Welcome
This year, the English ministries of the southern California Evangelical Formosan Churches will host our annual winter retreat at Murrieta Hot Springs Christian Conference Center for four days and three nights over the Christmas break. Come worship, fellowship, and grow! You’ll meet many people from other EFC churches!
There will be two separate tracks for the campers. Everyone will meet together for joint worship and then break into two groups:
Junior High, High School, College and Adults
Children
Campers are assigned to small groups for junior high and up (typically anywhere from 4 to 10 people) to help facilitate deeper discussions after each of the messages. Children have their own lesson, which is related to the theme in the adult program but on a kid level. Lesson activities include Bible memory verses, crafts, and games.
Retreat Theme: Supremacy of the Word
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Date/Location
Thursday, December 27 – Sunday, December 30
Murrieta Hot Springs Christian Conference Center
39405 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd
Murrieta, CA [map]
Deadlines
Early: $229
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Regular: $249
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Late: $269
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Map of Grounds
Registration Charts
These charts and tables represent registrant data in real time.
Speakers
There are two separate tracks for campers based on age: (1) Junior High, High School, College, and Adult and (2) Children’s. Everyone will meet together for joint worship and then we will break into separate groups for the messages.
Jaylenn Wong
Track: Junior High, High School, College, and Adult
Jaylenn grew up in Duarte, California and graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in English. He also attended Talbot School of Theology and graduated with a Masters in Christian Apologetics. He is currently a Ph.D. student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Jaylenn has been married to Emily since 2017. They live in Azusa, California, and they often enjoy going to the beach together, exploring tidepools, and snorkeling. They especially love their cat Winky although they are definitely NOT cat people.
Some of Jaylenn's hobbies and interests are playing golf, reading books of all kinds, (his current favorite is The Brothers Karamazov) and trying to catch fish without much success.
Child Evangelism Fellowship
Track: Children
Child Evangelism Fellowship has been used by God for 81 years. CEF is a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living. In the last ministry year their workers worldwide reached over 22.8 million children.
Olumide and Deanna have been happily married for two years. They love to teach young children about God’s Word and about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They also enjoy having picnics in the park, watching movies together, and spending time with family.
Deanna has been serving with Child Evangelism Fellowship for eight years. She also teaches Good News Club, an after school Bible Club, at three elementary schools during the school year. She also helps with training teachers on how to share the gospel with children.
Olumide works as a Sales Account Manager; however, his true passion is doing ministry. Olu has been involved in different aspects of ministry for many years from speaking, mentoring, praise team, training, and telling bible stories to children. Olu has been an active volunteer with CEF for over six years.
Amenities
If you are looking to take part in athletics during retreat, there are multiple tennis courts, outdoor basketball, and sand volleyball courts, and a sports field for our use. There is also a small gym and a recreation room filled with billiards, air hockey, table tennis, and foosball.
Food and Lodging
Pre-Retreat Rallies
EFC Irvine
17422 Armstrong Ave, Irvine, CA (map)
Friday, October 5, 2018
8:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Speaker: KC Liu (IRV), Will Chen (OC)
EFC Arcadia
225 E Live Oak Ave, Arcadia, CA (map)
Friday, October 5, 2018
8:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Speaker: Jaylenn Wong (GCLA)
Registration
ALL individuals must fill out the form, regardless of age. Family room requests can be made and will be honored by priority:
Parents with young children 5th grade and under (youth 6th grade and higher are not eligible unless for medical or other special reasons)
Married couples (contingent upon space)
Retreat fees:
Age 2 and under: FREE
Age 3 and up to and including 5th grade (MUST be accompanied by at least one parent/guardian at retreat): $190, regardless of the date registered
Grades 6-12, college, adult:
Early: Sunday, October 14, 2018, 11:59 pm: $229
Regular: Sunday, November 18, 2018, 11:59 pm: $249
Late: Sunday, December 2, 2018, 11:59 pm: $269
Refund policy:
Regardless of the date registered, $190
Last day to request a refund is December 2, 2018.
Absolutely NO SUBSTITUTIONS allowed. :/
You agree to be signed up for our e-mail and text distribution lists. We will not rent or sell your information; we will only use it to communicate important information about Winter Retreat. No spam!
There are TWO steps to register:
1. Register for Winter Retreat
2. Give a check to your local church registrar (payable to your local church) for your registration amount. Done!
Registrars
Your local church registrar has a wealth of information about Winter Retreat. They will collect your registration fee from you.
EFC Alhambra:
EFC Arcadia: Chris Liu
EFC Chino Valley:
EFC East Valley: Melissa Huang
Generations Church: Tiffany Wong
Grace Bible Church: Matt Chen
EFC Hacienda Heights:
EFC Irvine: KC Liu
EFC Los Angeles: Jimmy Chen
EFC Orange County: Andrea Chen
EFC Rowland Heights:
EFC San Diego: Asdam Espiritu
EFC San Fernando Valley: Shanahan Yang
EFC South Bay: Gerald Huang
Packing List
Bring:
Clothing for four days, three nights
Toiletries/medicine
Extra towel for hot springs/pool
(all other linens provided, including pillow)Flip-flops/sandals/crocs
Bible/pen
Healthy snacks
Money ($20 max)
Flashlight
Don’t Bring:
Handheld games
Weapons/firearms
Firecrackers
Illegal drugs
Alcohol
Pets
Skateboard/scooter
Rollerblades
Photos from Previous Retreats
Workshops
Workshops are an important part of Winter Retreat. It gives campers the opportunity to choose among different topics that interest them. Topics and sessions are subject to change. That's just the way it is.
The Accuracy of the Scriptures
Pastor Jaylenn Wong, Generations Church LA
The Bible has been under attack since its inception. Hostility towards the Word of God's accuracy is rampant in our increasingly secular culture. As a Christian, how do you know that what you have is the same thing that the apostles and prophets wrote? Could you defend your faith against those who believe that we cannot know what the Bible says?
Grow and Build “Yourself” Up in Love（在愛中建立自己）— Christian Understanding of the MBTI Personality Test
Pastor Jacky Yang and Charlotte Yang, EFC Los Angeles
“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:16)
We all know that we are wonderfully and fearfully made (Psalm 139). While being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), we are also formed uniquely and differently from one another. The MBTI is a popular personality test used in various fields. The benefit of the MBTI for Christians is in helping us better understand ourselves so as to better serve God. It can also help us better love and serve others. Let us explore what is built-in and how we should continue building up in the body of Christ!
The Indisputable Laws of Teamwork
Pastor KC Liu, EFC Irvine
“...the body is not made up of one part but of many…” (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)
If you have served in church ministry you probably had to work with others in a team environment. Some were good teams, some were bad teams. Building and maintaining a fruitful ministry team is no simple task. What does it take to build that special dream team that you enjoy being with? Is it a strong work ethic? Is it “chemistry”? In this workshop, we will study the teamwork principles of John Maxwell (#1 leadership expert in the world) that are necessary for success in the ministry team you serve in.
The Oracles of God
Vadim Birman, EFC San Fernando Valley
“What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.” (Romans 3:1-2 NKJV)
What are the “oracles of God?” The Greek word is “logion” - a derivative of “logos.” The Septuagint uses this word to translate the Hebrew word for the breastplate (“choshen”) of the High Priest. What's the connection? The breastplate contained the mystical “urim and tumim” — a spiritual device to know what the will of God was. It was a key to understanding the word of God, same way as the logion is the key to understanding of the logos. It is the key to the mystery of what the word of God usually presents. And this key is entrusted to the Jews…
A Pastor’s Perspective
Pastor Tommy Wang, EFC Orange County
Some of us have been Christians for most of our lives. Others of us are relatively new to the faith. And some of us are currently unsure of what we believe. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, we all wrestle with deep, personal questions about faith, life and God. This is an open forum for us to engage in honest dialogue—an opportunity to raise questions and hopefully find some clarity and encouragement.
Organized Sports
Basketball
Coordinator: Eric Huang, EFC East Valley
Five (5) people per team
First to seven (7) points; 1s and 2s scored (do not need to win by 2)
Call your own fouls (honor system)
Teams will be matched up at random. Winners advance, single elimination.
Tennis
Coordinator: KC Liu, EFC Orange County
To participate: SIGN UP HERE
Doubles Tournament
Friday, Dec 28, 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
No restrictions on gender; teams can be mixed or not. You will play against teams with any combination of gender and age.
Singles Tournament
Saturday, Dec 29, 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Matches will be gender based. Males only. Females only.
There are no age restrictions. If you sign up, please BRING YOUR OWN TENNIS RACKET AND A FRESH NEW CAN OF TENNIS BALLS for each day. This is a friendly tournament, please be nice to each other. No swearing or trash talking on the courts.
The first 30 minutes from 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm will be warm up time.
For the tournament, you will play ONE SET (six games), the winner moves on to the next bracket. If there are only a few people competing, we may play best out of 3 SETS. You will ref your own games. If there's a dispute on a call, just re-do that play. No need to argue. If the disputes are not resolvable, you may request a referee.
Ultimate Frisbee
Coordinator: Martin Yan, EFC East Valley
Field Dimensions
40 yds x 70 yds (excluding end zones)
40 yds x 25 yds (each end zone)
Rules for Offense
Frisbee may not be handed off to a teammate, it has to be passed with a throw..
Thrower may not throw the frisbee to himself.
Thrower may catch his own pass if it bounces off of another player.
Thrower may not purposely throw the frisbee off of someone in order to catch it himself.
Receiver must maintain a pivot foot like basketball after catching the frisbee.
Thrower may step out of bounds with his non-pivot foot.
Receiver has to try to stop immediately after catching the frisbee. Taking a few steps from the momentum is ok.
If a receiver's momentum takes him out of bounds, he is still in. Simply come back to the spot where he went out.
If a receiver catches the frisbee in the air and lands out of bounds, he is out.
If a receiver's momentum takes him into the end zone, it is not a goal. The receiver remains in the end zone and tries to pass it to a teammate.
If a receiver catches the frisbee in the air and lands in the end zone, it is a goal.
Unlike the NFL, the receiver only needs to have one foot in for the catch to count. But must step in first before the other foot steps out of bounds.
Call your own fouls.
Thrower may ask the defender to give him adequate space (throwing arm length) if he is not getting enough space.
May not make physical contact with the defender.
Rules for Defense
Cannot make physical contact with the receiver or the thrower.
Cannot double team the thrower.
Defender defending the thrower may count to 10 seconds. If the thrower does not make a throw by then, the frisbee changes possession.
General Rules
Frisbee changes possession if it is not caught, goes out of bounds, or intercepted by the other team.
If the frisbee hits the ground, the other team takes possession at where the frisbee stops. The frisbee may be picked up before it stops.
If the frisbee goes out of bounds, the other team takes possession from where it went out. Start in bound.
If the frisbee drops in the end zone, the other team takes possession at the line where the end zone begins.
If a receiver and a defender catch the frisbee at the same time, the frisbee goes to the receiver.
If a foul is called, the frisbee goes back to the spot where the thrower threw the frisbee.
Official number of players is 7 on 7.
During the pull (kick off), both teams are supposed to stand at the end zone.
Cannot trick the other team to think that you are on their team.
Volleyball
Coordinator: Melissa Huang, EFC East Valley
No tournament, casual play. Winners will keep staying on the court until people don’t want to play anymore.
Six (6) people per team
Play to 21 points
Rally-point scoring (point scored every serve)
Maximum of 3 hits per side
Player may not hit the ball two times in a row
Ball may be played off of the net
Players may not touch the net
Ball hitting boundary lines is considered in
Retreat Schedule
All times AND events subject to change. This is just to give you a general idea of the flow of the schedule.
| Sun, Dec 30 | Fri, Dec 28 | Sat, Dec 29 | |
| 7:30 | Devotions | Devotions | Devotions |
| 8:00 | BREAKFAST | BREAKFAST | BREAKFAST |
| 9:00 | Move Out | Prayer Meeting | Prayer Meeting |
| 9:30 | Session 6 | Session 2 | Session 4 |
| 11:00 | Small Group | Small Group | Small Group |
| 12:00 | LUNCH | LUNCH | LUNCH |
| 1:00 | Departure | Group Picture | Workshop 2 |
| 1:30 | Workshop 1 | ||
| 2:00 | Free Time | ||
| 2:30 | Free Time | ||
| Thur, Dec 27 | |||
| 4:00 | Check-In | ||
| 6:00 | DINNER | DINNER | DINNER |
| 7:30 | Session 1 | Session 3 | Session 5 |
| 9:00 | Small Groups | Small Groups | Small Groups |
| 9:45 | Testimonies | ||
| 10:15 | SGL Mtg | SGL Mtg | |
| 11:30 | Lights Out | Lights Out | Lights Out |
Transportation
This year, each local church is responsible for transportation. Because of its closer location and no mountain/snow driving, most people will opt to drive on their own. The Murrieta Hot Springs Christian Conference Center is located at: 39405 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd, Murrieta, CA. You can use mapping software to guide you to that location.
Post-Retreat Media
Main Session
2018 EFC Winter Retreat Slideshow
Slideshow courtesy Veronica Chen (GBC).
Group Picture
Post Retreat Survey
We hope you had a wonderful time at Winter Retreat, and we hope you were blessed in your time there. We would really like to know how to make Winter Retreat better! Please fill out our survey and let us know your thoughts!