Prime Time conferees pledge prayer support

St. Charles, Missouri-Each year, Prime Time Ministries offers an opportunity for prime time adults to gather for a time of relaxation, fellowship, and fun. This year, from September 12 to 15, the Prime Time retreat was held in historical St. Charles, Missouri near St. Louis.

General Superintendent Jerry D. Porter served as the guest speaker. Porter's messages called for Prime Time adults to be participants with Jesus in a life-long journey and to "be like Jesus" in all areas of life.

According to Prime Time Ministries Director Derl Keefer, people were invited during the mid-week anointing service to be healed of obstacles that can block their physical, mental, social, or physical walk with Jesus. In addition, several Prime Time adults shared how God is working in their lives.

Participants pledged to pray daily during designated time slots at the retreat for the quarterly meeting of the Board of General Superintendents (BGS) held this week. Every quarter, the Board of General Superintendents convenes at Nazarene International Headquarters to review the global ministries of the church. At the previous meeting, Headquarters employees signed up to pray during designated times for the BGS.

According to Porter, "Our lay people picked up the call to prayer, offering their intercession on behalf of both our board as well as the global ministries of our church. We are thrilled with their response to this challenge. In addition, we challenge Nazarenes everywhere to discover the power of prayer as it is linked to the missional ministry of the church."

Joplin District Superintendent Jim Dillow and his wife, Susan, provided inspirational music for the St. Charles event. Brian Helstrom of the JESUS Film/Harvest Partners (JFHP) gave an update on the impact of the JFHP ministry. A very generous offering of more than $1,200 was given for the JESUS film project.

The 2007 Prime Time Smoky Mountain retreat is scheduled for October 9-12, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. For information and reservations call 1-800-221-6317.

Note: For retreat photos, see this week's photo gallery on ncnnews.com.
--Prime Time Ministries

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Africa regional director calls for "extraordinary prayer"

Johannesburg-This past week, Africa Region field strategy coordinators met and agreed that, as a church, more focus must be put on prayer. According to Eugénio Duarte, Africa's regional director, "We need to pray more than just 'the usual' prayers if we are to experience the changes which must take lace within our church here on Africa Region."

As the group talked about the needs of the church, they arrived at several prayer requests which have been identified as "extraordinary."

The 10 requests include:

1. Every Nazarene to be dependent upon God only
2. Every Nazarene to be a Spirit-filled disciple
3. Every Nazarene to be a disciple maker with a real burden for the lost
4. Every Nazarene to give authority to God's Word
5. Every Nazarene to be an extraordinary pray-er (not my will but Thine)
6. Every Nazarene leader to be faithful to God, church, and family
7. Every Nazarene leader to build leaders who build leaders who change the world
8. Every Nazarene pastor to be an effective minister of the Word
9. Every Nazarene home to be a nursery for holiness champions
10. Every Nazarene local church to experience a real movement of the Holy Spirit

"'Extraordinary prayer' means we will pray for each request until it happens," says Duarte. "I am asking the Church of Africa to join with us in prayer for a new church and a new experience of 'doing' the church's and God's business."
--Eugénio Duarte, Africa Region

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Haitian pastor dies suddenly

Nazon, Haiti-Jean François Perez, pastor of the Nazon Church of the Nazarene on the Haiti Central District, died suddenly last week. No cause of death was reported. Perez was 62.

Lucien Jean-Baptiste, superintendent of the Haiti Central District, lamented the loss of Pastor Perez, saying, "We were dear friends and he was one of the finest pastors on our great district."

Prayer is requested for the Perez family and Nazon church.
--Caribbean Region Communications

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Plans underway for completion of Bruno Radi Convention Center

Pilar, Argentina-2007 and 2008 will be busy years for the South America Region and Boise, Idaho-based Extreme Nazarene Ministries. Over the next two years, Extreme Nazarene Ministries, in conjunction with the South America Regional Office, plans to bring 1,000 people to Pilar, Argentina to take part in their latest project - the completion of the Bruno Radi Convention Center. Plans are also in the works for the group to hold more than 100 evangelism events and many compassionate ministry events. Extreme Nazarene Ministries is currently recruiting people from all over the world and from all walks of life to be part of these projects.

KidZone 2007, June 8-22, is being designed as a trip for the whole family. Goals for this trip include construction on the convention center, family ministry events, children's outreach events, and JESUS film showings.

Extreme 2008-Argentina Edition, January 11-28, will be focusing on the completion of the convention center as well as evangelism projects, medical clinics, and other compassionate ministry projects. January 27, 2008 is the target for the dedication of the convention center with an evangelism service by World Mission Director Louie E. Bustle.

Once completed, the convention center will seat 2,600 people and house 600 people in 50 dorm rooms. Designed to be a multi-purpose building, the convention center will not only provide a place for Nazarene conferences, it will also be used as an outreach tool through indoor soccer/football leagues, concerts, and youth events. The convention center will also be rented out to local groups with an estimated income of $250,000 annually that will be used to fund various ministries.

Extreme Nazarene Ministries seeks to advance the Kingdom by matching people and talents from all over the world with needs all over the world. Extreme Nazarene and the South America Regional Office need help to make these projects successful. Individuals can invest in the Kingdom by signing up to participate in Argentina in 2007 and 2008, contributing to the Great List and Human Needs List, or by investing in convention center seats and/or dorm rooms.

Note: Bruno Radi served as South American regional director from 1994 until his death in June of 2005.

To learn more about these trips or to sign-up, visit www.extremenazarene.org or call Extreme Nazarene Ministries at 1-800-366-5265.
--Extreme Nazarene Ministries

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M7 E-Newsletter release upcoming

Kansas City-Mission 2007 (M7), the mid-quadrennial conference on mission and evangelism, will be held in Kansas City February 19 to 21, 2007. At M7, university students, church leaders, pastors, and lay people will meet to embrace anew the call to make disciples of all nations. For three days, participants will engage both hearts and minds in a critically important conversation about the Church and its mission.

Potential attendees can visit the M7 web site, www.m7conference.org, to subscribe to a monthly electronic newsletter that will provide important information about the event and other conference activity (Click on the link "Sign-up for M7 E-newsletter"). The first issue will be sent out the end of September. The E-newsletter is intended to keep people informed. It does not obligate anyone to attend M7.

Please join the USA/Canada Mission/Evangelism Department in praying that attendees will experience the blessing and presence of God at M7 in ways that will inspire and equip Nazarenes to boldly engage a changing world with the message of grace, hope, and transformation in Christ.
--UCME

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