In this issue…

1. HEALTH INSURANCE RATE INCREASES
2. WORLD’S LARGEST MEDICAL MISSIONS CONFERENCE
3. MINISTRY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS
4. FIND AND FULFILL YOUR MISSION NEEDS
5. UNLIMITED INT’L PHONE SERVICE TO THE US: $5.95 MONTHLY
6. JUST 7 WEEKS ‘TIL STRATEGY COORDINATOR TRAINING
7. PERSPECTIVES ON THE WORLD CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT IN FL
8. HELP FOR THOSE RAISING FUNDS
9. ARE YOU A KINGDOM-MINDED GEEK LOOKING FOR A GREAT MINISTRY OPP?
10. GOOGLE-MAIL HAS ITS ADVANTAGES
11. SOOOOOOOOOO THANKFUL
12. CLOSING STUFF

1. HEALTH INSURANCE RATE INCREASES — Is your organization experiencing health insurance rate increases? If so, try contacting Insurance Services of America. They are a Christian organization that specializes in helping individuals and groups find affordable health insurance options. They can put together a “tailor-made” plan to fit your group’s needs. Their group plan allows for takeover of existing claims & conditions and will provide your people with quality medical insurance worldwide – and they won’t charge you more when your people are in the US on furlough. Check out some of their plans online at http://www.missionaryhealth.net, email them at health(at)missionaryhealth(dot)net, [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] or call them at 1-800-647-4589 (1-480- 821-9052 outside of North America) and ask for Mark. ISA has a wide range of plans for missionaries, mission groups and churches, so be sure to contact them to see how they can “shop around” for you to help you save money on your health insurance needs.
2. WORLD’S LARGEST MEDICAL MISSIONS CONFERENCE — The Global Missions Health Conference (GMHC) celebrates its 10th anniversary, Nov. 11-12, at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., USA. In conjunction with the conference and for the first time, the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization will host the North American Consultation on the Role of the Church in the HIV/AIDS Pandemic, Nov. 10. The committee hopes to draw prominent North American church pastors and Christian leaders to speak out on the AIDS Pandemic and to urge churches to get involved. USAID is sponsoring 16 international participants to attend the Nov. 10 event. For information or registration for the consultation or GMHC, see http://www.medicalmissions.com or e-mail rebeccab(at)churchcentral(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
3. MINISTRY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS — MATS provides vehicle solutions through many God ordained sources for Christian Ministry persons, pastors, missionaries, staff persons, para-church, retirees. You can get everything from new and used bicycles to semi-tractors. :-) http://www.mats.org or email car(at)mats(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
4. FIND AND FULFILL YOUR MISSION NEEDS — Preswan Enterprises was recently founded for the purpose of finding and fulfilling needs throughout the world. Currently, Jerry (the export manager) is looking particularly at new/used farm equipment in his home area. Once he finds a need, he then seeks to locate a supplier of the product needed, facilitate the purchase of the product, and arrange for shipment. While he lives in Southeast Michigan (where some car manufacturing HQs are located), you may contact him with requests for any products, and he will work to find a supplier and means of shipment to supply your needs. Try him: jerry(at)firstcomp(dot)biz
5. UNLIMITED INT’L PHONE SERVICE TO THE US: $5.95 MONTHLY — TalkDaddy is now offering VOIP phone service from anywhere to the US for $5.95 per month plus and $49.95 startup. To subscribe to this service, you must have broadband internet. After you connect a TalkDaddy module to your internet, you plug a normal USA touch tone phone into the module. When you pick up the receiver, you will have a US dial tone which allows you to call any number in the 48 contiguous United States. Alaska and Hawaii are available for an additional fee.

People can also call you from anywhere in the world. They will dial into an automated system in the 479 area code here in the US and enter your three digit extension code when prompted. A few seconds later, your phone will ring. You can read more about the service at http://www.TalkDaddy.com and you can also subscribe online.

TalkDaddy is owned and operated by Christians serving in the marketplace in Northwest Arkansas. You can contact TalkDaddy at help(at)talkdaddy(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] or by phone at 479.443.7878.
6. JUST 7 WEEKS ‘TIL STRATEGY COORDINATOR TRAINING — It’s happening in Perth, Western Australia. If you haven’t already gotten your application in for the training, there is still time and some spaces are available. The teaching approach is very practical and hands-on, not just theory but practice at doing the business of being an SC. Also, you will be looking at the commonalities of church planting movements, how to set things in motion so that if God sovereignly moved, a church planting movement could happen. You’ll put together a profile of your focus city or people, look at how to foster partnerships and create a master plan of how you will get the gospel to your city or people in the most relevant way. You’ll look at strategies that worked for others and some that didn’t fare so well. Just a reminder, the dates are: 13 November to 2 December. At this stage, there are no plans to repeat the course. So now is your chance! Download an application at: http://www.ywamperth.org.au/events/index.asp?tag=sc or email info(at)ywamperth(dot)org(dot)au and ask for one to be emailed to you as an attached file. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
7. PERSPECTIVES ON THE WORLD CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT IN FL — Youth With A Mission in Jacksonville Florida is hosting this internationally respected 15-week study program developed by the U.S. Center for World Mission. Featuring an experienced speaker each week, you will cover topics such as the Biblical perspective on mission, the spread of Christianity in history, mission strategies, and the mission task remaining. Classes start on January 8, 2006. Call 904-221-5990 or email at perspectivesjax(at)yahoo(dot)com for more information. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
8. HELP FOR THOSE RAISING FUNDS — Here are a few articles on how to write effective fundraising letters. You’ll find dozens more at http://www.FundraisingLetters.org (Note: Although these URLs will break or “wrap” into 2 lines in the email version of Brigada Today, you can jump to the online version and use these as hotlinks there. Just go to brigada.org if these links don’t work in your email client.)

Eleven Reasons Donors Stop Responding To Fundraising Letter Appeals http://www.fundraisingletters.org/index.php/eleven-reasons-donors-stop-responding-to-fundraising-letter-appeals/

How To Create Irresistible Fundraising Letter Envelopes http://www.fundraisingletters.org/index.php/how-to-create-irresistible-fundraising-letter-envelopes/

Where To Look For Creative Fundraising Letter Ideas http://www.fundraisingletters.org/index.php/where-to-look-for-creative-fundraising-letter-ideas/

51 Ways to Say Thank-you in a Fundraising Letter http://www.fundraisingletters.org/index.php/51-ways-to-say-thank-you-in-a-fundraising-letter-2/

(Thanks Alan Sharpe, President of Sharpe Copy Inc., London, England.)
9. ARE YOU A KINGDOM-MINDED GEEK LOOKING FOR A GREAT MINISTRY OPP? — The National Offices for the Perspectives Study Program recently relocated from Pasadena, CA to Fayetteville, AR (yes, Arkansas in the Ozarks!). They are looking for a few folks with IT experience (MAC and PC) to join their team as they prepare for the future of the Perspectives course both throughout the country and around the world. This would require putting together a personal support team, and at this point only US citizens need inquire. If you would like more information, call Dave at 479-587-1919 Ext. 709, or email David.Flynn(at)uscwm(dot)org .
10. GOOGLE-MAIL HAS ITS ADVANTAGES — Here’s a great article summing up Gmail and its potential (Thanks Nick!): http://wifi.google.com/faq.html
11. SOOOOOOOOOO THANKFUL — We’re grateful for those who spur us on here at Brigada Today. This past week, that included Dial-Abroad, who sent $129.30, which represented a sponsorship based on those who used long distance during August. Thanks Andy! To learn more about Dial- Abroad, go to: https://brigada.org/phone.html and click on the Dial-Abroad icon there.
To chip in or make a substantial donation, just click “sponsor” in the top menu (to use PayPal or a credit card), or just send a check payable to Team Expansion to: Team Expansion (Brigada secretary), 13711 Willow Reed Dr., Louisville, KY 40299. As always, be sure to let us know if you’d like us to promote any particular service or ministry, or if you’d prefer your gift be anonymous. If you do know of someone who might help with these expenses, please feel free to relay this update to them. And thanks for any support you can give.