The Birth of New Good News Clubs®: Joys and Challenges

Five of the churches that partnered with CEF® for Good News Across America® this summer have received a passion to do whatever it takes to offer a Good News Club in a new school in their community. The process necessary for this to become a reality is wrought with joys and challenges.

Lighthouse Gospel Chapel in Milwaukee has a team coordinator from the church named Rosalind who is on fire to make a difference in the lives of the children. They have openings available in four different MPS elementary schools. The children desperately need the Word of God. The principals are begging for Good News Clubs to be established in their schools. So what is the problem? Why has the club still not opened up? Sadly, not enough volunteers have signed up to make this club a reality. They need six vol­unteers and only have three at this time. What a tragedy when the secular world is crying out for the Gospel and the body of Christ says to the children, “I am too busy for that!” Pray that God would raise up workers to minister in a school near Lighthouse Gospel Chapel.

New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee has worked hard to establish a Good News Club at Benjamin Franklin School in Milwaukee. Many have been trained from the church. Garrett, the team coordinator, works with at-risk children and is knowledgeable about building relationships with the kids. They have gone to the school and passed out over 100 registration slips for the Good News Club. What is the challenge? Parents aren’t taking the time to fill out the registration form so their children can attend the Good News Club. No children came to their first club meeting, so the team ran through the entire club, including the Bible lesson, games, songs, and memory verse to become better at it for when the children actually come. This group is excited and ready go. They are on fire for bringing these children to the cross where Jesus can change their lives forever. Pray that God will prompt the parents to register their children for the Benjamin Franklin Good News Club.

New Berlin Free Methodist Church has done their due diligence in meeting with school personnel, canvassing the neighborhood, putting up posters around town, praying, and more. The coordinator, Carolyn, is so excited about getting into Orchard Lane School with the Gospel. And the senior pastor is even serving on the team himself as the lead Bible teacher! However, they are facing a huge obstacle in inviting children to the club: the school is not allowing them to distribute registration forms or promote the club in any way on school property. Pray that the New Berlin school district will correct their unconstitutional policy so that children will be able to learn about and attend the Good News Club.

Lakewood Church in Pewaukee has had more than a dozen volunteers attend training over the past several months to serve in the Good News Club. Dennis, the team coordinator, was ready to start moving forward with the after-school club the very next week after the church’s 5-Day Clubs® this summer. When his team was unable to get into the first school they had selected, he didn’t give up, but instead moved on to launch the Good News Club at Lowell School in Waukesha. Although they’ve faced many obstacles, such as being forced to meet thirty min­utes after the bell rings and being unable to mass-distribute registration forms to the children, the team has excitedly embraced this opportunity to reach the community with the Gospel. Each of them has invested countless hours in training, preparation, and prayer for the club. So far, there are only eight children attending, but those kids are being lavished with the love of Jesus! Pray that the obstacles that are preventing this club from growing would be removed soon so even more children can hear the Good News at Lowell School.

The team from Open Door Bible Church just completed their training to begin a Good News Club at Dunwiddie School in Port Washington. Their team coordinator, Sue, has done an amazing job of pulling a team together for this great adventure. Two of her workers actually teach at Dunwiddie! Pastor Nate and Pastor Sid wholehearted support this great opportunity. Sadly, this school district is also blocking the team’s efforts to distribute registration forms to the children. Pray that Sue’s team will be able to get the word out at Dunwiddie and that many children will attend their first Good News Club meeting in February.

Clearly, the enemy is trying to thwart the efforts of loving believers to reach the children with the truth. Three of the five clubs are facing a legal chal­lenge, one is desperate for workers and the other needs the parents to look at the registration form and complete it for their child. Praise God, 1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. “

We are excited to see what God will do with these courageous teams and the children they will reach. What amazing things will these children do with His Word and His indwelling? Rejoice and pray with us at the birth of five new Good News Clubs with all the joys and challenges.

Buzz Taves,   Southeast Wisconsin Chapter

February 2018

Teacher Enrichment in St Croix Chapter

Lisa Inlow - St Croix Chapter

March, 2018

Winter Retreat 2018 Portage

This year’s Winter Retreat was held once again at Camp Fairwood and the turnout was great!  There were a lot of new faces this year.  It was great to see some of the veterans also.

The topic this year was presented by Vince Pierri, the Youth Pastor from High Point Church in Madison.  His focus was “Faith, Hope and Love”.  He spoke that Faith is  believing that God has a plan.  Hope is not normal but it is suppose to be by realizing that God has worked in your past, is working for your future and is at work right now.  Love, is unconditional.  It is the kind of love that God gives and one that lasts.

The Worship was performed by the youth and was wonderfully done.  There were games and outside activities which everyone enjoyed.  We also had a time to fellowship and get to know one another.

Our Chapter’s team this year is composed of 4 members. It was a great time.

Joe Pacheco – Upper Fox River Chapter

Eddie Marshall Moves to Oregon

March 2018

Dear Partners in Ministry,

As many of you know, God is leading us to a new phase in our life’s journey.  In 2010 my husband was diagnosed with vascular dementia.  God has allowed this to be a slow but steady journey.  Last winter it was made clear that we need to move closer to family since all of our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren live on the West Coast.  So, I plan on giving my official resignation as Director of Teacher Training of CEF of the Greater Madison Area  to our local committee effective at the end of March.  We will be putting our home up for sale April 1 and hope to be able to move around June 1^st out to Grants Pass, OR to live next door to our son.   Please pray regarding the logistics of all of this.

God called me when I was in high school to work with children reaching them through the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. He gradually gave me experience in many areas of the CEF ministry as hostess, a member of the committee, teaching GNC and 5-day clubs, working in the fair ministry, being a nurse and an instructor at CYIA, teaching teens how to teach 5-Day clubs, and training others through local training classes like Teacher Enrichment and Teaching Children Effectively Classes, so they could reach children in their sphere of influence.  I have worked with five different directors over the years and seen how God has used each one of them to grow the ministry.  I have loved all aspects of the ministry, but especially seeing God lay a burden on the heart of others whether teens or adults to reach out to share the gospel with children.

One of my prayers for years has been to see a person trained to “take over” as Director of Teacher Training.  God has answered that prayer in sending Jeaneen Dau .  Jeaneen was a former Summer Missionary in the Madison area many years ago, who continued to pray for our ministry and has seen the value and how God uses CEF in the lives of children and adults.  She has been an Instructor of Teachers for over a year now.  We have been working together this past year so that she has been able to assume more and more responsibility.  Hopefully this transition will be that much easier for all involved.

To be honest, I went through a process of grieving when I knew it was time to leave WI and working with CEF.  However, never underestimate God’s leading. My son told me there was an active CEF ministry in Grants Pass, OR and that he personally knew the Director.  This gave me great peace even having the hope of perhaps doing some training in that area. The icing on the cake took place when I went to the International Conference last May and “happened” to sit next to a CEF worker from OR. We had a wonderful conversation and she was excited as I was to see God at work.

I will miss seeing all of you at various CEF events, but hope that we can stay in contact.  I have left my contact information with the office and do hope that you will reach out so we can fellowship through email, phone, text or snail mail. 

Continuing to Serve,

Edwina Marshall Director of Teacher Training
CEF of Greater Madison, WI