Empire COB Schedule:
"Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
Emergency Food Pantry:
Opens every Tuesday from 9:00am to Noon
Food Delivery Day:
Food Delivery are givien out on the first Wednesday of the month, 9:00am-12:00pm. Volunteers arrive at 8:00am to set up.
Heaven's Bounty Thrift Shop:
Heaven's Bounty Thrift Shop will now be open on first Saturday of each month
from 9:00am to 2:00pm.
Fellowship Singers:
Fellowship Singers meet up every Thursday @ 4:15pm.
Women's Fellowship:
Women's Fellowship meeting every 3rd Tuesday of the month starting at 1:00pm..
Church Board Meeting:
Church Board meeting every 3rd Thursday of the month starting at 6:00pm.
Coffee Hour / Sunday Luncheon:
Coffee hour and Sunday Luncheon will now take place every 2nd and 4th Sunday after Worship Service.
Friday Fellowship:
Friday Fellowship is back. Next: November 1st, at 11:30am. @ the Church.
*Schedule subect to change on any given week or month.
Empire COB News:
Messenger:
It's Messenger Time! Would you like to receive the Messenger? Do you want to renew your subscription? It's only $14.50 per year. Please see Kay Qualls.
Daylight Savings Time
Daylights savings time ends on Sunday, November 3rd. Remember to set your clocks back one hour..
2024 District Conference Registration :
2024 District Conference registration is now open. Please visit webiste to fill out the registration form.
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Prayer Alerts
+ Lyndal Frantz
+ Phyllis Caudle
+ Storm Victims
+ PSWD: Bethany Theological Seminary (our Seminiary), its students and faculty.
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PSWD District News:
District Conference Information:
District Conference will be held in Sacramento at the Prince of Peace Church on November 8 & 9. Information on suggested hotels and recommended flights can be found at pswdcob.org/distconf/ Conference will end by 4:45 p.m. Saturday so that you can still make flights home following business. Look for emails in July to pay the congregational fee and provide the names and contact information for your delegates. An email will go out next week to the full district email list with more information about plans and speakers.
The pre-conference workshop on Friday will be the required Ministry Ethics Workshop that is part of the 2025 Ordination renewal process. All ordained and licensed ministers need to take this workshop in person, and Friday, November 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Prince of Peace church is when it will be offered in PSWD. The district website has flight information to come in on Friday morning in time for the workshop.
Grants are available through the District to Support your ministry goals:
The Pacific Southwest District is blessed with resources to offer a variety of grants or partnership funds to help your church grow in their ministry. Below are just a few of the kinds offered, and you can learn more by visiting here at the district website.
Jesus in the Neighborhood - Churches can request up to two $500 grants each year to assist and encourage congregations to try something that will share Jesus in your community with relationship-based neighborhood engagement. A recent grant will support a church doing "Taco Sundays" over the next few months to meet their neighbors. What's your idea?
Ministry Partnership Funds - These funds can allow the district to partner with you, either in getting coaching or training for a group from your congregation, or launching a new ministry idea, or mission church grants that support churches in high poverty areas.
If you have an idea, reach out to Russ and we will see how we might partner as you share the good news in your community.
Responding to recent hurricane disasters:
Brethren are known for reaching out in service and support when others are impacted by tragic circumstances. Two recent hurricanes, Helene and Milton, have significantly impacted the southeastern United States. Already Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) is at work to provide relief and support. Several people from our district are already at work providing Disaster Childcare support in North Carolina, caring for children while parents do the hard work of figuring out next steps and applying for assistance.
If your congregation is looking for ways to respond, here are two specific ways to do so:
Collect an offering to support the work of BDM in providing cleanup supplies and resources throughout these hard hit areas. Funds can be sent to BDM, 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120, and mark the donation for Hurricane Helene and Milton relief.
Bring individual or congregational offerings to District Conference. At the Friday night worship we will collect an offering to send funds directly to those districts that have been impacted significantly by the hurricanes. This will provide support to them to help those in their congregations who have suffered losses and are in need of support beyond what insurance or government aid provides. You may also send contributions to the district office. Funds need to be received by November 15 to be included in this support.
Hold the dates for Pastor & Spouse Retreat 2025:
Join other pastors and their spouses from June 16-20 at Serra Retreat in Malibu, CA. Details of the program are still to be worked out, but put these dates on your calendar and make plans to be there. We will begin with dinner on Monday and end following breakfast on Friday morning.
Information on new opportunities coming soon:
There are three new initiatives that the District is supporting to provide support to congregations and pastors.
- Know 2 Grow 2 will provide help with social media presence for congregations
- Practical Resources for Congregations is a partnership we have joined that has support for ministry with children and families including coaching and resources
- Minister Resiliency Grants are returning as a way to provide support to pastors
More on all of these later in October! Stay tuned!
Professional Growth Opportunities & Resources:
Safe Church: When a Person Who Is a Known Sex Offender Wants to Attend Your Church Webinar on October 28 at 4:00 p.m. offered by Mennonite Church USA.
Eckhart, Jung, and Divine Birth - An Advent retreat led by Brother Don Bisson (Marist brother, spiritual director, Jungian psychologist) at Mercy Center Auburn. December 6-8, 2024.
2025 COB Clergywomens Retreat - every few years a denomination wide retreat is held for female ministers providing an opportunity to connect for professional growth and renewal. The gathering is February 10-13 near Orlando, Florida. Click here to learn more.
2025 Clergy Tax Seminar - Hosted by the Brethren Academy, COB minister and tax professional Deb Oskin will provide an informative session on what ministers need to know about doing their taxes. Saturday, February 1, 2025. Advance registration is required.
Ventures Program - Registration is now live for the Ventures in Christian Discipleship 2024-2025 webinar series. All courses are previewed below, and additional information is linked for the fall courses. CEUs are available. Registration can be done here. All are welcome!
- November 19 & 26: “Understanding Your Grief to Find Hope and Healing,” presented by Chris Whitacre & Kathy Reid
- February 11 & 18: “Luke and Acts: Turning the World Upside Down,” presented by Chris Bucher & Bob Neff
- March 11: “Standing in Solidarity: A Conversation about Race and Allyship,” presented by Eleanor Hubbard
- April 5: “A Place for Everybody: Creating Communities of Belonging,” presented by Jeanne Davies
alar@bethanyseminary.edu
District Prayer Calendar:
October 13 - For the pastors who serve our churches with faith and devotion / Para los pastores que sirven a nuestras iglesias con fe y devoción.
October 20 - Bethany Theological Seminary (our Seminary), its students and faculty / Bethany Theological Seminary (nuestro Seminario), sus estudiantes y profesores
October 27 - For the saints of the church who show us how to follow the way of Jesus / Para los santos de la iglesia que nos muestran cómo seguir el camino de Jesús
November 3 - District Conference which meets in Sacramento on November 8-9 and the district leaders / Conferencia del distrito que se reúne en Sacramento del 8 y 9 de noviembre y los líderes de distrito
November 10 - For those called into leadership for PSWD for 2024 / Para aquellos llamados al liderazgo de PSWD para 2024
November 17 - For leaders in our churches, those who serve as Board Chairs and Members, Treasurers, Musicians, Teachers, and more / Para los líderes de nuestras iglesias, aquellos que sirven como presidentes y miembros de la junta directiva, tesoreros,
músicos, maestros y más.
November 24 - ¡Alaben al Señor, invoquen su nombre! ¡Que los pueblos reconozcan sus obras! Salmos 105:1 / O give thanks to the LORD; call on his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105:1
December 1 - As Advent begins may we slow down and prepare our lives for Christmas / Al comienzo del Adviento, que disminuya la velocidad y preparemos nuestras vidas para la Navidad
December 8 - That your church might be a place of hope, peace, love, and joy in your community / Que su iglesia sea un lugar de esperanza, paz, amor y alegría en su comunidad
December 15 - Those who are without a safe and warm home as we move into winter / Aquellos que no tienen un hogar seguro y cálido a medida que avanzamos hacia el invierno
December 22 - “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord” - Merry Christmas! / “Que os ha nacido hoy, en la ciudad de David, un Salvador, que es CRISTO el Señor.” - ¡Feliz Navidad!
December 29 - Take a moment to look back at the past year and notice the times you felt especially close to God / Tómese un momento para recordar el año pasado y observelos momentos en que se sintió especialmente cerca de Dios.
Camp Peaceful Pines:
Opening Camp: May 24-27, 2024
Women's Retreat: June 14-16, 2024
Discovery Camp: June 27-July 3, 2024
Family Camp: July 19-25, 2024
Weekend Nature Camp: August 2-4, 2024
Jr/Jr.High/Youth Camp: August 9-11, 2024
Love and Laughter in the Pines: August 23-25, 2024
Closing Camp: September 1-4, 2024 |
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