Praises and Prayer Requests for CPW Day of Prayer, Tuesday, May 12

Pray for those affected by the Earthquake in Nepal.  Ivan Veldhuizen from Converge Worldwide sent out these words last week: "Today, the death toll has climbed to 5,158 people with 11,520 people injured. As rescue efforts continue and folks are pulled from the rubble, those numbers are expected to double. The crisis for us is very real. These aren't just numbers to us. These are people, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ."

Pray for our churches in Baltimore and in other cities being  affected by injustice, intolerance, and violence. From our Converge Family, April 28th: "Pastor Rod Hairston, of Converge's own Messiah Community Church, hosted an area wide prayer gathering for the city of Baltimore.  Black and white believers prayed together for healing, justice, peace, economic opportunity for Baltimore youth and for the mayor of this great city."
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Thank God for the lives and service of Pastor John and Debbie Merritt (left). They served Fair Oaks Baptist Church during an 18-month interim period restoring hope and joy to the congregation.

Praise God for Pastor Chris Coli and Pastor John Merritt (yep, same guy as mentioned in the last paragraph) who celebrated with Crosswinds Community Church the opening of their new dairy farm campus! (See pics at top of page)

Pray for Pastor Tom and Laura Olson (right, with Sydney and TJ) as they begin as new Lead Pastor and wife at Fair Oaks Church in Concord.

Converge PacWest's (CPW) Biennial Meeting was hosted by four Sacramento churches and featured beautiful diversity, special music, and uplifting worship. President Scott Ridout led a workshop on pastoral coaching and presented keynote messages on Courageous Living and Leading (below). Inspiring Church Planting videos, the 2013-15 CPW report card, and five Better Together goals were shared. On the business side, a new budget was adopted, bylaws were amended, officers were elected, and our mission statement was affirmed: To glorify God by starting and strengthening churches that transform lives and communities here, near, and far away. 

We are pleased to announce that Converge PacWest (CPW) has joined with QuietWaters Ministries to bring you the CareLine. 

 The CareLine is a professional and confidential consulting resource for Converge PacWest pastors and their families, provided free of charge. Twelve (12) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, the CareLine answering service puts you in contact with one of QuietWaters' licensed, doctor or master level counselors with personal experience in ministry to talk about a personal or congregational issue. The counselors provide assessment, consultation and referral when you have personal, congregational, or ministry concerns and problems. You simply call the toll-free number 888-814-5550.

Examples of when to use the CareLine:

• "A counseling situation I needed advice for"
• "Depression, marital problems"
• "Info about potential for violence in a bi-polar person"
• "Concern with an adult daughter"
• "A family member depressed and talking about life not worth living"
• "Congregant possibly suicidal"