Iowa Baptist Conference
eNewsletter |
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Dear Friends,
This eNewsletter comes to you from the
district office of the Iowa Baptist
Conference... keeping pastors and
leaders informed of activities across
the state... and opportunities and
resources available through the IBC &
the BGC.
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PUSHING
THE FLYWHEEL |
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by Skip Hansen, Director of Transition
In his book, Good To Great,
Jim Collins utilizes the image of
"pushing a flywheel" to describe the
fundamental hard work related to moving
an organization from good to great!
The problem with real-life flywheels
is... they are very heavy and very hard
to start up! Pushing a flywheel is easy
once it gets going. But pushing a
flywheel from a dead stop... to getting
it moving in the first place... is the
hardest part!
In the IBC, we've been "pushing the
flywheel," working at getting the
discussions between Minnesota Baptist
Conference (MBC) and IBC under way. And
praise the Lord... the flywheel is
beginning to turn!
Talking points, topics and timelines are
being identified! For example, some of
the topics already under discussion
are:
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WHO will give
guidance to the process by serving
on the Transition Team from both
districts?
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WHEN will everything
take place? Votes in IBC and MBC?
Town Hall Meetings? Legal matters
and actual "finalization?"
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HOW will the IBC
operate during the Interim Period?
Between Skip Hansen's departure and
the finalization of this process,
who will be "in charge" at the IBC?
What will MBC's role be?
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WHAT will happen to
Pine Lake, LEAD teams, church
planting and other assorted existing
ministries in IBC? Are "assurances"
possible and/or appropriate?
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WHAT about existing
IBC staff? How will a new district
"administer" a larger geographic
area?
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CAN we create a
"common language" that will
appropriately describe the process
under way between these two
districts... and will assist the
process by reducing misapprehensions
and/or misunderstandings?
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AGREEMENTS &
UNDERSTANDINGS |
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by Skip Hansen, Director of Transition
Be encouraged! Beyond just identifying
talking points... we have already reached some early
understandings AND agreements in principle! For
example:
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that we
cannot "presume" upon the outcome of the process.
However, the following dates will be used by the
Transition Team to guide the progress of the
process.
- March 15 2009 - YTD
best-developed "picture" of "New Thing District"
is prepared by Transition Team
- March-April 15 - Several
town hall presentations scheduled across Iowa
- May 1-2 2009 - IBC
delegates vote at annual meeting
- Oct/Nov - MBC delegates
vote at annual meeting
- December/January 2010 -
Final Implementation following MBC's fall vote.
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that
IBC staff will continue normal day-to-day
operations, keeping MBC informed, but upon Skip
Hansen's departure direct accountability will
shift to the designate of the IBC BOO (and/or
BOO chairman.) 
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that MBC
will designate its Transition Team (TT) members
on Monday January 19th. IBC will respond with
an approximate match. Together the TT goal will
be to formulate the clearest possible "picture"
of the new district entity before MBC's meeting
on March 2.
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that
the existing IBC staff is viewed with high
regard. Each current employee's future
situation will be dealt with on an individual
basis, and guided by the principle of "what is
best determined in support of the vision for the
new district."
UNDERSTANDING:
MBC respects the "success" of IBC's LEAD
Teams... and anticipates learning much from an
infusion of that experience into the new
district. IBC understands that no specific
commitments/plans have been formulated at this
time.
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that
there are many successful, (and mutually
acceptable,) ways to incorporate church planting
into a district. The new district will
formulate its own strategies.
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that
commitment to camping in both districts is a
very high value. Furthermore, IBC appreciated
MBC expression of confident expectation, that
Pine Lake Christian Camp will join MBC's
existing camps, and be further developed by the
new district... into an increasingly effective
ministry. IBC understands that such expression
is not a guarantee, but a mutual goal and
expectation by faith.
UNDERSTANDING:
MBC is "intrigued" by the notion
of TimeShare... and may investigate any
potential it may have for further application. 
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that
both districts view the topic of Pine Lake
property as the most "sensitive" regarding any
future merger... especially as touching up what
happens if conditions arose where Pine Lake Camp
would not continue. One suggestion is that a
series of guiding principles could be defined by
the Transition Team which, in the event that
such a need would arise, would be used to give
guidance to any resolution of this question.
AGREEMENT in
principle: It is agreed that
all IBC's miscellaneous "ministries" (BreakAway,
Women, LEADNet, etc.,) will be approached and
resolved individually... in a mutually
acceptable manner... through guidelines
established by "what is the vision of the new
district, and how does this ministry fit into
that vision?"
AGREEMENT in
principle: Regarding the
engagement of Gen-Y in district ministry...
everybody agrees regarding the urgency of this
topic. MBC is not just "talking" about this
idea... but already engaging younger members
into its district leadership positions.
UNDERSTANDING: Ministry
Placement Network... and Search Committee
Processes: MBC is already reviewing and
"revamping" its placement process.
UNDERSTANDING:
MBC is currently investigating
donor development software, so is interested in
learning about IBC's Raiser's Edge. MBC has
recently begun to "outsource" its accounting
functions to BGC.
Praise God! You can see the flywheel IS
moving! So... now it is your turn to give it a
shove!
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Will you pray... as the Transition Team
identifies and addresses the next round of
talking points and topics?
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Will you participate when Town Hall Meetings
are scheduled across Iowa (March/April)...
so that you can be actively informed and
engaged?
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Will you help the process move forward by
contributing helpful insights and
suggestions?
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In other words... will you help us keep
pushing the flywheel... so that God can have
a new opportunity to move our valued
ministries from good... to great?
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WHY CONSIDER A DISTRICT MERGE? |
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Is It
Just About Finances???
Definitely not...
as Pastor Frank Cook from Union Park Baptist
Church, Des Moines, shared in their church's
December newsletter
(reprinted with permission)...
The advantages of this merger are far
more than just financial!
Minnesota has MANY resources that
will benefit our churhes in:
Leadership
Development, Church Planting, Women's
Ministries, Older Adult Ministries,
Short-term Missions, AND
Pastoral Support.
Minnesota also has
EXPERT leaders in
Camping Ministry who
will help our Pine Lake Christian Camp
thrive!
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2009 AT PINE LAKE |
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PLCC Event's Promotion...
by Roger Sutton, PLCC Director
 It's
time for me to hit the road!
I will be scheduling some "State Of The Camp"
meetings in the next few weeks at some area
restaurants, times and places to be announced.
My goal is to connect with you and others who
are engaged and committed to the ministry and
future of Pine Lake.
In the midst of the potential merger with Trout
Lake Camps, we have a full year of ministry to
provide--6 Summer Camps, 3 Family Retreat
Weekends, 2 Scrapbooking Weekends, Men's &
Women's Fall Retreats, 2 Prayer Summits, and a
First Aid Training... in additional to our
normal Guest Rental Events!!!
I'm available to help with camp promotion in
your church... any time there is a gathering of
parents or potential campers--Sunday mornings,
youth meetings, Awana...
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AWAKEN THE DAWN! |
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2009 Pine Lake Theme...
by Roger Sutton, PLCC Director
One of our summer staff just sent me a
new video of Ben Snyder performing his "Awaken The
Dawn" song that we adopted for this summer's camps.
If you spend much time around our kids, they are
being overwhelmed and consumed by the darkness of
the world. Many adults are there, too. We must
take heart in the light that God has for us, today.
Consider Psalm 108:1-2...
My heart is
steadfast, O God, I will sing and make music
with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will
awaken the dawn.
Is your heart steadfast? Is there song and
music coming from your heart and your mouth? Is
there joy? Will you awaken before dawn to take
on the challenges of the day as God brings on
another day?
These are the challenges that we must face
personally and the message that we will bring to
campers this summer. There IS hope! There IS
joy! We will celebrate and worship! God has
the light and offers it freely to us all!
Let's "Awaken The
Dawn." Let's not wait for summer to do it!
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JIM'S STORY |
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What God Taught Me in the
Hospital... by
Pastor Jim Mead, New Covenant Church, Knoxville 
December 8th started out a normal day. I had a
little bit of a cold, but I felt generally
good. I went to get a massage; I went to where
my wife worked, and I did what I normally do.
It was a normal day.
December 9th, however, did not start as normal.
I had problems walking; I had problems with the
room spinning. I thought I had vertigo. After
much deliberation and many calls to the
hospital, it was agreed that I should go to
the ER.
At first the hospital thought I had spinal
meningitis, but that diagnosis turned out to be
false. That is all I remember. It turns out I
was having a stroke. Not a minor one either,
but I had an "intracranial hemorrhage:. If one
were to take all strokes, 80% would be caused by
a blockage or a clot. Only 20% are caused by a
hemorrhage inside the brain. Most of those are
in people 55 or older. I was truly a rare case,
so Dr. Piper at Iowa Methodist hospital agreed
to take me on.
When I was having the stroke my wife, Laura,
asked me if I was scared. I said, "No." Then
she said, do you think an average sensible
person would be scared. I said, "Probably." I
woke up, and all I can remember is my wife
telling me all about someone in the church who
had a stroke. I tried to think of all the
people that had a stroke; then I thought that I
was the only person in a hospital bed. She must
be talking about me!
I said all that for this purpose, I had a major
stroke on December 9th, 2008. On January 7th,
2009, I went back to work. I was in church
again on January 4th and my first Sunday back
preaching will be January 25th. God is good.
But I learned something about God during my stay
in 3 hospitals. I may not ever want to have a
stroke again, but I have been able to lift up
His name to doctors and nurses, to whoever would
listen. I guess then, that if I had to have 100
strokes for a doctor or a nurse to come to
Christ, it would be worth it. But here is what
I learned about God in those 21 or so days:
- God is good,
regardless of what happens to me.
- God is
perfectly capable of caring for my family, even
if I am not here.
- God is still
able to work miracles, if we will only believe
in Him.
Click here for the whole story. |
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A YEAR-END
CELEBRATION... |
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And a Look into the Future by
Pastor Carlton Anderson, The River's Edge, Iowa
Falls
At the end of 2008, I am overwhelmed by
God's goodness to this small group
of God-seekers called The River's Edge. 
- God has given us strength to faithfully
move in and out of a rented auditorium every
single week for over three years, but now,
we've enjoyed three worship gatherings in
our first permanent church home!
- God has given us numerical growth - not
overwhelming or headline-worthy - but
consistent and steady new faces week by
week. Last year to this year, we've grown
from 90 worshippers per week to 112.
- This is the year we transitioned from
our original outside financial supporters to
being self-supporting, yet we put forth a
faith-filled church budget. We've been
behind budget almost this entire year, in
fact, just three weeks ago we were almost
$9,000.00 behind budget. But God has come
through again, and today, we finished the
year $187.93 ahead of budget!
- In 2009, for the first time, we'll be
facing heating bills, mortgage payments,
unknown building maintenance and repairs,
etc., but we know God will continue to be
faithful as we challenge ourselves
to respond generously to His faithfulness to
us!
- We've celebrated many steps of faith
that people have taken this year.
Many declarations of faith in Christ, 16
baptisms, and more desiring baptism early in
2009!
- We're considering what our role might be
in planting two new daughter churches in two
area communities in 2009.
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NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION |
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Small
Things DO Count! 
by
Pastor Rod Ankrom, First Baptist Church,
New Hampton
(Reprinted
(in part), with permission, from the
church newsletter, January, 2009)
In Ephesians 5:15, Paul writes,
Be very
careful, then, how you live--not as
unwise but as wise, making the most of
every opportunity, because the days are
evil.
Of all things we can make wise decisions
about, how we use our time is among the most
significant. No one can buy more time. No
one can save time, for each day everyone
uses up their allotted twenty-four hours.
All you can do is use your time wisely.
Andy Stanley [The Best Question Ever] points
out that there is "a
cumulative value in investing small amounts
of time in certain activities over a long
period." For example, if you invest
a small amount of time everyday exercising,
by the end of the year, you will be in
better shape physically. If you spend some
time each day reading the Bible and talking
with God through prayer, you will grow
spiritually. If you take time to eat the
evening meal together with your family, you
will have closer family relationships.
None of these things are urgent. In fact, "there
are rarely immediate consequences for
neglecting single installments of time in
any particular arena of life." If
you miss going to church next Sunday, you
aren't going to lose your faith. If you
miss working out one day, you aren't going
to become an instant couch potato tomorrow.
But when we neglect the cumulative value in
investing small amounts of time in certain
activities, like relationships, growing
spiritually, and keeping physically
fit--when we allow the urgent things of life
to interfere with what's most important to
us--we find that the other ways we have used
our time have given us no value.
As we enter into a new year, I encourage you
to find one or two areas where you want to
use your time more wisely and to consider
the power of making small, daily or weekly
investments that will have a huge cumulative
effect at the end of 2009. Ask God for
wisdom where you need to change; and then,
with His help, commit to using your time
more wisely.
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PASTORS' WIVES' OASIS |
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24 Hour Retreat at Shalom House...
by Marie Harrison of
Pinnacle Ministries
I have
written before in a few of our monthly
letters about the Pastor's Wives'
Overnights--a 24 hour retreat where up to 6
pastors' wives meet together at our Shalom
House retreat center in New London, WI.
 I
have been amazed (and pleased) at how
quickly the women share their stories with
each other, and support each other. It's a
safe place (what happens at Shalom stays at
Shalom!), and we hope each pastor's wife
goes away with God having met her at her
point of need. It's also a great time to
relax, eat chocolate, sleep in, and let
someone else do the cooking and the dishes.
Cindy
Beecher and I have schedule two Pastors'
Wives' Overnights for the first half of
2009: February 6-7
(only 3 spots left), and
May 15-16. Space is limited
(there are only so many beds and
bathrooms)--so get your registration in
early. There is only room for 6 at each
retreat.
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WHEN IT TAKES MORE
THAN A BAND AID... |
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DOES SOMEONE... know what to
do???
Sports Safety/Pro Rescuer Training Retreat
 We
are offering a First Aid training retreat at
PLCC that will help individuals know how to deal
with the many kinds of accidents that can happen
around our church gatherings, events and
families.
Appropriate for youth pastors, leaders, ushers,
Sunday School teachers. We never know when and
accident might happen and trained responders can
save a life.
This group will be
limited to thirty
participants, so please
encourage early registration.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS |
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 Looking
Ahead...
- Jan 30-Feb 1 - Juniors Winter
Retreat
(Rescheduled due to the weather)
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February 3 - IBC Board of
Overseers - Ph Conf
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February 6-8 - Jr High Winter
Retreat
- March 7 - IBC Board of Overseers
- PLCC
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March 27-28 - Quad-Cities Christians
Writers' Conference - Eldridge (Go
to www.qccwc.com
for details)
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March 27-29 - IBC Scrapbooking
Weekend - PLCC
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April 3-4 - First Aid Training
- PLCC
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April 7 - IBC Board of Overseers
- Ph Conf
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April 18 - IBC Prayer Summit
- PLCC
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April 31-May 1 - IBC State-wide LEAD
Team Meeting (Union Park, D.M.)
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May 1-2 - IBC Annual Meeting
(Union Park, D.M.)
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May 22-25 - Memorial Day Family
Retreat Weekend
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June 14-19 - Juniors Camp
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June 21-26 - Sixers Camp
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June 21-26 - Centershot Archery Camp
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June 28-July1 - Base Camp
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July 3-5 - 4th of July Family
Retreat Weekend
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July 5-10 - Jr High Camp
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July 12-17 - Sr High Camp
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August 7-9 - PLCC Homecoming Weekend
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September 18-20 - IBC Men's Retreat
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September 25-27 - IBC Women's
Retreat
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October 9-11 - IBC Scrapbooking
Weekend - PLCC
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October 17 - IBC Prayer Summit
- PLCC
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MINISTRY
RESOURCES |
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Following are brief summaries of
some GREAT ministry tools.
You can check out additional
resources at the IBC website in
regard to:
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RETOOL KIT
is a BGC resource
designed to help churches become
all that God wants for them. It
is not a program... it is a
pathway... guided by a trained
Mobilization Coach who helps the
church discover and develop
healthy leaders, a biblical
community, and a clear vision
for the future.
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 One
of the the end results is a
clearer vision for ministry,
along with a three year future
plan. Additional outcomes are
the changing of the church's
DNA, spiritual growth, (both
personally and corporately),
stronger community, and more
effective Kingdom impact.
For more information, contact
Pastor Jeff Scherer,
IBC Director of Mobilization
at: 319-290-6874 or
jeffscherer6@msn.com
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SHALOM HOUSE is
a pastoral retreat center in New
London, WI
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facilitated by Pinnacle
Ministries and providing a
comfortable, safe place for rest,
refreshment and renewal for those in
ministry - based on the philosophy
that the health of our
churches, and ultimately our
communities, rests in the strength
and refreshment of our pastors.
Pinnacle Ministries
offers three levels of services...
from just "hanging out" to
professional counseling services.
Shalom House can
also be utilized for church
board and leadership retreats,
church staff training, missionaries
and their families, and pastoral
sabbaticals.
If your pastor doesn't know about
Shalom, please tell him or her about
it - better yet, send them
for a refreshing, relaxing break to
recharge their batteries for future
ministry!
For more information, go to:
www.theshalomhouse.org
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QUIET WATERS MINISTRIES -
offers a FREE,
24 hour a day, 7 days a week,
confidential phone consulting
resource for BGC pastors and home
assignment missionaries called
CARELINE -
funded jointly by IBC & BGC
 Call
866.526.2222 to be
put in touch with a licensed doctor
or master's level counselor from
Quiet Waters Ministries
to talk about EITHER
personal OR congregational
matters.
Services are available for up to 3 hrs
of assessment and consultation via
telephone per isolated incident per
year.
All communication with the
denomination, regarding these
services is consistent with
confidentiality laws and
requirements, and with BGC's
policies and guidelines.
For more information about
Quiet Waters, go to:
www.qwaters.org
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BGC CORNERSTONE FUND
is a ministry
of the Baptist General Conference
with a mission
 to
extend BGC ministries - by providing
loans for building/remodeling
projects within our conference
churches and ministry centers.
Our ministry is possible because of
the support of our investors, who
receive competitive rates compared
to like term investments and have
the satisfaction of knowing that
their investment is being used to
help expand ministries of the BGC.
For more information, go to:
www.bgccornerstonefund.org
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CHRISTIAN LIBRARY
INTERNATIONAL
is a Raleigh, NC, based ministry
that distributes
 used
Christian books (fiction and
non-fiction), Christian music tapes,
Sermon tapes, CDs, DVDs, video
tapes, bible study materials, and
tracts to prisons, shelters and
international missions free of
charge.
What a
great way to "recycle" those dust
collecting books! For more
information, to to:
www.cli-nc.org
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CHERISH CENTER
is a ministry of Shepherd's
Fold - providing housing,
counseling, nurturing, training, and
spiritual guidance to young ladies
experiencing the crisis of an
unplanned pregnancy. They have the
capacity to care for six girls at a
time for a period of 3-6 months.
And because they are supported by
individuals and churches, they have
the freedom to make Christ central
in the home and in the training.
The Executive Director, Jan
Turner, is a member of the
Milford Baptist Church
and is also their worship
director. She has seen this project
through the from the very beginnings
- property purchase, building
construction and equipping, and
staffing. In their first year of
operation they served eight girls.
Shepherd's Fold
Ministries, Inc., is a
local, interdenominational,
non-profit corporation working
to provide a home and a
hope for young mothers in
need, located in northwest
Iowa.
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 IOWA
BAPTIST CONFERENCE
Magnifying God by Mobilizing &
Multiplying a Growing Family of Healthy Churches! |
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