Report from Pastor Rod Renusch - Last month on August 22nd, the Los Angeles
Deaf Church in California celebrated 5 years of ministry with 80 people there!
God poured out His Spirit on us with a guest speaker, people going to the altar
and repenting, and then a great banquet. The next Sunday morning we had
many people show up for church and they were so hungry for God’s Word! It is
time for us to pray and fast for the gospel to impact the Deaf nation of America!

Rev. Bill and Christine Ross say they want to go back into Deaf Ministry
and are looking for God’s will and an open door. You can contact Bill
about any opportunities at 


revross1@juno.com

Calvary Deaf Church in Riverside, CA is building a new church! See the
construction pictures at www.calvarydeafchurch.org

October 13-16 -- JAPAN The 3rd “World Deaf AG Conference”
is happening this year in Osaka, Japan! See info at
www.church.ne.jp/wdag/index-e.html If you cannot go to
Japan, you can pray for the leaders going! Also some Deaf
leaders and interpreters are raising funds for the trip -- you can
make a donation to help them at www.nfdeaf.com/epay.html


October 16-18 -- CALIFORNIA “13th Annual West Coast Deaf Men’s Retreat” will happen in
Creston. See http://deafassembly.org/Documents/Deaf%20Men%20Retreat%202009.pdf


Oct. 23-25 -- WISCONSIN “20th Annual Deaf Women’s Fall Retreat” in Waupaca will have 4
great AG women ministers - Barb Garrett, Hedy Miller, JoAnn Smith, and Carol Vetter! See
www.nfdeaf.com/uploads/2/0/4/1/2041949/09_01_19_dwr_2009_flyer_oct_23-25.pdf


Oct. 23-25 -- TEXAS “Jesus is Mine 2009” is a large interdenominational
evangelistic Deaf Crusade happening in Austin at the Monarch Event
Center on October 23rd and 24th. Many local churches are working
together! See http://austindeafcrusade.weebly.com Then GT Austin
(Church of Glad Tidings) Deaf Ministries and Pastor Debbie Stiles will
be hosting Rev. John Graham from Canada (one of the crusade speakers)
on Sunday, October 25th. Pray for many Deaf souls to accept Jesus!!


Oct. 23-25 -- NEW HAMPSHIRE “New England Fall Deaf Retreat” will be held at the Singing
Hills Christian Conference Center in Plainfield. Rev. Rod Renusch will be the speaker! For
more info, contact Rev. Duane Somero at dsomero@comcast.net


Nov. 7 -- MINNESOTA The 21st Annual “Deaf Women Fellowship of
Minnesota” will happen in Minneapolis at North Central University! This year,
we will focus on the theme “Healing Ministry: Inside and Out”. The DWF
always has women from many churches attend. More info is ready at
www.tcdeaf.com/flyers/img/2009/20090908dwf.pdf


Nov. 12-14 -- PENNSYLVANIA The annual “Impact Prayer” meeting will be
happening in Philadelphia for all AG credentialed ministers currently
involved with Deaf Ministries. For more info about this wonderful time of
prayer and fasting, see the website at www.impactprayer.com


Nov. 21 -- CALIFORNIA Calvary Deaf Church in Grand Terrace will have the Annual
Thanksgiving Missions Dinner with guest speaker Rev. Eduardo Perdomo from Venezuela.
For more info, see www.calvarydeafchurch.org/20upcomingevents.html

It is the fall season! Summer vacation is
finished! That means all kinds of sports are
starting again -- and in America, one of the
most popular sports is FOOTBALL!
In the Bible, there were a lot of stories
about sports -- track, boxing, and the Greek
Olympics. Back in the Bible times, they did
not have football. But we can learn some very
important lessons from this sport!
1) Always obey the things our “head coach”
says, and follow the “play book”! Our
head coach is God and we must listen to
His voice daily. And like the picture, we
must know His Word, the Holy Bible.
Take time to study and memorize His
Word! This is the key to our daily walk
with Him! “Using the Scriptures, the person
who serves God will be capable, having all that
is needed to do every good work.” - 2 Tim. 3:17
2) Keep your eyes on the ultimate (best) goal -
a touchdown! This is our new life in
Heaven! “I keep trying to reach the goal and
get the prize for which God called me through
Christ to the life above.” - Phil. 3:14 NCV
3) We must work together as a team - same as
Jesus and His disciples! “Then Jesus went to
other villages in that area and taught. He called
his 12 followers together and got ready to send
them out two by two and gave them authority
over evil spirits.” - Mark 6:6,7 NCV
4) Assistant coaches are there to support you,
but they are not in the game. These
“assistant coaches” are your pastor,
director, layleader, or interpreter in your
home church. It is not their job alone to
share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every day
YOU can have more impact on your
friends! YOU can reach the thousands of
lost Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in
your city! Then I said, “But Lord God, I don’t
know how to speak. I am only a boy. But the
Lord said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy’.
You must go everywhere I send you, and you
must say everything I tell you to say. Don’t be
afraid of anyone, because I am with you to
protect you,” says the Lord. - Jer. 1:6-8 NCV

       The Robb Family, David and Barbara

There are many reasons for becoming an NF Deaf member.  Besides the fact that it supports your National Deaf ministries organization (without which it could not function or grow), membership moves us closer to the goal of a Deaf district in the AG. From the Treasurer's office, we are showing a growth in membership over the past years.  Currently there are approx. 16 churches, and 30 individual members.  The goal is for this number to grow significantly over the next year. 


Another very useful benefit is that the NF Deaf pictorial directory is being housed on the NFDeaf.com website.  Access is by password only, and the password is available to members only.  NF is trying to build on the good foundation that has been laid to increase the connection between Deaf churches, ministries, and Deaf and Hearing members and constituents.  The online NF Directory will always be the most up-to-date contact information that NF has received from it's members.  It is intended to include the contact information of all credentialed Assemblies of God ministers, AND all paid members of NF (whether an individual or an organization).


The NF leadership has approved this web-based pictorial directory for many reasons; common access to one directory for the organization.  The reduce paper / mailing costs as members print their own directory at home, and having the directory always serviced and up-to-date.  One of the greatest advantages is that any member with password access to it, can view the directory online (using the free adobe acrobat pdf reader), or download it as a pdf file to your personal computer.  Then it can be viewed on your own computer in a ready-to-print format.  This means that anyone who receives this membership benefit will always have not only the latest contact information for those listed in the directory, but also see pictures of the individuals and families listed there (of those who have sent their pictures to the webmaster).


Personally, I like the first reason stated above for joining NF Deaf as a member.  However, there are many other benefits too.... more to come!

To those who ministry in the Kingdom of God, here's a story that was received from the Family Life Pastor of a church in Kankakee, Illinois.  I wanted to share with you a story.  I hope this encourages you in the ministry where God has placed you. The Pastor begins...
I received a call on Saturday from Linda Shaffer.  Linda is a long ago member of first church who moved from the area about 15 years ago.  She informed me that her granddaughter, Lindsey Hall, age 22, had died of an epidictic seizure, and asked if I would do a memorial service for her.

Lindsey’s mother was 16 years old when Lindsey was born and her grandmother raised her.  Grandmother and Granddaughter attended first church until Lindsey was in 2nd grade and then they moved with her Lindsey's mom to Montana . 

From what I have been told, Lindsey did not have an opportunity to continue going to church once she went to live with her mom.  As she became a teenager, the whole church scene faded from her life.  But, when she became an independent adult and moved back to the Kankakee area, she began looking for a church to belong to and began Christian counseling.  

Her pastor in Montana says that Lindsey turned her life around in this past year.  She often spoke of her time at first church as a child and what that meant to her.  The thing that connected Lindsey to her past childhood church was the kids choir. She had a picture of herself and Kelly Coffee in a church musical in second grade that she held on to as a reminder of first church, and this memory was very important to her as she decided to return to church. 

I know that ministry can be exhausting at times. 

I know that ministry can become routine as each Sunday we do what we do.

I know that it is so easy to see only the project and not the people.

I know that it is easy for us to not always embrace the long term impact we are making as we minister to teens and children.

I know that sometimes it is so easy to forget that IT REALLY DOES MATTER.

I know that God can use the smallest things to build His kingdom, things that we don’t always realize as significant.

I know that it is not about us, it is about what God is doing and all we need to do is be faithful to the people he has called us to.

As I try to write a memorial service today, my thoughts are with you, leaders in the church who have made the commitment to serve as the hands of God.  As you go through this week, remember that whatever it is that you do in Kingdom work, if it be providing media, working in the nursery, preparing Sunday school lessons, providing food, teaching college students, organizing a prayer group, sitting at the welcome center, visitation, coaching basketball, putting up a tent at a church camp-out, taking photos……….  God has used a floating hammer, a shepherd’s staff, a smooth stone, some fish and bread to further the Kingdom.... do you really think it matters to him that you don't always 'feel' qualified or an expert in your work?

What you need to know today, and remember always is that, what you do really does matter to God and it might be the one thing that is done which a prodigal daughter or son will one day remember; and come back home.

In the 1980, when the US embassy in Iran was captured by Islamic radicals and 53 Americans were held hostage, America began it's war against Islamic radicals.  Today, the world, more than at any other time in the history of humanity is ready for the church to wage a gospel war against Islam.  But this time, it's not a war of guns and politics, it's a war of love against hatred and the good of a relationship with God against the evils of a broken Islamic religion.  As we remember the fallen of 9/11, 2001, let us not forget the living of  9/11 2009 who are in need of their Savior. 

NF has been trying to improve communication.  The regional representatives have already become more accessible as their email addresses are easier to remember.  Now, the Women's Ministry of NF have joined this effort for the women to have easier access to their regional and national representatives.  Below is a list  of the new NFWM email addresses available for your use.



NFWM President, Cindy Dively:                                                                       nfwm@nfdeaf.com
NFWM Western Regional Representative, Peggy Lefors:                         nfwmwest@nfdeaf.com
NFWM Northcentral Regional Representive, Amy Pringle:                        nfwmnorthcentral@nfdeaf.com
NF Deaf Northeastern Regional Representative, Barbara Confreda:     nfwmnortheast@nfdeaf.com
NF Deaf Southern Regional Representative, Cheryl Ragas:                    nfwmsouth@nfdeaf.com

The representatives will also be trying to use these addresses in official correspondence to remind constituents of their respective regions