Dates, Leaders for Focus Retreats Announced

Tom Hocking, 2009-2011 moderator of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC), has announced that Dan Allan and Tony Webb will be leading Focus retreats for Grace Brethren ministry staff members in 2010 and 2011.

"Dan and Tony have a passion to help pastors re-focus and re-fresh for ministry and have designed these two-day retreats with that in mind," says Tom. "Over these past two years God has reminded us how important it is for the Body of Christ to work together in order to realize the amazing future God longs for us to experience. To that end we are building teams of people in the areas of their effectiveness. So, I am especially grateful to my friends, Dan and Tony, for serving our movement in an area in which God has clearly gifted them—spiritual encouragement.

"In order to pursue the passions of our Commitment to Common Mission—namely, church planting, leadership development and integrated ministry—we must sink deep roots into the reality of 'Christ in us, the hope of Glory,'" adds Tom. "I love Dan and Tony’s theme—'Fully Alive!' Please pray with me that God will use these Focus retreats to refresh our souls at the fountain of life, equipping us to start springs of life in our everyday contexts."

Dan is the senior pastor of the Grace Brethren Church in Ashland, Ohio. He served as moderator of the FGBC in 2004. Tony is the director of VisionOhio, a Grace Brethren church planting organization in the Buckeye state. He previously served as pastor of Southwest Grace Brethren Church in Grove City, Ohio.

Below is the schedule for the retreats:

• Central - October 11-13 @ Mohican Conference Center, Ohio
• East - October 25-27 in Ocean City, Maryland in the Grand Hotel
• Southwest - January 31-February 2, Southern California, location to be announced
• South - March 14-16, Florida, location to be announced
• Northwest - May 16-18 @ Camp Clear Lake

Registration is currently open for the fall retreats.