, Editor
jmcdonald@efcer.org
  A Little Extra.... QUOTE FOR THE WEEK:

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" Luke 2:11-14 (ESV)

 
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 Julia any of your suggestions and/or ideas for weekly encouragement.

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