Team Wisconsin Update 3-4-08

I was privileged to be with Lead Pastor Craig Cooper, his staff and congregation this past weekend. They have three services - one on Saturday and two on Sunday. Everyone has their role and does their part well throughout the weekend. Pastor Todd Arneson oversees the missions, connections and congregational care. Pastor Jeff Semple leads worship and takes care of the creative arts. Pastor Heather Semple oversees all spiritual formation. Pastor Brandon Willis works in student ministries and also shares some of the teaching and discipleship classes. Reenie and I were privileged to connect with each of them sometime over the weekend. There is an excitement about the future. People are coming to Christ. There is a group of youth preparing to go with the Nicaragua youth missions team this summer. Pastor Craig continues to give good leadership, along with his staff, to moving Red Cedar into the future. Pray for them as they do their major outreach at Easter at the High school auditorium and as they determine their future needs for facilities and additional space.

Nicaragua

Here are some things you can celebrate and pray about that are happening in Nicaragua:

• The medical team returned from Nicaragua last week and you’ll be hearing an update next week.

• The Nicaragua Bible Institute has begun its new year of classes. Jim Eckhardt is teaching a class on

Pastoral Ethics and Mike Knox is teaching the Introduction to the New Testament.

• The Amigos del Rey church in Tipitapa is holding services in Matagalpa. The church is averaging 70 people and there are 5 new believers.

• A work team from the New Life Wesleyan Church in Gillette, WY was in Nicaragua last month to work on the church in Malacatoya.

• Pray for our three grade schools in Mount Horeb, Las Colinas and Los Amiguitor del Rey. Together there are several hundred students.

• Pray for the new district board, elected in January, and remember District Superintendent Enrique Montenegro as he leads.

• Pray for the Mount Horeb Church and a work group from Sheridan, WY who will be building a kitchen in order to host a feeding program in the future.

Focus Tour

This Thursday, Phil Stevenson and Jim Dunn will be coming to Wisconsin and teaching on how to have spiritual, leadership, principle and outward focus. Pray with us that it will be an encouraging and challenging day.

Easter Offering

Every year around the Easter season we are encouraged and challenged to thinking missionally by giving the people in our churches opportunity to give to assist in church planting. A significant part of our vision as a district and a denomination
is to plant new congregations. The Easter offering is a significant way that we can invest in planting, training, coaching and resourcing. I encourage you to do what you can for church planting. Every pastor has received information and promotional material.

Calendar

March 4 ................................................. Dialogues

5 ............... Nicaragua Partnership Meeting

6 ............................... Focus Tour (Pastors)

8 ................................... Casa de Dios LBA

9 ........................................ High Point Visit

10 ......................................... The River LBA

11 ................................................. Dialogues

12 ........................................ Lakeshore LBA

13 .................................... Darrow Road LBA

15-16 ........................................ Mt. Pisgah Visit

17-20 .................................... DS Institute, GBA

23 ......................................... Easter Sunday

25—4/1 .................. Vacation (our son’s wedding)