CLASSIC CARS & CHANGED LIVES
Ephrata, Washington—Here’s a story of how one faithful woman of prayer listened to God, leading to lives saved for eternity. Original plans for the Ephrata Women’s Connection guest night had fallen through. Three women—Myrt Hintz (Stonecroft Prayer Consultant), Jody Etter, (Stonecroft Friendship Bible Coffee Coordinator) and Kathleen Turnbull (Stonecroft Regional Administrator)—joined together in a time of prayer for the meeting.
The group had a speaker lined up, but had no other plans. As Myrt was praying, God inspired her with the idea of having a classic car/antique car display at the meeting place. Besides helping plan the meeting, Myrt took on the challenge of inviting members from her and her husband’s car club. She invited them not only to come and display their cars, but she and her husband paid for 15 dinners so their friends would be sure to stay and enjoy the program.
Although the weather had been rainy, that evening the sky cleared so that the guests, who were encouraged to come early, could mill about and view the cars. The restaurant said they had room for 80, but squeezed in 89. The speaker was outstanding and five of those from the car club indicated that they invited Jesus Christ to be Lord of their lives.
The first follow-up Bible study took place last Wednesday night. Kathleen Turnbull’s husband Bill guided the study and Myrt's husband was also in attendance. Kathleen shared that they witnessed three of those newcomers open and read the Good News Testament possibly for the first time in their lives. Kathleen said, “What a thrill to see how God works, but more importantly how one woman was willing to step out in faith and be used in a mighty way!”
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Posted on the morning of Friday, October 28, 2005COME HURRICANE OR HIGH WATER
Port Arthur, Texas—The ever-present piles of debris and missing roofs and windows serve as vivid reminders of the blow this city took from Hurricane Rita. But Port Arthur is slowly coming back to life as residents return, the cleanup continues, and more businesses and vital services reopen each day.
Though many of those who serve with the Port Arthur Christian Women’s Club have suffered loss from the hurricane, they are showing the same grit and determination as their city. They were forced to cancel their October meeting, but they are going forward with plans to meet on November 11.
The Holiday Inn where the group meets suffered water damage and their meeting room will have no carpeting, but the manager is supporting their efforts and has given the go-ahead. Because of the hurricane, the store that was to provide the fashion show as a special feature is not there any longer, but God has provided another special feature and a speaker.
“The women who serve on the Planning Team are wonderful and they have the right purpose in mind,” said Area Representative Francine Gaspard. “Many of them have lost a lot, but we still feel blessed compared to so many. Everyone is so grateful just to be here. Even though things are hard, we feel it’s the right time to have our meeting. The clean-up is exhausting and many people just feel numb. We want the women of our town to know we’re here for them. It’s important and I think God is going to do something very special.”
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Posted on the morning of Thursday, October 27, 2005HIGH COUNTRY BRUNCH
Frisco, Colorado—John and Jean Greene believe so strongly in the outreach ministry of Stonecroft Ministries they provided all the food for a recent Stonecroft on the Road event as a gift to their community.
Saturday’s event featured a brunch of French toast, sausage, fruit, tea, and juice. A prominent author from the area introduced her new book. Hundreds of invitations were made and 63 women attended. When speaker Karyn Brandt clearly presented the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, 16 people prayed to begin a salvation relationship with Him.
Others expressed interest in participating in Bible study and gathering together to pray. Jean said another event will be planned soon.
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Posted on the morning of Wednesday, October 26, 2005TICKLED PINK
North Kansas City, Missouri—You’ve probably seen them everywhere this month—the pink ribbons symbolizing the fight against breast cancer. At the outreach event last week, the North Kansas City Women’s Connection used the attention given to it to their advantage by focusing on breast cancer awareness.
The theme was effectively woven throughout the whole evening. A doctor talked about breast cancer as the feature, nurses were available in the lobby for questions, and special pillows were given away to cancer survivors.
The idea turned out to be incredibly popular. More than 200 people attended, and from the comments, were very touched by the testimony of speaker Linda Jenkins, a breast cancer survivor. Although the Chair, Ana Mast, wasn’t sure of the exact number of women who prayed to receive Christ, it was a significant amount.
“This was such a team effort,” said Ana. “When we found out how many people were coming, many Planning Team members and regular attendees gave up their seats so others could have them.” A simple act, but an eternally significant one in the lives of women who gave their lives to Jesus Christ that night.
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Posted on the morning of Tuesday, October 25, 2005NEW LIFE
Sun City, Arizona—After taking a break from meeting during the summer, the Sun City Christian Women’s Club welcomed 100 women to its event on October 14.
“I told them that some of them had a more important appointment to keep today than just meeting friends,” said Stonecroft speaker Audrey Thorkelson. As the team gathered in prayer following the event, they discovered that 23 women had made a decision to invite Jesus Christ into their lives as Savior and Lord.
Then, Audrey spoke at the Sun City West Christian Women’s Club. At that meeting, 140 women sat waiting. Audrey gave her talk and invited the women to pray with her to accept Jesus as their Savior. Thirty-three women joined her in making that decision for the first time.
“I just told my story and was obedient,” Audrey said. “Now, there are 56 new lives in the Kingdom!”
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Posted on the morning of Monday, October 24, 2005C'EST BON!
Cortaillod, Switzerland—When you picture Switzerland, you probably imagine rugged, snow-covered mountain peaks, quaint Alpine villages, crystal-clear lakes, and lovely, modern cities. Now tuck Christian Women’s Clubs and Friendship Bible Coffee study groups into the picture.
Did you know that there are 272 Friendship Bible Coffee studies meeting in 170 different cities and villages in Switzerland? New growth is being seen, particularly in rural areas. “In the cities, it is more difficult to motivate women to invest time in a Bible study,” says Hanni Berger, Stonecroft’s Swiss Representative. “Most of the women have a job besides their home and families.”
The 89 Friendship Bible Coffee leaders from around the country meet once a year for a two-day training event. Coordinators from nearby France and Belgium are invited as well. Plans are already in the works for the March 2006 event, which will focus on the vision and mission of Stonecroft Bible Studies. In the meantime, Hanni stays in touch with leaders through personal visits, phone, and e-mail. “I realize how important that personal relationship is to encourage women to stay in the ministry God has given to them and to reinforce the outreach,” she says.
There are also five Christian Women’s Clubs meeting in Switzerland and they plan to launch a new group next year in the city of Sion. Please pray for the ongoing ministry in Switzerland and for the leaders there as they continually equip and encourage women to impact their communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Posted on the morning of Friday, October 21, 2005IT ALL WORKED OUT FOR GOOD
Regina, Saskatchewan—“Everything seemed to go wrong!” exclaimed Susan LeTourneau, Chair of the Regina Christian Women’s Club. She went on to explain the many problems at their outreach meeting last month. The singer was upset and distracted. Before everyone got through the buffet line, the food ran out. The fashion show was much shorter than expected. And while the fashion show was going on, more food came out, disrupting things.
However, “the Lord worked out everything. It was like a revival happening in the meeting. You could feel God’s presence in the room,” Susan said. The speaker was excellent and she shared the Gospel very clearly. Of the more than 160 attendees, 52 indicated that they prayed with her to accept Jesus Christ as Savior!
Susan has been in touch with each of those 52 women, and several have said that they’d like to join a Friendship Bible Coffee. Praise God for such a great demonstration of how He works above and beyond what we expect.
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Posted on the morning of Thursday, October 20, 2005MONTANA MEMORIES
Billings, Montana—The mission of Stonecroft Ministries is to equip and encourage women to impact their communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the ways the Stonecroft staff does that is through Capture the Moment events. At these events, a team zips into town for 24 hours of training, encouragement, and vision-strengthening. It’s intense, it’s powerful, and it’s effective.
Last weekend, four staff members from Stonecroft Headquarters met with more than 30 Stonecroft leaders in Montana for a “Capture” event. The result was a “booster shot” of encouragement for those serving in the field. One attendee commented, “I have never been involved in anything like this before. I am taking home so much information but, even more than that, I am taking the excitement of being with a group of women full of love for Jesus and full of prayer for the lost and for each other.”
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Posted on the morning of Wednesday, October 19, 2005LIBERTY UPDATE
Liberty, Missouri—For more than a month now, friends of Jackson Burlison have gathered together on Wednesday nights to “Examine the Evidence.”
Jackson’s grandmother, Della Terry, a Friendship Bible Coffee Consulting Coordinator, is guiding the study. Around 20 young men, from 7th to 12th grades, are studying the Bible together. Della and Jackson had expected about a dozen.
“They are thrilled to have their own Bibles,” Della said. Each Stonecroft Bible study participant receives a Good News New Testament with their Bible study material. Della has given out 25.
Visit Stonecroft Stonecroft Bible Studies.
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Posted on the morning of Tuesday, October 18, 2005TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Henning, Minnesota—“It was not because of anything our Planning Team did. God did it all.” Those were the words of Lois Christopherson, the Chair of the Henning-Battle Lake Christian Women’s Club, as she talked about the October outreach event.
The outreach group had been meeting for lunch at a community center, but circumstances had led them to look for a different meeting place. Lois approached the manager at a brand new conference center in the area and asked, “Wouldn’t you love to have our Christian Women’s Club meet here?” The manager agreed, but the price for a luncheon seemed too high.
Although they weren’t sure what the response would be, the Planning Team decided to change the meeting time from a lunch to a brunch. Lois said she prayed that God would bring 70 people—about 20 more than usual. God did far more than she and the team expected. More than 100 women attended the meeting, and 24 of them prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior that day!
The Planning Team planned, invited, and prayed. But with absolute certainty, Lois says, “All the glory belongs to God.”
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Posted on the morning of Monday, October 17, 2005WESTERN ROUNDUP
Batesville, Indiana—Linda Tuttle, vice-chair of the Greater Batesville, Indiana, After 5 credits prayer for the success of the group’s recent Guest Night.
The Western Theme was announced in invitations and guests were greeted with a barbeque and western-style centerpieces. A country-western singer provided the feature and Don Kurfees came from Lexington, Kentucky to speak.
Don, a former helicopter rescue pilot who served in the U.S. Air Force, spoke about how his reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ lead to his reconciliation with his children.
Twelve people indicated they prayed with Don as he led the audience in a prayer to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
“The prayers are what did it,” Linda said. “They really paid off!”
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Posted on the morning of Friday, October 14, 2005SALUTE TO COUPLES
Lancaster, Pennsylvania—The Susquehanna Valley Couples’ Connection began its second year of ministry last Friday (10-7) with a dinner party featuring a salute to the military. The group invited recruiters from all branches of the armed forces to attend. Those in the audience of 116 who served in the military were honored during the dinner as the theme song from each service branch was played. Speaker Roy Cash, a retired Navy captain who spent 30 years flying fighter jets, shared the lessons God had taught him during times of peace and war.
“It was a fun evening and we are excited to have this outreach to couples in our area,” commented Joyce Wagner, who serves on the Steering Committee with her husband, John. “I so enjoy Stonecroft Ministries and have been involved for years. I remember attending Christian Business & Professional Women with my mother when I was a child and have been active in local groups most of my adult life. I had been praying for some way that John and I could serve the Lord as a couple. When the Couples’ Connection was started, we were asked to be the Chaircouple. It has been a growing and stretching experience for both of us, but we are enjoying serving together.”
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Posted on the morning of Thursday, October 13,, 2005GLENWOOD SPRINGS
Glenwood Springs, Colorado—The Glenwood Springs, Colorado After 5 recently targeted moms in the community by having a clown provide entertainment at its outreach event. The group went from having no kids in the nursery to having 22! Two preteen girls asked about being involved in a Friendship Bible Coffee study.
As a result, a study of Who is Jesus? for preteens was started. Host Linda Roush, the local Regional Representative, and Guide Angie Zimmerman served fun refreshments such as ice cream sundaes, s’mores cooked on an open fire, and root beer floats.
The first week, there were six girls. In the following weeks, up to 10 young girls attended.
Linda and Angie are excited to see how God is using them to reach these young girls.
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Posted on the morning of Wednesday, October 12, 2005CONNECTING COUPLES FROM CA to VA
Purcellvile, Virginia—Seeds planted in California are now producing fruit near Washington, D.C.
Tom and Suzanne Larry were introduced to Stonecroft couples’ ministry several years ago in California. So, when they moved to northern Virginia, it was only natural for them to seek involvement there. Since there was no Couples’ Connection in their new location, they began starting couples’ Bible studies. Then, last year at the Stonecroft conference in Virginia Beach, they met with the Couples’ Club representatives to discuss their desire to start a group. The Louden County Couples’ Connection, which met for the first time Saturday, is the answer to their prayers. Except for Tom and Suzanne, all the couples serving on the Steering Committee for the group are new to Stonecroft Ministries.
The group meets in Purcellville, located northwest of Washington, DC. Though the town itself is small, it is surrounded by many housing developments and a population of 60,000 within a 20-mile radius. There is much potential for growth.
Around 50 people attended the first dinner party. “It was a wonderful evening,” says Jo Knipe, Couples’ Club Representative. “There was laughter and fun, and no one wanted to leave.” In addition, two people made decisions to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Irene Hall, the Stonecroft Regional Administrator for the area, is so pleased by what is happening and hopes that a Christian Women’s Club will also be started in the area as a result of this new Couples’ Connection.
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Posted on the morning of Tuesday, October 11, 2005SC ON THE ROAD...TO COEUR D'ALENE PART III
Grangevill, Idaho—Organizers prayed for 150 women to attend the Stonecroft on the Road event in Grangeville, Idaho. It was the third and final stop for Pat Abernathy, Sandi Ausland, and Candy Weatherly as they made their way recently to the regional conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
The last count that Pat, Sandi, and Candy had heard was that reservations were made for 165 women, and they were rejoicing at how God had answered their prayers. On the morning of the outreach event, however, they were reminded that our God does “exceeding, abundantly above” all we ask or imagine. The final count stood at 233 reservations!
The Stonecroft on the Road event was held at the town’s senior center and featured displays from several decorating businesses. Pat did a feature on home decorating and gave a talk about the difference Jesus Christ made in her life. When she invited the attendees to accept Him as their Savior and Lord, 24 did so! In addition, six women signed up to host a Friendship Bible Coffee in the near future.
In total, 1,735 people have attended a Stonecroft on the Road event and God has drawn 198 of them into a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.
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Posted on the morning of Monday, October 10, 2005SC ON THE ROAD...TO COEUR D'ALENE PART II
Halfway, Oregon—This was the second stop for Stonecroft on the Road as experts Pat Abernathy, Sandi Ausland, and Candy Weatherly made on their way recently to the regional conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Halfway’s Stonecroft on the Road followed one the previous evening in Lakeview, Oregon. Months ago, two women in the town, Jo Vowell, a Coordinator for Stonecroft Bible Studies, and Ann Schrader, agreed to head up the effort.
The feature consisted of a fashion show from the only clothing store in town—one which sold previously enjoyed fashions. The women organized and put together a dessert buffet.
Seventy-five attendees arrived for the fashion show and dessert. Participants constituted more than one quarter of Halfway’s total population of 350. Sandi spoke and six women received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. Bible studies in the area, which were started previous to the event, were strengthened.
Next, the Stonecroft on the Road team headed for Grangeville, Idaho, their last stop before arriving at the conference in Coeur d’Alene. Read about the exciting things God did through Stonecroft Ministries there in tomorrow’s installment of Stonecroft Live.
Stonecroft Ministries currently has outreach groups in 13 countries and serves 52 countries with the Friendship Bible Coffee program.
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Posted on the morning of Friday, October 7, 2005SC ON THE ROAD...TO COEUR D'ALENE PART I
Lakeview, Oregon—As Stonecroft on the Road experts Pat Abernathy, Sandi Ausland, and Candy Weatherly made their way recently to the regional conference in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, they made three stops. At each, they partnered with local Stonecroft volunteers to hold a Stonecroft on the Road event. Stonecroft Live will report these events for three days, starting today.
Lakeview, Oregon, was one of the very first communities targeted by the Stonecroft on the Road originators back in March 2003. For more than a year, teams of women prayed for an opportunity to tell the women of Lakeview about Jesus Christ.
Then, nearby outreach groups from Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Alturas, California, offered to help organize an outreach event in Lakeview. God used men to establish the plan. Pat's husband Ed, and Clint Meyers, husband of Klamath Falls Women’s Connection Chair Veronica, scouted locations and found that the local Elks Club would serve well. The initial contact in town was a chef who contacted his pastor, who got the local ministerial association on board.
Vicky Hanson, a local woman with an interest in making Jesus known in Lakeview, became the organizing contact for the Stonecroft on the Road event. She contracted with six health and beauty product vendors to present the feature. Vicky and other local women organized the outreach event as a Girls Night Out. Cheesecake and a dessert buffet were advertised.
The outreach event drew 36 women from this town of 2,500. Candy presided and Pat spoke. One woman accepted Pat's invitation to accept Jesus Christ as her Savior. Also, six women agreed to join a Friendship Bible Study, which began Tuesday.
Early the next morning, the Stonecroft on the Road gang moved on to Halfway, Oregon. Check this space Monday morning for the next “Stonecroft on the Road…to Coeur d’Alene” installment.
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Posted on the morning of Thursday, October 6, 2005WOMENS EXPO
Shelby Township, Michigan—Debbie Potts was ready. She had the material, she had the attitude, and she had seen God open the doors when the Women’s Expo appeared closed.
But when she arrived at the Women's Expo at the Cherry Creek Country Club on September 21, she was told the spot at the front of the display area assigned to her was no longer available. She was shown an alternative.
"We could not have asked for a better spot!" she wrote enthusiastically. "We were definitely in the center of the excitement."
Debbie, a Prayer Coordinator, and several additional volunteers from the Stony Creek After 5 hosted a display table at the Expo. The Expo’s theme was “Creating a Better You.”
"After setting up, I walked around and met the other venders, asking them about their businesses and telling them about Stonecroft," Debbie wrote. "I gave each one a flyer, and asked if they would ever be interested in coming to do a feature for us. They were all enthusiastic."
“I would say that from the booth we gave out at least 100 flyers, and most of the women had never heard of us," she wrote. "One woman asked if we would accept 75 Red Hat Society ladies. I said, 'Of course.' Later she came by with another woman and picked up more flyers. She said, 'This is what we are going to do in November!' "
The outreach group has plans for a Guest Night in November and now they expect a full house!
Many visitors to the booth were handed a Stonecroft Life Publication. One woman commented that she was “looking for something inspirational.”
"It was a great night," Debbie wrote. "It was a wonderful way to spread the news about our outreach group. We do indeed serve a mighty God!"
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Posted on the morning of Wednesday, October 5, 2005CAPTURING MOMENTS IN CHARLESTON
Charleston, South Carolina—Life rushes by in a river of moments. As believers, we want to capture those moments for Jesus Christ. That’s what Stonecroft’s Capture the Moment events are all about. Each event is 24 hours chock-full of prayer, worship, training, encouragement, and idea-sharing, presented by national staff and especially designed for Stonecroft leaders and those interested in becoming a part of Stonecroft Ministries.
The most recent event was held in Charleston, where 134 women from four states gathered together to capture the moment and celebrate the message of God’s love. Here’s what some of the attendees had to say about that power-packed 24 hours:
“We found clear guidance and direction for some specific problems our group faces. We are taking home a new sense of family and support in the whole group!”
“I learned that God wants me to add listening to my four spiritual disciplines of prayer, study, fasting, and service.”
“I have been refreshed in the objectives of Stonecroft Ministries—that is to reach the lost!”
“Our leadership team is a small group of five people. I learned about how to ‘grow’ leaders.”
“I have been with Stonecroft Ministries for nine months. You have a great vision. Now I am part of that vision.”
Capture the Moment events will be held in Billings, Montana, on October 14-15 and in Joliet, Illinois, on November 4-5.
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Posted on the morning of Tuesday, October 4, 2005GARDENING WITH GOD
Belmont, North Carolina —Stonecroft volunteers from North Carolina recently took part in a Leadership Connection at the beautiful Daniel Stowe Gardens and Conference Center in Belmont. The event was well attended by 100 leaders who represented both the local outreach groups and Stonecroft Bible Studies. “The Leadership Connection was a successful and blessed day for everyone,” commented District Consulting Coordinator Norma Dougherty.
Using a garden theme, the sessions highlighted how each volunteer has a role in the Father's Garden. The women were reminded that by focusing on their assigned tasks as leaders, they are “planting and watering.” The main speaker was Phyllis Stern, Chairman of the Stonecroft National Board of Directors. She shared insights regarding the importance of abiding in the Lord and being nourished by His Word.
One thing that was stressed was the importance of forming lasting relationships with the younger generation. The leaders were challenged to go back to their neighborhoods and have a Get-Acquainted Party, a Christmas Gathering, or a special outreach event that targets younger women. They were also encouraged to develop a relationship with and mentor a spiritual daughter who could come with them next year for a Mother/Spiritual Daughter Fun Day. The hope is that all the leaders will come back next year and bring 100 young women with them!
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Posted on the morning of Monday, October 3, 2005THE BEST KIND OF BASKET CASE
Ocean City, New Jersey—The women of the Ocean City Christian Women’s Club have been busy preparing lovely gift baskets to sell at their fall fundraiser. But one attendee created a very special gift basket with a purpose.
This woman loves Stonecroft Bible Studies and has hosted many of the Bible studies in her home. She decided to prepare a basket to encourage someone else to open her home for a study. At the September meeting, her basket was presented. “It was beautiful and so inviting,” said Regional Representative Dottie Schmidt. Inside was everything a Friendship Bible Coffee hostess would need—packages of muffin and scone mix; coffee, cocoa, and tea; coffee mugs; pretty paper napkins and plates; Friendship Bible Coffee study books and Good News New Testaments; even a tiny flower arrangement.
The basket was offered to anyone who would be willing to host a study in her home—and one woman quickly volunteered. “We were especially excited when we learned that the woman who received the basket lived in Egg Harbor Township,” Dottie recalled. “There are no Bible studies in that area and the Planning Team has been praying that one would start there.” The study begins this month.
