January 25 – Let me urge you to join us this coming Saturday for the Associational Annual Planning Retreat.  In a day or two I will get a list of agenda items to you.  We have a number of key items, ranging from discipleship to associational funding to church planting that need pastoral input as we plan to serve together in 2014 and beyond.  We meet from 9:30AM to 2:30PM January 25 at FBC, Palmer.  Thanks for joining us.  Let me urge you to bring at least one lay person with you!

January 27 and 28 – ABC Evangelism Conference, Monday 6:30PM, Tuesday 9:00 AM @ FBC, Anchorage

February 3 – Social Media, How to use Facebook and Other Tools to Reach Your Community.  This Monday evening seminar le d by Mitchell Slater will meet at the associational office (our home – 1980 Kentucky Derby Drive) at 7:00 PM.  Several of us have had ongoing discussions about the potential of social media in Alaska.  We all need more information about these tools and how they work as well as how they can work for God’s Kingdom.

February 10 – VBS Champions Meeting, at the associational office (our home – 1980 Kentucky Derby Drive) at 7:00 PM. We encourage your church to have at least one VBS Champion at this meeting.  Usually it is the director, but it can be someone else.  This is our time to begin planning for and promoting the VBS Clinic on April 14 as well as other information valuable to your VBS planning.  Please put the VBS Champions‘ Meeting and the VBS Clinic on your calendar. 

March 16-27 – Evangelist Dale Rose and wife, Millie, will be with us and I am still looking for host churches.  Dale has offered to come up at his expense and lead two revivals with an associational soul-winning seminar in between. He has served in Alaska previously and I highly recommend him. He also guides teaching sessions, “Spiritual Gifts Seminar,” “Financial Seminar,” “Decision Counselor Training” and “Soul Winning.”  The “Counselor Training” goes well with the “Soul Winning Seminar.”   Millie and Dale also guide “Marriage Enrichments.” He has said to me, “We are willing to be used by the Lord in any way that He can use us in Alaska.”  Please call me if you would add one of these events to your March church calendar. 

Serving with you!                   

Gary Bearce