Recent News...

Alice
"The Lord is at work" at the Alice Church of God bringing a fresh breeze of encouragement and hope! New attendees are coming and bringing others to visit, there are younger people coming, and some of them have kids too. People are becoming members and it is exciting to watch the church come to life again. Pray for the Alice congregation as they seek God's wisdom and God's will toward the future plans for the church. Three people were baptized on August 10th and there have been 3 conversions since the beginning of July!!
Anthony Wayne
Reports 2 conversions in the month of June! They also sent news that Vacation Bible School (June 9-13) went very well. This year Anthony Wayne is sending 30 campers to Bear Lake Camp this year with full registration paid by the church! Pastor Jerry Blanchard gave the Bear Lake Camp report during Transformed 2008.

Bear Lake Camp
Come celebrate 60 years of ministry at Bear Lake Camp on Saturday, September 6th. The day will include food, activities, games and fellowship. Games and activities start at 2:00 PM. A hog roast with hamburgers and hotdogs will be served from 4:00 - 6:00 PM followed by a time of worship at 7:00 PM.
Berreman/Pleasant Valley
Had Vacation Bible School August 3-8th! Berreman's Youth Center celebrates 60 years this year and held camp July 7-10th with family camp July 11-13th!

Boiling Springs
Reports 1 Child Dedication! This month's M.O.M. was The Good Samaritan Inn where people were fed a hot lunch for free. In addition to some of our congregation helping to serve, we collected an additional $955.00 to give them this month. $415.00 and $470.00 was also collected for two other M.O.M recipients.
Bunker Hill
Stephen and Michele and 5 teens just got back from a successful mission trip to Mexico!
Casey White Oak
We have had several conversions recently; 5 children at Vacation Bible School, 2 children earlier in July, and 1 child in June. A Community sing was held on August 24th and a Chicken Fry is scheduled for Sunday, September 21.
Columbia City
Congratulations to the Bible Quiz team who competed at the Nationals in Findlay, Ohio the second to the last week of July! Columbia City 2 placed 7th in the JUNIOR HIGH TEAM division, and Columbia City 1 placed 5th in the SENIOR HIGH TEAM division. Patrick Bird from Columbia City 1 placed 5th in the Individual division. On September 19 and 20 a Fall Retreat is planned for women at the Farmstead Inn in Shipshewana with Char Binkley and AXIA will provide special music.
Crossroads Community
Held their Annual Worship Service at the Lake on Sunday June 22nd and Pastor Eddie Hammond baptized 11 people! Thanks to Pastor Steve Hollis who shared his music ministry after the Tuesday evening program. If you'd like to hear the song Pastor Steve shared go to http://www.myspace.com/werememberyouthesong
East Harrison Street
On July 25th, 15 of our teens traveled to Camp Maranatha for a weekend mission trip/discipleship retreat. They cleaned and painted the interior of two cabins. Michelle Drake, the daughter of our church treasurer who has been hospitalized for 5 months with a spinal cord injury was welcomed home by the church family on July 24th. Praise God for His miraculous healing!
Fairview
Hosted a summer concert series on June 15-July 13. Some of the featured entertainment include: Tommy Womack (Nashville, TN) J. Andrew Camp (Anderson, IN) Dave Frincke (Fort Wayne, IN) and Ryan Hirschy (Decatur, IN). Everyone is invited to attended these programs at 6 pm. Details and maps are located on their website. Go to www.fairviewlife.com Faith Covenant
Three children were dedicated in July.
Hazel Dell
Held a 65th wedding anniversary dinner and reception for Norman and Joann Wattleworth with 75 in attendance on June 22. Vacation Bible School was July 13-17.
Idaville
Youth Sunday was June 29th and featured Evan Kyburz in the pulpit! The Youth will be attending "Spirit Song 2008" on July 11th at Kings Island in Cincinnati, Ohio. You are invited to attend/and or participate in the Idaville First Church of God's First Annual Pig Dressing Contest on Friday, September 19th at 6:00 PM. This will be an event featuring 4 member teams classified as men, women, and youth. Contact the church by September 1st if you are interested!
Laurel Street
Join Laurel Street Community Church as they celebrate their 40th Anniversary on August 16 and 17!
---Saturday August 16th, 1:00-4:00 PM - Carnival Games, Prizes, Cake Walk and Ice Cream --FREE! 4:30 PM - Fireside Sing-A-Long.
---Sunday August 17th, 9:15-10:15 AM - Fellowship Service Celebrating 40 years of music, 10:30-11:30 AM - Small Group Fellowship, Noon-2:00 PM - Lunch with hotdogs and hamburgers, 2:00-5:00 PM - Concert with local Christian music groups.
Melrose
Had special third Sunday evening programs
Moriah
The youth went on a mission trip to the Baptist Children's home in Chatanooga, Tennessee on August 6-10th.
Mound Chapel
Vacation Bible School was June 8 - 13th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The theme was SonWorld Adventure Park. On June 8th our special guest during Sunday School and Morning Worship were Bruce Pettigrew and the staff from Camp Maranatha. Everyone enjoyed a pot-luck following Morning Worship. A Men's Breakfast took place on June 21st at Cracker Barrel. A community outreach is planned on September 7th called "Autumn Dazes" along with the dedication of our new Carillon system.

Mount Carroll
Passed out Bibles to all graduating High School seniors and had 5/8th grade graduates and 1 college grad. WCSC held their Spring Rally May 16-17 with guest speaker Carrie Gaul. Baby Dedication was on Father's Day and Vacation Bible School was held on June 23-27. We held Christmas in July to support our troops by sending medical items, soaps, snacks, sun glasses and much more. A women's conference "The Bride of Christ" is being schedule for Septmber. Mt Carroll is preparing for their 160th Anniversary which will be October 26, 2008. There will be a ministry team heading to Kentucky in November.
Mount Pleasant
Gabriel Wieland, son of Associate Pastor Jack (Jill) Wieland, had surgery to remove a cyst on August 12th. Pastor David Beerbower said that he was a very brave little boy! Mount Tabor
Held an Ice Cream and Dessert night (July 27th) for folks in the community surrounding Mt Tabor Church! The Mt Tabor congregation went door to door inviting everyone to enjoy an evening of fellowship and free ice cream! There were nearly 100 visitors that came as a result of the personal invitation. Olive Branch
"KidStuf" is a new ministry at Olive Branch where kids bring their parents to learn and share together. Watch for a KidStuf live performance during the morning worship service on the 25th. Jeff and Julie Burns, Marilyn Peter, and Mark and Rebecca Powell (Cross-Cultural Ministries Team Members) shared about "Partnering with Brazil" during this year's Transformed 2008 Convention. Missionaries Brook and Sara Sarver were one of the featured missionaries during one of the breakout sessions!
Oak Grove
Dave Mosher was the guest speaker on Sunday, August 10th. The church will participate in their Annual Picnic and Baptism at Bear Lake on August 17th.

Shiloh
Pastor Steve Sims and 13 teens and adults from Shiloh are in Poplar Bluff, Missouri this week (6/30) and will be working on houses in the area. Prayer is requested that Jesus' love will be shown to the people they are helping and for their safety.
Silver Creek
Back to school weekend began on August 23rd with a group heading to Fort Wayne for a Wizards game and the traditional Fazoli meal following the game. Continuing on Sunday the 24th with the 12th annual "Back to School" prayer and cookout. September is Celebration of Marriage month and it will kick off with a mass wedding renewal on September 7th at 6:00 PM. Throughout the month a special sermon will be given focusing on Biblical married couples and the challenges and victories they experience. The month concludes with another outing on September 27th to see "Fireproof". September also kicks off our New Look Sunday Night schedule, featuring a different special event. Praises for the two new converts who will be baptized. To conclude Pastor Tom invites everyone to participate in these fun times and "Come meet your new family in the country"!
Sugar Grove
You can link to the Sugar Grove website by clicking on the church name above. They also have a new email address it is sugargrove@ymail.com. Just received ministry report and they celebrate twenty four new members and 12 conversions since April! Congrats to the Sugar Grove Quiz Team who also competed at the National Bible Quiz Competition in Findlay, OH. Sugar Grove placed 8th in the SENIOR HIGH TEAM division! Stephanie Norden placed 10th in the SENIOR HIGH INDIVIDUAL division! On August 17th a special "Blessing of the Backpack" service was held for students and teachers returning to school. People from the church came up and laid hands on them while Pastor Tim prayed for the group. An angel pin was given to each child in commemoration for what they mean to God and to the church. Five conversions and 1 dedication was reported in the month of July.

Trier Ridge
Last week in Findlay, Ohio the Trier Ridge Bible Quiz teams had the following results. It was awesome to watch all the teams.
JUNIOR HIGH TEAM: (FIRST PLACE) Will Davis, Joe Bohnstedt, Jacob Richardson Individual overall scoring: Will Davis - 1st overall; Joe Bohnstedt - 6th overall. SENIOR HIGH TEAM - GIRLS: (SECOND PLACE) Samantha Bohnstedt and Catie Richardson. Individual overall scoring: Catie Richardson - 2nd overall; Samantha Bohnstedt - 9th overall. SENIOR HIGH TEAM- BOYS: (3RD PLACE) Jedd Davis, Cheyenne Perry, James Richardson. Individual overall scoring: Jedd Davis - 7th overall; James Richardson - 8th overall.
Trier Ridge is also getting ready for their 100th Year Anniversary Celebration Weekend September 13 - 14, 2008. Friends, neighbors, co-laborers in Christ are all invited to attend this momentous occasion.

Urban Light Community
Held the Annual Community Block Party in the South Central neighborhood in Muncie, Indiana on July 18th with music, catered BBQ, carnival games, basketball tourney, jousting and inflatable games for kids and much more! According to the Muncie newspaper, there were close to 600 in attendance. On the second Saturday of September (13) from 2-4 PM, the kids and youth will be planting fruit trees around urban Muncie.

Walnut Grove
On July 5th we served 20 persons (who do not receive Meals on Wheels) soup, sandwiches, veggies, drinks and desserts!

Please note: This information was obtained from the Monthly Ministry Reports and Email communications.