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.
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News from the office:
* Pastors: We are more frequently using email to communicate information. Please update your email addresses so we can be sure to send it to you. You may send your correct contact information to [email protected].
* Statisticians: If you have not returned the 2014 Annual Family Life (CE) and Year-End Statistical reports, please send them to Julia McDonald at [email protected] as soon as possible.
* Pastors, Board Members, and Leaders: This week you should receive a survey from Dr. Wayne Evans. He would really like your feedback if you could take a minute to complete it. Thank you!
* February mission bulletin inserts were recently mailed to your church. As of March, we are pausing the production of these inserts to evaluate their quality and usefulness. Meanwhile, we will continue to post mission updates via the Weekly Encourager.
Upcoming Events to keep in your prayers:
* February 7 - Southern District Executive Board will meet at Hunter Hills EFC in Greensboro at 10am. Please make every effort to be present or have a representative from your church.
* February 11 - Grand Board Meeting at Canton First Friends
Schedules have been sent, but see more details below.
* February 12 - Pastors of the Virginia District will meet at Angelo's Pancake House in Newport News for brunch and fellowship.
*March 20-22 - Reconnect Youth Leader Training hosted by Orange Friends Church. Reconnect is a weekend event for youth leaders hosted in Columbus, Ohio. The registration brochure and more information may be downloaded from our website: http://www.efcer.org/boards/friends-youth. NOTE: There are new hotel arrangements this year. See brochure for details.
Youth Board: Chris King will send more information about meeting on Friday morning.
* 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. Details to the right.
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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 - Our sympathies to the family of Mary Catherine Cattell Boots Hill who died this past week. Many may remember her as the daughter to missionaries Everett and Catherine Cattell and sister of Barbara Brantingham. Her memorial service and burial will be held at 2pm in Alum Creek on February 7. Details of arrangements are pending. Everett, Catherine, and Barbara were missionaries with EFC-ER. After returning to the States, Everett became a pastor and then later General Superintendent in Eastern Region before becoming President of Malone University, then Malone College.
2 - Also, please keep the family of Vivian Forrester in your prayers as he passed away recently. Vivian was one of our Jamaican pastors.
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We have received several questions about the dates for the Grand Board Meeting. All boards who have chosen to participate will meet on (Wednesday) February 11th at Canton First Friends at 9am. There will be group chapel at 9:30am. The Executive Board will meet at the World Outreach Center on (Thursday) February 12th. We have included both dates because all board members were invited to come to the Executive Board meeting if interested. We need to know who will be attending the meetings so we are able to plan accordingly. Please continue to RSVP to Julia McDonald [email protected] or (330) 493-1660.
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Welcoming the Burundi Friends
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The EFC-ER has recently welcomed a group from Burundi in partnership with Pastor Rusty Savage and Winona Friends Church. The group of over 30 individuals started an Evangelical Friends Church in Tanzania after being forced to flee their homes during the Burundi Civil War in 1994. When the camp in Tanzania closed, they were given asylum and relocated to Louisville, KY. We are happy to welcome them to the Eastern Region and look forward to what this new partnership will bring!
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Weekly Encourager for February 4, 2015
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Aufrances' Schedule Update
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The Aufrances' schedule is filling up for the remainder of their deputation. They will be in our Virginia and Piedmont Districts from April 19 - April 29 and in the Michigan District from May 13 through May 24. There are still available times for them to speak at your church. Please email Julie Jenkins ([email protected])
or call the World Outreach Center (1-800-334-8863) to schedule.
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Looking to unleash your church's ministry potential in 2015?
The brochure can be downloaded here.
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Pastors & Leaders:
Mark Your Calendars!
(More information soon)
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CONTACT US
World Outreach Center
5350 Broadmoor Cir., NW
Canton, OH 44709
1-800-334-8863
Julia McDonald, Editor
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A Little Extra.... QUOTE FOR THE WEEK:
"Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life,
the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright,
and the determined choice to praise God in every situation." - Kay Warren
We hope you've enjoyed catching up with news from the EFC-ER office.
More information and news will be coming each week.
and/or ideas for weekly encouragement.
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