All the best,
Guy Swenson
Our First Baptism!
In July we had our first baptism from our outreach ministry in an inner city neighborhood in Indianapolis. Marsha Colpitts was baptized during Camp Outreach. Marsha had been attending our neighborhood Bible studies on the Sabbath and Tuesday evenings for about a year and committed her life to Jesus Christ.
CAMP OUTREACH 2012:
We've had a busy summer. Camp Outreach 2012 was another success. 82 young adults, families and their children from 10 states converged on a near-west side Indianapolis neighborhood. For a week we rehabbed houses, cleared brush, fed the hungry, reconditioned a children's park and hosted a Vacation Bible School for the children of "Stringtown."
Every day we opened up the kitchen at The Lord's Pantry at Anna's House and fed neighborhood children, our Camp Outreach Team and quite a few neighborhood adults a nourishing breakfast. Then the Lord's Pantry and the Common Ground Ministry House became a place for children to learn see how Daniel learned to live a Godly life in an ungodly world.
Our evenings were a time of getting to know others and sharing with others some heart felt personal experiences reflecting the challenges of living a Godly life in THIS ungodly world. We've reserved July 7-13 for Camp Outreach 2013 - plan to join us for a different experience in Christian mission and ministry.
Feast of Tabernacles 2012:
What a wonderful experience we had sharing the Feast of Tabernacles with about 250 brethren in Destin, Florida. Most people don't know that in Zechariah 14 the prophet makes it clear that when Jesus returns as king, all nations will be expected to observe the Feast of Tabernacles. What a treat it is to follow in their footsteps and actually experience today the same Holy Days that Jesus, the apostles and the early Church observed.
Jennifer and I brought the set from the Daniel in Babylon Vacation Bible School and we had 42 young people participate every morning. Some children even came from other festival sites for this program. We were happy to share the experience with them.
Our young adults created a video drama (comedy?) about the feast and we played it on Sunday. It was a great creative production.
As a cosponsor of Common Faith Network (CFN), we worked with several other festival sites to do some joint activities. This was very well received by all the brethren.
Feast of Tabernacles 2013:
We have some great news about the CFN 2013 Feast of Tabernacles. We've found some others who want to further the idea of cooperating for the Feast of Tabernacles. I'll quote the announcement below:
2013 FEAST OF TABERNACLES COSPONSORING ANNOUNCEMENT
Common Faith Network (CFN) and the Church of God International (CGI) have agreed to cosponsor a Feast of Tabernacles site at the Boardwalk Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida for 2013. Jim O'Brien, pastor of the Church of God, Cincinnati, one of CFN's festival cosponsors, said: "For years brethren have been asking for groups sponsoring festival sites to combine their efforts and make it possible for more brethren and their children to get together during the Feast." He continued: "Adding CGI to the other three organizations cosponsoring the CFN Florida feast site represents an effort to listen and respond to the requests from brethren to expand the opportunities for families, teens and young adults to have a safe place to worship God and fellowship across organizational boundary lines."
Charles Groce, representing CGI and a new cosponsor of the CFN Florida festival site added: "We believe CFN shares our desire to have a feast site emphasizing sound doctrine, practical Christian living principles and creating a great festival experience for families. We, along with the other organizers of CFN, want to do our part in promoting what is in the best interest of our Christian brethren, regardless of the church organization to which they belong."
Guy Swenson, with Common Ground Christian Ministries, a CFN cosponsor commented: "We feel it is important to help individual Christians and congregations to become more engaged, equipped and empowered to fulfill the mission and ministries to which Jesus Christ has called them. The Feast is an excellent opportunity for all of us to learn more about our calling and become more involved in fulfilling His purpose for us."
In 2012, CFN promoted a very successful movement to cosponsor activities with other Florida festival sites as a way of promoting fellowship among brethren. As another bridge building effort, CFN also invited Scott Ashley, an elder in the United Church of God and member of the UCG Council of Elders, to speak at the CFN festival site in Destin, FL.
Bill Jacobs, co-founder of LifeResource Ministries and CFN cosponsor noted: "The Boardwalk Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, FL has condominium and hotel rooms that are right next door to the conference center. You can literally walk to services and activities. Those who have used the Boardwalk Beach Resort condominiums will remember the benefits of having so many people staying in the same facility. Inviting people over is easy and you are always running into friends at the pool and on the beach."
As a special note, CFN is once again offering special discounts and savings at the Boardwalk Beach Resort and several other condominium properties for those who make their reservations through CFN.
For more information or if you would like to help, you can reach CFN at www.commonfaithnetwork.com.
Common Faith Network represents a collaborative effort between churches, congregations and ministries to engage, equip and empower Christians and congregations to fulfill the purposes for which God our Father and Jesus Christ, His Son, have called them. CFN is not an incorporated organization but rather reflects working relationships between Christians accomplishing things together for the good of others.
Cosponsors of the 2013 CFN Florida Feast site include:
- The Church of God, Cincinnati http://www.cogcincinnati.org/
- The Church of God International http://www.cgi.org/
- Common Ground Christian Ministries www.NTEvangelism.org
- LifeResource Ministries http://www.liferesource.org/
Common Faith Network Feast of Tabernacles http://www.facebook.com/groups/152762744780655/?fref=ts
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