ICF International Newsletter Nr. 2/2010

Heartbeat from Leo & Susanna Bigger

Dear ICF

Over the past number of months we, as a church, have invested a lot of time in the internet and other different resources.

The current status is as follows:

• page to download resources

• iPhone application

• NEW: audio and video podcasts in High German

• NEW: Leo and Susanna’s blog site: leo.blog.icf.ch

Susanna and I have put together a blog site for you. On this page you'll find interesting additional footage from the message and great quotes on Twitter. On the video blog, you will find out what the near future holds for ICF as well as much more. With this additional tool the information flow will be better and you will be right at the heart beat of the church.

Coming soon:

• Live streaming of the celebrations on the Internet!

We wish you all lots of fun discovering and using all of these new resources and we wish you a wonderful winter vacation!

Yours,
Susanna and Leo

Radicals - God writes history

Sunday, 21^st Feb. 2010: Radicals:
Peter Waldes – A rebel sparks a fire

40-days series up to Easter

The Power of your thoughts:

From Sunday, 28^th February until Easter, we as a church want to look at one topic for 40 days and allow God to change our thoughts.

Sunday, 28^th Feb. 2010: 40 days - focused thoughts

Sunday, 7^th March 2010: 40 days - healthy thoughts

Sunday, 14^th March 2010: 40 days - happy thoughts

Sunday, 21^st March 2010: 40 days - positive thoughts

Sunday, 28^th March 2010: 40 days - godly thoughts

Sunday, 4^th April 2010: 40 days - Easter message and musical “Job”

New: During this series you have the possibility of downloading Daily Podcasts from Monday to Friday!

NEW: For all small groups there will be video teachings dealing with the topic of “The power of your thoughts” live in your living room from Monday, 1^st March onwards (see think.icf.ch)! Let yourself be surprised and try something new in your small group!

New ICF Single on iTunes!

As of 7^th February, 2010 the single “Song of Hope” can only be downloaded on iTunes. The single is a pre-compilation of the new ICF worship album “All the World”, which will be available in Zurich on the 7^th of March, 2010. Download this song and spread the news…so that a song from ICF Zurich could actually make it on the Swiss Hit Parade for the first time!

Radio Life Channel will already be playing the new ICF worship album 2 weeks before the release!

As of the 22^nd of February, you can hear a new song at 8:50am every day and win the unreleased album!

On the 22^nd of February from 7pm – 8pm the whole album is going to be presented on the programme "musig.ch". (A repetition of the programme will be on the 8th of March from 7pm – 8pm).

The single-compilation "Song Of Hope" will be played daily on Life Channel as of the 7^th of February.

For information on the programmes and the reception from Life Channel: www.lifechannel.ch.

Newcomer

“In ICF, delicate topics are discussed honestly and very direct and I really like this. My friends and sister told me about this church and took me with them to Winterthur.”

Daniel Kleger, 27 years old, works as a florist, gardener and photographer and lives in Frauenfeld. He met his wife-to-be through Youth with a Mission and worked with her in an orphanage and a home for abused women (prostitutes) and their children in South Africa.

“That was a decisive time in my life and dealing with these women touched me deeply. As we treated these women with respect and dignity, love and acceptance, they could experience God’s love and hope. After our wedding this summer, Amy and I want to go back to this home in South Africa because we are convinced that God has called us to be there.”

He grew up in a Christian home, so Daniel was confronted with faith from a very early age. Very often he was astonished by the prayers of his grandmother which were answered. One night he had an intensive encounter with Jesus ...

“I was lying in bed, when I realized that there was somebody who wanted to pull me away from God and throw me into misery. On that evening I cried to Jesus and asked him: ‘Help me! Save me!’ That is how I laid my whole life into His hands and became His child. My friendship with Jesus gives me strength, shows me who I am, and what I should live for.”

Dedication of children at ICF

Finally the time has once again come! On Sunday, the 18^th of April (25^th of April in Winterthur and Rapperswil) all parents have the opportunity to have their children dedicated during the celebration. Sign up and invite your relatives, friends and family.

Winterthur

Radicals. What an awesome series! In Winterthur, this series hit like a bomb. At the moment, we are, along with lots of volunteer power, pimping up the foyer in two stages. On the lower level we’re building a lounge with additional seating which should encourage people to hang around and we are also putting in a “table football”. We wish for more fellowship on the Sundays and a better integration of new people. It is known that relationships are best made in a comfortable atmosphere with a good drop of wine. Welcome home!

Numbers in January - ICF Winterthur

income

budget: 13‘600.-

actual: 17‘258.-

expenses

budget: 13‘200.-

actual: 9‘503.-

Rapperswil

This new year brought new movement in our location. In January alone, 10 people decided to work in our church. Heidi Baldinger is replacing Gisi Hager, who built the area community (ex- Churchlife) in the last two years. Heidi is going to follow her footsteps right away with the help of Claudia Rao, who will actively support her in administration and organization. Thank you both for your time and all your investment in our church.

Andrea Walder, a happy young woman, is going to be the new leader of the Chinderexpess and she is going to bring our family-friendly celebration to a new level. In April we’re getting new children’s rooms! Many people invest a part of their life, their time, their know-how into God’s kingdom. However, there are still many gaps to fill, so that we can start a new celebration in the evenings in September.

Numbers in January - ICF Rapperswil

income

budget: 17‘800.-

actual: 17‘197.-

expenses

budget: 16‘000.-

actual: 12‘976.-

ACTS

Good Job – whoever seeks, shall find

The Internet platform “Good Job” offers an online employment agency, which pleads for fair play at the work place. Since the start in summer of last year the number of people interested has grown continually. Feedbacks and experiences show that this service is needed and is often used. Whether it be searching for a job or offering a job, everyone finds what they are looking for on “Good Job”!

Click on this page and get the needed information about this service: www.good-job.ch

Movement

ICF Movement @ Willow Creek Conference

A great team from the ICF Movement: ICF Munich, ICF Karlsruhe and ICF Hamburg went to the Willow conference in Karlsruhe. We focused on two main goals:


- To make ICF known as a label.

- To get to know and recruit new potential pastors.

We had the biggest booth of all and were an eye-catcher for the 10,000 people at the conference. During the three days, we had about 1,000 good conversations and got to know very many cool people, who have experienced ICF as a church movement. Many interested leaders came to us at the ICF booth and asked us question after question about how we experience church in a new manner. Many people were interested in becoming part of a team to found a new ICF. Watch the video blog and have a look at the photos. These days were a huge success! We are convinced that all we invested there will have a lasting effect on the ICF church planting in Germany, this year and in the future!

Numbers in January - ICF Zürich

income

budget: 290‘000.-

actual: 296‘866.-

expenses

budget: 298‘000.-

actual: 289‘466.-

Donations for ICF Zurich

As of now ICF Zurich, Rapperswil and Winterthur, as well as the ACTS foundation have new bank arrangements. Following you will find the appropriate information:

ACTS Foundation
Payment for:
Raiffeisenbank Zürich
8001 Zürich
Clearing-No.: 81487
Account-No.: 96475.41
Postal Bank: 87-71996-7
 
IBAN CH91 8148 7000 0096 4754 1
SWIFT-BIC: RAIFCH22
 
In favour of:
ACTS Foundation
c/o ICF Zürich
Hardstr. 219
8005 Zürich
 
We ask all donators and supporters to only use these accounts from now on. Thank you so much!