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Small Group Leader Training With Bishop - Aldersgate '08 Conference
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New LWM Participant Guidebook Published - Arizona Lay Witness Retreat Held
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New Spanish Language Materials Produced - LISS Coordinator Manual Produced
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LWM Coordinator Manual Revision - Coordinator Retreat Schedule In April
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| Small Group Leader Training With Bishop Dick Wills TOP |
 Small groups are essential for a thriving church! Small fellowship groups are crucial to your church's health by contributing to members' spiritual growth. Healthy church ministry includes developing relationships that result in the spiritual well-being of members while growing them toward maturity and into a tangible expression of the Body of Christ. Bishop Richard J. Wills, Jr., resident bishop of the Tennessee annual conference, will be coming to the Aldersgate Renewal Center the morning of April 5th to lead a training session for small group leaders. Bishop Wills is the author of the book Waking to God's Dream in which he outlines the importance of small groups for the numerical and spiritual growth of local churches. [This book is available in the ARM Resource Center]. 
ARM expects the DVD produced from this session to be especially valuable for churches who have held Lay Witness Missions, but also for any churches that want to start or to strengthen small groups in their churches. Watch for future announcements as to when this DVD will be available for distribution.
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| Aldersgate ‘08 National Conference Promotional Tools TOP |
We are excited about and preparing for a great Aldersgate ‘08 Conference in Columbus, Ohio July 2nd - 6th. This year's theme "Go Deeper" focuses on how to re-dig the Wesleyan Methodist wells. Included also are dynamic Adult Worship Celebration speakers and life-changing equipping sessions.
We have available everything imaginable to assist you in letting others know about Aldersgate ‘08. Visit our website to request all our promotional materials. View our promotional video on www.youtube.com. You might also watch for our full page ads promoting the Aldersgate Conference in this month's issues of Interpreter and Good News magazines.
Here is a sneak peak of our newest tools to "get the word out" about Aldersgate ‘08.
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| NEW LWM PARTICIPANT GUIDEBOOK PUBLISHED TOP |
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 In working on revisions of the planning materials for Lay Witness Missions, Journey of Faith, emphasis was given to follow-up, or continuance, of the LWM experience. What could we do to help sustain the fruit of the weekend, for both the individual and for the church? In the past, this has been a weak point of Lay Witness Missions.
In our opinion, the best follow-up for the event is to get people into small groups and build on the positive small group experiences of the weekend. Throughout history, Christians meeting together in small groups to encourage, strengthen, care for, love and pray for one another has been the best vehicle for sustaining the fruit of revival. Small groups provide the workshop of the Holy Spirit to help Christians grow into maturity and function together as the body of Christ. The LWM weekend provides several opportunities for participants to have a small group experience. We are in the process of developing a small group study that ties directly to the weekend event. Participants in the LWM can begin the study immediately following the LWM event.
However, it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to develop a "bridge" resource, the Lay Witness Mission Participant's Guide and Journal, that could be used during the event that would do the following:
1. Enhance the experience of the participants. by providing a roadmap of the week-end event.
2. Plant seeds for follow-up by providing written commentary on the dynamics of the week-end, the necessity of prayer, the value of small groups and the importance of faith sharing. This written commentary provides a consistent planting of seeds in the congregation by saying some things that may not be said during the sharing and testimonies of the weekend.
3. Create a book of remembrance for participants. Space is provided for participants to record, or journal, significant experiences, insights, and revelations during the weekend. In the Bible, God told people on several occasions to write down the significant spiritual experiences that they were having, for example: Ex 17:14 "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered."
4. If they use this resource, they will be better prepared and more responsive at the church's celebration service by having something to share and contribute to the formation of the congregation's vision and follow-up ministries after the weekend.
These new participant guidebooks are being used in all missions starting this year and we have received good feedback on them from churches and coordinators who have used them.
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| ARIZONA LAY WITNESS RETREAT HELD TOP |
Led by Lay Witness Coordinator, Dave Camp, 27 people gathered at Living Waters Retreat Center, Cornville, Arizona for their annual Lay Witness Retreat January 11-13. Participants gathered from Arizona, California and New Mexico. Frank Billman, Director of Church Relations for ARM also attended and gave the group a report on all the new things that ARM is doing for the Lay Witness program across the country. Mary Keim and her husband Larry were part of the retreat, with Mary leading one of the group sessions utilizing her art and Scripture. Mary is 89 and Larry is 90. They have been married 70 years and are both still sharp. Mary started an outreach program for children in her neighborhood so that she might share her faith with them. Dave Camp led the singing for the weekend and also led a bible study session. Most of the participants shared testimonies with the group.
As team members gather at churches for Lay Witness Missions they are told to not sit together or visit much together, but to disperse throughout the room and at lunch to interact with the people of the church, since that is why they are there. At the same time, the witnesses have come to love other team members as they have gotten to know each other on missions and they wanted a time to be able to fellowship together, encourage each other and pray for each other. That is why the retreat was started.
On the Monday after the retreat, Dave Camp and Frank Billman went to Phoenix, to the offices of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference to meet with their conference Evangelism Committee. Dave and Frank shared with them about Lay Witness Mission and the other ministries that Aldersgate Renewal Ministries can offer them. They were warmly received and the committee asked for quite a bit of literature to share with their churches. It is hoped that this will mean a revival of Lay Witness Missions especially in that part of our country.
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| NEW SPANISH LANGUAGE MATERIALS PRODUCED TOP |
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 A number of years ago our Life in the Spirit Seminar participant manual was translated into Spanish to make it possible to conduct the Life in the Spirit Seminar in Paraguay. Since that time it has been used in Spanish speaking churches in the US. Now we have the Lord Teach Us to Pray participant manual, the Lord Teach us to Pray brochure and the Life in the Spirit brochure also translated into Spanish.
We hope that the new Spanish language brochures will help us generate more opportunities to minister in Spanish speaking churches here at home. We have an international Life in the Spirit and Lord Teach Us to Pray trip brewing for Peru. We’re excited that we’ll have the opportunity to use the Spanish version of Lord, Teach Us To Pray on the Peru trip.
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| LISS COORDINATOR MANUAL PRODUCED TOP |
| A Life in the Spirit Seminar Coordinator's manual has been completed and is now ready for distribution. It outlines the procedures for the planning, coordination, and follow-up of Life in the Spirit Seminars here in the United States. It includes a CD with extensive sample documents and forms in WORD format that can be adapted and customized by each coordinator. An International Life in the Spirit Seminar Coordinator's Manual was produced last year. |
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LWM COORDINATOR MANUAL REVISION TOP
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| Back in 1974 the General Board of Discipleship produced a manual for coordinators of Lay Witness Mission and Venture in Discipleship. With the input and insight of 10 current coordinators, this manual is being revised and updated. It should be available at the Coordinator Retreat in April. This manual will be a valuable tool for new coordinators. |
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COORDINATOR RETREAT SCHEDULED TOP
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 On April 18-20 the coordinators for all of our team-led, local church renewal events, Lay Witness Mission, Lord Teach Us To Pray, Pathways to a Praying Church, Life in the Spirit Seminar, and Worship in Spirit and Truth are invited to come to the Aldersgate Renewal Center for a retreat. Potential coordinators for these events are also invited. This is a first of its kind!
We want to provide this time for coordinators for information, inspiration and impartation. We want to share information with the coordinators and have them share information with us. We want God to bless them and fill them through prayer, worship and His Word. And we expect that God will give the coordinators new vision and fresh commitment to ministry.
ARM values the ministry that coordinators do for us so we want to invest in the coordinators: their hotel stay will be subsidized, we will provide meals, and offer travel assistance to those who need it.
As part of the retreat potential Lay Witness Mission Coordinators will receive training and have an opportunity to interact with experienced coordinators. All of the coordinators will learn more about the other local church renewal events ARM provides. We will pray together, fellowship together, share Holy Communion together and hear God's Word to us.
If you are a coordinator or potential coordinator you may call Pam Dow at the ARM office toll free 1-877-857-9372 to register. There is a $25/person registration fee. April 1st is the deadline to register.
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