EFCC Conference: Initial Summary

I expect that there will be a number of reports from a variety of sources over the next few days from EFCC Conference 2010. Our theme was Regerate: Plant. Water. Grow. I would just like to say that what I appreciated this year was the ‘vibe’. It’s hard to explain exactly what I mean, but I felt a whole new level of togetherness, collaboration and excitement. As I heard other people’s opinions expressed there, I know that I’m not the only one that felt that. I hope that we can keep that going.

I will be posting a online gallery of pictures soon.

If there are other places where you’re seeing reports and updates from Conference 2010, please pass along the sources. And if you’d like to add your own voice to the mix, feel free to add a comment below.

Enrich Add-On at Conference

The Prepare-Enrich Inventory is the leading premarital assessment tool used by pastors in North America.  On WEDNESDAY, JULY 21 we are offering the Prepare-Enrich Inventory training at Sun Peaks just for our pastors. This is open for both first-time users and for those who need updated training in the new Customized Version. (The former version (Prepare/Enrich 2000) will be discontinued next year). Spouses are welcome to attend as well, as are lay leaders who are involved in marriage mentoring.

Wednesday 12:30pm-5pm — attenders meet in the Sundance room at Sun Peaks. The training kit includes new DVDs, sample reports, etc.

If you do any premarital counselling, please consider signing up. The cost and registration (which is on top of the EFCC Conference registration) is all handled through Enrich Canada on their website. You can click here to register. We’re pleased to be able to offer this training at Conference, giving you just one more reason to join us there!

You can click here to register to the EFCC Conference. The deadline is at the end of this month!

Conference Registration Hits 100 (Updated)

We’re pleased to announce that 100 people have now registered! Conference 2010, which we’re calling Regenerate, is happening 21-24 at Sun Peaks, BC (outside of Kamloops). We’re hoping for another 200 attenders — at least!

If you would like to sign up, please visit our registration page.

Don’t forget as part that booking accommodations is the last step of registration. Clicking through on the link on the registration page will take you to a discounted booking page. (We’re getting a great deal from Sun Peaks!)

This is going to be a great Conference in a wonderful location, and is planned with sufficient freedom to explore it all.

Update: I’ve just received word that we’ve far surpassed 100! And there’s still lots of room for more. But don’t wait too long. Time is running out!

Conference Intros: Part 2

Here is Part 2 in our line-up of engaging speakers for EFCC Conference 2010 (click here to see Part 1).

Randy Friesen was the director of Youth Mission International (YMI) from 1989 to 2002. Through YMI Randy gave leadership to the development and growth of mission programs for teens, college-age and early career participants. From 2002 to 2004 Randy was the Director of Short Term Ministries for MBMS International, which included YMI and other intergenerational mission programs such as Disciple Making International (DMI) and Global Action Partners (GAP). Since 2004 Randy has served as the General Director of MBMS International, the global mission agency of the Mennonite Brethren churches of North America. When not travelling to mission projects around the world, Randy speaks to audiences across North America calling this generation to a life of risk and sacrifice in an eternal direction.

Randy has a BA in International Politics, a Masters in Theology from Tyndale Seminary in Toronto and a DTH in Missiology from the University of South Africa.

Randy and his wife Marjorie live in Abbotsford, BC with their two children Joshua and Olivia.

EFCC Conference 2010: Regenerate

Please plan to attend EFCC Conference 2010! This year our theme is Regenerate: Plant. Water. Grow.

We are really excited about this Conference. For starters it will be held in the picturesque Sun Peaks Resort. This gives opportunities for bike-riding, hiking, swimming or just enjoying the scenery.

We are planning some excellent plenary sessions and seminar topics. But we’re also leaving lots of time open for connecting and sharing with other leaders and members of the EFCC community.

We hope you will take advantage of what we’re offering at EFCC Conference 2010. We’re looking forward to seeing you all there!

Registration is now open!

Finally, you can download a high-quality print of this invite by clicking here. Share it with your church family. Everyone who attends will be blessed, and will be a blessing!

Conference Intros: Part 1

We are eager to begin introducing our line-up of engaging speakers for EFCC Conference 2010.

Dr. Paul Chamberlain is the director of the Institute for Christian Apologetics at Trinity Western University (ACTS division) and has taught ethics, philosophy of religion and Christian Apologetics at TWU since 1990. He has also worked with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries during part of that time. He is an effective communicator both in and out of the classroom. His humorous, down-to-earth manner appeals to a wide variety of people. Drawing from the media and using a professional power point presentation, his seminars are both interesting and relevant.

Dr. Chamberlain has appeared on numerous radio and television talk shows, debated on university campuses, and is a frequent guest speaker at public functions. He is the author of Can We be Good Without God, Final Wishes, How To Talk About Good and Bad Without Getting Ugly: A Guide to Moral Persuasion, and The Fear of Faith, as well as a number of articles addressing current social and moral issues. He is currently writing a fourth book which responds to the widespread charge that religion is evil and breeds violence.

Conference 2010 Announcement

After deliberation and the typical behind-the-scenes negotiating, we now have a date and a venue for Conference 2010. One that we’re actually pretty psyched about!

It will be held at the Delta Sun Peaks Resort, BC (near Kamloops) from July 21-24, 2010.

I’ll post more details as they become available. And we’re going to work really hard on streamlining and simplifying the registration process. For some of you, this is really good news!

Click here for more pictures of the resort and facilities.

Partnership with Hermosillo, Mexico Strengthens

It was great to have Isaac and Iris (pictured here with Steve, our Latin America Area Director) on hand at the EFCC Conference ’08 to represent our EFC congregation in Mexico. Isaac is the church’s pastor, and Iris is his wife. They headed back having observed so much at our Conference and in our curches. They know who their partners in Canada, they can dream about how to work together in more creative ways and they have a whole list of things to share with their local church, Arbol de Vida (Tree of Life), to move it on to becoming a sending church as well.

It was great to be able to share this time with them, and have their experience as missionary hosts inform the EFCC’s perspectives on how to best to engage in future missions.

Ramping Up To Conference 2008

Wow there are so many things that need to be completed still! I’m looking at the print work, the video/presentation production and a host of other bits and pieces. I’m so grateful for all the time and energy that have been put into planning and ensuring that this Conference is the best it can be — especially those who are taking some of the pressure off me!

If you can make it, you’re encouraged to come join us in Edmonton from July 23rd to 26th. It will be a great chance to connect with other pastors, leaders and members of the EFCC. You can find out all the details by clicking here. (You can even register right from that site.)

Whether you can make it or not, please pray that this will be a great time of personal connection, of united energy and of vision casting. And please pray that we can each fulfill our varied roles in achieving those goals.

Heavy Into (Conference) Production

Things are starting to ramp up for this year’s EFCC Conference heading to Edmonton from July 23rd to 26th. I have a bunch of pieces to work on, including new video presentations and area brochures. That is just to say that my plate is very full over the next few weeks and months, so blog posts here may be a little sporadic — though I’ll work hard to prevent them from becoming too sporadic.

Hey, if you’re part of an Evangelical Free Church in Canada, consider this your invite to attend the conference! You can see our Conference info by clicking here — you can even register! The theme is Advancing With Confident Hope, an appropriate choice as we look forward to welcoming a new President to office. (Ron is retiring, if you’re wondering.)

If you can make it, introduce yourself to the tall guy with the camera — I’ve been asked to be the ‘official photographer’. Sadly the position doesn’t come with a large font ‘OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER’ t-shirt. Yet.