Training New Candidates

In the spring EFCA EQUIP hosted 24 new adult missionaries and their 17 children for Pre-field Training (PT) Live! Formerly known as candidate school, this customized training event is held twice a year. Having more than doubled in growth in a year's time, the success of PT Live was also due to the immense help offered by South Suburban EFC, Apple Valley, MN. Not only was EFCA EQUIP able to use the church facilities for the training, but 30 families from South Suburban EFC housed missionary families, coordinated children’s programs, prepared food and did much, much more.

Flamingo-ing Students

Calvary EFC, Rochester, MN, high school youth had their second annual flamingo-ing season this spring. For a fee, multiple plastic flamingos are placed in the yard of unsuspecting recipients. In order to get rid of them, the recipients must pay to have them transferred to another unsuspecting recipient’s yard! This year's fundraiser is in support of a high school missions trip in Seattle (June 29 - July 7) where the students will be helping to plant a church, offering some physical labor, emotional support and showing God's love to the people downtown.

Showing Gratitude

In May, EFCA Director of Chaplain Ministries, Dr. Roy Bebee was honored to participate in a weekend retreat for military members and their families who have sacrificed their best health while serving our nation. Ministering to those whose lives have been totally turned upside-down, the retreat hosted by Joni & Friends in San Antonio, TX, featured the testimony of Brian Birdwell (with wife Mel).

Birdwell a retired Lieutenant Colonel with the U.S. Army is a victim of the Pentagon 9/11 terrorist attack. Birdwell told his story of survival and of God’s sustaining grace after having received 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 60% of his body. The testimony to the Warrior’s was centered upon Christ’s sustainment and God’s healing. As Dr. Bebee commented, "I was humbled to be in these families' presence They do not need our pity. They need our gratitude. They need our support. They need our Lord."

Pray for our military members.
Learn more about the EFCA Chaplain Ministries.

God's Tapestry of Two

Moved with compassion for others, Elyssa Strand and Mandi Moore were on two separate paths to make a difference in the lives of those in need. God interlaced their separate motivations, weaving them together to create the perfect fabric of community needed to fulfill an even bigger purpose than they’d imagined.

Elyssa Strand was given the vision of raising funds to help dig wells in Africa. Mandi Moore was given the vision of raising funds for those in need.

Mandi started a blog to raise awareness and generate momentum to involve as many people as possible, (http://www.dolivingwater.blogspot.com/). Elyssa contacted EFCA Student Ministries in Minneapolis to find out how to get more churches involved. She was pointed to Dave Bostrom who helps lead the North Central District Blitz (conference). The offering project this year’s conference just happened to be digging wells. Elyssa and Mandi were given the opportunity to share their vision with over 3,000 students at the conference in April. A record $8,500 was raised which will be given to EFCA TouchGlobal to dig wells in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa. And a car wash is planned in August to continue the effort!

A Triple Whammy

EFCA ReachGlobal personnel in Mexico have experienced a "triple whammy." The economic downturn has affected the work both personally and in the churches; fewer tourists and fewer orders from the US have caused job losses in Mexico. The violence in Mexico, covered by US media, has further discouraged tourism. And then came the swine flu. Though that crisis in Mexico is now past, all the short-term teams for the month of June have canceled their ministries due to one or the other of these reasons, further affecting multiple ministries in our churches in Mexico.

Pray that God will use these crises for His purposes, and that the church in Mexico will grow as they see His hand at work in the midst of each situation.

At Lao EFC, You Get Eggroll

Presenting a menu of authentic Lao food including crab rangoons, baked goods, their famous eggrolls and other Laotian specialties, the Lao Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, IL is hosting a Laotian Food Fair on Jun 6. Church members are inviting the community to "Come, see, and taste--everything is under $10!"

Tables by the Yard

Faith EFC in Allentown, PA plans to hold a Family Fun Yard Sale June 13. In addition to tables filled with goods for sale, there will be a car wash, bake sale, food sale and children's activities. Proceeds will benefit Matt and Shannon McNeil who are the parents of Waverly, 5, and Oliver, 2, who have both been diagnosed with a terminal disease called Sanfilippo or MPS III. Proceeds will benefit financial expenses not covered by insurance, and the costs to make the McNeil's home wheelchair accessible.

Please pray for the McNeil family.
For more information about the McNeil's: http://www.ahundredforahome.com./

The Church Has Left the Building

Three years ago First EFC Fullerton, CA, began to dream of a weekend to literally change the whole Sunday morning experience, taking worship to the streets through community service. For the past couple of years they've made significant progress through "Serve Day," mobilizing about 500–600 volunteers from the church. This weekend, May 16/17, they hope to have about 2000 volunteers actively engaged in serving Christ all over the community. For GraceWorks Weekend, they're focusing on four cities: Fullerton, LaHabra, Placentia and Brea. Contacting local non-profits, city officials and school districts, asking what needs they have and how the volunteers might be able to help--they have identified opportunities for nearly 2500 servants. God has provided about 60 project managers and many team leaders to help coordinate this massive "the church as left the building" effort.

True Community Gardening

Starting a new local impact homegrown ministry called the Blackhawk Food Pantry Garden (BFPG), Blackhawk EFC in Verona, WI has put out the call for 200 volunteers. The BFPGs purpose is to fill the shelves of food pantries in Dane County, WI with fresh fruits and vegetables. The food will be donated to Feeding America (Second Harvest), the Community Action Coalition, and St. Vincent de Paul. A portion will be kept at the church for those in need who call Blackhawk their church home.

A Blackhawk member, Mike Menard has graciously allowed the use of 1.8 acres of his land for the gardens. Two others, Nick Krey and John Perry are spearheading the project. Working with two organizations, the Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens and the Community Action Coalition, they'll soon get the project started literally from the ground up. The MAFPG organization is helping till the land and donating all of the seeds. The CAC is providing funding for a shed and all the tools that will be needed. 200 volunteer are needed to provide all the staff hours to make this work. Nick Krey believes it will take about 50 hours of labor each week (fluctuating between planting, weeding, and harvesting). Family and group-friendly — people of all ages can participate. For more information, contact Nick Krey at gardens@blackhawkchurch.org.

Story from May 2009 Life@blackhawk newsletter.

Need a Missions Strategy?

Craig McClun has been named the EFCA CONNECT Mission Network Director. Focusing on EFCA churches, their missions and outreach leaders, he will serve the leaders and churches providing information and resources, working with the Missions Pastors Network and building relationships to assist churches in global outreach. McClun will also work with other EFCA CONNECT staff to facilitate seminars and resources that will effectively help churches develop missions strategies that fit with how God has gifted their church.

Suggest your missions pastor or leader become a part of the Missions Pastors Network.

Teach in Romania

Bucharest Christian Academy in Romania needs teachers and staff for the following positions: secondary principal, secondary social studies and math, elementary, K-12 art, K-12 physical education, and a business manager. If you're interested in exploring any of these opportunities, begin on the EFCA.org Web site Serve page.

Pray that those God calls to fill these positions will be able to raise their support in time to start their assignments this fall.

Handbells and Hymns

On May 3, The Orchard (EFC) Arlington Heights, IL, hosted a community hymn sing featuring hymns and spiritual songs of the past and contemporary music. While the program highlighted audience singing it also includes special selections featuring soloists and vocal groups as well as instrumentalists from the area. That same evening, not 20 minutes away, Village Church of Barrington (EFC), South Barrington, IL, hosted the Barrington Area Handbell Festival Concert. The concert includes seven Barrington church bell choirs with almost 100 ringers, more than 330 bells, 250 handchimes, organ and clarinet. What a night to be praising the Lord!

Snowy Range in Guatemala

Spring break 2009, a team from Snowy Range EFC, Laramie, WY, traveled to Guatemala seeking to a body of believers in Alotenango. The group reported, "...(We are)..coming together as brothers in Christ on this trip as we work, pray and have devotional time together. The work is physically demanding, but it is a joyful experience to be here and see our brothers and sisters in this culture as they live and worship the Living God. Everyone is in good health and good spirits." After being on the job site for two days the work progressed well making it possible for the team to complete more projects than were originally scheduled.

Where is your church community reaching holistically into another church body?

When Weird is Good

Answering the question, "How can we stand out or be different in a positive way?" Jim Levitt, Pastor of Teaching and Discipleship at Harvest EFC in Story City, IA, presented thoughts from the pulpit reflecting upon Titus 1:8. Levitt commented on the podcast site, "When our media spotlights religious people who are strange, it gives the impression that Christianity is for oddballs. Christians who want respect can respond by trying to blend in with the culture. We tend to conform. But the more we conform, the less influence we bring to the culture."

To hear the whole podcast: http://harvestefree.podomatic.com/

A Critical Role

Pa. Butch Novitsky, Pastor of Discipleship Ministries shared in the recent church newsletter, "Village View," that Village EFC of Maple Plain, MN has an intentional vision for their Leadership Community which includes a monthly gathering to equip their small group "pastors" (leaders of Growth Groups and Ministry Teams). Focused on providing support and training to those who take on the critical role of small group disciplemakers, the group of 20 leaders and their spouses are intentionally encouraged, challenged by the Word and informed to share vital information important to the body with their small groups. As Pa. Butch said, "We believe this role of small group 'pastor' to be the critical role for the success of our congregation. All small groups are intended to be places where lives out what it means to know and delight in Jesus Christ."

What does your church do to grow disciplemakers?

Going the Distance

Lincoln Elementary School students in Boone, Iowa participated in "Go the Distance Day," May 1, focused on physical fitness. But the kids stretched their 30 minute walk, extending it by paying a special visit to residents at the Evangelical Free Church Home. As Friday was May Day, the Lincoln first- and second-grade students provided E-Free Church Home residents with May baskets, poems and skit performances as well.

Now that's really going the distance!

(Reported by the Boone News Republican, May 4, 2009)

Czech Your English

More of the EFCA's English as a Second Language materials are ordered for Czech Republic than any other country. Less than twenty years ago, the Czech Republic was considered one of the most atheistic countries in the world, but each year more and more EFCA short-term teams are reaching out to the Czech people with the gospel. At least seven EFCA churches are sending teams there this year.

Pray for the teams as they receive training and prepare to go, asking God to bless their ministries and bring much fruit through the ESL curriculum.

Name Above 350 Million Others

EFCA Video Producer, Troy Gronseth, visited India in April seeing firsthand and filming the fruit of EFCA ministry (for an upcoming video). His words speak volumes to US based believers:

It wasn’t until after literally experiencing the Kali temple in Calcutta with a ‘priest’ from the street that it began to sink in. Watching Hindu believers trying to appease Kali, (one of millions of Hindu gods), was an encounter with emptiness, darkness and desperation. Understanding also came in bearing witness, behind a camera lens, to dozens of changed lives and miraculous healings attributed to the supernatural.

In a tiny, dark, upstairs one-room restaurant in Calcutta, India, I heard a loosely assembled choir of saints spontaneously sing the most beautiful rendition of "Jesus, Name Above All Names" that I have ever heard. In the context, I began to understand.

Fighting tears of conviction, I understood that these believers from Calcutta, risking their family, friends, job and home, knew far better than I what it means to proclaim Jesus is the Name above all other names-some 350 million if you’re counting. To proclaim this in a context of comfort and prosperity is one thing. To a follower of Christ in India, the name of Jesus and all associated with following Him is understood in a way I humbly hope to both fully grasp and fully live.

(Used with permission)

Learn more about supporting EFCA ReachGlobal or individual missionaries.

Strategic Partnerships

Developing a draft of strategic initiatives for 2009, Calvary EFC, Rochester, MN leaders partnered with the leadership of both the EFCA North Central District (NCD) and Constance EFC, Andover, MN. In January the NCD announced the Constance EFC core leadership team as an available resource for churches throughout the NCD who want feedback and suggestions on staffing structure, goal setting, metrics for assessing effectiveness in ministry, and other related leadership and organizational subjects. What was the motivation to do this now? Calvary EFC Pa. Todd Olson (pictured) answered in the congregations monthly newseltter, The Calvary Courier, "...because our Lord Jesus Christ expects us to be good stewards of all that He gives us (Matthew 25:14-30). In the end, we want to honor Him in all that we do as individuals, families, and as a family of families."

How has your church benefitted from the wealth of ministry resources available through the EFCA national office, districts and sister churches?

Under Construction for 150 Years

Pa. Angus MacDonald shared plans are underway to have a grand celebration in Chesapeake, VA, at the Great Bridge Evangelical Free Church on Oct. 4, 2009. The community will be invited to join in celebrating the establishment of the church 150 years ago. A new Web site, local news coverage, visits from a congressman and more are anticipated. Pray for the Lord's blessing on this very special outreach occasion for the GBEFC body!

Imagine the community around your church 150 years from now.

Multiplying Leaders

Congratulations to Zion Church (EFC) of Kurten, TX! They're installing a new pastor this Sunday, Pa. Kevin Boaz. Celebrate with them and Pa. Bob Rowley, EFCA Texas-Oklahoma District Superintendent by praying for God's favor upon Pa. Kevin and his wife Rachel.

When was the last time you prayed for your pastor and his family?