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 &
Converge Worldwide (BGC).
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ANOTHER PUZZLE PIECE IN PLACE
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Merger Update...
The
Transition Team
has now completed their task
of addressing and responding
to concerns raised by the IBC
Board of Overseers and the MBC
Board of Stewards. You will
find their responses in the
Plan of
Integration.
This
document, along with the legal
documents pertaining to the
proposed merger, were
snail-mailed to the churches on
September 3... and emailed to
each IBC church office, pastoral
staff, Annual Meeting Delegate,
and Board of Overseer on
September 4. Additionally, you
may also view all of these
documents on the
IBC Website.
REMEMBER...
all delegates to the May 1-2, 2009,
IBC Annual Meeting will continue to
represent their churches when the
IBC Annual Meeting is resumed on
November 7, 2009...
AND
again on February 6, 2010!
Mark these dates on
your calendars, blackberries, etc...
and keep them open for these
important meetings! THESE will be
historic dates in the history of the
Iowa Baptist Conference!!!
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Hailstorm of Biblical Proportions! |
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...A
Wild End to a Great Summer
by Roger Sutton,
Director of Pine Lake Camp
"Awaken The Dawn" closed with
a hailstorm of "Biblical proportions"... as
it has been described by some in our
community!
We were within minutes of ending the
summer schedule during Pine Lake Homecoming
Weekend, when the storm that did so much
damage to property, trees and vehicles
chased us into the hallway of the chapel for
cover! All were safe and accounted for.
PTL
For the most part, and thanks to
many willing and giving hands, when you
look at our most used spaces, you would
not know that the camp was hit
 with
wind and hail in historic proportions on
August 9th. Our buildings are secure.
We are awaiting insurance settlements
and a glass company. But... we are in
full operation... unlike our friends
across the lake at Camp Quaker Heights
who don't expect to be able to serve and
minister to guests until after January
1.
We will not be scheduling work
days. However, we will be accepting
groups as your team and time can be
available. Please call to coordinate
times and to get the latest info on work
that needs to be accomplished.
In the end, the summer theme,
"Awaken The Dawn"
proved to be a great ministry. We
believe that forty three campers made
very real, first time decisions for
salvation. Another twenty shared a
re-commitment decision with their
counselor. Many were challenged to
celebrate the dawn of a new day, with
the hope of eternity and the promise of
and abundant life as a reward for our
obedience to God.
After the final audit, we had
exactly the same number of campers as
last year,
five hundred seventy four!
Given the challenging economy and a
multitude of other demands
 and
options for our campers and their
families, we celebrate that number.
Families, friends and churches gave much
to make it possible for each camper to
attend camp this summer. PTL
The three Family
Retreat Weekends are
becoming annual events for many
families. Total attendance this summer
was two
hundred and eighty three.
Families find quality time together...
something they often don't have in their
everyday setting... and really enjoy the
retreat offered through these weekends.
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A CONGREGATION STEPS UP |
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...Personal Testimony From Our Newest
Member--!st Baptist at Wellman
When we walked into church this
morning we learned Pastor Mark
wasn't going to be there because he
was with the family of one of our
faithful brothers, Duane Miller, who
was near death.
Our pianist was playing and
singing and filling the church with
beautiful music. The deacon's were
quickly meeting to decide what to
do. When it was time for church to
start, the head deacon announced we
would proceed with the service as
planned but we would have a hymn
sing instead of the sermon.
First of all he shared how he
had attended a men's retreat this
week end and how it had impacted
him. During the prayer/praise
request time one of the four of us
who was at the Beth Moore simulcast
shared her praise for the meetings.
We had special music, a song called
"Ancient Words" , which had a great
message. When it came time for the
singing, the pianist asked everyone
to move down front (most everyone
was sitting as far back as they
could). She said she felt so alone
up there at the piano and there was
this wide "chasm" between her and
the rest of the congregation.
Deacon Bob asked that when we
chose a hymn that we tell why it was
meaningful to us. Then Duane's niece
asked us to sing a special hymn for
him which prompted the song leader
to remember his very favorite hymn
which we also sang. During the hymn
sing we were asked to stop and pray
for the upcoming Sunday School year.
There were probably only 30 some
people there, but I was amazed how
many prayed one right after the
other.
At the close of the service
Bob asked all the deacon's to come
forward to pray for Duane and
invited any one else who would like
to to join in. Again there were many
praying and testifying to the life
he had lived for the Lord.
Church lasted until 11:20
which is unheard of because people
want to be done at 11:00! No one was
paying attention to the time this
morning. The presence of the Holy
Spirit was so evident. One man
remarked afterwards that he had
never experienced a more moving
service. I know this is long but it
is hard to condense what happened at
First Baptist Church in Wellman,
Iowa this morning.
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A CHURCH STEPS OUT
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...Praying for a Sister
Church, by Pastor Harald Gruber,
Faith Baptist at Washington
The following event grew out
of relationship building at the State-wide
LEAD team in May. Ironically, however,
Faith Baptist in Washington, and Faith
Community in Ida Grove, are not even in the
same LEAD team!
Several years ago, Faith at
Washington, was on the receiving end of
support from another IBC church... and,
subsequently, they have passed that same
compassion on to a number of other churches
in the IBC! Pastor Harald shared the
following:
We sent a team of four people to
Ida Grove for a weekend, August
21-22, to pray with and for the
church and the Smalleys.
Saturday
afternoon we did some prayer
walking in the community.
Saturday
evening we met with people from
the congregation and prayed for
the church.
Sunday morning we had a concert
of prayer... some of us prayed
for the service and congregation
during most of the morning
service.
We then
wound it all up with a potluck
lunch.
God is at
work in the IBC!
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BREAKAWAY 2009--54 YEARS & STILL GOING!
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...October 30-November 1, 2009 
When
Breakaway was started in 1955, participants stayed
in homes and slept in sleeping bags, which they
brought with them. Only two events were offered...
basketball and volleyball. The competitive churches
were from Cedar Falls, Forest City, Fort Dodge,
Sioux City, Davenport and Des Moines.
Today...
participants stay in motel suites, and over
FORTY variable
competitions are offered. The event is intended
for outreach, as well as growth for youth
groups, through competition, contemporary
worship, and challenging messages!
Packets
have been sent electronically to all IBC youth
pastors or youth leaders, in addition to several
participating non-IBC churches.
We hope you are excited about Breakaway
2009 and that you are gearing up to bring your
youth group! If there is anything we can do to
help your efforts, call us... Ted or Jan
Houser at 515.490.9678 (Jan) or 515.321.5623
(Ted) or email us at:
t.houser@mchsi.com.
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IBC MEN'S FALL RETREAT |
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Have You Registered Yet... Only TWO
Weeks Away! 
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WHEN: September
18-20 at Pine Lake
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Check-in:
5:00-7:00 pm
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Friday Supper:
5:30-6:30 pm
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THEME: Walk...
Run... Fly... (Is. 40:20-31)
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SPEAKER: Dr Lou Petrie...
serves as VP of Church Relations, Converge
Worldwide (BGC). His background includes life
experiences as a prison guard, firefighter,
constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
and the pastor of three local churches which
were revitalized in their ministries under his
leadership. People enjoy his interactive and
engaging style of ministry as he presents God's
truth in a relevant & revealing way!
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REGISTRATION: Registration
Brochure (pdf)
or
On-line
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IBC WOMEN'S FALL RETREAT |
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Only
THREE Weeks Away!
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WHEN: September 25-27 at Pine
Lake
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Check-in:
5:00-7:00 pm
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Friday Supper:
5:30-6:30 pm
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HOST: New Covenant Church,
Knoxville
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THEME: "Go Light Your World" -
"Let your light so shine before men..."
Matt. 5:16a (KJV)
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SPEAKER: Susan Lawrence,
Christian speaker, author, storyteller, and
IBCer! After a 33 year career as a teacher of
special needs children, Susan hung up her
chalkboard to pursue writing and speaking full
time.... Storytelling and drama are intermingled
with teaching, in presenting Biblical principles
to her audience.
Susan is the author of two published
devotionals: "A Family Garden of Christian
Virtues" and "A Young Child's Garden of
Christian Virtues", plus articles for numerous
Christian publications.
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REGISTRATION:
Registration Brochure (pdf) //
On-Line Registration
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS |
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 Looking
Ahead...
2009
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September 18-20 - IBC Men's Retreat
(Pine Lake)
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September 25-27 - IBC Women's
Retreat (Pine Lake)
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October 6 - IBC Board of Overseers
Phone Conference
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October 9-11 - IBC Fall Scrapbooking
Weekend (Pine lake)
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October 30- November 1 - Breakaway
(Des Moines)
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November 3 - IBC Board of Overseers
Phone Conference
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November 7 - IBC Prayer Summit - (Pine
Lake - 9:00 am)
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November 7 - IBC 2009 Annual Meeting,
Resumed - (Pine Lake -11:00 am)
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December 1 - IBC Board of Overseers
Phone Conference
2010
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January 5 - IBC Board of Overseers
Phone Conference
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January 15-17 - Sr High Winter
Retreat (9th-12th)
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January 22-24 - Juniors Winter
Retreat (2nd-5th)
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February 6 - IBC 2009 Annual Meeting,
Resumed
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February 19-21 - Jr High Winter
Retreat (6th-8th)
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March 26-28 - IBC Spring
Scrapbooking Weekend (Pine Lake)
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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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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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