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"You may speak but a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart which shall stir the Christian Church in years to come."

- Charles Spurgeon


Friends of Nazareth Spiritual Enrichment Tour
October 9-19, 2018 (Nashville departure)
Cost: $3850.00 
(Add $150 for registration after April 30, 2018)



Camp Scholarships Needed


We expect about 850 students K-9th grade
to attend the Evangelistic Summer Camp Programs. It is through the generous gifts of our Friends that FON can provide about 50% of the funding for these high-demand camps. 

Each $125 gift sponsors one camper. Thank you for your gifts! 

 
President's Points
Dr. Roger D. Mardis
From the President

It Takes a Team to Accomplish a Dream.

I'm writing this article while leading the "Renovation Team" in the Holy Land.  When we began 8 days ago, we were 16 people from 8 churches, 9 cities, and 3 states.  We had a task I was told we couldn't do/finish (have I told you I like a challenge?). In the beginning we thought we had 4 days to complete...we actually had 2.5. When all was said and done, this team not only finished the task, they actually added other items to the list. 

Amazing!

Our goal was to divide and conquer! I put three of our people over smaller groups, gave them a task, empowered them to work, and turned them loose. It was amazing to watch them work - the team accomplished the dream!  I've often heard TEAM stands for Together Everyone Accomplishes More and that was no doubt true for us. An actual synergy was in operation. 

In addition to the 16 on-the-ground workers, Sherry Koolman, a member of the July '17 Reno Team, helped us with the template so that we could complete and compliment the work began then. So, people from afar, aided in the mission effort. 

In many ways, this is what Friends of Nazareth is all about. We are a team of people from multiple churches, states, countries, and cultures.. We have people in far away places helping to make our task manageable - teamwork makes the dream work! Every person, job, task, and gift is crucial to our purpose.  Your contributions, whether by way of working in VBS, camp, painting, praying, giving one or a hundred scholarships, or investing monthly is so crucial - it is necessary and it is needed.

Donors, workers, partners, prayers, and churches - thank you for all you do to help and support FON.  Remember, when you do, that teamwork makes the dream work!  

Note: I'd love to come and share with your church the exciting things God is doing in Jesus' hometown and how you can be involved.  I can fill your pulpit, speak at your mission conference, or lead a class -I'm here to serve you.  Contact me at  [email protected].

For the team, 

Dr Roger D. Mardis
President 
Friends of Nazareth

Photo Journal

The smiles say it all! At the suggestion of the Vice Principal of the 1st-3rd Grade Primary School, Liza Shehadeh, the team added games to the upper courtyard at the school as well as new and expanded murals to the main and upper courtyards. Now, break time has a "fun" and educational factor. Thanks, Renovation Team! Your mission effort is greatly appreciated by NBS and FON.

This 16 member team worked hard and intentionally over a 2.5 day period to accomplish more than expected! It was Easter break at the school which allowed them to accomplish their mission in record time, in a quiet environment. Thank you, team! See the President's Points elsewhere in this Newsletter for additional details about the team.

The Renovation Team added to the "God planted a garden" themed mural, painted all of the dull and tired railings, added new murals for the restrooms/courtyard and added a series of shapes and games, such as Hop Scotch, Bean Bag Toss, Tic-tac-toe, etc. to the upper courtyard. They refreshed this nearly 400 year old building that houses the 1st-3rd grade Primary School.

During the first part of the Easter school break a delegation of students which were led by Botrus Mansour, Lilly Khoury and Aziz Banna, traveled to Taiwan for a global study program.

Thank you, NBS. The team from Community Christian School, Port Charlotte, Florida, who visited NBS in March, had "NBS Shirt Day" at their school. Team members are staying engaged with NBS students through social media and are building friendships and spiritual relationships. A team from NBS will travel to Port Charlotte for a global study program in 2019. It is a privilege for FON to coordinate these amazing Christian school partnerships. We serve an Awesome God!!!


Praise Report and Prayer Requests
  • Damage Update. The rains have stopped in Nazareth. NBS now is able to assess all of the damage as the building begins to dry. The most significant need is to rewire the entire building. Just this effort will take about 2 months! And, it will take a large sum of money. An architect, a construction management team and a structural engineer are all working with NBS to provide a summary of the scope of the project as well as the costs. We expect to have the estimate in May. 
  • With your help, Friends of Nazareth would like to help with the much needed repairs and revitalization of the tired and damaged Main School building. If you would like to contribute to this end, please let FON know that your gift is for the renovation.
  • Praise God for the successful ministry of the Renovation Team. Amazing team...amazing results.
  • Land Update. Continue to pray for resources to move to the next step of negotiating for land. The owners of the desired land require that NBS has a large portion of the financing available in order to take the next step. The total cost for about 3 acres is expected to be $6-7M. NEMA-FON has money in reserve; however, it is several million short of what is needed for good faith negotiations.
  • As we wait for resources, the mission of Building the Rising Generations - Glorifying Jesus Christ through Distinctive Education and helping NBS enrich and enlarge its capacity for ministry continues. Give thanks that ALL ministries at NBS are growing spiritually and numerically. PTL.
  • Summer teams are in place. All reservations are secured and training is underway in the USA and Nazareth.
  • PRAY FOR CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS! We need over 800 scholarships to fully fund FON's contribution, about 50% of total cost, to the camps. Maybe your church would consider Kids helping Kids by applying your church's VBS offering to help NBS.
  • Continue to pray for the emerging partnership between FON-NBS and Student Leadership University (SLU). FON and SLU continue to work on the details for a September 2018 launch.
  • Pray for the October Bible Enrichment and Ministry Tour. Registration is open until April 30, 2018. Late registrations will incur an additional fee of $150/each. The brochure is available at www.friendsofnazareth.org.
  • Pray for the financial needs of Friends of Nazareth. We depend upon gifts from our friends to support sharing the Good News in Nazareth and Galilee.
We thank God for each of you.
About Friends of Nazareth - 
A NEMA Corporation

Nazareth Educational Ministries Association (NEMA), Friends of Nazareth (FON), is an IRS approved 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Corporation. Allowable gifts  are tax deductible to US donors. No goods or services are provided in exchange for the gifts other than the joy of giving to a faith-based organization that supports Christian education in the Holy Land. Note: No goods or services are provided in exchange for a donation. FON reserves the right to withhold up to 5% of designated donations for administration.

Friends of Nazareth (NEMA-FON) is a faith-based ministry. It is totally dependent upon financial partners. 


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Friends of Nazareth
3482 Keith Bridge Road
#215
Cumming, GA 30041


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Please contact our NEMA-FON broker for assistance:

John Dupuis
Wells Fargo
201 N. Court Street
Florence, AL 35630
(256) 764.1000

The account is:
Nazareth Educational Ministries Association
DBA - Friends of Nazareth (NEMA-FON)

Visit Friends of Nazareth on Facebook for updates throughout each month.
  
3482 Keith Bridge Road, #215
Cumming, GA 30041 (USA)
470.297.5913
www.friendsofnazareth.org
[email protected]