BUILDING moMENtum

I trust everyone had a wonderful holiday. Now that the holidays are over, its time to get back in the ministry mode. We at United Men of Faith are excited about the opportunities god has given us in 2006.

New York Men of Faith is on board as our newest regional coalition and new teams are being put together in North Jersey, Annapolis, MD, Dover, DE, and Central IL. Last year we equipped 500 fathers through Great Dads seminars. This impacted approximately 4000 children. Over 400 pastors and leaders were trained for discipling men in their church through Essentials of a Sustainable Ministry to Men and Meaningful Men’s ministry workshops. These training and equipping opportunities will be showing up in new regions as well as the areas we already do ministry in.

Our new website is now online, www.umof.org. The new site is set up to give you all the latest in men’s ministry and for you to post whats going on in your area and church in respect to men’s ministry. Submit your information to website@umof.org.

Our phone is (610) 217-1723. I will tell you however, that this move is only temporary. A great opportunity for growth is in the works and will be shared in next month’s newsletter.

Alex Santiago, Director for New York Men of Faith, has put together 3 great events this spring in New York City:

“A Meaningful Men’s Ministry Workshop” will be coming to Queens on Saturday, February 18.
(La Necesidad Para Un Ministerio de Hombres) “A Need for Men’s Ministry” will take place on Monday, March 20 in Brooklyn.
NYMOF will cap off the spring with a Spanish Promise Keepers event on Saturday, May 20

NYMOF will cap off the spring with a Spanish Promise Keepers event on Saturday, May 20.

Click here to find more information or contact Alex Santiago at (917) 859-8486 or NY@umof.org

IN HIS OWN WORDS
by Ed Rivera, Director of Chicago Men of Faith
(Excerpt from “The Fourth Seed” devotional from Man in the Mirror)

Man in the Mirror sent materials to our church where I was men’s director. I said “Yeah, we’ve got to this!” We prayed and talked about it and decided to call MIM to set up a seminar. I spread the word to everyone to publicize the seminar, even city train stops. Forty one men showed up at the event. It was awesome. We didn’t know what to do afterwards

The year was 1986. A small group of businessmen talked the owner of a lounge into allowing them to meet on Friday mornings for Bible Study. That small group of men soon outgrew the lounge, and had to move to a civic center. It has spawned a best selling book, an entire ministry, and an internet presence that accounts for thousands of men studying the Bible every week around the world. Join us in February for a special anniversary edition of the Man in the Mirror Bible Study in Winter Park, FL.

Go to www.mannthemirror.org/20thanniversary for more details on this and other special celebrations of the 20th year of the Man in the Mirror Bible Study.

There will be another exciting launch in 2006 – a seminar focused on discipleship from Man in the Mirror. The big idea of the seminar is this: Christianity is not about behavior modification, it’s about heart transformation! But we need your help...click here to go to our web site and see a full description of the seminar. Then, click on the link at the bottom of the page to give us your feedback and suggestions on what the seminar should be called.

The divorce rates for couples who attend church together regularly is no different than for couples who don’t. But some sources say that the divorce rate drops below 1% for couples who pray together!

This year, make a New Year’s resolution to pray with your wife regularly. Use a devotional book like Devotions for Couples (click here), keep a journal, or read a few verses of scripture together.

“The Six Basics Of Being A Great Dad” will be presented in two Eastern Pennsylvania locations this spring, March 11 at Calvary Temple in Allentown, and March 18 at Immanuel Church of the Nazarene in Lansdale.

You may recall the article Jeff wrote several months ago about his challenge against cancer. This is the latest.

Last week I was at The University of PA Hospital for the harvesting of my stem cells. It went very well. Monday they set me up for the procedure, that was nine hours, then five hours each day on Tuesday and Wednesday for the actual harvesting. That was two days less than planned! Praise be to God!!

On January 10th I'll be going in for the transplant itself. This will consist of high dose chemo, which will eliminate my immune system by taking out the cells in my bone marrow. Then they'll put some of the harvested stem cells back into me. This will require an approximate three week stay in the hospital, and another 90 to 120 days of at home time till I have recovered to about 70% or so, then we do it all over again.