Ves’ Friday Facts February 19, 2010, #439

 

C:\DOCUME~1\LAUREN~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\aolcopycache\mai43FD.tmpDear Brothers & Sisters,

                                                           

 

In This Friday Facts:

                             1. NEDA Constitution and By-Laws

                             2. Haitian Relief Report

                             3. NEDA Conference

                             4. NEDA Conference- Sense of Unity

                               5. Children’s Ministry Summit

                             6. Skowhegan Summer Work Teams

                             7. Attention Women in Ministry  

                             8. Modules

                             9. NEDA Website

 

                  

1.  NEDA Constitution and By-Laws

Two years ago in early 2008, the NEDA Board of Directors established a committee to review the NEDA Constitution and By-Laws, and to propose revisions.  The committee was chaired by Audie Thompson, and included Ves Sheely, Jay Pickerell, Dave Poscich, and Mark Overmyer.  During 2008 the committee worked with the NEDA Constitution.  Recommended changes were approved by the Board, and subsequently adopted by NEDA at the 2009 annual conference.  During 2009 the committee continued its work by reviewing the NEDA By-Laws.  Proposed revisions have been approved by the Board and will be presented for adoption at the next NEDA annual conference on March 19, 2010.

The proposed by-law revisions were sent to all member churches in December 2009.  For several weeks now, a link to the revised by-laws including a side-by-side comparison to the current version and brief rationale for each change has been available on the NEDA website homepage Bulletin Board.  The linked document provides a summary of all changes.  The highlights are as follows:

Clarifies relationships between the Board, District, and mission status churches, now referred to as Evangelical Free Churches In Formation (EFC-IF)

Requires all office nominations including those made from the floor to be vetted by the Nominating Committee

Adds provision to suspend the District Superintendent, other Ministry Staff and Board members for moral, doctrinal or ethical issues.

Provides for the District Superintendent to select all staff positions, with appropriate Board and Conference approvals. 

Changes the quorum for business meetings from majority of member churches to at least 25% of member churches.

 Allows a person who has served a partial term to be eligible to serve two additional complete terms. 

Changes the term of office for the District Superintendent from 3 to 6 years, to take effect when the current term is up. 

Changes the fiscal year to June 1 – May 31.

We encourage member churches to review and prayerfully consider these proposed changes.  If you have any questions, please address them to Audie Thompson, chairman of the Constitution and By-Laws Revision Committee.  Audie can be reached at aethome@comcast.net

 

2.  Haitian Relief Report  

If you’d like to have Gregore Bernard come to your church, youth group, missions committee or leadership team meeting to give his firsthand account of early relief efforts in Port Au Prince you may contact him at ansion15@yahoo.com.  Greg is one of two leaders from NEDA’s Morijah Evangelical Church (Waltham, MA) who mobilized to serve immediately after the quake.  He also leads mission teams to Haiti and has a deep passion for Jesus and for serving the most broken people and parts of his country.  Greg gave a report last Sunday to Hope International Church (Pastor Paul Reid) and is available to come to your church.  Igor Alexis remains in Haiti and will help to coordinate the team of six young women from Morijah which is now planning to leave from Boston this Friday night (schedule change due to winter storm).  NEDA leaders will be meeting in two weeks to discuss ways that we might mobilize teams from New England churches to continue a coordinated effort this summer.  If you have any interest in possibly being part of a team or sending a team this summer, we would like to hear from you.  As we survey the needs and the opportunities, it will help to know what people resources might be available.  Please contact Lauren in the NEDA office (LaurenRand7@gmail.com ) with your interest and/or questions. 

3.  NEDA Conference

We are very excited about our upcoming 2010 NEDA Conference which will occur at Grace Community Church in Spofford, NH and Camp Spofford, NH.  From March 18-19th we will have the privilege of learning from Jim Van Ypren, the founder of Metanoia Ministries and Alvin Sanders, the Executive Director of Reconciliation (EFCA Samaritan Way).  Our theme is "Growing Christ-like Communities"- Acts 2:42-47.  If you need another copy of the of the brochure feel free to find it at the NEDA website.   Online registration is now available at www.efcneda.org!    If you have any questions, please call the NEDA Office at 860-674-9541 or email at Laurenrand7@gmail.com.

4.  NEDA Conference

Why I think you might consider it a PRIORITY to attend the training day at NEDA conference (Spofford, NH) THURSDAY, MARCH 18!

For 3 years now our NEDA partners and leaders have been narrowing the focus of our ministries.  We are resisting the overwhelming smorgasbord of programmatic ideas catalogued at the latest and greatest church growth, church health, or church planting conference, website or summit.  By trying to do more of what Jesus did, we are carving through the “good” and discovering what’s “best.” Together we are getting better at:  Engaging Culture, Facilitating Community, Mobilizing for Multiplication, and Structuring Congregations.  At the NEDA conference 2 years ago, we were challenged and instructed by Dr. D.A. Carson on what it means to be a subculture of people invested for heavenly purposes in this world.  Then Pastor Tom Shirk (Boulder, CO) showed us how his church became “externally focused.”  Last year we heard how one church (Bob Roberts from Kellor, TX) has taken seriously the call to multiplication for Kingdom Impact.  These conference themes have reinforced the centerline that NEDA partners and leaders are appreciating.  This year we are focusing on COMMUNITY by asking Jim Van Yperen to teach us from his very unique perspective the difference between community that is TRANSACTIONAL vs. TRANSFORMATIONAL.  Isn’t that what we all long for:  real life change?  I trust that Jim is going to have some insights that are timely for those of us who long to facilitate authentic Christ communities that can become multiplicationally fruitful.  Additionally, we are going to hear from Alvin Sanders, EFCA Reconciliation Director.  His will be a reinforcement of the engage culture piece of our centerline – as he helps us understand what’s at stake when you engage people who are different that you are.  We’ve asked Alvin to teach us how to reach across boundaries – whatever they may be – and build bridges of opportunity and influence among people who are not likely to come to us. 

I’d like to urge you to consider coming and bringing members of your team to this training day.  It convenes at Grace EFC Spofford, NH at 9am.  You can bring as many teammates as you desire on two paid registrations to this training day.  Hope to see you there – Mark Overmyer

5.  Children's Ministry Summit

Get ready, get set, we're almost there - March 6 from 9 to 3 Wethersfield EFree Church - NEDA Children's Ministry Summit - I know some of you have not registered, it's not too late. Bring your team, bring folks that would like to be in children's ministry, handcuff those who don't want to come and just bring them.....okay sorry, I get a little carried away sometimes. Here's all you do, call or email Cindy Nicewonger at Wethersfield EFC 1-860-563-8286 or (child.min@wethefc.com ) she'll get you all signed up. You really don't want to miss this one.

 

6.  Skowhegan Work Teams

 

Trinity EFC in Skowhegan, ME is looking for summer work teams made up of teens, adults and skilled workers to help construct the homeless shelter.  Skowhegan is truly having “those type of people” living in the church, getting help, and hearing about Jesus. Please take some time to look at the website www.trinityevangelicalfree.com to observe the progress of the building.  Contact Pastor Richard Berry at trinity_efree@yahoo.com

 

 

7.  Attention Women in Ministry

 

Plan on attending the NEDA conference March 18-19th! On Thursday, March 18th, you are invited to a networking luncheon with NEDA District Mobilizer Regina Robinson. Connect with other women in ministry from the district, encourage one another in respective churches, and hear the vision of reaching and supporting NEDA women in 2010.  In an effort to build the women in ministry team for NEDA, the Thursday training session is provided to you free of charge to all interested women! Please contact District Mobilizer, Regina Robinson at robinson.regina@gmail.com  to register or for more information prior to March 1st.

 

 

8.  Modules

Boston Module- February 22nd 10am-12pm at Hope International Church in Waltham, MA.

 

Maine Module- March 10th 9:30am -12pm at Faith EFC in Waterville, ME.

 

9.  NEDA Website

Please check out our website at www.efcneda.org for the latest information, brochures on upcoming events and even the weekly Friday Facts.  Please feel free to email us with any feedback concerning our website as our desire is to serve you better.

God bless,

Ves