Children, Youth & Family Ministry 

FREE Sticky Faith parent event on Sept. 12 at Minnehaha Academy

Friday, Sept. 12, 2014 at 7 p.m. 

Minnehaha Academy, upper campus chapel

3100 West River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN (Directions)  

Cost: FREE

This research has now been expanded to include practical tips and resources for families. Join parents and grandparents from Northwest Conference Covenant churches for a practical evening of learning about how the family can help young people develop a faith that "sticks" beyond high school.  

Hope to see you there! Questions? Contact Kara Stromberg at kara@northwestconference.org  

Download a Flyer to advertise the seminar at your church 

NWC Churches partner with Team World Vision, Covenant Kids Congo

Ten Covenant Churches from the Northwest Conference have joined 7,000 people nationwide to run marathons (26.2 miles) or half marathons (13.1 miles) in order to raise money to fund water projects in Africa through Team World Vision. The goal of Team World Vision is to get people to run marathons in order to raise money for clean water in Africa. The majority of participants are new runners.

Because of Covenant Kids Congo, World Vision's unique partnership with the Covenant Church, all funds raised by Covenant Churches through Team World Vision are specifically designated to fund water projects in the Congo.

Participant Mikey Bechtold from Crossview Covenant in Mankato says, "I hate running. I am of the mindset that the only reasons you should ever need to run is to save yourself or to save someone else. ... Running to save someone else's life is what motivated me to register my non-running body for a half-marathon with Team World Vision."

World Vision is one of the largest providers of clean water in the world. Worldwide, more than 1,600 children under age 5 die every day from diarrhea caused by unsafe water-that's more than AIDS and malaria combined. Yet over 760 million people worldwide lack access to clean water.

Last year, Team World Vision raised $4.1 million nationwide for clean water projects. This year, TWV is on track to raise $5.6 million, with a projected goal of $9-10 million the following year. Just $50 provides clean water for one person, demonstrating that Team World Vision fundraising is making a significant impact.

NWC Churches with teams running:

Awaken, Lilydale, MN

Crossroads, Woodbury, MN

Crosstown, Minneapolis, MN

Crossview, North Mankato, MN

Faith, Burnsville, MN

First, Minneapolis, MN

First, St. Paul, MN (Imagine 26.2.0)

The Gallery, St. Paul, MN

Maple Grove, Maple Grove, MN

Roots, St. Paul, MN

These Covenant Churches make up almost 1/3 of the 35 teams running the Twin Cities marathon with Team world Vision. Bradley Hofbauer, Team World Vision Events Director for the Twin Cities area, says, "If we can double these numbers in the next two years, we would have close to 10% of the 12,000 runners in the Twin Cities Marathon running on behalf of Christ's cause for the poor."

If your church is interested in participating in Team World Vision in 2015, contact Hofbauer at bhofbaue@worldvision.org or 314-620-4280. You are invited to attend a regional Lunch and Learn informational gathering, currently being scheduled for mid-October.

Youth Ministry 

CHIC 2015 Transportation 

Do you know how you're getting to CHIC? Forget sleepless leaders who didn't get a decent night's sleep all week. Don't worry about the rusty church van breaking down in the middle of Illinois. Take the hassle out of planning the travel and ride a Northwest Conference bus.  

For $205, your students and leaders not only get to ride in luxury, but they get a custom-designed NWC CHIC t-shirt. But that's not all! They also get breakfast the morning we head home.

To register your group, contact Cheryl at cheryl@northwestconference.org. There will be various pick-up and drop-off locations throughout the NWC. Want to go early or stay late? We might be able to arrange that too.

Children, Youth & Family Ministry     

Children & Family Connection and Youth Pastor's Connection locations changing to Salem Covenant 

Starting with our Sept 18 kick-off, the two Connections will meet at Salem Covenant Church: 2655 5th St NW, New Brighton, MN 55112. www.salemcov.org.

MACCC conference to focus on 'The Ethical Dilemma of Spiritual Integration & Practice' 

All pastors are invited to attend the upcoming Minnesota Association of Christian Counselors Conference focusing on "The Ethical Dilemma of Spiritual Integration & Practice: Practicing in the Spirit." This one-day conference will be held on Friday, Oct. 10, at North Heights Lutheran Church in Arden Hills, MN.

Keynote speakers are Marcus Bachmann (Integration of Christian Faith in Counseling) and Andrya Dieter (Ethical Confidence in a Messy World). Remy Diederich, Lead Pastor of Cedarbrook Church (NWC), and Mike Brown, NWC Director of Church Planting, and his wife Julie, will be leading workshops. There is no registration cost for pastors.

Download a flyer for the conference for more information