North Valley News

Ministry Newsletter of Joel Cripe,

Child Evangelism Fellowship(R)

KAMB Interview Bearing Fruit!

My first experience with radio was in 2006 on a trip to Ghana, West Africa. Our team was asked to do a 5-Day Club^® in a makeshift studio, and present our memory verses, Bible lessons, and songs to an unseen audience. We trusted God to use His Word to touch the hearts and lives of children in a small segment of Accra who were listening.

My second experience with radio was last month (March 2). I sat across from Dave Benton of KAMB during the early morning commute and had a casual discussion with him about reaching children for Christ, how God called me into the ministry of CEF^®, some stories of children reached in our programs, and how others can get involved in the ministry where they live. It was a fun time, as well as a great opportunity to get the word out about Child Evangelism Fellowship^® to a lot of people in a hurry.

Of course, you always have your friends and supporters listening. My wife, my parents, some of my colleagues, and quite a few of my Good News Club teachers and supporters were all listening.

But was anyone else listening? As a matter of fact, there was. That very same day I received a call from a lady who was listening in Los Banos (where we have no work going). She and her husband are interested in expanding the reach of their already existing organization to children. I visited with them on March 26 (which as of this writing is still future). And there was a lady listening in Denair who called me a couple of weeks later. We’re scheduled to meet at the end of April to discuss the Good News Club^® program.

Thank you KAMB and thank you Dave for helping us expand our reach.

You can listen to part 1 of the interview at cefnorcal.org/centralvalleynorth

Fund With Your Feet

“Left foot. Right foot.

Feet. Feet. Feet.

Oh, how many feet you meet!”

- Dr. Seuss

And we are hoping for many feet to join us this May during our “Beautiful Feet” 5K Fundraiser. This is a virtual fundraiser, which simply means that there is no set location for the event. It is an actual walk/run, meaning that an actual 5k will occur, but it will be at the place and time of your choosing.

It is also virtual because we would like you to take selfies and/or videos during your walk and post them “real time” to our Facebook page (or send them to me and I will for you). Thus the event can be enjoyed by everyone from everywhere. Live on the East Coast? No problem, take your walk there. On vacation? No problem! Like to hike? Do your 5k in the mountains.

Your registration fee will help fund the ministry of CEF in the Central Valley North Area. Because this is a fundraiser, we would also encourage you to consider giving generously above and beyond the registration cost.

Scan the QR code on the flyer below, call, email, or click HERE to register.

Praise & Prayer

- Praise God for the contacts already made in Los Banos and Denair as a result of the KAMB interview. Pray that God will continue to impress on the listeners to call about how they might reach the children.

- Praise God the new Good News Club^® that started at Agnes Baptist in Modesto last month. Pray for the Calvary Chapel Modesto team as they wrap up this 5-week club on April 5.

- Praise God for schools opening up in Turlock and Modesto. Pray that we can see a Good News Club start in Turlock and Modesto before the end of the school year.

- Praise God for the Zoom club in Turlock that began last month. Pray for more kids to join before the end of the five weeks.

- Praise God for Anita Ferrante, our newest Committee member!

- Praise God for Linda Hollis and Eric MacDonald. They are stepping off of the committee after many years of faithful service.

- Pray for the “Beautiful Feet” Spring Fundraiser that will be conducted next month. Pray that God will bless the ministry with much needed revenue.

- Praise God for potential Fall GNC^®s in Le Grand, Denair, and Stockton.

Making Contacts

I have already made eight pastor visits in four counties during the first quarter of the year. Three of them were in Merced County (Merced and Le Grand), one in Stanislaus County (Ceres), three in San Joaquin County (all in Stockton), and one in Calaveras County (Valley Springs).

One Stockton Pastor Visit in February resulted in the other two happening in March. And my Pastor visit in Le Grand resulted in a Sunday presentation at his church, along with the privilege of doing two chapels at Stoneridge Christian Academy in Merced. Two of the pastors in Stockton are considering the possibility of doing Good News Clubs in schools near their churches, and the pastor in Le Grand is encouraging his church to do the same.

This more targeted approach is a strategy that we have adopted in 2022 that is starting to show promising results. And it is only possible for me to do this because Veronica has been in the office doing all of the behind-the-scenes work.

Will you pray with me that the contacts being made all over the area will result in children being saved in areas all over our region? Stockton, Merced, Le Grand, Ceres, and Valley Springs are all new locations for us.