October/November 2005

2005 Married Couples Retreat: On November 4th, 9 couples met at the North Glade Inn Bed and Breakfast, Deep Creek Lake Maryland for CFMR’s Fall Married Couples Retreat. Once again the Lord blessed us with a great group of people. This retreat was very special and different from all the rest we’ve ever had. The group shared much laughter throughout the weekend and also shared moments of gathering in a room together to worship God and talk about His word. Thanks to all who attended! A special thanks goes to Tim and Tina Miceli for lending a helping hand wherever needed. We look forward to another Married Couples Retreat next year!

Calendar of Events:

November 24, 2005 - Happy Thanksgiving!

December 25, 2005 - Merry Christmas!

March 3-5, 2006 - Proposed Date for Winter Wonderland Retreat

Words of Encouragement - God loves a cheerful giver!
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7 - “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver”.

I thought this message would be appropriate since Christmas is fastly approaching and once again everyone will be headed to the stores to buy Christmas gifts for family members and friends. Recently at church I heard a message about how God loves a cheerful giver and I had to search my heart to see if I fall under that category for the holidays. I have to admit I generally feel overwhelmed about Christmas shopping and sometimes view it as an obligation rather than a blessing. However, this year I am going to make extra sure that as I shop for my loved ones and friends I do so cheerfully. God has blessed each of us with family members and friends and He is counting on us to take care of them. Each time I shop for gifts this year I am going to make every effort to thank God for that opportunity. This might seem elementary to many but I honestly believe with all of my heart that many of us have more than likely lost the meaning of giving and has turned this special time of year into something that is dreaded. Not only has God given us this special time of year to celebrate the birth of His Son Jesus Christ, but He has given us the opportunity to give to others as a representation of the joy of giving that He experienced over 2000 years ago.

Have a blessed Christmas this year and take the time to truly enjoy the season for everything it’s worth!

2005 End-of-year Giving:
Each year this ministry asks partners and friends to consider giving an end-of-year love offering. We are getting ready to plan for the 2006 retreats and will be required to send deposits to each facility in order to hold the reservations. Your end-of-year offering would greatly benefit the ministry’s ability to continue making plans for future retreats. CFMR’s retreats is a great way to offer God’s people the opportunity of sharing God’s love and experiencing His presence in a mighty way. Please forward your love offering to CFMR, P.O. Box 764, Ephrata, PA, 17522.