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Pastor Offers Resources for World Communion Sunday
ALLEGAN, MI (September 15, 2003) - Pastor Patrick White of Christ Community
Church in Allegan, Michigan, has created Christian formation materials
entitled "Friends in Christ Around the World" to aid churches in more
fully celebrating Worldwide Communion Sunday on October 5.
White hopes that the new materials will help churches as they combine
the components of mission outreach and evangelism in practical ways. It
includes a timeline and other useful resources to simplify the learning
process and make it more accessible to unchurched people. The curriculum
was approved by the Great Lakes Conference Board of Church Growth and
Evangelism made available to every congregation in the conference. It
will be put in CD form at a cost of $7.50 (including shipping and
handling).
"We live in challenging times and the need for individuals and church
that embody the gospel (and) are used by God to find lost people and
help hurting people has never been greater," said Richard Lucco, Great
Lakes Conference supterintendent. "If every church is to be 'A Strategic
Mission Outpost on a Shared and Expanded Mission Field' we must
creatively and energetically do those things which celebrate our faith
and offer hope and light to a lost and dark world."
A unique component in the "Friends in Christ Around the World" concept
is the focus on Covenant congregations inviting a mission church - that
it is either currently supporting or would like to support - to partner
in this celebration. It is hoped that churches can exchange video
greetings, banners, cards as a way to learn more about each other. It
also could lead to more joint mission trip efforts overseas or visits by
parishioners who are hosted by the other church.
Bible study materials, songs, drama pieces and organizational materials
are included in the new curriculum. The original theme song was created
by Harry Anderson, director of music at Christ Community. There are
suggestions for chancel dramas with three original scripts by pastor
Jerry Lange of First Covenant Church in Cadillac, Michigan, and Christ
Community associate pastor Brian Haight has added a suggested children's
message.
White previously coordinated "Friend to Friend Sunday" and "Come
Celebrate Jesus" programs that provided churches with structured
materials to aid in friendship evangelism efforts. Those materials were
also approved by the conference Board of Church Growth and Evangelism
division and eventually was distributed to some congregations outside of
the conference.
A sample Friends in Christ flyer was created by Christ Community Church
of Allegan and churches are welcome to customize the entire layout with
its own church's information and photos. Clusters of churches are
encouraged to collaborate in advertising area Friends in Christ events
and share advertising costs.
For more information about the new curriculum or to order a CD, call
White at 269-673-2329 or email him at ccc@accn.org.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
