Alliance Benefits Enrollment is Open!
November 12 - December 7, 2018
If you are currently participating in the plan, this will be a passive enrollment which means you do not need to re-enroll in the health plan. No paperwork is required and your benefits will automatically transfer to the new 2019 plan year, along with any current additional HSA monthly contributions if applicable.
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Summit Grove Thanksgiving Newsletter
God surely has blessed us this year! We are so thankful for the people that God sent to serve as staff and volunteers. With their help, we were able to host 62 groups, prepare the Lodge for 2121 guests, and provide over 10,000 meals...(
read more)
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Position at the National Office
A new position has just opened up at the National Office.
Position: Managing Editor,
Full-time
If you would like more information, please click here.
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Nine Updated Trends About Christmas Eve Services
By: Thom S. Rainer
Christmas Eve is less than a month away. Most churches have some type of Christmas Eve services, but we are seeing clear trends in how churches approach them. Every time we write or podcast something about these services, we get a lot of comments and questions. In that context, here is an update on nine clear trends we are seeing:
- It is growing in importance. Non-Christians are more likely to come to worship services on Christmas Eve than any other day of the year, including Easter. Church leaders get it. They are putting more prayer, preparation, and strategic thinking into the services.
- There are three popular times for the service. Whether a church has one or multiple Christmas Eve services, three times are more popular than others: later afternoon (typically for families with young children and for older adults); early evening (the more traditional time); and late evening (for empty nesters and families with teenage or grown children).
- The services are traditional. They include traditional hymns and carols. They may include some time for the lighting of the final advent candle.
Read More...
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By now you are likely aware that funds from the 2018 Alliance Year-End Offering will be used to send new Alliance workers. This year, 60 new positions have opened for Christ-centered men and women to be sent to some of the least-reached corners of our world. Your church's gifts to this offering will help get them there. Here are three reasons your church should consider supporting the
2018 Alliance Year-End Offering:
* The Alliance sends the most qualified, best prepared workers imaginable.
* Sending new workers is the best answer to the apostle Paul's questions in Romans 10: "And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?"
* This is our opportunity, as the Alliance family, to join together and provide hope to the lost, hurting, and overlooked peoples who have yet to hear the message of salvation through Jesus.
Please pass these reasons on to your congregation and encourage them to give generously to the
Alliance Year-End Offering this Christmas. There is no greater gift we can give than the gift of the gospel-hand delivered by those we send.
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Alliance Council 2019
May 28-June 2, 2019
Join the Alliance family as we gather in Orlando, FL to celebrate what God is doing in our midst and seek His heart as we move Beyond.
Our very own,
Jen Ashby, will be speaking at Alliance Council 2019. Jen serves as the executive director of ministries at Derwood Alliance Church in Rockville, MD.
On Friday, May 31, 2019, Jen will be speaking at one of the seminars.
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The Vision Trip to France and Green Mountains was postponed from this year to next year - the first 2 weeks of November. The cost will still be the same, approximately $2,500. If you are interested in joining Pastor Ira and you are either staff or leadership in your church, please email Ira at
itowns@cmamad.org. We will spend 1 week in 2 countries with our international workers. The purpose is for you to consider how your church will become more connected with Alliance missions. The deadline to sign up is March 31, 2019 and half of the monies will need to be collected by June 30, 2019.
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Fresh Start Revitalization
Fresh Start is the process of restarting and strengthening churches that have a heritage of making an impact over the years. The 12-marker strategy of Fresh Start invests the people and assets of any church finding itself on the backside of the church life-cycle. The goal is to reverse the declining trend and build in a fresh vision for the future.
When: April 2-3, 2019
Where: First Alliance Church, Silver Spring MD
For more information and to register, please click here.
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LIFE is a gathering of the next generation Alliance family to experience God and expand His kingdom locally and globally.
We seek to
GLORIFY
God in worship, word, and community;
EXPOSE
God's heart for the lost;
INTRODUCE
Jesus Christ into the whole life of each student; and
INSPIRE
students to join the global Alliance family.
July 9-13, 2019
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EquippingU is designed to equip Alliance pastors and leaders to live spiritually healthy lives and lead healthy churches. EquippingU features three equipping programs led by experienced practitioners and gifted communicators from inside and outside The Alliance:
- EquippingU LIVE for small group learning
- EquippingU PODCAST for individual learning
- EquippingU PRE-COUNCIL for learning and growing together with the greater Alliance family
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December 11
DEXCOM
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December 21-January 1
OFFICE CLOSED
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Church Planting Praises and Prayer Requests
Praises:
- Alan, our Silver Spring MD Vietnamese planter, will soon launch another church via a Wednesday evening small group in Arlington, VA.
- Eddy, our Fredericksburg Haitian planter, will soon begin a Saturday evening small group in Richmond, VA.
- For 3 months in a row we've had someone give their life to Christ in a church plant!
Prayer Requests:
- Giving to increase to the $14k we need each month.
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Earlier this year, we closed a church and there were many items left over. Office furniture, folding chairs, Awana programs, etc.
If you are interested in any of these items or want more information, please contact Ira Towns at
itowns@cmamad.org.
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Pastor Preview at Summit Grove 2019
Summit Grove is partnering with Rev. John Fretz and Walk Thru The Bible for a Pastor Preview being held
May 9, 2019.
Pastors can sign up by selecting "register now" beside Summit Grove Camp with the link below!
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Snow Tubing Youth Retreat
Summit Grove is gearing up for its annual Snow Tubing Youth Retreat held February 8-10, 2019.
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Personnel and Church Updates
Personnel Updates:
Church Closures:
Church Location Changes:
New Church Plants:
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Fair Share and Church Planting Update
October 2018
Fair Share (YTD):
Budget: $125,237.63
Received: $122,755.23
Deficit: $2,482.40
Church Planting (YTD):
Budget: $58,333.33
Received: $82,870.28
Surplus: $24,536.95
See note below.
"We want to clarify that the amount received year-to-date for Church Planting is showing up as a surplus because of the one-time gifts we received from several churches earlier this year. We are very grateful for that!
Under Church Plant Praises and Prayer Requests, we asked for prayer for monthly giving to increase to $14,000.00. Many of the one-time gifts were received in August. In September, giving was around $9,000 and in October we received less than that."
~ District Office
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