News from Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association

Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association News and Notes March 13, 2008 Pastor's Fellowship Breakfast Tuesday mornings, 8:00 - 9:30 am, Country Waffles, Dakota/Blackstone. March 18: Joshua Smith, CSBC African-American Church Starting Specialist. Church News... Baptist Temple......The Power 2 Change Student Conference scheduled for this coming Saturday, March 15, has been postponed. Tina Evans, a member of Woodward Park Baptist Church, appeared on the NBC Today Show to talk about her victory over a weight problem and how it has changed her life style. Look here to see the clip of the Today Show. Evangelist Tom Cox will be speaking at a series of meetings hosted by First Baptist Church Firebaugh March 23-26. Iglesia Nueva Vida is seeking a youth pastor. Contact Pastor Carlos Ansaldi with recommendations at cansaldiphd@yahoo.com. Summer Missionaries Mid-Valley Association will host two college-age Summer Missionaries this summer. The missionaries are available by request to serve in your church for a week this summer. They can fit into a variety of evangelism and ministry projects. The cost of making Summer Missionaries available is made possible through the North American Mission Board, however, your church would be responsible for lodging, food, local transportation, and transportation to the student's next place of service. If interested in hosting the Summer Missionaries for a week please contact Alma Bray, Association Coordinator, at 299-3454 or by email at ajbray@sti.net. There are four weeks still available: June 6-14, June 14-21, July 26-August 2, and August 2-9. Leadership: Upcoming events, classes, retreats... Seminary Extension 4th Qtr. Class -- March 25-May 20, 2008, "Formation of Ministry". This class will be a study of the meaning of ministry; some spiritual, personal, and professional requirements for ministry; and ways in which ministry may be expressed. To register please call MV office at 297-5550 or email mvsba@yahoo.com. Teacher: Rich Johnstone, DOM. Cost: $195. In Defense of the Faith -- A Debate and Symposium sponsored by New Covenant Church Fresno. April 18-19, 2008. Dinesh D'Souza, author of What's So Great About Chirstianity will participate in a debate and symposium. For details and to register look here. You can get a sample of D'Souza's approach to defending the faith by viewing some of his past debates. WPBC Leadership Summit -- April 18-19, 2008 Woodward Park Baptist Church is hosting Josh Hunt to lead a seminar on "What Does a Disciple Look Like?" What needs to happen in order for the Disciple-making process to be successful? Missy Hunt will also be speaking on K.I.D.T.E.A.C.H. for Pre-School and Children's Leadership. Contact Pastor David Peugh at 298-7087 for more information and registration. Women Aware -- April 18-19, 2008, Valley Baptist Church, Bakersfield. Registration before March 15th is $60; afterward $75. No on-site registration. Online registration and hotel information available here or by calling Cathy Glover at 229-9533 ext. 255. (this event was formerly Refresher Weekend). Ministers' Leadership Conference -- April 21-24, 2008, Hume Lake Christian Camp. The theme for 2008 is Relevance. Look here for more information or call Sherri Bridges at 256-0814 to register. PK Retreat -- April 25-27, 2008. The purpose of this retreat for PK's is to allow teens to build a statewide PK peer group, experience a worship service together, and to help PK's deal with the special privileges and problems of being a PK. For more information please contact Daryl Watts at dwatts@csbc.com or 259-9533 ext. 261. Ministers' Wives Retreat -- May 16-18, 2008, Jenness Park. Theme: Instruments of the Master. Rejoice, reflect and renew yourself with other ministers' wives from across the state! Register by April 15. Details here. Vacation Bible School 2008 Aloha! Surf's up so grab your surfboard and head to Outrigger Island! During 2008, kids will know, speak, and live God's truth----aloha style-- based on Psalm 86:11.. Mid-Valley Association VBS Workshop for VBS leaders and teachers will be held Saturday, March 29, 8:30 am- 12:30 pm at Cornelia Avenue Southern Baptist Church. Participants of this workshop will be able to confidently lead children and families to Christ through a high quality VBS in their own churches. Cost: $5/person. RSVP to Rita at MV office 297-5550. Put on your best Hawaiian outfit and come join us (there will be Aloha give-aways)! Workshop Schedule: 8:30 - 9:00 Registration & refreshments 9:00 - 9:30 Worship Rally at the Lagoon 9:30 - 9:35 Surf to class! 9:35 - 11:35 Island Overlook Breakout Session (Preschool leaders, Children leaders, VBS directors, Spanish VBS) 11:35-12:15 Island Hopping Open House (Music Falls, Missions Lookout, Crafts Cabana, Recreation Reef, Snack Shack) 12:15 - 12:30 Wrap up, including Aloha give-aways 12:30 Aloha! Note: VBS has made a huge impact nationally. Southern Baptists enrolled more than 2.9 million people in VBS in 2006 and about 2 million of those were ages 5-12. "When you realize that there are 32 million children in America who are between ages 5-12, it's staggering to think about 1 in 16 children in that age group was enrolled in a LifeWay VBS in a Southern Baptist church," says Ken Marler of Lifeway Christian Resources. VBS continues to be one of the most effective evangelism tools that churches have to lead children and families to Christ. Mid-Valley Children's Summer Camp In 2008 Children's Camp will be held at Quaker Meadow Christian Camp. This camp is located in the Sequoia National Forest approximately 45 miles east of Porterville, nestled among majestic sequoia and fir trees. For more information on Quaker Meadow look here. We will be posting the registration and medical forms on our website next week. Get ready for some great activities: hiking, zip line, crafts, climbing wall, rappelling station, basketball, volleyball, and boating. Date: Monday, July 7, Noon - Friday, July 11, Noon Cost: $180/camper Track I: 3rd, 4th, 5th graders Track II: 6th, 7th, 8th graders Prayer requests -Dan Hull, former pastor of Firbaugh FBC, recovering from the effects of a fall resulting in a head injury. -Ron & Carol Climer as they travel to Boston this week as their daughter, Lori, will have surgery. -Rev. John-David Schofield, Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin. He has been "disciplined" by the Episcopal Church leaders. He responded to the discipline by asking why it is that "bishops who continue to teach and publish books that deny the most basic of Christian beliefs are not disciplined while those of us who uphold the Christian faith are?" Pray for God's strength and courage to fill Bishop Schofield.

Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association 825 W. Ashlan Avenue, Ste. 101 Clovis CA 93612