Bellingham Festival??

This past weekend Jordan and Kirsten Radke got a chance to visit Yakima CityFest, with the perspective and hope that it is something that we could bring to Bellingham, WA. Kirsten shares their experience below.

Bellingham City Fest was a tremendous experience for the Bellingham Planning team. We arrived Friday night and met up with the Luis Palau Team on Saturday morning for a Q&A time with the Yakima planning team.

For those of you who do not know what CityFest is . CityFest is an event that is put on by the town and Luis Palau Association comes in to assist in the process. To see details on this event you can click on this link: http://www.palau.org/festivals/details

There are three stages to a Festival.

1. Season of Service

2. Festival

3. Long Term Impact

This is an awesome way to show a city in need that they are loved. It is an amazing way to share the love of Christ through acts of service and celebration. In Yakima we experience something that I have never experienced in my entire life. Seeing 21,000 people gather together for fun, fellowship, music, and the Word of God. There were over 600 commitments to Christ. What an amazing God we serve.

Bellingham are you ready?? Because here we come!!!

Watch the Video: http://www.palau.org/festivals

From Nick and Melody

Dear Students, Parents and Friends,

As you no doubt already know the youth group at LLCF is going through some leadership changes. Jenny Quimby answered God’s call 3 years ago as a group of students and continued her leadership as the others graduated. Jenny has been faithful to the youth group during Wednesday nights and big events such as ATF and the 30 hour famine. We thank her for the many, many hours of preparation, ministering, and care for our students and wish her well in the next stage for following God’s will for her life. As pastor at LLCF I could not be more proud of a young person such as Jenny following God’s call as she has. THANK YOU!!!!!

Through an interesting series of events, Nick and Melody Eastman have come to the forefront as the next leaders for LLCF youth group. They have made a presentation of hopes and goals to our Leadership Board and the board unanimously agreed that they are God’s choice for our next leaders. We then circled and commissioned them for this purpose. Please Join me in welcoming them in this new role. Pastor Paul Drewer

I have had the incredible honor of working with both Nick and Melody Eastman for many years. Both were active students in the youth group at LLCF in past years and both have been strong examples in their walks with God. Nick is gifted with a servant’s heart and wise counseling and Melody has fulfilled leadership and teaching roles in student leadership, musical ability, and mission trip participation. I am very excited to see these two step forward as the new youth leaders and will make a great team to lead the youth at LLCF this next year. Jim Vandermay

We are Nick and Melody Eastman. We have been married since July 2009 and we have both been involved with youth ministry before. After Nick graduated high school he was intern staff with the Light and Life youth group, under Jim Vandermay and Gayle Crabtree. As an intern staff member he encouraged the student leaders as they led small groups, chaperoned events, enforced youth group guidelines, and helped plan events. Melody has also been involved with youth. She was a student leader at the youth group she attended in high school and was on that group’s worship team. During her senior year in high school she led the school’s Christian club called F.I.S.H. (Friends Into Sharing Him). After high school she continued her youth involvement by leading worship for Light and Life’s youth group. She also was on a leadership team for a month long mission trip to Panama. Before we got married we talked about our desire to someday be involved with the youth group. We have been praying for the youth over the last 6 months or so and we felt God leading us to get involved in some way. As we pursued involvement doors opened in the area leadership. We are very excited to for this amazing opportunity to be the new youth leaders. Our goal is to provide a safe and loving environment for students to grow in the knowledge of God and learn to live a life worthy Him. We look forward to getting to know you all better in the coming year.

Nick and Melody would love to have the opportunity to get to know the students and let them get to know us more before the school year begins in the fall. We would like to invite your student to “Meet the Eastmans” on June 25 at 7pm at the Crabtree’s house (3720 York St. Bellingham, WA 98229). Please bring a snack or drink to share. Games and friends are definitely welcome too. Hope to see you all there!

Nick & Melody Eastman

Welcome Nick and Melody!

Light and Life Christian Fellowship is excited to welcome Nick and Melody Eastman into our Ministry Team. Nick and Melody will be heading up the Youth Ministry program. They have a strong passion for the Lord, teaching the word of God, young people, and Fun!!

Please congratulate them and remember them in your prayers as they get to know the youth this summer and prepare for fall activities.

Blessings on you both!!

Upcoming Events at Light and Life Christian Fellowship

Baptismal Service

If you would like to participate in baptism on Easter Sunday, April 4^th, please contact Pastor Paul today.

Spring Revival – Ferndale Camp – March 19 & 20

Come at 7:00 pm to the Ferndale Campground, 5942 Portal Way, to hear messages of hope and encouragement! Guest speaker: John David Hicks, a Network Evangelist with Luis Palau and the Next Generation Alliance.

Spring Clean-Up

We need your help Saturday, March 20^th, for our annual church/yard clean-up inside and out (weather permitting). Sign up on the job sheet in the foyer.

Eggstravaganza

Coming Easter Sunday, April 4^th! Children through 5^th grade will enjoy an Easter hunt—invite your friends! We need candy! A box will be in the foyer for your candy donations. Thank you!

Wedding Invitation

Everyone is invited to attend the wedding of Rebecca Slotemaker and Matt Black, Saturday, March 27^th at 12:00 pm(noon) at the Northwest Baptist Church. A reception will follow at LLCF.

Dinner Groups

If you are interested in being a part of a Dinner Group, please fill out the form in the bulletin and turn it into the office.

Ukraine Update

Surgery again? Yes Brenda will be undergoing surgery to fuse the 3rd and 4th cervical vertebrae in her next on Monday, February 1st. The operation will be done in Wenatchee and will once again require that she be in a neck brace for 6-8 weeks and not travel for at least 4 months. As always, it's been difficult being apart. However, I'll be flying to the states this Saturday January 30th to rejoin her. My plans are to return to Ukraine again on March 6th. Then, hopefully in June sometime, she'll be ready to travel and I'll go back and get her. Thank you so much for your love and prayers for Brenda. If you would like to send her a card her mailing address in Wenatchee is : PO Box 5602, Wenatchee, WA 98807.

As you might imagine, over the past months we've been re-assessing a number of things, not the least of which is how much longer should we stay in Ukraine. After much prayer, though and discussion with our mission, we decided that the time has come to begin transitioning back to living in America. Our goal is to complete this transition by September sometime. We will however, continue on as FM missionaries through the end of 2010 utilizing the last 4 months of the year speaking and sharing with supporters and supporting churches on what is called "Home Assignment."

Our plans are to relocate in the Wenatchee area but a large part of our hearts will remain with the people in Ukraine. A proposal is being considered that would allow us to make 1 to 2 short trips/year back to Ukraine to encourage and pray with those nationals whom God has raised up to carry on the work. We rejoice in how HE as been drawing some very special people to serve Him.

Remember this young couple? Their names are Misha and Lena Petrochenko. God has been actively drawing them to Himself and it has been so wonderful to observe. Last week Lena wrote, "We have made some changes in our lives. We've made a very important decision in our lives - to follow God! We had got a strong feeling that we also what that God would change our lives forever. We realized a very strong desire in our hearts to get to know God more and more. Frankly speaking we really need a wisdom during this transition time especially...as for me I had some doubts - frankly speaking - but Misha never did! I am talking about quit his job and stuff..but now when I look at him I can see a peace and God's love and it's the best thing I can ever feel!!"

How we thank God for this young couple who's hearts have been set afire for God. Thank you for praying for them. Please continue to pray for their spiritual growth.

Blessed be the Name of our Lord!!
Greg and Brenda

Haiti Relief, Recovery and Development Funds

Funds received for Haiti through the Bishops Famine and Relief Fund, Help Haiti Heal fund and Operation Hope will be used for relief, recovery and development purposes in Haiti. Costs to administer these funds will be held to a minimum. All expenditures will be approved through the FMWM Executive Director, Latin America Area Director and Haitian leadership, according to a budget developed in consultation with the Haitian church. These expenditures will be reported through the FMCNA Chief Financial Officer.

HELP HEAL HAITI

Give Online at: www.helphaitiheal.org or send checks to: Bishops Famine and Relief Fund
Free Methodist Church of North America
PO Box 535002
Indianapolis, IN 46253-5002

Announcements

Haiti Offering:

We sent $1232 to the Free Methodist Bishop's Relief Fund for Haiti this week. If you would like to give, please put Haiti on the memo line of your check.

Thank You!
An update from Rebound of Whatcom County says they were able to serve 779 children during the Christmas Season. THe funds from the wreath sale were donated for toys.

Coming Events @ Warm Beach Camp:
Feb. 5-7 - Potters Wheel Retreat with Brennan Manning
March 5-7 - Men's Advance
March 19-21 - Engaged Encounter
Register online or by phone - warmbeach.com or 800-228-6724