Rekindling the Fires

A Multicultural Journey

February 14th, 2012
7:15a to 9a
Italian Heritage Center
40 Westland Ave., Portland, ME

After working nearly twenty years in agribusiness, God led Rev. Francis into pastoral ministry with the Fellowship Bible Church of Chester New Hampshire where he served as Associate and later Senior pastor for 15 years. From 2001-2005 Rev. Francis was a Trustee of NEBC, serving as board chairman for one term, before accepting the Presidency in 2007. He also serves as senior pastor of the North Deering Alliance Church, Portland, ME, a multicultural assembly made up of believers from over ten nations. He is a board member of the Portland Bible Training Institute, an preparatory school for international students affiliated with New England Bible College. After earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Massachusetts, he completed his Masters at Trinity Theological Seminary. Rev. Francis and his wife reside in Scarborough.

PDF Announcement Available Here

Guest Speaker: Cheryl Poulopoulos, Seaside Pavilion Ministries, Salvation Army

Devotional: Lisa Alexander, Wright Express

Cheryl Poulopoulos

“The Five Brothers Leadership Academy”
January 10th, 2012
7:15a to 9a
Italian Heritage Center
40 Westland Ave., Portland, ME

In 1999 Cheryl Poulopoulos left Northern Maine and a 23 year insurance career to answer God’s call to work for The Salvation Army. Initially serving in the Music and Youth Departments in the Northern New England Headquarters in Portland, she “took over the reins” at the Seaside Pavilion in Old Orchard Beach in 2002. Cheryl is still there today and enjoys the daily challenges of running the 1400 seat amphitheater. She currently serves on the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as Vice-Chair after having served as Chair for two years.

Cheryl is passionate about God, her family, her community, and her career. She spends her leisure time reading, cooking, and knitting. Cheryl attends The Salvation Army church in Old Orchard Beach and lives in Old Orchard Beach with her husband Andrew.

Please Note: Our Breakfast Events are funded by a suggested donation of $10. Your participation in this donation is welcome, though we do not require it. This should not limited anyone from attending.

VIDEO FROM DECEMBER

Devotional by Ken Hawley

Guest speaker: Phil Strout

Senior Pastor, Pathway Vineyard Church

“Staying The Course”

December 13th, 2011
7:15a – 9a
Italian Heritage Center
40 Westland Ave, Portland, ME

Phil Strout is a gifted leader and communicator in the 21^st century church. He brings over thirty years of experience in the area of church planting and cross cultural mission and has been referred to as a “quintessential practitioner.” Phil is not afraid to think outside the box and to challenge you to do the same.

He is a leadership coach and author of God’s Relentless Pursuit: Discovering God’s Heart for Humanity. Phil has been the Senior Pastor of the Pathway Vineyard Church, a multi-site church in Lewiston, Maine, since 2004. He has served on the board of Vineyard USA and as the regional overseer for the eastern region of Vineyard USA overseeing 65 churches from Maine to Virginia. He has recently been appointed as the National Director of Vineyard USA, which is an association of over 500 churches nationwide.

Please Note: Our Breakfast Events are funded by a suggested donation of $10. Your participation in this donation is welcome, though we do not require it. This should not limited anyone from attending.

“Saved By Grace: Rescued from Humiliation”

November 8th, 2011
7:15a – 9a
Italian Heritage Center

Becky McGilp is a Women’s Advocate at Family Crisis Services, the domestic violence agency for Cumberland and Sagadahoc counties. She lives in Yarmouth with her husband of 21 years, John. They have two adult sons.

She works in Lois G. Reckitt Shelter in Portland, which provides emergency shelter for women and children who are homeless or at risk for being homeless due to domestic violence. She is also working on Family Crisis’ Faith Initiative, which is meant to raise awareness of domestic violence and its victims within the Faith Community and our local churches. Becky has also participated in their “More Than A Rap Sheet” project, a program to bring light to incarcerated women’s issues, especially around domestic violence.

Becky is a partner at White Pine Community Church in Cumberland, where she is active in small groups and is a member of the tech team for worship. She enjoys quilting, knitting, walking, singing and serving others.

Please Note: Our Breakfast Events are funded by a suggested donation of $10. Your participation in this donation is welcome, though we do not require it. This should not limited anyone from attending.

 Guest Speaker: Rep. Amy Volk

     “Two Things You Should Never Talk About in Business”

October 11, 2011
7:15a – 9a
Italian Heritage Center

Amy Volk is the State Representative for House District 127 and has been appointed to serve on the newly formed Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee.  Rep. Volk lives in Scarborough with her husband of 21 years, Derek. They have four children.

She is a personal stationary distributor through a small business she runs from her home called Personally Yours. Her husband Derek is the Vice President of a third generation business, Volk Packaging Corporation. She is also a substitute teacher.   Amy is a graduate of McAuley High School in Portland and holds a B.S. from the University of Maine in Human Development.

Rep. Volk has served her community through the Boards of The Children’s Theatre of Maine and the Root Cellar. She is also a founding member of the Scarborough Young Life Advisory Committee, Mom’s in Touch (Scarborough Chapter) and a member of the Church of the Holy Spirit Parish Council.

Please Note: Our Breakfast Events are funded by a suggested donation of $10. Your participation in this donation is welcome, though we do not require it. This should not limited anyone from attending.

Christian Leaders in Maine Business

Meeting Minutes, September 13, 2011

Guest Speaker: Amanda Tewksbury, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bangor Area Representative

PDF Version Available Here

“Empty Hands and a Willing Heart”

CLIMB met on Tuesday September 13, 2011 at 7:15am at The Italian Heritage, 40 Westland Ave, Portland.  47 people were in attendance.

Praise and Worship

Dan Merrill of the Vinyard Church of Portland led us in acoustical praise and worship.

 Devotion

Bob McClure, representative of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes read from the book of Nehemiah and spoke of being a game changer. How we must take action for God as Nehemiah did when he brought the Israelites together to work as a group and built the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days.

 Speaker

Amanda Tewksbury, Bangor area representative of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, spoke on a topic entitled, “Empty Hands and A Willing Heart”. She asked the question, “How does God view leadership?” The word leader is used in the King James Bible only 6 times. Those who were called by God were often referred to as servants. Psalm 86:4, Numbers 12:7-8

Phil 2:5-7: “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for his own advantage. Instead, he emptied himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men”. Apart from God, we can do nothing. Until we come to God with empty hands, we will not accomplish that. We must have brokenness, a true abandonment, giving ourselves totally to God.

Phil 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfishness and conceit but in humility consider others as more important than yourself.” Have a willing heart, assuming the form of a slave or servant. Mark 10:43-45: “The son of man did not come to serve but to serve and to give his life-a ransom for many.”

Brokenness-Empty Hands-Willing Servant

God will provide for those who are called.

Execute by knowing your role. Are you using it for you advantage or God’s?

Empty yourself of your agenda and choose to be a willing servant.

“The best use of life is to spend it for something that out lasts it”- William James

Question and Answer session

 Ended in Prayer

 Next Meeting

Our next scheduled meeting is on October 11, 2011, 7:15am-9:00am at the Italian Heritage Center, 40 Westland Ave., Portland. Our Guest speaker will be Rep. Amy Volk, Maine State Representative. Topic: “Two things You Should Never Talk About in Business”.

Amanda Tewksbury
Bangor Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes Representative and Former UMaine Women’s Basketball Player

Date:  September 13, 2011 **Note: The Second Tuesday of September**
Time:  7:15 to 9:00 a.m. at the Italian Heritage Center on 40 Westland Avenue in Portland
Location:  Italian Heritage Center – 40 Westland Ave., Portland **Note NEW LOCATION**

Amanda grew up playing sports since she was very young in New Jersey.  She grew up going to church with her parents and two younger siblings.  She believed in God at a young age but she didn’t commit her life to Christ until she was in the middle of a difficult time within her family in high school.   Amanda used her identity and passion in basketball to help her temporarily, but knew in her heart that was not enough and that she needed and desired more of God in her life.  Once she received and committed her life to Jesus Christ, God began transforming her heart and mind to endure the difficulties and even gave her a passion for sports ministry.

She attended the University of Maine where she played on the women’s basketball team for four years.  She’s experienced FCA as a Huddle Leader, Coach, a Huddle Leader Coordinator, and Director of FCA Camps as well as helped to start and lead the FCA Huddle at the University of Maine.  She was the student leader for FCA at UMaine for four years and she is currently the full-time Bangor Area Representative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Please Note: Our Breakfast Events are funded by a suggested donation of $10. Your participation in this donation is welcome, though we do not require it. This should not limited anyone from attending.