August 2000 News Archive

August 25, 2000

Macau. Jana Hoobler sent the following tidbits from Macau:

• We received permission from the Public Works Department to begin remodeling on Taipa. Once we've chosen a contractor, we should be able to get our license and begin.
• Pray for our team as we make final decisions about how to complete the remodeling on Taipa within our budget. Pray that we will choose the right contractor. Also, the permission from the Public Works Department included a negative recommendation from the Education Department. They will need to approve the facility before we can operate as a school. Pray for wisdom in how to respond to their suggestions.
• Living Water Church held an adult VBS in the evenings during August. These classes gave church members an opportunity to study the Bible more in-depth together.
• Living Word Church held a week of VBS for elementary students with the theme "The Lord's Army." The children learned all about spiritual armor and how to fight Satan. They even got to wear armor made from balloons! Family members of several students attended the program on the following Sunday morning.
• Milan and Margaret Maybee (that's Milan in the photo) left Macau at the end of July after spending three months as volunteers. During their time in Macau, they taught ELP classes, offered Sunday school teacher training, assisted in the Taipa project, provided great home-made meals for the team, and helped in many other ways.
• There was a very good turn-out for the VBS program at Living Word last Sunday. Many relatives of students attended. Praise the Lord for these new contacts, several of which were from the church neighborhood.
• Bishop Emeritus Wilber and Mossie Sites arrived in Macau on September 6 to begin three months as volunteers.

Jana adds, "This is high-stress time for me regarding decisions on Taipa. Please pray for God's guidance and peace as I lead the team through this project."

Two New Churches in Mid-Atlantic Conference. This summer, Mid-Atlantic Conference launched two church planting projects, each using a team of four professional ministers.

Chris Mullet is leading the project in Clarksburg, W. Va. His team includes Don Skidmore, Jimmy Gifford, and Cleve Bowie. Don is ordained and a paid employee; Jimmy and Cleve are bivocational and do not yet have ministerial credentials.

Anthony Blair, formerly pastor of the Strinestown, Pa., church, is leading the other church plant. His team includes Rev. Billy Simbo, Rev. Fred Taylor, and Mr. Duane Good as ministry staff. Rev. Bryce Wickard is serving as short-term Youth Ministry Consultant. All are serving bi-vocationally as they plant a church on the Harrisburg West Shore. "The big news about this church," says Blair, "is that it is a multi-ethnic plant. We have two Anglos, an African, and an African-American on the ministry staff. Ought to be fun."

Blair, who is also the conference superintendent in charge of church planting, continues, "We're creating team ministries intentionally for these church plants, which is an unusual strategy but one that we believe is quite wise. It not only allows for the participation of varied spiritual gifts, but also provides a basis for continued multiplication of congregations. Our vision is that each of these church plants will result in daughter congregations within the next 5-10 years."

Columbus, Ohio. On August 6, NorthPointe UB--our newest congregation in the Columbus Metro area--held its first baptismal service. Seven persons were baptized in a nearby church (NorthPointe meets in a school), and five more persons anticipate being baptized in the near future.

Among the persons baptized were Craig Myers and Michelle Musil. Two weeks later, as part of the Saturday night church service, Craig asked Michelle to marry him--as part of the church service. He put together a special video that was show during the offertory at the end of the service. He says, "Before attending NorthPointe I had been to church maybe 15 times in my life. We had tried church, but had really been turned off. We are thrilled to have found not just a great new church that speaks our language, but more importantly a new and personal relationship with Christ!"

Christian Endeavor. Christian Endeavor has a long association with the United Brethren church. Currently, CE targets churches of less than 250 people with no paid youth pastor. Perhaps their materials can be a resource in your church.

Pasadena, Calif. Dave and Cathie Datema are partial-support missionaries serving with the US Center for World Mission in Pasadena, Ca. Cathie sent this note: "A few weeks ago a young lady named Marshalee Brown arrived on our campus from Jamaica to join a two-year program called Frontier Service Corps. I told her that the United Brethren denomination, which I'm from, has a lot of churches in Jamaica. She said, "I'm UB!" As it turns out, she has been attending the Washington Gardens church in Kingston, which Dave's parents founded in the 1960's. Cool huh! It's great to have another UB on our campus!"

Mt. Solon, Va. Dr. J. Paul Rowe, chaplain supervisor at the Augusta Medical Center and a former foreign missionary, arrived in June to become the new pastor of Mt Olivet UB. His wife, Kathy, is a fulltime choral director at nearby Buffalo Gap High School. They are the parents of twins, a son and a daughter. Rowe, a native of LaGrange, Ga., heads the 14-member chaplaincy program at the medical center. He attended public schools in Georgia and West Georgia College in Carrollton, Athens College in Athens, Ala., and seminary at the Chandler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. He holds a Masters in Psychology from Samford University and Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala., and is a certified counselor in coping with grief by the American Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. He holds a doctorate in mission studies from Methodist Theological Seminary and has studied at the Jerusalem Institute of Biblical Studies in Israel. His experience includes participation in a special mission to Japan, and 16 years as short-term missionary to Costa Rica and Panama.

New Albany, Ohio. From July 31--August 10, Pastor Mike Brown ran clear across Ohio-- starting in Richmond, Ind., and traveling along US Route 40 all the way to Wheeling, W. Va. The 216-mile run was an effort to raise money for the church building fund. The church hopes to raise $500,000 to renovate and expand the church.

On the last Sunday of June, Mike challenged the Franklin congregation to raise $1,000 in pledges.

"Make it more," said one of the members.

"Okay," Mike said, "let's make it $2000."

Mike says, "I actually used nine days to run from border to border. I took Sunday off and on two different days I ran only a half day. It was an interesting and enjoyable run, with lots of opportunities to witness for Christ. Along the way I really saw God's protection. I got only two blisters, I encountered dog attacks twice (one was more serious--he actually tried to rip at my knee with his teeth but something prevented him from breaking my flesh)."

Mike says he had a transportation team of 14 different people and a prayer team of over 30 people.

And the church came through, raising over $2700.

Mike had made two previous long-distance runs, both coming after the church met attendance goals. In 1991, he ran from the church (located in New Albany, on the east side of Columbus, Ohio) to Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. And in 1993, he ran from Cleveland to New Albany.

Of his passion for running, Mike says, "It's just my way of getting some quiet time with God. It's my way of praying and relaxing."

Armstrongs Resign from Honduras Assignment. Matt and Sheyanne Armstrong decide to end early their missionary term in Honduras. They flew back to the States on August 22. Salary and medical insurance will be paid through the end of September. The Armstrongs went to Honduras in February, under appointment from the Mission Board to teach at the Bethel High School.

Swartz Bible Translation Nearing Completion. The Warlpiri translation, which Steve and Bev Swartz have worked on for nearly 20 years, will be officially dedicated on May 13, 2001 in Lajamanu, Australia, where the family lived and worked for eight years. The Bible is being designed by a colleague in Darwin, and Steve will travel to Darwin in November to do the final proofing. Also: Steve has been appointed Associate Director of the Wycliffe field group in charge of the four remaining Bible translation projects in Australia. And on October 7, Caleb Swartz will be married in Adelaide to their pastor's daughter.

Fowlerville, Mich. Fowlerville UB sponsored and promoted a concert by contemporary Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman on July 16 during the county fair. A crowed of 3150 people attended the concert.

Over 160 people from the church, working in nine teams, helped make the concert a success. Jeanne Westerby, the office administrator, explains, "We have a team to do stage and chair setup, stage hands, ticket takers, ushers, promotion, and merchandise sales. We also have a hospitality team which cares for the artists, and an impact team which handles prayer and counseling. They take ownership of this as a very worthwhile way to have an impact no the community. They work together as a team to serve God."

Youth Pastor Bill Blue says, "We really wanted this to be a family-oriented event. Too often in churches, you have an event for youth, and an event for adults; there's never an event where we can bring the whole family together to fulfill the Great Commission. We wanted something that old guys like me and teenagers would go to together and bring their friends. I talked to Steven Curtis Chapman about this, and he adapted what he was going to do to fit our purposes." And the concert achieved that goal.

New Volunteer for Macau. Byrdena Shuneman has volunteered to serve as a volunteer missionary in Macau from January to June, 2001. She grew up in Illinois, in Rock River Conference, and is a sister-in-law of Hazel McCray, former executive secretary of Women's Missionary Fellowship.

HC Student from Honduras. Isaiah Rivera, son of Pastor Jose Rivera of Bethel UB in La Ceiba, Honduras, arrived in the States on August 24 to begin a four-year course at Huntington College.

Daytona, Fla. "The Well," the Friday night youth center at Daytona UB, has been breaking attendance records. During the first two Friday nights after school resumed, over 200 showed up. One week, youth minister Matt McKeown had 186 teens listening to his object lesson and his presentation of the Gospel. Vicki McKeown writes, "We're overwhelmed and understaffed and barely keeping up. It's exciting and exhausting, and we're thrilled to have these challenges."

Looking for Associate Pastor. Dillman UB Church in Warren, Ind., is looking for an associate pastor, either part-time or fulltime. Send resumes to: Larry Couch, Chairman, Personnel Relations Commission, Dillman United Brethren Church, 88881 - 1100W - 90, Warren, IN 46792. Larry's home phone: (219)694-6188.

Strinestown, Pa. Strinestown Church held their VBS program "SummerFest 2000" August 14-18. Kim Brooks reports, "We planned on 100, 25 more than last year, and ended the week with a total of 102. The HolyWord Studios Production was big hit. We ended every night's Show Time with real movie popcorn made from a popcorn machine rented from a local merchant and great prizes that tied in the Bible Point. There was a wonderful response of support from workers and helpers for the week. And the 24 that made first time commitments on Thursday was a time of celebration! We are praising our Lord for his blessings and promises!"

Trip to Israel. On November 7-16, Mike Brown and Lester Smith, pastor of the Hillsdale, Mich., UB church, will host 33 people on a trip to the Holy Land. On the Mount of Beatitudes, Les will portray Jesus in full costume and do the "Sermon on the Mount" drama.

Chambersburg, Pa.Stan McCammon, pastor of Mt. Olivet (Franklin County) UB, writes, "On August 19, our church returned from its third missions trip to Jamaica. Sixteen persons from our church participated.

"We have worked on the Whitney Turner Church on all three trips. In 1997, we helped dig footers and build the walls, and in 1998 we helped put on the roof. During the last two weeks, we helped build walls for an addition to the back of the church for bathrooms, prayer room, and office. We also put a ceiling in the church sanctuary and painted the interior walls.

"Rev. Owen Gordon, the pastor at Whitney Turn, invited us come back in January-February 2002 to help finish the church and be at its dedication.

"It has been a real pleasure for us to work alongside Rev. Gordon and the Jamaican people. We have made some very good friends and we appreciate them very much. We were able to worship with them in the new church on Sunday, August 13."

The Plummeting Pastor. Paul Baird, pastor of Victory Celebration Center in Burbank, Calif., was rappelling on some cliffs outside the city when he lost control of the brake rope. He plummeted 85-100 feet. People watching said he bounced three times when he hit the rocks below.

Fortunately, he landed on the left side of his back; any other way, and he might have been paralyzed or killed. He was airlifted to a hospital, where he spent four days. He sustained a minor concussion (he doesn't remember hitting the ground). The attending trauma room surgeon reported that he broke six ribs and had a fractured shoulder blade.

Having survived the fall is miracle enough for Paul. But a week later, new x-rays revealed only two fractured ribs. Not six. What happened? Paul says, "Now, you can say God healed me quickly--or that I fell 85 feet and only fractured two ribs. Take your pick--either one is a miracle to me."

Mt. Solon, Va. Dr. J. Paul Rowe, chaplain supervisor at the Augusta Medical Center and a former foreign missionary, arrived in June to become the new pastor of Mt Olivet UB. His wife, Kathy, is a fulltime choral director at nearby Buffalo Gap High School. They are the parents of twins, a son and a daughter. Rowe, a native of LaGrange, Ga., heads the 14-member chaplaincy program at the medical center. He attended public schools in Georgia and West Georgia College in Carrollton, Athens College in Athens, Ala., and seminary at the Chandler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. He holds a Masters in Psychology from Samford University and Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala., and is a certified counselor in coping with grief by the American Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. He holds a doctorate in mission studies from Methodist Theological Seminary and has studied at the Jerusalem Institute of Biblical Studies in Israel. His experience includes participation in a special mission to Japan, and 16 years as short-term missionary to Costa Rica and Panama.

August 17, 2000

Canada. Randy Magnus, pastor of the Roseville UB in Ayr, Ontario, writes: "Ontario Conference Junior High youth camp was exceptional. Speaker Kirk Bartha ministered in the strength of the Spirit and helped kids connect with Bible stories and with the Lord at a new level. The presence of God was with us in a powerful way. Several campers made a first-time decision for Christ, and almost all of the rest recommitted themselves to following Him.

"There were 15 or more who knelt by the final campfire in response to God's prompting to be a missionary. Several gave testimony of seeing specific countries they feel God calling them to. Another 12-14 went forward sensing the Spirit's nudge to be evangelists beginning where they live. Several others responded to a call to be shepherds and teachers of God's people. When anyone shared a problem or prayer request, 10-20 others would gather around and pray for them.

"It was amazing to hear the youth speak of how they could sense and feel Christ's presence and the fullness of the Spirit in them and around them. The youth couldn't contain their excitement and enthusiasm. On their way to washrooms and cabins, in cars on the way home, and at home and church, they continued to talk about feeling God's touch in a marvelous way. Some shared testimonies in churches when they went home, and God's Spirit was poured out there as well."

Port Colborne, Ontario. Neil Cudney, co-pastor (with his wife, Elizabeth) of Port of Grace UB in Port Colborne, reports: "We are in our new building. It is undergoing renovations which we hope will be completed by the end of August end so that we can use the main floor. Right now we are meeting upstairs. The building has three floors, approximately 40-by-60 feet deep. Things are going well. The building is located in downtown Port Colborne between the Belmont Hotel and Radio Shack, and directly across the road the "world's largest" Serpentarium. We have done most of the renovations ourselves."

St. Petersburg, Russia. John and Debbie Siegel, partial-support missionaries serving with Wycliffe in St. Petersburg (with sons Jake and Kurt), sent this note: "For two weeks in July, we gathered with our colleagues from Russia and Central Asia to conduct group business, celebrate the Bible translations already in progress, and pray for the work yet to be done. While we attended the adult sessions, our kids participated in a VBS Road Rally for Jesus put on by a group of volunteers from the U.S., Germany, and Korea--no small task since, the kids in our group represent ten different countries and seven languages."

Jackson, Mich. Gethsemane hosted a "Building Champions" Soccer Camp on the church grounds (they have their own soccer field) in lieu of a traditional VBS. Vicky Lorencen writes, "This outreach gave us the opportunity to reach kids in the community who might ordinarily not be interested in the more conventional VBS format. We provided soccer skills training to kids who completed grades K-7. Each night kids also received a Bible lesson. For example, soccer has rules, and God has rules--the 10 big ones! And, in soccer you have to wear protective gear; Christians have to wear the full armor of God. We also presented a video featuring Michelle Akers of the US Women's World Cup championship team giving her testimony. Every child heard the gospel at least once during the week. It was awesome!"

Hillsdale, Mich. Pastor Les Smith of Hillsdale UB reports: "Our VBS was held August 6-10. We ministered to 116 kids ages 3 through fifth grade. There were 18 children saved, and they raised the unbelievable total of $1,017 from the "Penny March." A lot of the ministry was done by our teens under the leadership of Student Ministries Pastor Mark Johncock, who was the VBS Director. On the end of the last night, when parents came for the closing program, Pastor Mark was put in a bag, wrapped in chains, and put underwater in a dunk tank. In Houdini-like style, he escaped and surfaced from the water in about a minute's time.

"The following Monday, 20 teens left with Pastor Mark and other adults to go minister at the Laurel Mission in Ky. They took with them the check from all those pennies to present to Rev. Titus Boggs in order to purchase a copy machine for the mission school there."

Greencastle, Pa. Ray Dutcher has been youth pastor of Pleasant Hill UB in Greencastle for two years now. He writes: "The youth ministry is called W.H.A.T. (Weary Hearts Acquiring Truth). All of us experience frustration, depression, and weariness. We need God to help us, and we need to search the Bible and ask God for answers.

"We have had 60-70 youth visit us, and we have many things for them to do. They hang out and use things like ping pong, pool, air hockey, foosball, basketball, floor hockey, and volleyball. One youth is even making a golf course in our field. There is also a Snack Shack where they can get snacks. They do that from 6:30—7:00, and then we open at 7:00 with a movie clip, game, drama, or something else that will present the lesson for the evening. We worship together with our praise team, and then split into junior high, senior high, and college-age group.

"The church has been very supportive of the youth ministry. We even had to purchase another church van because of the growth of the youth and children's ministries."

Shippensburg, Pa. Julie Wadel, a member of Mongul UB in Shippensburg, Pa., was crowned the 2000 Shippensburg Fair Queen on July 24. Deb Franzoni writes: "She will symbolize the wholesomeness of the community with an active schedule of appearances at special events throughout the year. In our eyes, this is a highly-regarded position that couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

"The daughter of Jerry and Genny Wadel, Julie has attended Mongul all 18 years of her life. Each member has enjoyed her singing and winsome smile at one time or another. So it came as no surprise that numerous church friends showed up at the pageant to lovingly give their support. Plenty of noise was heard from the patrons surrounding the stage, as Julie was announced the winner--out of 18 hopeful contestants. You can't hide goodness within, and her light was shining for all to see.

"Miss Wadel graduated with honors from high school in June. Mongul gave her a Bible with her name engraved on it (a traditional gift for high school graduates). With thanks, Julie honored God and the congregation by saying, 'I have wonderful role models at this church, and what I've learned here will help me in life more than anything I've learned academically.'"

Mongul had 136 students in its Vacation Bible School this summer, and 341 persons attended the closing program and free carnival. Pastor Rick Fischl reports: "One student prayed to receive Christ, and another teenager rededicated her life to the Lord. Also, three of our children attended an earlier VBS at the Shippensburg First Church of God, where they prayed to receive Christ as their Savior. The associate pastor there informed me about this so I could follow up on these children. How's that for the Body of Christ working together?

Chambersburg, Pa. Rhodes Grove Camp ended another summer with Basketball Camp, Volleyball Camp, Soccer Camp, and Wilderness Camp the week of July 23-28. Executive Director Dave Thrush reports a record enrollment of 742, an increase of 12 percent over last year's record of 665. During the seven weeks, there were 38 first-time decisions and 192 rededications (a response rate of 31 percent).

Dayton, Iowa. In mid-August, Pastor Dale Schoening and his wife headed for two weeks in Malaysia and Indonesia to help lead Marriage Encounter Weekends. This is Mitzi's first time outside of North America. The Schoenings serve McGuire Bend UB, in addition to several United Methodist churches in Iowa. Dale wrote before leaving, "We appreciate prayers for safe travel, that all our flight connections hold, and that the couples on the Weekend grow in their marriages and in their commitment to God's plan for marriage. It also needs to be noted that although Marriage Encounter Weekends are Christian in focus, there are a few non-Christian couples on these Weekends. I ask you to pray that they will be open to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ."

Ellwood City, Pa. Lean On Me, the youth group at the Ellport UB, conducted the entire worship service one Sunday in August--the welcome, ushers, accompanists (on piano, guitar, and drums), prayers, a solo, and a message titled "Two Sons" by Justin Cooper. The group also sang their theme song, "Lean On Me." The youth group meets at the church at 5:30 on Sunday evenings.

Dillsburg, Pa. Pastor Greg Helman writes: "July was an incredible month at South Mountain UB. We used the Road Rally 2000 VBS material along with many props, backdrops, puppets, teachers in biblical costume, and a real micro-sprint race car owned by one of our members, Stan Fleming. Each child was photographed behind the wheel of the car, which was pushed into our Family Life Center's gym.

"Ten children made commitments to Jesus Christ during the week and received Bibles at the closing program. Well over 100 people attended the supper and closing program. In addition, two adults accepted Christ during the month of July.

"On August 5, our youth group put on a coffeehouse for the community. They brought a Christian band from King Street UB Church in Chambersburg, Pa., called "The Way." After getting lost and arriving somewhat late, everyone had a great time praising God, eating pizza, and dancing to the music. In addition, one child accepted Christ after hearing the testimony of Matt Reed who is a part of Devonshire UB church in Harrisburg, Pa. His life story, a miracle of God's grace, was humbly and tearfully shared by Matt.

"On a lighter note, Rob May, a youth group member, insisted on buying 30 pizzas. At the end of the night, there were still 16 left. So, everyone was offered pizza to take home."

Swaziland and Phoenix. Joe and Edna Miller happily report the birth of their first grandchild, a baby girl born August 14. Ruth (Miller) Khalsa and her husband, Sotantar, live in Phoenix, Ariz. in Phoenix, Ariz.

Wanna go to Honduras in January? Trenton Hills UB (Adrian, Mich.) is sponsoring a work trip to Honduras from January 13-20, 2001. The group will fly from Detroit. If you're interested in participating, contact Jeff Degen at (419) 647-1140, or by email at: jdworldwide@hotmail.com

Update on Alan DeCristoforo. Marlene DeCristoforo wrote on August 13, "On Tuesday of this week, I plan to bringing Al home. I am getting a hospital bed this week, and the hospital is arranging for a nurse, a physical therapist, and other needs. I just feel it's time to bring him home and not take him back to the nursing home.

"He is doing better, and the doctor said his blood counts are coming up like they should and things are looking good. They said it would be a good thing to bring him home since he doesn't need 24-hour nursing care. I am scared, but I believe this is what I need to do."

Accreditation for HC Music Department. The Huntington College Music Department received full accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) Commission on Accreditation. Dean Webb explains, "Since this is our initial accreditation, we have been granted Associate Membership for a period of five years. This is a wonderful achievement and something for us to be very proud of. Having NASM accreditation will significantly enhance our credibility in the eyes of prospective students."

Corunna UB Sends Team to Laurel Mission. Jason Hollopeter is pastor of the Corunna, Ind., UB church. His wife, Donna (who is also the WMF Executive Secretary) sent this report on a work trip to Laurel Mission:

On Tuesday, July 25, a team of 15 people from Corunna UB--six youth, seven adults, and two children--left for Laurel Mission in Kentucky. This was the first such work team from Corunna. After a side pleasure trip to Mammoth Cave, the group arrived at Laurel Mission and were greeted by the Director of the Mission, Titus Boggs. After an orientation time and a tour of the churches, mission, school, and the area surrounding Laurel Mission, the group started their work.

Titus had several projects ready for the team--filling in ruts in the driveways at the mission and school, mowing grass, cutting weeds, cleaning gutters, weeding the gardens, picking vegetables, and other miscellaneous chores. One very special project on the list involved building a front porch for Miss Bessie, a Christian lady in the community. The entire group spent several hours at the woman's home working one day, and the next day, a smaller group returned to finish the work.

While the team only spent a short time at the mission it was a time filled with special memories that will last for a life time. These are some of the things that were learned:

• There are many ways in which individuals can share the love of Christ. Giving time to help others with work is just one of those.
• There are people who love the Lord and serve Him everywhere we go, and we can learn many things from them.
• Even hard work can be fun when it is done for the Lord.
• God can use people of any age and with any background to serve Him.
• Teamwork accomplishes much.
• A great work is being done by Rev. Titus Boggs, his family, the other pastors, and our Christian brothers and sisters in Little Laurel, Kentucky.

The group wants to return to Laurel Mission, and they are working toward sending a team to Jamaica in 2001.

Somewhere in the Middle East. Jim Asher, a former pastor in Ontario Conference, is now serving as a military chaplain. For most of this year, he has been stationed in the Mediterranean. He sent this update: "We have been sailing around the Mediterranean for the past five months. I went through Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, when we were there in March and April. We conducted an exercise there and were only four miles from the Serbian boarder. Since we have been in the Mediterranean, we have been in Spain, France, Italy, Sardinia (an Italian Island), Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Israel. Presently we are in Israel. We just finished an exercise in the Negev Desert, and will be in Israel for a few more days. Then we will head West. The heat in the desert was intense. When we were in Kosovo it was still relatively cold. So we have been from cold weather to intense heat. It has certainly kept us on our toes."

Macau. Jana Hoobler sent the following pieces of information:

• VBS in August went well. The children were well-behaved and great about participating in everything. It was also a blessing to watch the church members carry out a very well-planned program. All of the parents were invited to the VBS program on Sunday morning, August 13. VBS is one of the year's major outreach events in Macau.
• We have many students registered for the summer ELP class at Living Word Church. Without any special advertising, we had many new students register. Praise the Lord for students who are introducing their friends to our program.
• On the first weekend of August, the Southern Baptist Mission and MK School in Macau (which are on the same property) were broken into and robbed. All of the computers, VCRs, fax machines, etc., were stolen. The MK School (where Linda Burns taught) is supposed to begin school on August 21. Pray for all those involved. It's been a discouraging event for the missionary community.
• We are getting estimates from three contractors for the remodeling needed in our Taipa building. Pray for wisdom as we decide how to best use the funds God has provided for this project. Also, pray for the Public Works Department as we wait for a license from them to do the work, so that once we've chosen a contractor, we can proceed with the work.
• We praise the Lord for several students who have been coming to the English Bible Study at Living Word Church. They seem open to the gospel. Pray especially for Tannet, a young man who is close to accepting Christ.
• We held a coffee house on Saturday night, July 22. A variety of ELP students and teens who had attended an evangelistic camp the week before attended. After the program, we were able to have meaningful conversations with several people concerning their faith. We encouraged church members to come and interact with our ELP students. We want to build a stronger bridge between the ELP and the church as we anticipate cooperating in ministry on Taipa.