Weekly Update from Mid-Valley - July 28, 2011

Here's the latest weekly update from Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association.

News from Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association

Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association Newsletter                                                      July 14, 2011 In This Issue Church News Church to Church Missions World Changers Update Special Evangelistic Trailer Missions Upcoming events Pastors Fellowship Ministers' Wives Fellowship     NOTE: The meeting for August 13 will be held at Sarah McCullough's home, 2673 E. Solar Ave, Fresno 93720, 10:30 am.    Ministers' Wives meet the second Saturday of each month at Joseph's Java Junction, 4141 N. Fresno Street, 10:30 am.  Our desire is to fellowship, pray, and support  each other as we serve the Lord in our various ministries of Mid-Valley Association.  Mid-Valley Annual  Golf Tournament It's time to mark your calendar for the 4th Annual Mid-Valley Golf Tournament, September 17, 2011.  Get your foursome ready for a day or golf, fellowship and good food!   Contact Us mvsba@yahoo.com     www.midvalleybaptists.com    Ph: 559-297-5550    Mid-Valley Mission Statement Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association exists to assist partner churches to effectively fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.  We are a cooperative partnership of Southern Baptist Churches in Fresno and surrounding three counties. Church News  Please be in prayer for Pastor Terry Glover of First Southern Baptist Church Coalinga as he had back surgery earlier this week.  First Southern Baptist Church Selma hosted a great VBS in June....look at picutres here.  Clovis Hills Community Church is sending a short-term mission team of seventeen youth and two adults to minister alongside believers in the Philippines.  This project is part of a long-term partnership between Clovis Hills and their partners in the Philippines.  The team will be assisting and leading in a variety of evangelistic events including a crusade/concert for youth.  Pray for Florente Torres and Kimberly MacNeill as they lead the team. Crosspoint Church will be hosting a Walk Thru the Bible Training, Old Testament, with Pastor Larry Dotson on Saturday, September 24, 9am - 5pm.  The cost will be $35/person (includes registation, material, lunch, snacks).  The second training, Walk Thru the Bible, New Testament, will be Saturday, October 8. Grace Community Church Madera requests prayer for  the Czech Republic Mission team and the New Mexico Mission Team as they  minister to the lost, encourage believers, and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.  A local roofing company has provided all materials needed to replace the roof of St. Matthew's Baptist Church in Fresno.  Praise God for this much needed provision!  This job can be done only after the old roof is removed and a skilled roofer and team are willing to put on the new roof.  If you can help please contact Mike Leydig at 908-8958 or the church office at 266-0245. Church to Church Missions  Is your church or small group planning a mission project?  Sister Mid-Valley churches want to help.  Let us know about your mission effort here OR call the MV office at 297-5550 or email information to mvsba@yahoo.com.  The MV Association will then help spread the word to sister churches and small groups.   Working together MV churches can maximize the impact of each church.  Connecting churches for local mission projects is a great opportunity for your youth, high school age, college age, or adult small group to come alongside another MV church with a need for help in a local missions project.  Listed below are request(s) for assistance.  If your church or group can meet one of the needs, please contact that church directly and advise the MV Association office. First So. Baptist Church Kerman - English Language Outreach to Punjabi People in Kerman area World Changers   Students from throughout the US have been in Clovis this week serving 23 low-income Clovis homeowners in the name of Jesus by refurbishing their homes.  The following Mid-Valley churches have been feeding the work crews:  Soma Christian Church, FSBC Sanger, Clovis Hills Community Church,  Lifeway Baptist Church, Sierra Heights Baptist Church, Mt. Olive Baptist Church.  See pictures here. Special Evangelistic Events Trailer  The Special Evangelisitc Events Trailer (SEET) assist Mid-Vlley churches in building gospel bridges in their communities, developing relationships with people, andintroducing them to Christ and His church.  SEET is available to al MV churches on a first come first served basis.  If you would like to reserve the block party trailer for an upcoming event at your church click here to view all information and necessary forms.  Listed below are churches who will be using the trailer in the next few weeks: FBC Oakhurst, July 16 Trinity Southern Baptist Church, July 23 Woodward Park Community, July 30 Sierra Heights Baptist Church, September 3 Cornelia Avenue So. Baptist, Sept 17 St. Matthew Baptist Church, October 15 FSBC Reedley, October 26 Cornelia Avenue So. Baptist, October 31 Missions  Please pray for Terry Maldonado as she moves to East Asia to facilitate a Community Transformation Center. As the International Relations Director, Terry will organize a Community Transformation Center (CTC) that fosters life transformation by way of Medical Clinics, Social Services, Business Developemnt and Humanitarian Aid in India.  You can see Terry's prayer request and post encouragement notes at serve@clovishills.com and join the "Friends of India" group on MyCLovisHills.  Terry's blog link:  http://blogs.clovishills.com/terrymaldonado/    Upcoming Events Ministers/Staff Compensation Planning, August 22, 7-8:30 pm, Ministry Resource Center, 678 E. Shaw Ave, Fresno.  Support ministers and staff with a solid compensation plan.Information. Children's Music Series has undergone a lot of changes this year.  Free online training July 30.  Pastors Fellowship Breakfast  Each Tuesday morning, 8:00 am, Country Waffles, Dakota/Blackstone.  Pastors are invited to join us for breakfast, fellowship and learning. Guest speakers coming: July 26: KC Dickie, New Covenant Church Men's Prayer Group Leader August 2:  Derek C,

Kerman Friendship Center - Connecting with Punjabi Friends

This update comes from Don F., who is partnering with FSBC Kerman to connect with their Punjabi neighbors in the Kerman area.  –Rich Johnstone

Parlier Migrant Center VBS

2011-07-22 Parlier Migrant Center VBS, a set on Flickr.

Several Mid-Valley churches came together to conduct VBS, Dental screening, and a block party this week. CSBC helps facilitate ministry in all 30 migrant centers in California.

MV Churches Mobilize for Migrant Center Ministries

The doors are open this week for MV churches to connect with residents at both the Parlier and the Madera Migrant Centers.

MADERA CENTER:  Five MV churches will do ministry at the Madera Center: El Encino, Trinity, Nueva Esperanza, Sierra Heights, and Newlife (Easton).  They will lead VBS for both children and adults Tuesday through Friday evenings.  The CSBC Dental Unit will be part of a Block Party on Saturday afternoon.  Ken Hinman of Trinity is Madera coordinator.  Nueva Esperanza will be leading the ongoing follow up ministry efforts.

PARLIER CENTER:   Annadale Baptist and FSBC Reedley will lead Backyard Bible Clubs on Wednesday thru Friday mornings.  Copper Springs and Woodward Park will join in on Friday to help lead the evangelistic Block Party and the CSBC Dental Unit.  Jason Mahill of Reedley FSBC is the Parlier coordinator.  Jason hopes that this week of ministry will propel an effort for ongoing gospel ministry in Parlier.

Both locations will include distribution of food, distribution of clothing to children, distribution of a backpack and school supplies to teens, evangelistic Vacation Bible School and block party, and dental screening using the CSBC Dental Clinics.

Oscar Sanchez is the leading the statewide effort to connect California Southern Baptist Churches with the 30 migrant Centers.  He is the Field Specialist for Migrant Ministries. 


Pray for these efforts that MV churches will clearly communicate the love of Jesus Christ this week and that many will respond.  --Rich Johnstone

What Love Looks Like: A Refrigerator

Bill Jones reports an amazing story from the World Changer's Project.

Brenda Coldar is a Clovis homeowner who had her home refurbished by a World Changers crew.  While the crew was painting her house, her refrigerator died.  She was not financially able replace the refrigerator.  Unfortunately, replacing refrigerators does not fall under the scope of World Changers projects.  Jim Gray, the WC Construction Coordinator took it upon himself to find a solution to the problem.  He approached Lowe's, the official World Changers supplier, to see if he could work out a deal.  Lowe's agreed to sell the refrigerator at cost.  Even so, the price was beyond the current means of the homeowner.  Jim then made the rounds of all the crew chiefs and supervisors and raised enough money to pay the full cost of the new refrigerator.

Love is meeting the need of another at sacrifice to one's self.  Christ demonstrated love most clearly.  Providing  a new refrigerator in the name of Jesus is also a clear demonstration of His love.  -Rich Johnstone

Oakview BC Block Party

2011-07-04 Oakview Block Party at Prather, a set on Flickr.

Oakview BC held a Block Party at the parking lot of the Prather CVS. They are Preparing for VBS next week at their church facility.

MV Wild Water Day Camp

2011-07-07 Wild Water Day Camp, a set on Flickr.

MV Wild Water Day Camp kicked off last night at Trinity SBC. Water park today. Mission projects tomorrow.