Endurance Farming?
 Some of my fondest childhood memories are times when my family would go and visit my uncle’s farm in eastern South Dakota. I can't help but think of some of those memories as we explore how to sow and reap in our endurance field.
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Getting EQUIPPED
FCA Endurance’s first Ministry Training Conference was a huge blessing! SC Teammate Deb Hunter had this to share after the event, “Just have to tell you that the time I spent this last weekend at the Retreat was the best investment!!! I hope to remember and USE the strategic evangelism tools that I learned every time I get the opportunity..."
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Christian Tri Camp in Tucson
For the past three years, the International Christian Triathlon Network (ICTN) Triathlon Camp has been a major blessing for participants. Year four was no exception, and this year, we were in Tucson! Has anyone told you about the amazing training opportunities there?...
Photo: Group prayer before a ride up Mt. Lemmon.
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Ironman Wanted!
 Are you doing an Ironman this season? Do you want it to count beyond the finisher's medal? Do you want to help FCA Endurance achieve it's mission? If so, I urge you to prayerfully consider doing a Janus Charity Challenge for FCA Endurance. This is a great and simple way to raise funds for our ministry, while engaging the Team and those around you in your quest. To date, we've had 3 athletes take on this challenge, raising a few thousand dollars, including over two thousand from Janus... that's a free gift just for "playing" :-) Contact Chris (canderson@fca.org) if you're interested, and we'll help you get plugged in.
Photo: Tom Burrell (MI) does IM WI for FCA Endurance.
Phoenix Huddle Kid's Tri
Thirty kids and a dozen parents spent six Friday afternoons in February and March training for a triathlon! This was part of an after school triathlon class through the Kyrene School District in Tempe, AZ, hosted by the Phoenix Huddle! Photo: start of the kids' race.
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Feeling Isolated, Looking to Connect?
The National Office is often asked by Teammates for ways to get connected and access resources. We just want to remind everyone of our Yahoo Group. Through this group, you're able to communicate with the Team, view the Team calender, and view the released Team database, among other things. We highly encourage everyone to use this to get connected. If you're not familiar with the group or how to use it efficiently, please contact us, and we'll try to help you!
Yahoo Calendar: Looking to connect at an event? Please load your races and contact info on our Yahoo Group Calendar. This will allow Teammates to see who is racing where and help you all connect before and at events. The calendar will also be used by the Prayer Team as a list of events and athletes to pray over.
Event Opportunities
We have been blessed with a growing number of event ministry opportunities. While we can't list them all, we would like to highlight a few coming up. If you're available, please follow-up so we can get you plugged in!
Nearly all North American Ironman/70.3 events - Iron Prayer
Wildflower - ministry and racing spots - May 1-3
Escape from Alcatraz - ministry help - June 13-14
Silicon Valley Olympic Tri - ministry and discounted race spots - June 20-21
 Gear Update
They're finally here, and they look good! That's right, we've now got a Team jacket. It wasn't easy finding a yellow (harder than you think) jacket that we could screen on and would cost under $50 (cost is actually $45). Check out the photo (jacket and pants sported by AZ TM Lorri Chavez) and Valley Bike and Ski to order.
Also, we've got a new (and much better) dry-wicking shirt and all of our other gear will be fully stocked by the end of the month!
From the Team
Teammate Donna Douglass has a passion and gift for writing. As many of you hopefully remember from the last two newsletters, she recently finished writing a short story pertinent to endurance ministry, and I wanted to bless the Team with it. Included with this newsletter is “Scene 3,” as well as“Scenes 1 and 2.” Scene 4 will come in the next Aid Station. For those who were at the Training Conference, you'll recognize this as the devo performed by award-winning actors Joe Dannelly (SC) and Nick White (NC). Please read through this, share it with a friend, and explore how you might be able to use this in your ministry.
Few Find It Scene 1-The Question
Few Find It Scene 2-Encouragement from Ezer Kenegdo
Few Find It 3 Make Every Effort
'09 Hammer Highline
Corporate Ministry Partner Hammer Nutrition has announced the dates for the '09 Hammer Highline. This event includes a number of rides including the Highline: a 136-mile loop through Glacier National Park with 15,000 feet of climbing, 4 mountain passes, and two trips over the Continental Divide. This event is amazing, and the Highline is the most beautiful and challenging ride I've (Chris Anderson) ever done! Details will be coming soon regarding any FCA Endurance opportunities in regard to this.
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Ministries UNITE
Athletes In Action Triathlon (AIAT) has merged with FCA Endurance! We are so excited about this step towards unity in endurance ministry. For more details, click here.
1,000 Teammates
On February 3rd, Jennifer Ranker from Wisconsin joined our Team and become our 1,000th Teammate! What an exciting milestone for our ministry! Praise the Lord, and here's to another thousand!
4 New Huddles!
We are very excited to announce new Huddles in Murfreesboro, TN (led by TM Chris Jones), South Atlanta, GA (led by TM Mike Roby), Boulder, CO (led by TM Tamara Gaffney), and Russell Springs, KY (led by TMs Josh and Christina Turner).
We’re so thankful for the growing and amazing opportunities given through Huddle ministry, including growing relationships and increased impact in these communities. The Murfreesboro Huddle will be uniting with the middle TN Huddle this summer, South Atlanta is already working on an event partnership with Tri the Parks Triathlon and Duathlon Series, and Boulder has held their first meeting plugging in two of our pro triathlon Teammates. KY will be "official" April 1, and after meeting Josh and Christina at the Ministry Training Conference, we're excited about how the Lord will work through them!
Click here for Huddle Information
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Other Huddle Blips
Huddle Guide- It has been a long time coming, but we finally have version 1 of a Huddle Guide done. This guide is designed to help those who are exploring Huddle certification, as well as Huddle Leaders who are currently serving in this capacity. Download it off the bottom of this page.
Racine, WI. From Jan 31-Feb 1, they hosted a booth at the RACC Midwest Multisport Expo. This was a great opportunity to serve together, reaching out to expo attendees with our message. It has also served to grow the Team and other opportunities in WI.
Boise- In addition to their weekly Bible study, they have been planning the Boise 70.3 Iron Prayer and preparing for this season's bike races, including hosting the second annual FCA-E Time Trial on April 22nd.
Phoenix- They've been busy! In addition to the kid's tri class and triathlon (main article), they hosted a booth at TriFest, including a Sunday morning worship service done by TM Dan Simpson (photo below). They are also planning the second annual Tri Conference on June 27. Lastly, they have a number of racers in the AZ Mt. Bike Series, and are tearing it up!
Columbia, SC- They, along with the other SC Huddles and Teammates, are already 2 races into the Set Up Events SC Triathlon series. They've had a great showing thus far in terms of serving and volunteering, as well as their normal podium finishes :-)
Charlotte, NC- They are building off SC's momentum and beginning to partner with Set Up Events in NC. They also have monthly fellowship meetings set up to bring the Team together.
Huddle Contacts- As a reminder, you can reach Huddle Leaders through our web site by clicking here. |
Students Camps!
 FCA Camps are amazing experiences for student-athletes and adult volunteers. FCA has running (cross-country/track), swimming, and triathlon camps for middle to high school students across the country. If you've got or know a student, get them to camp and watch the Lord impact their lives forever!
Photo: Campers Erin and Ashley race out of T2 during their first triathlon as a part of the Black Hills Sports Camp ('07).
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One More Tool
At the risk of making one more online community available, giving you one more thing to log into and check, I did want to forward on a new tool that some Teammates in AZ are using to keep in touch. Check out the AZ FCA Endurance Athlinks page.
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Stat Tracker
1213 Ministry Partners
and Teammates!
49 States!
State "Record"
Florida - 105 members
Fastest Growth- March '08
Colorado - 7 new members
Praise God,
and way to go Team!
Anyone got a friend who
isn't on the Team yet?
Know anyone in
Rhode Island?
424 Teammates on our
National Yahoo group
(if you're not on there...
you're missing out!)
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