Poriers to Estonia
Chris and Mindy Porier and their daughter Faith will fly to Estonia January 26-27 to begin missionary service there. Next month they will lead the winter youth camp for the Kolgata Baptist Church of Tartu and develop discipleship and leadership training opportunities for youth.
202,176
Number of high-nutrition meals packed at Faith Church, Grayslake, Ill., December 4 by about 1000 volunteers from Faith and four other churches. Feed My Starving Children organization will distribute the meals to hungry families overseas.
Come & Follow now an e-book, daily emails
Harvest has nearly completed editing an e-book edition of Come & Follow, president Jerry and Dee Sheveland’s study of the Gospel of Mark. This new edition incorporates new material and is redesigned for individual reading over a 40-day period. Great for the Lenten Season of February 5 to March 31. Order from www.harvestbooks.org or 800.323.3885. Also available, daily Come & Follow email excerpts: shorter, with one Scripture text and a thought question. Sign up at www.comefollow.org.
Southeast church holds luau on new property
The Crossing Church of Clermont, Fla., held its second annual Hawaiian luau on Saturday, November 12, featuring a pig roast, Spam recipe contest, live band and “hula worship dancing” by a local Hawaiian church. Having 150 participants in 2010, the organizers prayed for 300 attendees this year and were surprised when more than 500 showed up, giving Crossing regulars many opportunities to meet new friends. Pastor Kendal Anderson shared that the idea for a luau was birthed when the church purchased their new property, an 18-acre working grapefruit grove, a year ago. Since they won’t have a building there for several years, they prayed about how to use it for community outreach in ways that did not require a facility. The luau was one of the several ideas that emerged.
324
Number of graduates from Bethel University in two commencement services Friday, December 16. Includes 112 students from Bethel’s College of Arts & Sciences and 212 students from BU’s College of Adult & Professional Studies and Graduate School.
Converge responds to flash flood in Philippines
Our longtime partner the Baptist Conference of the Philippines has churches in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City, both hit hard by the deadly overnight flash flood on Mindanao Island December 16. Converge missionaries John and Lori De Cleene center their radio ministry out of Cagayan de Oro. The churches and De Cleenes are already assisting people as they are able, and Converge World Relief is forwarding an initial $6,000 to assist families and individuals affected by the flooding, which killed more than 1000 people. You can help today with your gift to Converge World Relief at http://cvrg.us/ZkU.