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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.
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Camp Gideon has been active in the past month with volunteer groups and individuals investing time in the physical rejuvenation and repair of buildings, equipment, and grounds. The groups included members of local EFC-ER churches, EFDS, Camp Gideon Committee members, and a group of approximately 20 Recruiters from the US Navy stationed around Ohio, "recruited" for Gideon service by Matt Close of Winona Friends. The combined total of volunteer labor between March 13-17 was 340 hours! We have had well over 400 volunteer hours since the beginning of February.
The Committee continues to meet, pray, and plan for God's direction in 2015. We anticipate a year of experiencing the Holy Spirit poured out on our camp.
We are in need of prayer partners, experienced grounds keepers, a landscaper, and building maintenance and construction. We are praying for groups or individuals who would sense a call to serve by cleaning the buildings monthly. Contact can be made to Quint Bryan or Julie Martin at the World Outreach Center (330) 493-1660.
We proceed with the perspective given us in 1 Corinthians 3:10, "by the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care."
In Jesus Name,
Quint Bryan, Camp Director
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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 - As many churches hold Easter services next week, we begin to pray that hearts would be opened to the Gospel and the power of Jesus' death and resurrection.
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News from the office:
* The World Outreach Center will be closed April 3rd, 2015 for Good Friday.
Upcoming Events to keep in your prayers:
* April 14-17 - Pastors Conference:
at Ocean Creek Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For details an
d registration:
http://efcer.org/spring-pastors-conference
. You can still sign up, but there will be a $50 processing fee.
* April 25 and 26 - NEO District Seminar and Rally: "Building Bridges to Change the World" at Damascus Friends Church. Details and registration may be found on the website. The seminar registration deadline is April 18th.
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McIntosh Seminar Update by Chris Jackson
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The challenge was clear to the twenty churches represented at the "Taking Your Church to the Next Level" seminar. Dr. McIntosh reiterated the Lord's command to "make disciples" as the one irreducible metric in gauging our effectiveness as the church that He (Jesus) loved and gave Himself for. It was an affirmative cord for the 90+ participants who attended! The main criterion for "success" is how many new Christians have been assimilated into the life of our movement in the last year!
One helpful take-away came for this participant during the Q and A session. Gary encouraged us to stay focused on the imperative of the Great Commission (making disciples) by assessing how well we are implementing the participles listed in Matthew 28. He noted that a helpful exercise would be to see if we are balanced in our ministry by evaluating how many of our actual ministries fall under the categories those three participles represent. For example, how
much of our resources are invested in "GOING" or EVANGELISM to the unreached; how much are going into BAPTIZING or ASSIMILATING newer believers into the life of the church; and, how much are invested in TEACHING or DISCIPLING the believers we already have in the church.
Thanks to the EP&E Board of the EFC-ER for helping to make this seminar happen, and thank you for the wonderful hospitality of North Olmsted Friends Church. Truly, "He who began a good work in you (us) will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6 - ESV).
If you were not able to come to the McIntosh Seminar, and would like a copy of the material, please notify Julia McDonald at [email protected].
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Weekly Encourager for March 25, 2015
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This year's Easter Offering will go to India. EFM Director Dan Cammack said, "One thing is for sure: The need and opportunities for the gospel in India are as immense as they have ever been. There is much to be done in that country, and EFM counts it an honor to be a part of it." You can read his full letter
here. Visit:
http://friendsmission.com/
for more information and materials.
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NEO District Seminar "Building Bridges to Change the World"
at Damascus Friends Church April 25, 2015
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Join with Friends who want to build bridges of influence, starting in their neighborhoods and reaching into the world.
More information and registration may be downloaded at the website: http://www.efcer.org/neo-district-spring-seminar or by downloading the brochure here. The seminar registration deadline is April 18th.
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Men In Missions Retreat
May 1-3, 2015 at Heartland Conference Center
in Marengo, Ohio
The Men in Missions Retreat is an annual weekend offered to men of all ages from EFC-ER churches. Expect a great weekend of fellowship and lots of fun! A great location with activities for everyone with activities planned for all ages. The weekend has also become a great memory for fathers and sons.
Registrations are encouraged before April 17, 2015.
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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.... QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
"As He was drawing near - already on the way down the Mount of Olives -
the whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise
God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying,
'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'
And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him,
'Teacher, rebuke your disciples.'
He answered, 'I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."
- Luke 19:37-40 (ESV)
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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Copyright © 20XX. All Rights Reserved.
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