Lakeview News
EFCA Update on Japan
Monday, 14 March 2011, by SiteAdmin
Japan Earthquake Relief:
As the world begins to understand the enormity of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and resulting devastation, the country of Japan, Evangelical Free churches in Japan, and ReachGlobal personnel there are reeling. The EFCA received communication from staff in Japan, and it has been confirmed that all ReachGlobal personnel are safe. Thank you for your prayers!
In recent years, EFCA churches responded to crises such as the Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake with great generosity. Through EFCA TouchGlobal Crisis Response, we again have an opportunity to respond.
The hardship facing many in Japan gives the Church great opportunity to show the love of Jesus. TouchGlobal Crisis Response is assessing the situation, focusing upon:
- Establishing reliable communications with ReachGlobal staff in country.
- Responding to offers of assistance, and communicating the urgent need for immediate and long term giving to support the response.
- Planning an assessment trip to Japan, allowing time for the situation in the most affected areas to stabilize.
- Identifying potential partner ministries in Japan.
- Coordinating with other international faith based crisis response and non-government organizations.
The EFCA has relationship with two Evangelical Free Churches and a church plant in Sendai--one of the hardest hit regions. Through pre-existing ministry contacts, funds will be channeled to respond directly to those who have no other means to recoup all they have lost.
Relief teams are not being sent during this initial stage of response. Prayer and donations are the immediate and priority need. Please give. Having learned from Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake, crises present the opportunity to extend the love of Christ in compassionate and tangible ways. You may be certain gifts will be used wisely and with the greatest accountability.
Funds designated for Earthquake relief efforts can be sent to the EFCA national office or you may give a gift online.
EFCA
Earthquake Relief 21709-39707
901 E. 78th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55420-1300
More information and current updates can be found at www.touchglobal.org/japan and the EFCA Crisis Response blog site at www.efcacrisisresponse.blogspot.com. For more specific information and to help in other ways, contact crisisresponse@efca.org or (985)893-0218 ext.7.
Pray that through ReachGlobal staff and TouchGlobal Crisis Response, the EFCA will extend the love of Christ ministering spiritual and emotional hope to the many people in need.
May the Spirit of God move you and your congregation to respond with generosity! Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus in this crisis.
T.J. Addington
Senior Vice President EFCA
Executive Director ReachGlobal
Lakeview Issues News Release
Tuesday, 23 November 2010 @ 09:30:00 EST
November 12, 2010, Hamilton, IN -- Lakeview Community Church, located at 3130 E. Bellefontaine Rd. in Hamilton, recently joined the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA). Lakeview, previously an inter-denominational church, has chosen the affiliation for a variety of reasons.
The EFCA provides accountability for church leadership, as well as a number of resources including several universities and an online learning center, to name a few. The EFCA is made up of about 1,500 churches and church plants across 50 countries. The autonomous churches are networked together and share the EFCA’s statement of faith.
"We are pleased that Lakeview has joined our network of interdependent churches extending across the world," says Pastor Chuck Warren, Regional Superintendent for the Heartland Region of the EFCA. "The EFCA is distinguished by our commitment to proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ and to the inspiration of the Bible as the word of God. This fulfills the ‘Evangelical’ part of our name. We are also dedicated to the ‘Free’ part, which means that we are governed by our congregations, and our churches have autonomy. We look forward to serving together as partners in ministry."
The EFCA has a church planting ministry, foreign missionary efforts, and supports a non-profit organization helping keep families connected during a medical crisis.
The Lakeview congregation believes in seeing to people’s needs first. The church’s primary goal is to follow Jesus, and to encourage those they know and meet to do the same.
Pastor Chuck Warren will be a visiting speaker at the church on Sunday, November 21 for the 10:30 a.m. service. Lakeview meets every Sunday at 10:30 a.m., and has a youth group for young people and their parents on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Lakeview also has an adult Sunday school class and an active women’s ministry.
Lakeview is also rejoicing and giving glory to the Lord for His faithfulness in helping pay off the indebtedness of their facility. Pastor Jessup says that "because of the hard work of the faithful folks at Lakeview and the blessing of the Lord we will be able to devote more of our resources to ministering to the community and building His Kingdom."
For more information about Lakeview Community Church, contact Pastor Jess Jessup at (260) 488-2080 or visit them online at www.lakeviewhamilton.com. For more information on the EFCA, visit www.efca.org.
The Manhattan Declaration
Sunday, 06 December 2009 @ 01:21:20 EST, Taken from http://manhattandeclaration.org
A CALL OF CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE
Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.
We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:
- the sanctity of human life
- the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
- the rights of conscience and religious liberty.
Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
To read the declaration and add your signature click on the Manhattan Declaration logo:
Update on EFCA Affiliation
Saturday, 12 September 2009 @ 10:23 EDT, by Pastor Jess
Dear Lakeview Family:
In our effort to provide for accountability and future stability, we have been looking for a suitable group to connect with in fellowship and service to the Lord. Our search has brought us to the Evangelical Free Church or America. Over the past months, the leadership has visited websites, read material, and discussed the pros and cons of affiliation. Several weeks ago, we met with Rev. Chuck Warren, the Superintendent of the Heartland Region. In July Rev. Warren was with us to share the Word, talk about the EFCA, and answer any questions.
As a result of the extensive search and our discussion at the annual meeting on August 19, the leadership will be moving forward in the process of pursuing an affiliation with EFCA. As always, you will be kept informed as each step in the process progresses. Please continue to look at the links below and the material at the church, become more familiar with the EFCA, and ask any questions you have. You can address your questions to Pastor Jess, any of the leadership, or Rev. Warren via phone or email. At Lakeview, you are a part of these decisions. It is important that you are informed as we move forward in the decision process.