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Typically summer and slow are two words that fit together this time of year. Somehow they didn't get communicated to everyone! Our summer at SWCBA, the Southwest Church Connection and Prescott Pines has been anything but slow. Needs have popped up around the region, meetings with leadership groups have filled many evenings, speaking opportunities have been plentiful for our team of pulpit supply pastors, placement and pastoral search opportunities have surfaced, weeks and weekends have been full at our camp and planning for fall events has kept everyone on the move . . . and frankly, excited about the energy that now seems to be carrying our network of churches forward.
You'll find and hopefully be encouraged by that energy as you read of the many exciting things happening in and available to our churches and their leaders. And as always, we invite you to put your church and its ministries in the Spotlight by sending us a feature article with pictures to info@swchurchconnection.org. Now enjoy your time in the Spotlight!
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Scott Olander ~ Youth Pastor now Senior
Pastor Scott is making a move and big change. At the end of July, he and his wife Stephanie and their three children relocated to Page to become the senior pastor at First Baptist Church. Scott served as the associate/youth pastor of Manzanita Baptist Church in Kingman for sixteen years where his primary responsibility was teaching the youth and developing leadership training and evangelism outreach programs. Longevity is what Scott brings to the kingdom building work in Page. For three years, the elders have lead First Baptist and Scott hopes that his passion for ministry will be a perfect fit for the position. He looks forward to the "challenge" of leading adults and the world at your doorstep in Page. Nearly three million visitors travel through the town each year. Scott hopes to encourage the church in such evangelism. If you find you're one of those passing through Page, go ahead and introduce yourself to the new pastor there. You most certainly will be welcomed and inspired!
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And Sometimes you don't Want to Go Home!
Danny Barreras~PPC
Program Coordinator
 This summer at Prescott Pines Camp, we had a spectacular time serving the children and teens of Arizona and Nevada! We had more than 600 campers this year between Frontier Village and Youth camp. Of this group, close to 50 placed their faith in Christ for the first time! This is always the most rewarding part of summer camp, and having such a response this year was very encouraging. Our staff are all sad to see each other go home, but with the summer over, we must turn our thoughts to other things... and next summer! As one of our campers said, "I never want to go home!" Be sure to check out all the pictures!
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Jeff Merry, WorshipNet
Tuning Up Worship Teams
 Are you a worship leader feeling a little burned out? Your worship team members losing their joy and commitment? Maybe you're in a transition and need a new vision for worship? Perhaps you simply need to get that spark back? If any of this sounds familiar, you probably need a tune-up, a Worship Team Tune-Up designed to revitalize the worship environment at your church in just one weekend! A few of our SWCBA/SWCC churches have positively experienced the power of the tune-up. Here's what one leader said about it, "This tune-up was instrumental in assessing my team's strengths and weaknesses in a very safe, fun, and encouraging environment. Jeff and Karen not only helped refine our focus, but also ministered to our souls through heartfelt worship, compassionate instruction, and genuine/transparent interaction." For more information about scheduling a Worship Team Tune-Up or other WorshipNet services, contact Jeff Merry at 602.451.4286, or jmerry@worshipnet.org. You can also find him on the web at www.worshipnet.org.
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Kids of All Ages at Mesa Baptist Church
 The weather wasn't the only thing hot at the Mesa Baptist Church campus this summer! The 2012 Summer Program for Kids of All Ages once again scored a bullseye. Programs included an amazing array of sports camps, science labs, art and music groups, a family picnic, water park party and ended with a week of VBS and a Friday night carnival that was over the top. Beginning early in June and ending with the VBS carnival on July 20, the Summer Program saw 140 volunteer leaders and over 375 kids involved with 28 kids and 1 volunteer leader coming to faith in Jesus, marking a great conclusion to a frantic, fun, faith-filled summer ministry.
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Annual Business Meeting Moves to Leadership Couples' Retreat  For the first time in perhaps decades the association's Annual Business Meeting will actually precede the year for which its business is intended; 2013 budgets, plans and board will be established before 2013 begins. The location for the business meeting is the Leadership Couples' Retreat (formerly Pastors and Wives Retreat)scheduled for Prescott Pines, October 15 - 17. The meeting will fill the time usually set aside on Tuesday for a presentation related to SWCBA/SWCC vision and development. This year items of business will include a review of the new ministry model, approval of budgets for church and camp ministries, the election of new Trustees, and the consideration of proposed refinements to the association's constitution. Pastors - you'll want to be there to give your input and cast your vote as well as experience the blessing of a great retreat. For those pastors who cannot attend the retreat, they will be able to provide input in advance of the retreat and cast their vote via electronic ballot.
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Leadership Couples Retreat
 Save the dates! The Leadership Couples Retreat (formerly the Pastors and Wives Retreat) returns to Prescott Pines a final time October 15 - 17. Yes, you read that right . . . a final time . . . but you'll have to come to the retreat to find out what's next!
As always, the retreat focuses on the renewal needs of our church leaders and their spouses, and as always, singles are welcome as well as this is not a marriage retreat . . . it's a ministry "rest up and renewal" retreat. Click here to register.
Our 2012 renewal guide will be Bill Thrall, one of the three principle leaders of the True-faced Ministry. Many of you know Bill from his work in the region (he's based in Scottsdale) and from the True-faced team's impact at our 2011 Annual Growth Conference. Bill will be focusing his ministry with us on various aspects of our retreat theme, "Growing in Christ in Spite of Being in Ministry."
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To put the Spotlight on your ministry or event, email us with your news.
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Southwest Church Connection is the church ministry of Southwest CBA
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