What’s New at Church

Kids Hope USA ®
One Child, One Hour, One Church, One School.
Dear KidsHope Volunteers, Welcome to this new ministry---I am thrilled and honored that you said "yes" to this important calling and am looking forward to getting together on the 28th of August at 8:30 a.m. We now have a Leadership Team, 14 mentors, 14 prayer partners and 2 sub-mentors. God has proved faithful again and again!! I hope and pray that this training will be educational, uplifting, fun and a glory to God. You will be encouraged and challenged. We will learn and laugh, care and share. You will be equipped to begin what you volunteered to do--love children in Christ's name. Please know you are all special. You are a gift to our church and neighborhood elementary school in general, and to at-risk children, in particular. May our time together reflect the love of Christ and may His name be glorified. "Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" Ephesians 3:20 As we get close to starting with the Kids Hope program at Eastview Elementary, I’d also like to share that we have a need for children's books, age level grades 1-4 (no Christian books) and also for games, flash cards, color books etc. for mentors to use. Also am in need of a bookcase. We have some funds budgeted for purchases such as these but anything you might have that could be used would be welcomed. If you would leave them in the office with a note that they are for Kids Hope, we’ll pick them up from there. Thanks! Blessings and love to you in Christ's name, Alice Grieves, Director If you have any questions, feel free to contact Alice Grieves at alice.grieves@gmail.com. or call 678-9165 or 649-1654.
As a means of communications with all ministry team members, we’ll also be posting to our Kids Hope USA Evangelical Free Church blog at http://kidshopeevfree.blogspot.com/ so check us out and then bookmark the site or join us on Facebook here.
KIDS HOPE USA develops one-on-one relationships through the creation of church-school partnerships that pair church members with at-risk kids in supportive, mentoring relationships. KIDS HOPE USA mentors spend just one hour per week, reading, talking, playing and listening to a child at school. By helping the child feel loved and valued, they help that child to learn, grow and succeed. I urge you to take a few minutes to learn more about Kids Hope by checking out their web site here. Think there isn’t a need in our community? Head on over to the Kids Count datacenter or use the form at left to check out some startling statistics. Youth Group Returns High School and junior High Youth Groups started back the end of August. HS meets each Wednesday night starting at 6:30PM, with the Jr High on Thursdays. See Brandon or Mark for more details.
Women’s Retreat 2010
Sign up now for the Fall Ladies Retreat on Sept 24th and 25th at Faith Bible Camp. For more details, a sign up form and some pics from the retreat earlier this year, check out the Ladies Retreat page.. Watch for info on the upcoming Fall retreat on September 23rd and 24th.
Ongoing Demo and Construction Schedule Thanks to all the dedicated volunteer labor, much progress has been made in erecting the foundation walls, support piers and recently the steel framework (see pics on the Home page). The wet weather has been a factor but we’re still far ahead of where we would have been had we waited until this spring to begin. Now with the warmer weather things have begun moving forward again. To see where your gifts can be used, give either Brandon or Steve Williamson a call to see where you can help. Any teens interested in helping need to pick up an application in the church office or see Jeff Bash. If possible we’ll be posting workdays on the church’s Google Calendar (see bottom of the Home page). There’s also a job board in the main foyer near the west exit doors posting work for the coming week. We’d also like to be able to send out email updates so if you haven’t already, please drop me an email and we’ll add you to the list for work updates. Or join our FB group and we’ll keep you posted there. Also, if you didn’t get a skills assessment form last week, here’s one. Skills Form.pdf. Just download, fill it out and drop it off with the office or Brandon.
Welcome Center
The Outreach Ministry would like to invite you to stop by the Welcome Center, located in the Fireside Room, which is next to the west exit doors of the foyer. Join us for a cup of coffee and fellowship either before or after either service. Here you can also find information about the church’s various ministries and classes available, along with someone who can guide you to your class. Stop by...we’d love to meet you.
Church Softball Season
The 2010 Summer Softball season ended with the tournament on Saturday, August 7th. The EFree team gave it their all, finishing with 2 wins before elimination. Next up is the FBC Tournament in September...stay tuned! For updates and pics, check out the Odds and Ends link.
Awana 2010-2011 The Awana program will be getting under way soon, with sign up in early September (watch bulletin for details). Awana meets on Wednesday evenings at 6:30PM. God blessed us with many children and new helpers again this year but as always our director, John Mansker, wishes to extend an invitation to those with a desire to work with the youth to stop by and see him after church to let him know your interest in this rewarding ministry to our youth. For more information regarding Awana, click on this link. For a look at the 2010 year through the lens of Ruth Weyers camera, check out the Odds and Ends entry.
Pieces of Eight
If you’re new to the church or just haven’t ever gotten around to signing up for Pieces of 8, this is an opportunity to gather together for food, fun and fellowship with one another on a monthly basis and is a great way to get to know others in the group better. It’s also an excellent opportunity to invite new couples to the church, to join in the fun as a way of outreach. There will be a new grouping beginning in September, so stop by the table in the foyer and sign up. If you have any questions, you can contact Karen Hickman at 224-9696.
Now on Facebook
Are you on Facebook? If so, you’ll want to be part of our new Facebook Group. Check out the group Canton EFree FB Friends for both past and current Facebook friends of the church. We will be posting updated event info and invite you to check it out. This is a closed group, by invitation only, so stop on by and submit a friend request. Also, let us know if a Twitter feed would be of any interest. Who knows, we may even get Pastor Mike to host a podcast or Tweet.
Ladies Bible Study
Looking for volunteers to baby sit for the kids of those who are attending the Wednesday Ladies Bible Study this fall. Please contact the office if interested in helping.

Coach Jason Coker