• 5-Part Webinar Series “How to Create A Communications Plan for your Church”

Registration is now open for the 5-part webinar series “How to Create a Communications Plan for Your Church”. This series has something for everyone – small churches, large churches, existing teams, and teams that are just forming. The series will cover the following topics.

• 8/29 – How to Build a Communications Team – The presentation is at http://www.epc.org/epc-communicators-call-in/; the video recording is at http://www.vimeo.com/channels/epc.

• 9/12 - Communications Plan Part 1 – What is Church Marketing? https://www1.GoToMeeting.com/register/487705993

• 10/10 - Communications Plan Part 2 – Casting Vision and Mission https://www1.GoToMeeting.com/register/658577520

• 11/7 - Communications Plan Part 3 – Planning for Action https://www1.GoToMeeting.com/register/224639449

• 12/5 - Communications Plan Part 4 - Putting the Plan Into Action https://www1.GoToMeeting.com/register/504009601

The webinars will run Noon to 1:00 PM EST / 9-10 AM PST. Use the links above to register. For other information, contact Dana Cadman at dana.cadman@epc.org.

• Cherry Hills Community

Cherry Hills Community Church will be the site for a live broadcast on September 11, 2011 of UNPACKING ISLAM, hosted by Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg with expert Georges Houssnea and Muslims-turned-Christians Abdu Murray and N.A. Qureshi. The event is sponsored by The Institute, an evangelism and apologetics ministry of Cherry Hills Community Church.

If you are in the Denver area you can attend the broadcast at Cherry Hills Community Church. The event will be simulcast to churches all over North America. For information on hosting a live broadcast in your church or home, see In:Cast. For more information contact Crystal Trowbridge at ctrowbridge@chcc.org or 303-325-8369.

• Midwest Region Training Opportunity for Young Men

EPC Student Ministries is working to identify regionally based youth leader training opportunities for those that would like an alternative to national level conferences. 

One such parachurch ministry, "The Warrior's Path," a group in the vein of John Eldridge's "Wild at Heart," will hold a retreat in beautiful Silver Lake, Michigan. The retreat focuses on personal spiritual development for young men, addressing the spiritual disciplines through the theme of "knighthood." The retreat, for young men ages 18-35, offers leaders the opportunity to bring post-high school guys that they might be mentoring in leadership.  Please note that "The Warrior's Path" is not affiliated with or endorsed by the EPC. Be sure to do your own research with this group and all the resources in the EQIP section of the Student Ministries web site (www.epcstudentministries.org) to find the best fit for your church.

EPC Student Ministries is always looking for input from those that have attending training conferences/retreats. If you are aware of a youth leader training ministry in your area please let us know by emailing susan.holland@epc.org.

• Hospitals of Hope / Covenant Presbyterian, Omaha

Hospitals of Hope, Wichita, KS, shipped a "clinic in a can" - a portable hospital constructed from 40- shipping containers - to Covenant Presbyterian Church, Omaha, Nebraska. Covenant Presbyterian then gave the Hospital to the Healing Kadi Foundation, Omaha, Nebraska, who will in turn send the "Clinic in a Can" to the Kajo Keji, District of South Sudan. South Sudan became the world's newest country July 9, bringing hope for many refugees, but the infrastructure this new country is still unstable and access to adequate health care is scarce. This small hospital will contain exam rooms, a laboratory, a pharmacy, and surgical and radiology suites. It will contain a generator and water system, enabling it to be self-sufficient regardless of the surrounding infrastructure.  Bishop Anthony Poggo, Episcopal Church of Sudan, Diocese of Kajo Keji, was in Omaha to attend the Open House of the "Clinics in a Can" at Methodist Women's Hospital. See The Healing Kadi's web site to listen to Bishop Poggo's message at the Hospital and for a link to his August 28 sermon at Covenant Presbyterian.

• Grace Chapel EPC Celebration

On Sunday, August 28, Grace Chapel EPC, Madison, Mississippi celebrated the dedication of a new 18,000 square foot Education Building. The theme of the day was “This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118.23). A “Christian Ed Rally” was held before a combined 10:30 a.m. worship service. Afterwards, the congregation enjoyed BBQ for lunch in their new Fellowship Hall -- (read more and view photos)

• Andrew P. Gross begins leading student ministries at First Presbyterian Church

The session of First Presbyterian Church in Covington, Tennessee is pleased to announce the hiring of Andrew P. Gross as the Director of Student Ministries. Andy, who is originally from Celina, Ohio, received his BS in Biblical Studies from Grace College, Winona Lake, Indiana. He comes from Ashland Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Voorhees, New Jersey where he worked with Middle and High School age youth. He begins his ministry on September 11.