Pray for the Persecuted Church! Grace Evangelical Free Church rd Ave. NE Fridley, MN

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1 Grace Evangelical Free Church rd Ave. NE Fridley, MN NOVEMBER 2016 MONTHLY LETTER Pray for the Persecuted Church! Dr. Gerald Stigall Senior Pastor Scot Hintermeyer Pastor of Administration and the Arts David Preston Pastor of Youth and Young Adults Ändrea Lombardo Associate of Youth and Young Adults Jackie Den Hartog Christian Education Development Director Trisha Pull Children s Ministry Communications Director The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are one body. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it (1 Corinthians 12:26). There is one part of the church that especially suffers: the persecuted church. This month, we, the church, are called to pray in a concerted way for our brothers and sisters around the world who are being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus. This persecution can be on a range from verbal harassment to hostile feelings, attitudes and actions. Christians, especially in areas with severe religious restrictions, often pay a heavy price for their faith. Beatings, physical torture, confinement, isolation, rape, severe punishment, imprisonment, slavery, discrimination in education and employment, and even death are just a few examples of the persecution they experience on a daily basis. According to The Pew Research Center, over 75% of the world's population lives in areas with severe religious restrictions (and many of these people are Christians). Also, according to the United States Department of State, Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Right now 200 million people face persecution for believing in Jesus and 60% of those people are children, according to Christians in Crisis International Ministry, a prayer advocacy ministry for persecuted believers. Thankfully we have a team of prayer warriors who gather monthly to learn about the challenges and struggles of the persecuted church and to intercede for them. During the month of November - and especially on November 6th - ours is the opportunity to pray for those who choose to let the light of Christ shine in such dark and hostile environments.

2 Consider these troubling facts: How might we pray for the Persecuted Church? Because the New Testament was written to persecuted believers, it is filled with examples of how to pray for our brothers and sisters under attack. Here are 5 examples from Ephesians: Please pray persecuted believers would know the hope God gives (Eph. 1:18). Pray the Holy Spirit would strengthen them (Eph. 3:16). Please pray persecuted believers would know how much God loves them (Eph. 3:17) Pray they would know how to share the gospel (Eph. 6:19). Please pray persecuted believers would fearlessly tell others about Jesus (Eph. 6:20). In this month when we celebrate missions around the world, let s remember those who witness in such hard places. Praying with you, Pastor Gerald November 6 Don t forget to set your clocks back one hour.

3 M EN S INISTRY Engaging Men in Today's Culture Nick Keane November 4th 6:30 pm GEFC Fellowship Hall RSVP by noon, Thursday, November 3rd, (Spaghetti Pie, Cole Slaw, Bread Sticks) $7.00 per person

4 Relay Center: During the upcoming Operation Christmas Child Collection Week, November 14 - November 21, we will receive packed shoeboxes at Grace, from other individuals, churches and organizations. We need your help! Please sign up to work a 2-3 hour shift receiving boxes in the Fellowship Hall. Contact Trisha Pull (tpull@gracefree.org) for more information or sign up at the OCC table in the foyer on Sundays. Make - A - Gift: Parents & Grandparents: Join us, with your kids, on Saturday, November 5 from 9:00-12:00 in the Fellowship Hall for our Make-A-Gift event. We will gather to make handmade gifts for OCC boxes. All supplies and instructions will be provided. Just come and make the gifts. Please bring a snack to share. Sign up at the OCC table in advance. Contact Trisha Pull (tpull@gracefree.org) with questions. Important Upcoming OCC Dates: Saturday, November 5 - Make-A-Gift-Sign up at the OCC table in advance. Sunday, November 6 - final day to bring in money or supplies for US to pack your shoeboxes. Sunday, November 13 - Packing party in the gym after church. Sign up at the OCC table. Remember to bring $3/ adult, $2/child for lunch. Sunday, November 20 - last day to bring in boxes. Pray for OCC: Please be praying with us for OCC boxes. To receive weekly updates that will help you pray more specifically and intentionally, please contact Bryan Seiffert (bryanseiffert@gmail.com)

5 Nov. 5 & 12 10:00 AM Surviving the Holidays will meet in the Conference Room. Please enter the building using DOOR C. GRACE YOUTH Bible Quizzing Saturday November 12 2:00 PM Come and cheer on the Quizzers!

6 If you would like to be baptized, please contact Pastor Gerald, or UPWARD Basketball and Cheerleading We are preparing for our 10th year of UPWARD season 2017, and hope to build our team early so we can be ready to teach Basketball and Cheerleading skills AND share the gospel with kids AND their families. We have a job for anyone!! Check out the many OPPORTUNITIES to VOLUNTEER: evaluation helpers to size uniforms and register kids, coaches, refs, time/ scorekeepers, assistants, game day helpers, halftime presenters, advertising, set up, clean up, concession workers, prayer warriors, leadership trainees for 2017, etc. Pick up a brochure to learn more about our league, also check out upward.org We also could use some ideas for making our 10th Award Celebration Night fabulous! Contact Pam Olsen to volunteer or help in any way, or polsen@gracefree.org

7 Women s Saturday Morning Stretch Never Too Late November 19, 9:00-10:30 Women, please join us in the Fellowship Hall for a continental breakfast. Then Marion Lorence will share on how to encourage faith in adult children and other adult loved ones with discussion to follow. Cost is $5.00. Sign up at the Welcome Center or call the church office. Women s Ministries

8 Fall Retreat Recap 50 of our students and leaders had an incredible weekend experience at Camp Shamineau this last weekend. With not a lot of sleep, we all enjoyed non-stop fun as we had opportunities to get to know each other better through various activities such as the ropes course, horseback riding, football, nine-square, hayrides, and late night conversation and laughs. God s word came alive in a fresh way as the speaker focused on the miracles and life of Jesus. The worship music throughout the weekend had us jumping around, clapping and praising God alongside several other youth groups from around Minnesota. What a fun and unforgettable experience. We already can not wait until next October! - Vikings vs. Lions Youth Football party: - Sunday, November 6 ( 12:00-3:00 PM ) - Girls Night {grades 6-12}: - Friday - Saturday, November Guys Night {grades 6-12}: - Friday - Saturday, December Youth Prayer Gathering: - Monday, December 5 ( 6:30-9:00 PM ) Join us on Sunday 9:15 am where we will look at the seven pressing questions that challenge the Christian Faith! Youth Group meets weekly on Wednesday evenings in the upper room 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Be there! Pastor David dpreston@gracefree.org Ändrea alombardo@gracefree.org

9 MISSIONS Sunday, November 20 Fall Mission Sunday 9:15 AM Sharing during Bible Hour by Missionaries and Short-Termers (All Adult and Teen Classes gathering in the Fellowship Hall) Display Tables for information and conversation in the Commons 10:30 AM -- Worship Hour Speaker: James P. with EFCA ReachGlobal Flag Parade and the Slide-Show of Missionaries Gathering of Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes In-Gathering of our Faith Promise Commitments for 2017 Wait, there s more..don t leave yet 12:00 Noon -- Delectable Dinner in the Gym, Roast Beef and the Fixings, plus Pie (Fellowship around the tables) Take home: A New sense of how God is at work around the world A Renewed heart for prayer A New Connection/Adoption of a missionary for your family or small group/class and A Fresh Desire to be involved in the Harvest Faith Promise Commitments/Giving for Missions at Grace EFC The money to fund our Missions Annual Budget comes only from Faith Promise giving, not from General Fund giving. The Missions Team considers the totals from the Faith Promise Commitments, as they set the budget for the coming year. This COMMITMENT is between you and God. It is a PROMISE, not a pledge. No one will ask you for the money. Only the Financial Secretary sees your name with the amount. Any age can participate: adults, teens and children. Each of us is encouraged to give our tithe to the church s General Fund and then to give beyond our tithe to Missions. It takes FAITH to see God provide what He wants you to promise. Even if you haven t made a Faith Promise Commitment, you can still give to Missions, by designating Faith Promise for Missions on your giving envelope. Faith Promise Commitments include: a promise to PRAY and the opportunity to BE INVOLVED on a short-term trip or with local ministry events. Please make a new commitment each year. This year we will gather Faith Promise Commitments for 2017 on Missions Sunday, November 20, DESIRED RESULTS for Faith Promise Giving, Praying and Going Better connections with our missionaries, who are an extension of our church family and ministry. More PRAYER for and Participation in God s Kingdom Work More awareness and thankfulness for what God is doing around the world Joy in seeing people trust Jesus for their salvation and then growing in their faith ADOPTION Missionaries are a part of our church family, we desire to get to know them better. Any small group, Bible class or study group, family or individual can adopt a Missionary for the year. Keep in communication with them. Remember birthdays, anniversaries, special days. Pray for them and share prayer requests with them. If they serve locally, perhaps find an opportunity to join them in a ministry project. If they serve internationally, perhaps find a project to contribute to in some way.

10 This changes EVERYTHING! Your money. Your story. Your life. Learn God s ways of handling money with Dave Ramsey s Financial Peace University! The average turnaround is $8,000 in just the first three months! more info Our own Terry Heitzman is leading this class on Wednesday evenings through December 7 at 6:30 pm. Please contact the church office for more information on how to register for upcoming classes. Tuition will be $93. daveramsey.com/findaclass Prayer Praise & Pie November 23 Wednesday 7 PM Bring your favorite pie to share following the Thanksgiving Service.

11 No Radio, Radio Show Christmas Edition 2016 Presented by the Grace Chorale, Orchestra, Kids Choir and friends. Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, December 4, 2016 at 3:00 pm Great music. Commercials, Drama, features, and lots of laughs! If you have not experienced a No Radio, Radio Show, you won t want to miss it. Bring your friends, relatives, co-workers and that special someone who has not cracked a smile in years.

12 Adult Communities Adult Communities provide gathering opportunities to encourage friendships while also learning from God s Word. Adult Communities are geared for every stage of adult life and growth. We re sure there s a Community where you ll feel welcomed and appreciated. These communities meet on Sunday morning at 9:15 am. Married-Doing Life Together Ben Kubicek is leading this class on an in depth study of the gospel of Luke in the Conference Room. Mosaic (Biblical Topics) Meeting Room: 303 Coordinator: Eric Comer We are using the video series by Michael Card on the gospel of John. CROSSwalk (Issues adults face today) Lecture, large and small group discussion Meeting Room: 302 Coordinator: Val Hubel New Testament Survey Berean Jeff Vogel is leading us through the book of Ephesians in the 3rd floor lounge. Hilltoppers (Bible centered study) Lecture format with large group discussion Meeting Room: Fellowship Hall Coordinator: Bruce Miller The gospel of Mark is being team taught Second Wind Meeting Room: 301 Coordinator: Roland Peterson How would Jesus Vote? This class is using a book by Dr. Darrell Bock.

13 Grace Calendar Weekly at Grace Sundays: 9:00 am Prayer for Worship 9:15 am Bible Hour:Nursery, Sunday School & Adult Communities 10:30 am Worship Service Nursery Wee Worship (during the sermon) 4:00 pm Quiz Practice Mondays: 7:00 pm Adult Volleyball Tuesdays: 6:00 am Fe 2 Men s Group 10:00 am Staff Team Meeting Wednesdays: 1:00 pm Hilltopper Small Group 5:15 pm Kids Choir 5:30 pm Fellowship Meal 6:30 pm Awana, Grace Youth, Adult Bible Studies, Financial Peace University 8:00 pm Grace Orchestra Rehearsal Thursdays: 6:00 am Women s Bible Study 6:30 pm Grace Chorale Rehearsal Fridays: 7:00 am Prayer in the Conference Room 8:15 am Bread Ministry Saturdays: 8:00 am Men's Basketball Upcoming Grace Events November 1 10:00 am Prayer for the Persecuted Church 6:30 pm Directors Meeting November 4 6:30 pm Men s Friday Night Fight November 5 9:00 am OCC Make-A-Gift 10:00 am Surviving the Holidays November 6 Communion Sunday Daylight Savings Ends 12:00 pm Grace Youth Football Party 1:00 pm Christmas Concert Rehearsal November 8 Election Day Get Out & Vote November 10 11:00 am Birthday Brunch Bunch at IHOP November 11 6:00 pm Food Distribution November 12 10:00 am Surviving the Holidays 2:00 pm Quiz Meet November 13 3:00 pm OCC Packing Party November OCC Drop-off Week November 15 6:30 pm Elder Board Meeting November 19 9:00 am Women s Saturday Morning Stretch 11:00 am Upward Coach Training 12:00 pm Upward Evaluations November 20 Missions Sunday OCC Dedication Sunday 6:00 pm Christmas Tech Rehearsal November 21 6:00 pm Upward Evaluations November 23 7:00 pm Prayer Praise & Pie Service Regular Wednesday programs will resume on November 30 November 24 Thanksgiving Day November 25 Church Office Closed 11:00 am Upward Coach Training December 2 6:00 pm Youth Guys Night 6:30 pm Men s Friday Night Fight December 3 7:00 pm No Radio, Radio Show December 4 Communion Sunday 3:00 pm No Radio, Radio Show Are you a Prayer Warrior? Sign up to receive, via , prayer requests that come in during the week and are in need of urgent and immediate prayer. Contact the church office at or office@gracefree.org or fill out the Connection Card in the Sunday bulletin and write Prayer Warrior in the Prayer Requests section and drop it in the Offering plate.