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1 Promotion Sunday is Here!

2 Youth Retreat for Renewal

3 Gallery PICS

4 Pastor’s Journal

5 Back to School Palooza

6 Fall Bible Study Series

6 On the Spot

As kids head back to school and we resume our regular full schedule of activities at church, we know summer is ending. We also know that it is about time for the Sunday school classes to be promoted to the next grade, and some to the next department. It is an exciting time of year!

Most students switched to their new classes on Sunday, September 11. In the Beginners Department, which includes many dozen children ages two to five, making a smooth transition can be tricky. To help the process, each student was labeled with a sticker

stating their name and the name of their new teacher. The Primary and Junior students didn’t need to be labeled, but moving everyone to a new class can be confusing for them too. They were each given the opportunity to visit their old classes one more time and say goodbye.

i n t h i s i s s u e

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Promotion Sunday is Here!Then they headed off to meet their new teachers and classmates.

For some of the students, the new class was in a new department. Eighteen excited Beginners were picked up by their new teachers and escorted to the Primary Department, located at the back of the church. There was plenty of room for them as twenty-two third-graders moved across the hall from the Primary Department to the Junior Department. Then twenty-six juniors graduated. Due to large class sizes, they will meet in a new location

in a room at the back of the Junior Department.

The new classes are already off to a great start! We are all looking forward to spending the upcoming year having fun and learning about the Lord.

A P O S T O L I C F A I T H . O R G

Selections from our website and more

(Top) The graduating Primary students are acknowledged. (Bottom) The group from the Beginners Department is welcomed.

“Eighteen excited Beginners were picked up by their new

teachers and escorted to the Primary Department.”

September 2016

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About fifty of our young people traveled to Sunriver Resort near Bend, Oregon, for a youth retreat over the weekend of September 16-18. Along with them were several youth ministers, a small but faithful cooking crew, and a few others who served as chaperones.

Vans left the church parking lot around 2:00 p.m. and delivered the young people to one of three houses that were rented for the weekend; one for the girls, and two for the boys. One of the houses was designated as the “meeting house,” where the devotional sessions were held, and another was the “eating house” for meals. After dinner on Friday evening, everyone gathered at the meeting house for a devotional lesson about who God is. First they watched a video that explained the complexities of the universe, and then Erik Calhoun spoke about the wonders God has done, encouraging the young people to fully surrender their lives to our awesome Creator. There was a time for prayer following the session, and then everyone went to their houses for the night.

Saturday morning started with a French toast breakfast at 9:00 a.m., and then Trent Paulsen led a study session about Christian apologetics on the existence of God. He began by giving a definition of apologetics: “to give a defense or a reason for your claims or

him while he is near.” Clark Wolfe led the devotional for the evening, talking to the youth about the importance of seeking their deeper experiences while they are young. During the prayer time that followed, everyone was thrilled when a young woman prayed through to salvation.

The group was happily met by pans of warm cinnamon rolls for breakfast Sunday morning, and then the final devotional session was led by Ryan Erdmann. He also encouraged the young people to seek the Lord, sharing with them his own testimony of seeking and receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Though the weekend went by quickly, we trust that the impact of the messages, prayer times, and fellowship will be long lasting.

beliefs.” He also stated that the most important thing in life is not to convince others that God exists, but to know it for ourselves and to have a right relationship with Him. Yet, having an explanation for our beliefs can strengthen our faith and our witness to others. Brother Trent focused on the “Cosmological Argument,” which uses logic and science to assert that the universe could not have come into existence without a Creator. He gave the young people a lot to think about and good tools for defending their faith.

A delicious lunch of teriyaki chicken and rice was served in the afternoon, and then there were a few hours of free time, during which the young people could go to a water park, play putt-putt golf, hang out at the mall, or just visit with friends. Some took advantage of the gorgeous bike trails in the area, and others found some beautiful horses to visit on a ranch.

Everyone met back at the eating house in the evening for homemade lasagna with garlic bread for dinner. Following the meal, the evening session started with an activity where the young people were put into groups and had to cut out and paste onto a note card the words of Isaiah 55:6, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon

Chris Luka prepares to lead the praise and worship session.

Youth Retreat for Renewal

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Gallery PICSselections from our online albums

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(Clockwise from top left) Duane Wilson testifies; Cooper Friesen gets stuck; Nolan Roby preaches; Jillian and Julianne Luka sing; Alina Chubok claims her prize; Daisy Andersen finds her barrette; Oliver Tonning hides in plain sight; Claudia Hanson plays the cello; Will Fedosov shows Palooza spirit.

Excerpts from Saturday, September 3 The closing week of the Western and Central Africa Camp Meeting saw many more blessings received. The following report gives the details:

Continuing the overall theme of the camp meeting, “The Relationships of the Godly,” the third week focused on relationships within the family, including the family of God.

A Seminar on marriage and family was held on Tuesday evening in place of the usual evangelistic service. Various points were presented and then a question and answer session followed. The congregation showed great interest throughout, and afterward many took advantage of the opportunity to pray about these important subjects.

On Friday, a water baptismal service was held and 1,130 candidates were baptized (see photo). Then in the evening, the ordinances of the Lord’s Supper and the Washing of the Disciples’ Feet were observed.

The Sunday evening service included testimonies of God’s power to save, heal, and deliver. Ngozi Totty of Abuja, Nigeria, told how she battled cancer for thirteen years until God stepped in and healed her. Another Sister told of God’s mighty hand to deliver. She said her pregnant sister was kidnapped, but miraculously, the Lord delivered her and protected the unborn baby as well.

Truly Heaven came down and glory filled our souls during this camp meeting. By the close of the three-week convention, over 16,000 had claimed blessings from the Lord. This included 4,061 who were saved.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Excerpts from Thursday, September 29 Sam Ajayi, Director of Australia Work, and his wife, Shade, are in Sydney, Australia, for the annual camp meeting, which began on Sunday, September 25.

The opening message was taken from Philippians 3:4-11, and highlighted the camp theme of “That I May Know Him.” In it, the congregation was challenged to pay attention in the upcoming week to the Lord as He reveals Himself to each individual in a personal way. Brother Sam said the prayer meeting that followed was one of the most fervent the saints have experienced in Sydney, and the evening service was similarly blessed.

On Monday evening, a presentation was given on the history of the work in Australia. At the close, the saints expressed appreciation for how the Lord has grown the Australia congregations, which began with a handful of believers.

P o s t s F r o m

B r o t h e r

D a r r e l L e e ’ s

J o u r n a l

Read more at apostolicfaith.org/newsevents/pastorsjournal.aspx

Pastor’s Journal

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P o s t s F r o m

B r o t h e r

D a r r e l L e e ’ s

J o u r n a l

A rock climbing wall, an inflatable obstacle course, and crafts—these are just a few of the activities that awaited those who came to the Back to School Palooza on September 24.

This event is our way of kicking-off a new year in Sunday school; it is a special treat for our students and a good way to let other neighborhood kids know that they are welcome to join us too.

As guests arrived through the main gates of the campground and were greeted, they received a map identifying zones filled with fun activities.

Of course the children didn’t need a map to direct them to something fun. Many of the very young headed straight for the campground lawn in front of the west chapel where a giant inflatable slide, bounce house, and obstacle course awaited. There were also benches nearby, where they could sit and watch a puppet show when they had tired themselves out.

For the older kids, many of them first ran toward the parking lot to explore the firetruck and police car, climb the rock wall, and take aim at a Sunday school teacher in the dunk tank. The rock wall became a highlight as many children

As it neared lunchtime, guests gravitated toward the Fellowship Lodge patio for a hot dog followed by a shave ice with their choice of syrup, or syrups if that is what they preferred.

Before leaving, everyone was encouraged to enter the prize drawing. Directly in front of the tabernacle was a table where students could sign up. They were informed that the names would be drawn the next morning during the general assembly before Sunday school, and the rule was that to win a prize, the student had to be present.

The next morning, the sanctuary was full in anticipation of the drawing. The grand prizes included a new bike that went to Aaron Hoskins, a giant (as in, larger than a grown man) teddy bear won by Alina Chubok, and an iPad mini that went to Chandler Mom. What a great start to a new year in Sunday school!

challenged themselves to climb to the top. The dunk tank was great fun as well; those who came during Ryan Erdmann’s turn in the hot seat (or in this case, the cold seat) got to watch his own son dunk him four times! Seven-year-old Ezra showed no mercy.

Of course everyone made a stop at the fountain in front of the tabernacle. It had been converted to a fish pond, and many kids were able to make a catch and take home dinner.

The east side of the lawn was also a great hit. It offered lawn games, like the ring toss, and a Velcro wall. For those who are not familiar, a Velcro wall involves children putting on a Velcro suit and then running and throwing themselves onto a blow-up wall also covered in Velcro. It is actually quite entertaining to watch, and no doubt super fun for the kids to experience.

The weather was great for most of the day, but when guests wanted a change of atmosphere, the west chapel offered a variety of crafts, a basketball hoop shoot, and a photo booth, which called after young and old to dress up and have their picture taken.

(Top right) Patrick Lee climbs the rock wall. (Above, left to right) Donovan Ewers takes aim at the dunk tank; Amanda Riler, Emmaline Worthington, and Biruktawit Rush are all smiles; Rob Moen shows son, Lucas, how to bait a hook.

Back to School Palooza

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On the Spot

Edna Musgrave: The teachings on prayer have

been such a help to my prayer life.

Shirley Johnson: Learning more of God’s Word is wonderful, and the daytime fellowship of a small group is great, too.

Pat Wolfe: I like the daytime studies and the fellowship of the saints.

George Yellott: The mid-week studies are a nice opportunity to hear a teaching and then discuss it with other believers over a great lunch, all while enjoying the serene setting of the campground.

Linda Spinas: I have enjoyed feasting on God’s Word, fellowship, and fabulous food.

Shirley Mueller: I like the Bible studies because I have learned a lot and enjoy spending time with God’s people.

Hazel Wilson: I loved hearing the wonderful history given during the study on prayer.

Deanna Moen: As the coming of the Lord draws closer, we need to assemble ourselves together and encourage one another in God’s Word.

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By Phyllis waddell

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Fall Bible Study SeriesAn eight-part Bible study series with

the theme of “The Twelve: Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Calling” began on Wednesday, September 21, in the Fellowship Lodge.

The first session introduced the series, giving an overview of who the disciples were. Ed Habre, who was the speaker, said they were not people who would typically be chosen as leaders; they were not formally trained, especially intelligent, or otherwise outstanding in any particular way. They were just ordinary men. Brother Ed said this should encourage us, because it means God can use ordinary people like us, too.

The lesson continued with a look at the disciples’ shortcomings, and how

The Bible studies will continue to be held on Wednesdays through November, with each lesson focusing on a specific disciple or two. For those who cannot attend, the sessions are webcast live and archived online.

the Lord helped overcome those. He gave examples of how when they lacked spiritual understanding, Jesus taught them patiently and they learned. When they lacked humility, Jesus showed by His own example what their attitude should be. Many times they lacked faith, but Jesus did miracles that opened their understanding. When persecution came, they lacked commitment, but Jesus showed them the importance of a strong prayer life, which gives the strength to overcome in trials. Finally, the disciples lacked power, but Jesus left so He could send the Holy Ghost who would empower them. Brother Ed concluded by saying that the twelve disciples were just regular guys, but they turned the world upside down. With God’s help, we want to continue what they started.

Question: What have you enjoyed about the annual fall Bible studies?

THE TWELVE Overview on the Twelve

Peter

Andrew

James and John Philip and Bartholomew

Thomas and Matthew

James

Judas Iscariot

SEPTEMBER 21

SEPTEMBER 28

OCTOBER 5

OCTOBER 12

OCTOBER 19

OCTOBER 26

NOVEMBER 2

NOVEMBER 9

Ordinary Men. Extraordinary Calling.Fall Bible Study ScheduleWednesdays at 11:15 a.m. in the Fellowship Lodge.