News from the Northwest Conference

Children, Youth & Family Ministry

NWC and MA present 'Sticky Faith: Practical & Tested Ideas to Build Family Faith,' with Dr. Kara Powell

An evening for parents and grandparents

Friday, Sept. 12, 2014 at 7 p.m.

Minnehaha Academy, upper campus chapel

Cost: FREE

Together with Minnehaha Academy, the Northwest Conference is excited to host Dr. Kara Powell from Fuller Youth Institute as she leads a seminar for parents and grandparents.

As parents and grandparents, we do all we can to help kids develop a faith that lasts. Yet approximately 40-50% of graduating seniors pick up their diplomas and ditch their faith. Come and learn all sorts of new research-based, practical tips from the Fuller Youth Institute that your family can apply immediately to help kids of all ages develop a faith that sticks.

This event is free and open to parents and grandparents from NWC churches. Questions? Contact Kara Stromberg, Director of Children & Family Ministry.

Interested in making a weekend of it?

There are two more training events happening this same weekend that may be of interest to you:

The Orange Tour

The Orange Tour is a shorter, simpler version of the Orange conference, held on Friday, Sept. 12, at Emmanuel Christian Center in Spring Lake Park, MN. This is for children, youth and family ministry teams. 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration information here: http://www.orangetour.org/dates-and-locations

Refuel

The University of Northwestern, St. Paul, offers a training event on Saturday, Sept. 13, for youth workers. Information here:

https://www.unwsp.edu/web/church-relations/refuel

Summer Ministry Idea

Two NWC churches using green space to meet needs of communities through gardening

First Covenant Church in St. Paul offers a portion of their land to Urban Roots, formerly Community Design Center of Minnesota, a Saint Paul-based organization.

Karmel Covenant in Princeton, MN, has operated a garden on their property for the last 5 years, a vision of former pastor Alan Johnson. All plants for this football-field sized garden are donated from Uproot Farms, a local organic nursery, then planted, cultivated and harvested by volunteers from the church. All produce is donated to the local food shelf in Isanti County.

Read the full story on the NWC website

Minnehaha Academy

40th Annual MA Arena Sale Drop-Off Days coming in August

Celebrating 40 years, the MA Arena Sale, which takes place Sept. 12-13, has become so much more than a school fundraiser: it is a family fun event and a time when the Minnehaha community comes together to put on a "market with meaning."

The Arena Sale is a Market with Meaning:

Minnehaha families donate and unload unwanted and unused items to a great cause.
Portions of the proceeds go to the Minnehaha Academy Opportunity Fund.
People travel from all over the Twin Cities and even Wisconsin annually to shop for high quality, low cost re-purposed items.
Churches shop for items they can use in their own ministries such as community clothes closets.
Community nonprofit partners take unsold items and distribute them through their programs in local neighborhoods to those in need. Some items, such as shoes, are sent as far away as Africa.

Donation Drop-Off Days

Wednesdays: August 6, 13, 20, 27 and September 3 from 1 - 8 p.m.

Saturdays: August 9, 16 and 23 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

For more details and a list of items not accepted, visit the Minnehaha Academy Arena Sale page online.

Covenant Trust Company

New Covenant Trust video

When it comes to money matters, everyone has questions. Everyone has questions, concerns, worries or fears. A recent study found that 2/3 of us worry sometimes or always about money. Most of us worry about our financial future. We can safely conclude that in our churches, those of us in the pews as well as those of us up front, have money on the brain.

New Covenant Trust Company Video

Covenant Trust Company is a place to turn with your questions. We want to hear your questions, listen to your concerns and worries, and create a plan to move forward. We are not here to judge or tell you that you are doing it wrong, or that you are not doing enough. We are here to work with you, creating a plan for you to live as you want to live, to achieve your goals and to be as generous as you want to be.

Covenant Trust Representatives for the NWC:

Steve Allison, ChFC, 1-877-768-1766 or srallison@CovenantTrust.com

Kevin Lawson, CFP�, 1-877-222-3960 or kelawson@CovenantTrust.com

To read more, please visit http://www.covenanttrust.com/news/

To request information, please visit http://www.covenanttrust.com/info/

2014 Retreat brochure online now

The NWC Ministerial Association Retreat for pastors, church ministry staff and spouses, will be held Oct. 6-8, 2014, at Ruttgers' Sugar Lake Lodge, just southwest of Grand Rapids, MN. For a look at this beautiful setting, visit www.sugarlakelodge.com.

Mark Novak will address the creation of high trust cultures and environments of grace in our various venues of spiritual influence, including staff relationships and church leadership.

Registration materials are available for download on our Ministerial Association page.

NWC Website
Church Resource Bank

Our website features a great tool for churches requesting or giving away materials and resources. On the Church Resource Bank page, you can browse available requests or give-aways, and submit a new resource to share with churches in need.

July 24, 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

Sticky Faith event coming to MA

Church Gardens

MA Arena Sale

Covenant Trust Company: New Video

Ministerial Association Retreat

NWC cal icon tan

August 7-9, 2014

MUUUCE - Crossroads Church, Woodbury, MN

September 3-5, 2014

CRIM (Covenanters Retired in Ministry) Retreat - Covenant Pines Bible Camp

October 6-8, 2014

Ministerial Association Retreat - Sugar Lake Lodge

October 7-8, 2014

Faith Community Nurse Retreat - Covenant Pines Bible Camp

November 8, 2014

IMAGINE - Salem Covenant Church, New Brighton, MN

November 8, 2014

VIVE - Location TBD

Covenant Newswire

Covenant Minister, Musician Teaches Songwriting to Inmates

Father, Daughter Learn Paul Carlson Inspired Each Other Then Serve Together

NWC Job Postings Page

Pastors and ministry leaders, if you have people in your congregation who are exploring ministry, on a part- or full-time basis, please refer them to our job postings page.