IN THIS ISSUE:

 

  • Growing Young Learning Cohort
  • Free Counseling through the RCA’s Employee Assistance Program
  • Information for Church Treasurers
  • Flourishing Churches Grant
  • Links You May Find Useful

For previous newsletters, resources, and other information, visit www.rsmam.org and like us on Facebook.

 

 
 
9140 Cleveland Street; Apt #102
Merillville, IN 46410
Mobile: (941) 302-1281
Email:  wregen@rsmam.org
 

2104 Campbell Street
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Office: (815) 464-9181
Mobile: (765) 237-7678
Email: chad@rsmam.org
 
President: Jason DeVries (New Thing)
Vice President: TBD
At-Large Members: Dale Buettner (Illiana-Florida), Bob Hofman (Illinois), Bob Wierenga (Wisconsin), TBD (Chicago)

 

 
 

     NEWS

 

 
 

The Reformed Church in America is partnering with the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) to host a Growing Young Cohort in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is an incredible opportunity for up to 30 RCA churches to transform their ministry to teens and young adults using research-based strategies to help young people love your church.
The Growing Young Cohort includes:
– Two in-person summits
– Regular online webinars
– One year of personalized coaching
– Comprehensive online diagnostic tests
*Registration is already underway and will end on November 20. To learn more about this opportunity and how your church can register, email aradcliffe@rca.org.

The RCA’s Board of Benefits Services Employee Assistance Program provides free, confidential Christian counseling either at at an outpatient clinic in your area (Pine Rest in Grand Rapids), or via an online telehealth session.  Up to 3 sessions per issue are provided at no cost to any employee of an RCA church.  Some common issues addressed are depression, anxiety, work-related problems, marital issues, family issues, substance abuse, and others.  The 24 hour hotline number is (833) 244-2490.  For more information click HERE.

For Church Treasurers: Remitting pastor’s retirement to Fidelity will be going exclusively online at the end of 2018.  Paper remittance with contribution checks will no longer be accepted. More information will be coming later this year to help churches prepare to begin to make these contributions online.

Flourishing Churches Grant – Many RCA churches have thriving ministries but lack the financial resources for necessary building improvements. The Flourishing Churches Grant provides funding for the facility upgrades RCA churches need to continue and grow their ministries.  Six grants of up to $50,000 are available to RCA churches.  To find out more, click HERE.

The Regional Synod of Mid-America’s Ministerial Excellence Fund. The purpose of this Fund is to assist with alleviating some of the financial pressures facing clergy in their pastoral ministry.  This fund is made available to both Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Commissioned pastors rostered in Illinois Classis, Wisconsin Classis, and Illiana-Florida Classis.  Each classis began this fund with $10,000 which was matched by the Reformed Church in America for a total starting balance of $20,000 per classis.  You will need to download and read the Ministerial Excellence Guidelines prior to filling out an application.  Once the application is filled out, please email it to chad@rsmam.org.

News from Camp Manitoqua
Summer Camp is in full swing!  Please pray for the summer staff and all the young people who will come into contact with the Gospel this summer.  For pictures and more information, you can can always visit Manitoqua.org/springintosummer.

 

 

 
 

                            LINKS YOU MAY FIND USEFUL

 

 
 

Wesley Granberg-Michaelson: What Global Christianity Means for the Church in America – This article is a Q/A with General Secretary Emeritus of the RCA on the release of his new book Future Faith: 10 Challenges Reshaping Christianity for the 21st Century.  Granberg-Michaelson states, “As Christianity shifts to the global south, Christians in the U.S. must ‘de-Americanize the gospel’ and be open to movements of the faith in other cultures.”

Four Ways to Share God’s Love in the Summertime – The Gospel, at its heart is “Good News”.  This article shares 4 simple ways to share our faith specifically in summer.

Three Common Blind Spots in Leaders – Everyone struggles with self-awareness to a degree, and we are foolish if we think we are immune. Our lack of self-awareness in life and leadership is often referred to as our blind spots.

Guess Who’s Coming to Church: Multiracial Congregations Triple Among Protestants – The multiethnic church movement is working: Protestant churches in the US have become three times more likely to be racially diverse than they were 20 years ago.  The percentage of Protestant churches where no one racial group makes up more than 80 percent of the congregation tripled from 4 percent in 1998 to 12 percent in 2012, according to new research from Baylor University.

Renewing Your Church: Removing Barriers for New Life – Sometimes we are not even aware of the things getting in the way of new life in our churches.  This article helps us examine ourselves and our churches for barriers.

Eight Signs Your Church Has Ministry Silos – Ministry silos significantly hamper churches.  Why?  Because a ministry must understand the part they play in the overall church mission or it will slowly become its own entity. Those self-centered entities start to compete with each other and dismantle the unity and loyalty of your entire church brand (and create sub-brands).

 

 

 

 
 

Copyright © 2018 Regional Synod of Mid-America, RCA, All rights reserved.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp