July 2012 Newsletter and Prayer Reminder

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ACCTS in action To assist in the development of Christian leaders in the armed forces of the world and in the establishment and growth of military Christian fellowships.

Training Europe’s Young Cadets and Officers Cadets and officers from Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and the US attended the Lithuanian 10th International Christian Conference of Young Officers and Cadets, which was sponsored by the Lithuanian chief chaplain, the military academy, the Lithuanian MOD, and Accts MMI. ACCTS staff members Dick and Linda Barnes were among the seminar speakers, and seminars discussed how to be a Christian and a soldier, challenges for Christians in today’s secularized society and military, Christian leadership, and military service and family compatibility.

The Barneses ask for prayer that this conference will serve as a model for similar cadet conferences in other countries, particularly in Central Europe, and state, “What a wonderful blessing to have been able to share our lives with these young men and women, who will become the future military leaders in Europe!”

2014: Gathering the Flock

Every 10 years military Christians who are normally scattered around the globe gather together for training and encouragement at AMCF’s (Association of Military Christian Fellowships) World Conferences.

Three years ago, the military Christian fellowship of South Africa asked to host the 2014 AMCF World Conference, and General Lee, Pil Sup prayerfully and gladly accepted their request.

Now, ACCTS is working closely with AMCF and other ministry partners to prepare for the upcoming World Conference. Even as I write you this letter, ACCTS staff members are traveling abroad and engaging in ministry to the military Christian fellowships (MCFs) and their leaders from the Caribbean and Central America to several countries in Europe.

Other staff members are planning for trips to China,

Japan, and Korea in June, and more than a dozen countries before the end of September. And in almost every location to which our staff travel, they are encouraging international Christians to consider attending the 2014 conference.

Earlier this year, Bernhard Kaltenbach, ACCTS’ deputy director, returned from a Pray and Plan meeting in South Africa which focused on the upcoming AMCF World Conference in 2014. He reports that the conference motto will be Joshua 1:7 – “Be strong and very courageous” -- and will be held in a somewhat unusual location: a cruise ship!

Bernhard reported, “The conference planners discussed convention center locations, local hotels, and other possible venues, but in the end our South African hosts proposed a brilliant third option that addressed all of our concerns about size, lodging, security, and cost: they suggested that the AMCF

ACCTS IN ACTION • Page 2 • July 2012

International soldier photos courtesy USDOD.

World Conference be held on a cruise ship. We were quite skeptical at first, as you might be right now. But I just love the way our brothers and sisters think ‘outside the box’ and do not leave any stones unturned. After listening to a presentation by the cruise ship representatives and after spending much time in prayer, research, and calculating the total cost of each option, we discovered that bringing together 1,000+ people on a cruise ship dedicated to the AMCF World Conference would be the least expensive option. No one would have to commute once on board; everyone could go to their ‘room’ for a bit of rest when needed; there would be more time for fellowship and plenty of locations for small and medium groups to get together; and it would be a secure location. All of these considerations – and more – led us to feel strongly that this option would allow for conference participants to build stronger relationships and foster the AMCF motto ‘All One in Christ Jesus’.”

South Africa has a small military Christian fellowship compared to MCFs in South Korea, the United Kingdom, or the USA, which hosted the previous three World Conferences. So, ACCTS and our other partners are assisting them by contributing support to defray costs and sharing in the planning and execution labors.

Please pray about adding your support to this exciting opportunity to gather together military Christians from 150 countries in worship and fellowship. You can make a donation at www.accts. org or mail one to ACCTS, PO Box 27239, Denver, CO 80227. Thank you for your support.

Serving Our Ever-Faithful Savior,

Philip J. Exner Col, USMC (R) Executive Director

ACCTS IN ACTION • Page 3 • July 2012

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Praying in Haiti “We met with the daily prayer group of the Haitian Coast Guard base. Twentyfour eager faces and twice as many listening ears were present for the meeting,” reports ACCTS staff member Dell McDonald after a June ministry trip to Haiti with AMCF vice president Nestor Ogilvie. “They meet in the tent that serves as a chapel. Cooling air is provided by three electric fans, which the members of the fellowship have purchased from donated funds squeezed out of their meager pay…Our objective was to encourage them and give them hope for the future. By their rapt attention and smiles we believe the objective was achieved.”

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PO Box 27239 Denver, CO 80227-0239 Phone: 1-800-487-8108 Fax: 303-986-4710 Email: accts@accts.org Web: www.accts.org

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July 2012

“Imagine a symphony where every instrument kept hitting exactly the same note in exactly the same way. You could describe it in one word - BORING! No, a beautiful symphony is not music in unison, but music in unity – notes that blend together to make something they couldn’t make separately. This is what God wants the body of Christ to be like, and it all begins with relationship.”

--Eddie Rasnake, The Book of Ephesians, AMG Publishers

Note: Staff member names are in bold print.

1 Currently, ACCTS staff members and two West Point cadets are on an Academy Exploration Asia trip through Japan and China. Among other events, they will explore leadership development with Beijing University students and faculty. Pray with ACCTS staff members Cal Dunlap, Jodie Wang, and others involved in this trip.

2 During the first half of July a tent camp for military families will be held in Crimea, an autonomous republic of Ukraine. Pray that the Lord will provide strong leadership for the program, and pray for participants to be open to the Holy Spirit.

3 Please pray for the growth and maturity of the military Christian fellowship (MCF) in Panama and ask for blessings and prosperity for its leaders.

4 Independence Day (USA) Lord, thank you for the blessings you have given our nation: for the natural beauty of our land which feeds our souls, and for the richness of our soil which feeds our bodies; for the strength of our citizens and government; and for freedom and democracy. We lift up those in our armed forces as well as our political leaders, and ask that your Spirit empower all who work for love, peace, justice, and righteousness.

5 Pray for discernment for ACCTS staff members who minister in difficult-access countries. Pray that their love for the people of the nations in which they minister will be noted by all, including government and military leaders.

6 Please pray for wisdom for the MCF of Honduras’ board of directors as they organize the 5th AMCF Central American Regional Conference. May God strengthen, guide and give them wisdom from above.

7 Pray with ACCTS staff and volunteers who are helpACCTS prayer reminder • July 2012

Photo courtesy Jason Finch, flickr.com Creative Commons license

ACCTS Prayer Reminder

ing the military Christian fellowship of Ukraine lead an English language camp with military personnel and their families from 7-14 July.

8 Thank God for the chaplaincy training course which IAEC and ACCTS helped host in El Salvador in June.

Pray that the participants will work to strengthen the military Christian fellowship and their nation.

9 Pray for wisdom for those who are planning the AMCF Pacific Conference and Interaction (1-8 October). Ask that visas for overseas delegates be obtained quickly so that flights may be bought. Pray, too, for adequate sponsorship funds.

10 Today, please pray again for God’s leading on all who are participating in the English language camp in Ukraine (see Day 7). In particular, pray that this camp will have great spiritual results in the lives of attendees, as have previous camps.

11 Pray for the Lord to guide ACCTS’ director, Phil Exner, and Sue Exner during their busy summer of ministry. Pray also for wisdom for ACCTS’ deputy director, Bernhard Kaltenbach, and Cheryl Kaltenbach.

12 Military Christians in Costa Rica request prayer that their nation’s military Christians will grow and mature in Christ so that He will be glorified.

14 Please pray that ACCTS will be able to find people who are enthused about our international military ministry and who desire to both financially and prayerfully support our work. Please pray especially for ACCTS’ finances during the typically-lean summer months.

15 Praise God for a new military Christian fellowship that recently started in a Central Asia nation. There is not yet full religious freedom in this nation, so please pray for freedom and for wisdom for the indigenous military and civilian Christians.

16 Military Christians in South Africa have begun planning for the 2014 AMCF World Conference. Pray for wisdom for everyone involved in these early-stage plans, and pray for financial provision to hold such a large ministry event.

25 Many U.S. military families are moving over the summer -- pray that they will find strong fellowship, chapels, and/or churches to help them grow spiritually.

17 Pray for the war-torn nation of Afghanistan, and ask that the Lord will bring His hope and peace to this nation.

26 ACCTS staff member Linda Dunlap, who died on Good Friday in April, will be buried today in Arlington National Cemetery. Please continue to pray for her husband Cal and their extended family.

18 Today, our partner organization Olive Branch helps the MCF of Ukraine host a second English language camp (see Day 7). This camp runs from 18-25 July – please pray for the leaders and participants and for safety of everyone involved.

27 Pray with General Lee, the president of the Association of Military Christian Fellowships, and all the regional vice presidents who faithfully serve as volunteers with AMCF. Pray for God’s hand over upcoming leadership appointments within AMCF.

19 Pray for U.S. and Canadian soldiers who are struggling with post-traumatic syndrome or traumatic brain injuries as the result of their service to their nations. Pray also for the national MCFs that minister to those soldiers and their families.

“All our life is like a day

28 Pray with the young international and U.S. officers who are participating in ACCTS’ Interaction-Rocky Mountain High program in Colorado. The outdooradventure part of the program begins today.

20 Thank God for the dedication and perseverance of the members of the Dominican Republic’s military Christian fellowship, and ask for the Spirit’s guidance on all their plans.

of celebration for us; we are convinced, in fact, that God is always everywhere. We work while singing, we sail while reciting hymns, we accomplish all other occupations of life while praying.”

-- Clement of Alexandria

21 Nestor Ogilvie, AMCF vice president for North America, requests prayer that Caribbean-region military Christian fellowships will continue to grow and mature. Pray for blessing and protection for their leaders as well.

Photo courtesy USMC

22 Pray that ACCTS and our AMCF coworkers will establish contact with military Christians in Nicaragua who are interested in starting a military Christian fellowship, as the former MCF is not functioning at this time.

23 ACCTS staff and volunteers will be providing English language lessons to teachers in China over a three week period this month. Please pray for wisdom for the ACCTS group and for open hearts and minds on the part of the Chinese teachers.

24 Pray for Mexican military Christians as they try to grow their military Christian fellowship while at the same time dealing with the ongoing drug warfare.

ACCTS prayer reminder • July 2012

29 Pray that ACCTS’ online ethics journal (www.faithandwar. org) will continue to bless and inspire the many visitors who read it each month.

Pray for guidance for Don Martin, the editor of the Journal of Faith and War.

30 From 30 July to 10 August Bob and B.J. Reifsnyder will lead a basic chaplaincy course in Guatemala. Other team members include Chaplain (BG) Doug Lee; CDR Don Jukam, CHC USN; and Chap (COL) Joaquin and Vicky Maldonado, Guatemalan army. Pray for God’s Spirit to be on leaders and participants alike.

31 Pray for wisdom for Emanuela Haien, Harry Argo, and other ACCTS staff members who are helping lead the upcoming “Interaction” portion of Rocky Mountain High-Interaction.