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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. 
October is Missions Month! 
  
"The month of October is designated as Mission Month for the EFC-ER. Although some churches focus on missions at another time of the year, it is healthy for all to set aside a time to think, talk, and pray about missions annually."

"The mission work to be done is extensive. The need for our missionaries to be fully supported is now. They need encouragement. They need prayer. They need the financial support of EFC-ER churches. Together we have been making an impact in various countries around the world. Let's continue to do so with joy and generosity."

"While most of us are called to stay in our own neighborhood mission fields, we can (and do) send others who are called to make the Lord known among the nations."
- Matthew Chesnes, Chair of the Mission Board

You can learn more about our missionaries on the newly updated missions section of the EFC-ER website at:  http://efcer.org/missionaries. 

Taken from the Prayer Focus insert in this year's materials. We hope churches are utilizing their GCB materials. You can download these materials at  www.efcer.org/missions. 
Let's learn to pray for the harvest in the same way Jesus prayed.  We can learn three areas of focused prayer from the example of Jesus in John 17.

- Jesus prayed for Himself (John 17:1-5). He prayed that God would be glorified and confirmed a right relationship with Him.
- He prayed for His disciples, the first missionaries (John 17:6-19). 
- He prayed for all those who would believe, including new Christians (John 17:20-26). 

Additional suggestions for prayer:
- where there is war, may our missionaries be an example of God's love.
- for wisdom as church leaders meet the challenges of church growth.
- that God will call national (citizens of the mission field country) men and women into pastoral ministry.
- that leaders who face opposition will have a strong vision and call from God to sustain them.
Upcoming Events:
* October 23-24 
- Note: Equip2Serve has been cancelled this year. 
* November 1 
- Missions House Open House
from 12:15 - 1:45pm. Contact Alliance Friends Church at (330) 823 - 4210 for details.
* November 13-15 
- Youth Explosion
at Friends Church, Willoughby Hills. To download materials and other details, visit www.youthexplosioncleveland.com. 
* December 1 
- Northern Pastors' Mini Conference
at Church of the Savior in Wooster, Ohio. Featuring Mike Clifford from the Apprentice Institute and Pastor Alex Feldman from West Park Friends.
* December 3 
- Southern Pastors' Mini Conference
 at Brian's Steak House in South Hill, Virginia. Featuring Mike Clifford from the Apprentice Institute and Pastor Mike Barnes from Virginia Beach Providence Friends. 

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 - Please lift up the Revision Team as they meet this week to prayerfully reimagine the EFC-ER. They are working to review surveys and explore our visions and values. 
2 - As we remember October as Pastors' Appreciation Month, we want emphasize prayer for our pastors. 
3 - Please pray for Dave Aufrance (missionary to Hong Kong) who needs to have a aortic heart valve replaced. It is not an emergency, but the need is there. He asks for prayer the surgery can be scheduled soon.
4 - Also pray for Agi Frei (missionary to Hungary) who is recovering from surgery. 
Weekly Encourager for October 21, 2015
"I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. " - John 4:35 
Missions Updates
T here will be an open house at the new Missions House on Sunday, November 1, 2015 from 12:15-1:45pm. Contact Alliance Friends Church for more information at (330) 823 - 4210. 
Edwin and Maria Giron (Mexico) will be in the Eastern Region for a limited time in November. Check out the Giron's ministry in Mexico here
.

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Ladies, Cindy Aufrance is available to speak in June and July 2016 with a focus on ministry to women. Contact the World Outreach Center for information. 

Email Julie Jenkins or call the World Outreach Center to schedule missionaries to speak in your church. 
Pastors, Spiritual Life Elders, and Treasurers: 
The annual Pastors Compensation letter has been sent to your church. You can also download the letter   here and the worksheet can be found here . Please call 1-800-334-8863 with any questions. 
Malone's "The Quaker" to Sponsor  Creative Writing Contest for High School Seniors
T he Quaker, Malone University's national undergraduate literary journal, is sponsoring a creative writing contest for high school seniors.  Full entry guidelines can be found at 
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Over 80 years ago, Everett Cattell passed out scarves with maps of Nepal sewn on them. They were given as a reminder to pray that one day we would be able to enter Nepal to do missions. If you happen to have one of those scarves, or know someone who does, please contact the World Outreach Center. Thank you for your help! 
CONTACT US
World Outreach Center
5350 Broadmoor Cir., NW
Canton, OH 44709
1-800-334-8863
Julia McDonald, Editor
A Little Extra.... QUOTES  FOR THE WEEK:

"If you can't feed a thousand people, then just feed one." - Mother Teresa

"Too often we see hurting people as an interruption to our ministry rather than the purpose for our ministry." - 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 Julia ( [email protected] ) any of your suggestions, quotes,  and/or ideas for weekly encouragement .

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