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.Our MissiOn:

December 2011in action

10 Christmas ideas for ministering to military Personnel

1. Pray for them, and mail them a Christmas card letting them know they are in your prayers. Ask them to call you if there are any specific prayer needs -- or other needs -- they have in the upcom-ing months.

2. Invite them to share Christmas dinner with you, take them along when you get your Christmas tree (and buy their tree as well!), or invite them to a coffee and dessert night in January after the rush of the holidays is over.

3. Ask them to accompany you to church activities such as choir performances, or your Bible study’s Christmas party, or a service project such as serving dinner to the less fortunate. If your non-Christian friends don’t want to participate in religious events, invite them to seasonal artistic or music-related events that can stir up their spiritual side in other ways.

4. Volunteer to cook or clean for parties or family get-togethers they themselves are hosting – let them know how much you would be blessed if they would allow you to serve them.

5. Yes, it’s too late to mail a package to those who are serving overseas – but send one anyway! Your baked goodies, read-ing material, and other items will arrive during the post-holiday season which, in itself, can be a difficult time for people stationed overseas.

6. Anonymously mail them gift certificates to local grocery stores so they can purchase Christmas dinner, or mail gift certificates continued on page 2

ACCTS

Photos courtesy USDOD

ten christmas ideas

ACCTS’ annual Chap-lains Interaction pro-gram gives ministry training to chaplains -- and those who work unofficially as chap-lains -- from nations around the world. Recently a former Caribbean participant shared how the pro-gram affects his life and

ministry: “When I participated in Chaplains Interaction it was my first time to the US. It was very cold, Denver was very far, and I was homesick before I landed. At the airport…I met that great and wonderful servant of the Lord, Dell McDonald. He made me feel much at home and welcome.”

“The training was very good…,” he continues. “I had never worked as a chaplain before and there was no handover/takeover process between the former chap-lain and myself. When I got into the office I read the

Standing Orders governing my a p p o i nt m e nt s and set about slowly putting one foot before the other. I limped along thinking what a great job I was doing until that

first week at Chaplain’s Interaction. My blinkered eyes were opened to the world of military chaplaincy and I have never been the same again. The material pre-sented opened my eyes to the possibilities existing in the world of chaplaincy. I have since reformed the practice of welfare, pre and post marital counsel-ing, chaplain’s battalion hour, chaplain-commander interaction, and mission among the troops. The integrity of the chaplain’s office has grown immensely since then. I must again express profound thanks to ACCTS, MCF and all the partners who participated in any way in making Chaplain’s Interaction a reality. I believe it will continue to transform the quality of the chaplaincy offered in the police, military, fire and cor-rectional services in places that otherwise would not have been able to afford proper training for their chap-lains.”

continued from page 1

to other stores so that they can purchase gifts for their families.

7. If you know the family well, babysit their children so the parent(s) can go Christmas shopping – or so that the parents can have a pre-Christmas date night.

8. Write a thank you note to your local military base’s chaplain – or take him or her out to lunch.

9. Have your church or Bible study group sponsor a military family for the next year – helping them with

needs such as tutoring or music lessons for their children, buying them tickets to sporting events, providing babysit-ting, etc.

10. Reach outside of your comfort zone. Include as many non-Christian military personnel in your activities as you can. Take your Jewish friends Hanukah-decorated cookies. If you know Buddhist or Muslim military person-nel, ask them about their faith’s main holidays and share with them your family’s Christmas traditions. If Christ has brought you joy, share that joy with others!

Chaplains interaCtion’s long lasting impaCt

ACCTS IN ACTION • PAge 2 • DeCember 2011

ACCTS IN ACTION • PAge 3 • DeCember 2011

Building on ACCTS’ legACyIn the four months since I became executive director, Sue and I have met with over f ifty ACCTS staff couples and individuals to learn more about each one’s ministry within ACCTS. It has been very exciting to hear about the many different ministry activities that ACCTS workers are doing around the world.

As we approach ACCTS’ 40th anniversary on 1 January, 2012, we thank God for how He has used ACCTS to change the world through its ministry to the militaries of the world. When Cleo Buxton founded ACCTS in 1972, there were only 12 military Christian fellowships in the now-worldwide Association of Christian Military Fellowships; today there are over 125. In Latin America there are now 28 countries with military Christian fellowships, where formerly there were only a handful. Most countries in the former Soviet Union now have military Christian fellowships as well.

ACCTS has also assisted in the development of Christian leaders in the armed forces of the world through leadership and ethics conferences, discipleship, and other ministry methods focused on current and future leaders. It has planted the seeds of future growth by assisting in the establishment of multi-confessional chaplaincies, organizing English language camps for foreign military and their families, conducting ministry to military wives, and providing outreach to international military students studying in the United States.

As we celebrate the gift of ministry that God has given ACCTS, we pray that we would be faithful stewards of the fru it of that ministry. Much remains to be done. Nearly one-third of the nations of the world still do not have any military Christian fellowship, and many of those that do need our encouragement and help to become healthy and effective. And, despite increased persecution of believers in some countries, many nations are now more open than ever to the gospel and accessible to our staff members.

That is why ACCTS continues to build on the legacy that we have received from God through those who have worked in His “f ield of harvest” over the past four decades. We are looking for new staff to come alongside our staff mem-bers who have developed strong relationships in many different countries, so if you or someone you know would be interested in participating in ACCTS’ ministry in some country or region of the world, please let us know. Y ou don’t need to go into fu ll-time ministry to be part of this amazingly rewarding ministry. Y ou can build enduring relation-ships within one country or small region with just one week or two a year, keeping in touch the remainder of the year. So you can give not only f inancially, but also of your time.

We deeply appreciate all of you who have supported this ministry through your generous gifts and participation. Please pray that the ministry of ACCTS would continue to be biblically-based, prayer centered, people focused, and Spirit-led. We look forward with great anticipation to what God will do through ACCTS as you continue to support His work in the militaries of the world. We pray that someday everyone who wears the uniform of their country can see the Gospel lived out by someone wearing their own uniform.

Semper F i,

Phil ExnerCol. (USMC, Ret.) Executive Director

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

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Values

- Biblically-based- Spirit-led- Prayer-centered- People-focused

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“Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great won-ders you have sent us: for shining star and angel’s song, for infant’s cry in lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold his glory, and are bathed in its radiance. Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas, the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder. Amen.” -- Uknown

This Holy Season

Photo courtesy Alicepopkorn, flickr.com

ACCTS PrAyer remINDer •DeCember 2011

Note: This month, please pray as the Holy Spirit leads for the AccTS staff members listed each day. Following each name is an italicized verse or quotation for daily meditation.

1 Phil exner, executive Director; Sue exner, Staff ministry. “[Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1:21

2 Dickson Ogwang, reconciliation ministry. “When Christ entered our world, he didn’t come to brighten our Decembers, but to transform our lives.” -- Rich Miller, Freedom in Christ Ministry

3 Noel and meryl Dawes, chaplain care and Support. “…you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” Luke 1:31-32

4 Gina rajah, Southern Africa and brazil min-istry. “During this Advent season as we celebrate the new relationship between God and his peo-ple, may that be mirrored in our renewed relation-ships with spouses, children, family and those near and dear to us. May we speak tenderly to each other amidst all the rush of the season...” -- Casely Essamuah, Park Street Church

5 cal and Linda Dunlap, china Directors; He Gang and Jodie Wang, china ministry. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” Luke 1:26

6 ed and Sally Ward, china/mongolia ministry; carson and Wendy Tavenner, china ministry. “This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ.” -- Frank McKibben

7 rob and Delores Stroud and Frank and Ginny cole -- chaplains Interaction. “But the angel said unto them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring

you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’” Luke 2:10

8 Dick and Linda barnes, east and central eu-rope ministry coordinators. “Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” – Calvin Coolidge

9 bernhard Kaltenbach, Deputy Director; cheryl Kaltenbach, West europe ministry; elizabeth Humphrey, editor/Administrative; emanuela Haien, Webmaster/Interaction-rmH. “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.” Luke 1: 68

10 Jim and Lois Greshel, conference coordi-nation; russ and bonnie Hammerud, Special Projects. “Christmas, my child, is love in ac-tion. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” -- Dale Evans

11 bob and b.J. reifsnyder, Latin America ministry coordinators. “[He has come]…to res-cue us from the hand of our enemies, and to en-able us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” Luke 1:75

12 Leslie Santee, media ministry; russell and Helen Bielenberg, Pacific/Spain Ministry. “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.” -C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

13 brock and Linda Fallon, east Asia/Young Officers Ministry. “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him.” Luke 1:76

14 earl and Sue casner, european ministry. “Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Je-sus, that we may share in the song of the angels,

ACCTS Prayer Reminder

“The way to Christmas lies through an ancient gate...It is a little gate, child-high, child-wide, and there is a password: ‘Peace on earth to men of good will.’ May you, this Christ-mas, become as a little child again and enter into His kingdom.” -- Angelo Patri

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the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.” -- Robert Louis Stevenson

15 Harry Argo, Horn of Africa/National capitol region. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

16 mike and Leslie Fligg, Discipleship ministry. “Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift, and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.” --Robert Louis Steven-son

17 Pete and Jacki Prindle, chaplain care and Support ministry/Wall of Prayer. “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’” Luke 2:13-14

18 Steve morgan, ethics ministry. “May the Christ-mas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake.” -- Robert Louis Stevenson

19 Paul and Suzy Neu and Norris and Lois Web-ster -- American english Language Training. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…through him all things were made…” John 1:1-3

20 rick and melissa ryles, Asia ministry coordi-nators. “Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility….” -- Book of Common Prayer

21 bill and Suzanne Lumpkin, Int’l military Stu-dent ministry. “…Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 15:12-13

22 Vic and marsha Grazier, Int’l military Student ministry. Father, we pray for military families sepa-rated by the needs of the service over the holidays. Bless and protect those who defend our nation in distant lands over the Christmas season, fill our chaplains with your grace, and bless their ministry of presence with our troops as they remember your Son’s birth.

23 Mike and Joyce Knefley, American English Language Training. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

24 Dell mcDonald, International Discipleship/

chaplains Interaction. “God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy Him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit He lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.” -- Book of Common Prayer

25 christmas Day “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12 26 Ken and Jonna carpenter, bible Distribution. “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” -- Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

27 Stan and Doris mincks, Wives of Warriors Worldwide. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the cap-tives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1

28 Don and elaine Jukam, chaplains ministry. “I do not advise that we end the year on a somber note. The march, not the dirge, has ever been the music of Christianity…Of all persons the Christian should be best prepared for whatever the New Year brings…The man who has made God his dwelling place will always have a safe habitation.” -- A.W. Tozer, The Warfare of the Spirit

29 Harry and Linda Waters, chaplain care and Support/Wall of Prayer. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsel-or, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6-7

30 Don and Karen martin, Journal of Faith and War. “Oh Lord, Creator of day and night, Giver of rest to the weary and strength to the spent, bestow upon us Your joy. As You have protected us in the past, so be with us in the coming year; keep us from sin, evil, and fear; for You are our light and salvation and strength. To You be the glory for endless ages.” – BCP adaption

31 New Year’s eve “When the goodness and lov-ing kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7

ACCTS PrAyer remINDer • DeCember 2011