@UPDATES

• The district Bylaws Committee will be meeting soon. If you have any comments or suggestions for changes that you would like to share with them, please contact Dan Bridges at [email protected]. The district bylaws can be found HERE.
• Annual Pastor/Church Evaluations: Just a reminder that each church is to conduct some kind of annual evaluation. Forms are available HERE or you are welcome to use your own.

@POSTINGS

• Keller Park Church is a neighborhood church seeking applications for full- or part-time pastoral leadership from among those called to lead and serve alongside a small congregation in an urban setting. KPC is located in the Keller Park neighborhood of South Bend, Indiana. Keller Park Church is who she is as a church because of where her people live, worship, and serve. To see more of Keller Park Church’s story, values, and current activities click HERE. Applicants may respond by sending a resume to Joe Wenger at [email protected]. Qualities that make the church unique are:
  • We come from a variety of backgrounds and seek further diversity;
  • We value authenticity and vulnerability; and
  • We desire to give extraordinary love, openness, and acceptance to a diverse and transient community.
• Granger Missionary Church is seeking applicants for the position of Lead Pastor. If you are interested in that position, please send your resume and cover letter to Rev. Joe Wenger at [email protected].
• Summit Church, Niles, Michigan is currently looking for a full-time Children’s Ministry Director. If you, or someone you know, is passionate about the Gospel, children, and equipping leaders, then this may be a great opportunity to impact people to follow Christ. For more information or if you think God may be leading you to this opportunity, please send a cover letter along with your resume to [email protected].
• Living Waters Missionary Church in Gary is looking for a church van. They would prefer that it be a 15 passenger model. If your church is looking to sell a reliable van or know of one available, please contact Joe or Dan at the District office. This would be a real help to them, especially as they work to reach out to young people.
• Devon Oasis in Chicago is requesting winter assistance. They are in need of financial donations this fall towards providing winter supplies for local refugee families. Their ministry cares for the needs of hundreds of people throughout the year, but winter poses special challenges. Families are provided with blankets, small space heaters, gloves, socks, and hats. They also purchase shoes/boots for select families, especially those with children. You may donate directly through their website HERE. A Walmart wish-list has also been set up so that you can purchase items that they need. You can find that HERE.

@EVENTS

• MCNCD Fall Seminar: Church Security. This seminar will focus on general aspects of security for the church (this will not include discussions on eternal security). Securing your empty facility, internal threats, cyber-security, crisis response, and training security personnel will all be addressed. The seminar will take place on November 3 from 10am-12pm Eastern Time at College Park Missionary Church. Anyone is welcome. This event will count for Continuing Education credit for MCNCD credentialed ministers. No registration is needed.
• Teen Quizzing
  • November 12 at Brenneman
  • November 18-19 at Avalon Missionary in Ft. Wayne, IN
• Children’s Quizzing
  • November 19 at Gospel Center
• Our annual Missionary Church, North Central District Christmas Banquet is quickly approaching! Invitations have been mailed, please send in your RSVP or you can register online HERE. This year our event will be on Thursday, December 1.
• Bethel Missionary Church is having a Candlelight Christmas service on December 18 at 6:00pm. All are welcome to join them for traditional Christmas carols, scripture, worship and communion by candlelight. Childcare is available for 0-3 years old.
• Koontz Lake Missionary Church is now offering a Thursday evening service! Sometimes busy schedules or work can take us away from church on Sundays. If this is you, Koontz Lake would love for you to join them on Thursdays at 6:00pm Central time/7:00 Eastern.
• Refuel Conference is a one-day event for worship ministry teams and those who lead them. The simple and focused goal of Refuel is to create a day for worship teams and their leaders to be together, be refreshed, and be equipped to continue to effectively lead the local church in worship.
  • Saturday, January 14, 2017, worship ministry teams will begin to check-in starting at 8:00am at the Everest-Rohrer Auditorium on the campus of Bethel College.
  • First session begins at 9:00am and the final session concludes at 5:30pm.
  • Throughout the day you will hear from Andi Rozier, Eddie Hoagland, Rochelle Burlock, Jared Anderson, Matt McCoy, along with other pastors and practioners.
  • Register your team by November 14 to take advantage of the early bird rate of only $25 per person. Final deadline is December 14th.
• Discover Conference: Gathering students to discover God’s voice and engage in His purpose! This event is for middle and high school students. Mark your calendar now for January 13-15, 2017 at Camp Michindoh. You can click HERE for more information.
• Mark your calendar! Special Conference to elect the District Superintendent
  • Saturday, February 25, 2017 at Zion Missionary Church, Elkhart
  • Registration will begin at 9:00am and the conference will start at 10:00am
• Looking Ahead:
  • JOY Christmas Carry-In: Thursday, December 8, 11:30am at Gospel Center Missionary Church
  • District Women’s Retreat: February 24-26, 2017

@NETWORKING

• Moody Theological Seminary has received outside funding for a new tuition free, fully accredited, MA degree in Urban Ministry, with a focus on Cross-Cultural Ministry. They created it with our Devon Oasis in mind and they only have one seat available for Fall 2017. In addition to seminary studies, the student would work alongside Rev. Bob Andrews at Devon Oasis as an intern for the entire two-year program. Contact Bob Andrews at [email protected] for information on how to apply for this opportunity.
• Pray for and join Stephen and Gayle Burgstahler as they share about their ministry at Bethel Community Church in Xenia, Ohio, on October 30 and in the evening at Bible Way Church in Gary, Indiana, on November 1.
• Pray for and join Bruce and Dawn Cluckie as they share about their ministry at Beulah Missionary Church in Goshen, Indiana, on October 30.
• Bethel College has their next ReDiscover event planned for November 15 from 3:30-5:00pm. Guest presenter will be Dr. Chris Bounds (Asbury University). He will speak on how grace impacts what we do. The event is free but registration is required. For more information and to register, click HERE.
• Know someone who would like to learn English? English classes for Spanish speakers are being offered on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm at Betania Church, 525 Harrison Street, Elkhart. There is no charge for this class except 15 minutes of your time each lesson to learn about God’s Word. For more information contact Jose Botello at 574-575-8951 or Diana Serna at 574-703-6058.
• The Art of Marriage is a marriage conference for Pastor and spouse only! FamilyLife and momentum want to encourage, equip, and serve you as pastor and spouse. We know you give so much time for others at the expense of the two of you. Here is your time for growth, encouragement and building into the two of you.
  • This is a six session video event held at The Oaks at South Paw Farm in Mishawaka, Indiana.
  • November 13th from 6-9pm and November 14th from 9:00am-4:30pm.
  • For more information contact Diana Mason at 574-300-2541. Cost is $50 and that includes event manuals and snacks.
  • To register click HERE.
• The BIG Room– If you and your team are looking for a place to get away and do some creative thinking, let us recommend the BIG (Bethel Innovation Gateway) Room at Bethel College. This is not only a place to do some creative thinking, but there are resources available to help you and your team to think more inventively. If you would like to use the BIG Room contact Mike Nicholas at Bethel College. You can reach him at [email protected] or 574-807-7875. 
• The Missionary Church Historical Society would like to fill their next special issue of Reflections with stories of God’s miraculous work among us. Both historical stories and also new ones. Diane Howard shares, “We hope to include a variety of pieces- from brief anecdotes (250+ words), to longer autobiographical narratives (2000+ words), to formal historical or theological research essays (5000+ words). Submissions are welcome from first-time authors as well as seasoned scholars for the next six months. Deadline is March 6, 2017.” Please send your stories to Diane Howard, Rona Community Church, 1082 Rona Parkway Drive, Fairborn, OH 45324 or email to Diane at [email protected].