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Summer makes most of us nostalgic for childhood family vacations and the thrill of summer break. We often think of summer as a time to get away and take off. In the church hopefully that causes us think about missions and outreach. This Spotlight will mostly focus on children's and youth ministry but also it will point you toward upcoming opportunities for leadership development and the fall women's retreat. Enjoy your summer! (And to all the fathers, we pray that you will be blessed this coming weekend! Be encouraged by Pastor Jeff's awesome dad moment below.)
August's Spotlight will feature mission trips and adventures our churches have gone on. We would love to hear from you! Please share stories and pictures by sending them to Sandra, smaki@swchurchconnectiong.org.
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Vacation Bible School Around the Region
If you count up the churches in the association hosting Vacation Bible Schools and add up all the church children and neighborhood kids attending, the number will make you jump for Jesus just like the kids! The following is just a sample of the churches and the programs they are hosting. Check out the curriculum. You can click on the links below.
And if you haven't signed up for a VBS in your area or invited a neighborhood kid, grandchild, niece or nephew to join, consider it. Such an invitation just might change a child's life for eternity!
FBC Benson is hosting the Kingdom Rock. Verde Baptist in Cottonwood just finished their VBS this past week. Check out their pictures on their facebook page. The Kingdom was also rocking away in Youngtown at Compass Bible this past week.
 | | Verde Baptist VBS over 100 |
Flagstaff Christian Fellowship and Desert Springs Community church hosted The Kingdom Chronicles (see the video link). This great VBS showed kids that God's Word connects to every area of their life! And it helped them to see that the Bible is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago, so they will know its amazing message of salvation is true! With The Kingdom Chronicles , brave knights and fair maidens were equipped to put on the full armor of God so they can stand strong in the battle for truth. They loved the fun songs, the daily skits, and the "Truth or Error" game. Plus they were able to see the contrast between God's kingdom and Satan's kingdom of darkness,realizing that they are not automatically born into the "good" kingdom but need to be saved from the "bad" kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ.
 | | Kingdom Chronicles - 2013 VBS |
The list goes on! Go to our website and click on the church search to find out what is happening at a church near you! Pray for our churches as they share the gospel with so many, many children this summer. And while you are at it, join in with the children and do a little jump for Jesus too!
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All Access: Dicipleship at Palm Valley July 19&20
 | | Discipleship Conference at Palm Valley |
All Access: Discipleship is a different kind of conference! If you want to...- Grow your church deep AND wide
- Turn converts into reproducing disciples
- Connect families to the life of your church from day one
- Take all believers to full maturity in Christ
- See leaders raised up and developed to lead in your church
- Accomplish your call to fulfill the Great Commission to make disciples
Then Palm Valley Church wants to join you on the front lines of making disciples in your church. We want to share everything that we have learned, good and bad, in the hope that it will serve you in some way as you seek to make disciples as Jesus commanded us to do. WHO: This one-day conference is designed to serve teams with involved in the spiritual growth of your church. Our group pricing enables everyone who is involved in the discipleship of your church to experience this conference that will encourage and empower you for a new level of disciple-making. WHAT: The main sessions will focus on developing a Biblical approach to disciple-making and the pitfalls that we have stumbled into that you can learn form. To find out more, check out the video above or visit their website! Hope you can make it!
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Happy Father's Day
May you blessed like Pastor Jeff
 | | Pastor Jeff baptizes his son |
Pastor Jeff of Mission Park Baptist in Tucson says his faith journey really began at ten years old. This past January he had the privilege to take those first steps of faithful following right into and out of the water beside his now ten year old son Joshua. What could be a greater blessing then to baptize your own child! Jeff was also able to baptize his mother, Susan, and his sister, Lisa, on that same day. We celebrate with them as we celebrate along with all you fathers out there! May you be blessed! Happy Father's Day!
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A Superior Partnership
Pastor Dan Lowe
 | | The team |
Superior, Arizona is not exactly a happening place. At least it hasn't been for the last 30 years since the copper mines stopped operating at full production in 1982. However, First Baptist Church has continued to serve as a lighthouse in the midst of this struggling community for all these years. The labor has not always been easy. There have been good times and hard times, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is still shining in the darkness of this sleepy little copper town in Central Arizona. Pastor Bart Muller leads a small congregation of faithful saints in this difficult ministry setting. Battling spiritual apathy and false religion in the community, Pastor Bart preaches the good news of Jesus Christ consistently with an eye toward seeing lost sinners being saved and changing the community of Superior. The road has been challenging to say the least and First Baptist Church has often lacked some of the necessary resources to make an impact in their community. Therefore, in a joint effort between Southwest Church Connection and Calvary Baptist Church (Show Low), a team of young and enthusiastic teenagers made the decision to spend their spring break in an effort to minister alongside FBC in the community of Superior. A team of 32 people was assembled at CBC (17 teenagers, 10 adults, 3 children and 2 infants...) and prayerful plans were made to assist in several outreach events in March 2013... (To find out more about the events, finish the story by clicking here!)
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It wouldn't be summer without Camp!
 | | Prescott Pines Camp on the Lake |
And the summer is off to an awesome start! Prescott Pines Camp blogs daily to keep parents informed about the happenings of the day. Don't miss out on the fun. Click here to find all the latest news! It is not too late to sign up.
Go here to register for youth and here for kids! Children are learning how much they are WANTED by God. Thirteen campers made the decision the first week to receive that unwavering, unstoppable, unbreakable, Love in Jesus Christ. Be a part of it in prayer and partnership!
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Santa Rita Community Church Rejoices in Growth
Pastor Randy Buck
 I have a wonderful testimony of God's presence and power in our midst at Santa Rita Community Church, Vail, Arizona. On April 28, we had thirteen baptisms (eight were youth) and at least 6 are new faith decisions among children, youth, and adults. Attendance is growing as is our financial status. At our annual Easter Eggstravaganza Carnival, we had 266 people in attendance from our community!
At the end of 2011, we completely reorganized our ministry around two main ideas--make disciples and build more systems--following one and half years of difficulty and obstacles. In 2012, we saw some incredible outcomes for a church of twenty in October 2011:
- Church Exceeds 2012 Annual Budget - Increased 48%
- Church Grows by 154% from Oct 2011-Oct 2012
- Church Sees 5 People Come To Faith in 2012
- Church Begins New Youth Group in 2012 (17 attending)
- Church Hires New Employees in 2012 (3 to 5 staff)
Just wanted to share the joy we are experiencing and God's presence that is doing amazing things in front of our eyes!
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Revitalize - Leadership Retreat, August 15-17
You and your spouse are invited to revitalize in an all new experience during our SWCC Leadership Retreat. This retreat, formerly known as the "pastors and wives retreat," is now an experience for the entire church staff, elders and their spouses.Come join us and bring back to your congregation a renewed spirit ready for your next phase of ministry.
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Women's Retreat September 2013
Put on Your Heels and Follow!
Join us this fall for a girls weekend get-away at Prescott Pines Camp. Gather your girlfriends, find a sitter for the kids, escape the heat and get away to the cool pines of Prescott. Join with your sisters in Christ from across the southwest for a time of refreshment, relaxation and renewal!
With three retreats to choose from, each with a different speaker and theme, we've got something for everyone. Click here for more info!
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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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