Spring Growth

Since 1962 people have been investing in the ministry of Camp Spofford, the EFCA's New England District Association's family and youth camp. Faithfully serving the EFCA community in New England for 47 years, they're focused on the need to raise funds and build a new chapel, dining hall and office facility. In March they hosted a fundraising banquet collecting $25,000 to direct toward those efforts. In addition to watching the snow melt and the surrounding earth explode with new growth, they're looking forward to opening the doors of a new building next spring!

What is your favorite family memory of going to church camp?

It's a Small World

Jill, one of the EFCA's multi-talented missionaries based at the national office in Minneapolis, recently experienced an incredible missions trip to India with a group from her church. Traveling to non-tourist areas, they were escorted by two Indian missionaries--attending as many church services as possible. The most prevalent hunger was for prayer. She described experiencing amazing open air church services. In one service attended by >100 people, congregants were seated on mats on the ground with bare lightbulbs strung with wire over their heads for lighting. Sensing strong spiritual warfare throughout the journey, the team persevered through prayer. They were blessed to be able to reach out through touch, eyes-joined-to-eyes in the spirit of kindred love for a Savior and kind voices of prayer.

Arriving back in the States, her journey continued to one of her supporting churches, The Orchard in Arlington Heights, IL. Briefly sharing of her visit to India, she was visiting with the members after the church service when an Indian woman introduced herself and asked specifically what cities Jill had visited. They discovered that half a world away the two Indian missionaries who escorted Jill and the group just happened to be this woman's son and daughter-in-law. What a GodSighting!

Yes, it's a small world--but clearly one where the dots are perfectly connected by God.

Vista: Viewing Prospects

Celebrating their 2nd anniversary, Vista Community Church (EFCA), San Antonio, TX, shared praise for--

• $700 raised at a recent rummage sale for an upcoming Honduruas Mission trip
  (6 team members are almost fully funded!)


• A new meeting location at the Fire Department
  (a month early!)

Pray with them for their transition to the new location. They await final approval of a contract to begin constructing a Childrens building for the church. Pray they continue to do the little things well--making disciples and sharing the good news of Christ.

Multiplying Community Health

The EFC of Canon City is being proactive about health and wellness program offering the 9Health Fair this weekend. Anyone in the community may participate in a variety of free and low-cost health screenings. Eye screenings, blood pressure checks, dental screenings and lung function, along with blood tests for blood sugar and cholesterol levels, thyroid, as well as kidney and liver functions, and numerous other health issues will be offered. Talk about multiplying health at EFCA churches...and their communities!

On April 26 EFCA vision trip members ceremoniously celebrated with the Congo EFC (CECU) the first graduating class of 15 orphans and 5 widows by officially dedicating the Elikya Center. The center trains widow and orphan students in life skills such as carpentry or tailoring and in spiritual issues. Pastor Brian Sharpe of Elim EFC in Puyallup, WA, helped to receive a gift of ebony carvings from the Elikya Center and the Congolese government. The team leader, Jim Snyder of EFCA TouchGlobal stood in for the U.S. government, (honored with the charge of taking the presentations and a letter of thanks from the Congolese to the White House). Led by the efforts of the Congo EFC, many U.S. donors and volunteers are truly touching and changing the lives of those in great need in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Trio of Love

Putting together an auction for the Union Rescue Mission, high school sophomores and First EFC Wichita attenders, Parker Tatro, Ashton Schrag and Hannah Yowell raised $2,115 to aid the homeless. The trio attended EFCA CHALLENGE 2008 in Salt Lake City where they were motivated by the speakers to reach out and help people. At the conference they participated in packaging meals to be sent to Africa. After CHALLENGE they began volunteering periodically at the Union Rescue Mission in their community, which lead to the idea of having an auction to further help the homeless. The 15 year olds are wholly committed to continuing to help their community in any way they can.

How is the youth group at your church serving in the community?

Dreaming Larger

Just 9 months ago God called Xoch and Pablo Cachon to leave Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells, CA, to start a new church plant without the security of consistent resources. Today Nueva Vida is an EFCA church with an activated community in the Coachella Valley. Starting with 250 interested visitors, the church is growing as newcomers take ownership of ministry while commencing their journeys as Christ followers. Keep them in your prayers...they are just beginning to dream-larger: focused on starting a multi-ethnic church plant in 2010!

What is your church doing to multiply Christ in the community?