Church camping trip & Stuff

Hi again folks – I wanted to remind you about a couple of things going on.

 

Tonight (Wednesday) – we are still having the meeting at Basil Boys (in Tecumseh) for those who are interested in helping to plan the church camping trip this summer (meet @ 6:30pm).  We will order pizza and plan the basics - where, when and how much it will cost.  Right now, we’re thinking about going up to Munising (in the U.P.).  The Pictured Rocks, waterfalls and Lake are beautiful up there and we always have a great time together.  We would be staying in tents at a state forest campground and would share meals together.

 

This Sunday – Jake Albring and Stephanie Cochrane are inviting those who would like to help the “Books for Haiti” project to eat lunch with them at Big Boy (in Tecumseh) this Sunday after church.  Big Boy will donate 10% of your bill to the church and we can use that money to purchase books for the children from Haiti.  This project is not sponsored by the Church or Missions Committee, but is just an opportunity to get together for a meal and help the Haiti kids at the same time!  Hope ya’ll can come!

 

Pastor Bob

This Sunday

Dear Folks – Good Morning!  Hope your day is going well.  I was reading James 1 today in the New Living Translation and ran across these encouraging words…

 

“Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.  For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

 

We are definitely living in uncertain times - just listen to the news!  This Scripture was encouraging to read because of the reminder that as believers, we can have a different perspective on life than those who don’t know God.  The rest of the world has to depend on their own resources to find peace, joy and security.  But we have a different Source.  Our faith in God allows us to wait on Him to provide for ourselves and our family.  And even if He doesn’t provide the way we would prefer, we know that we will develop character.  Either way, we win!

 

Church News. 

This Sunday, we will be having our Annual Business meeting and potluck.  We will be electing officers and committee members and adopting a budget for 2009.  This is an important meeting and one that you are expected to attend (if you are a member J).  We will be gathering after the morning service for lunch (bring a main dish and a side dish or dessert), then we’ll have our meeting (starting around 1:30pm).  We should be done by 3:00pm.  There will be no evening service.

 

We’ve regretfully had to revise our church budget down from last year and are praying that God will provide what we need to meet the expenses we have.  Thankfully, our church is in pretty good financial shape right now (unlike many businesses and churches), and we have a positive balance in the checkbook and NO DEBT.  But we do have a very stringent budget and are looking for more ways to save money without severely affecting the ministry here.

 

On a personal note, Debbie and I have recently been able to add some much needed extra income by taking part-time jobs at a Counseling center in Adrian, which has been very helpful.  Because of our church’s financial situation, I have not taken a salary raise here in three years.  This year, our health insurance premium is going up by $2,000, so I will need to find a way to pay for that.  We appreciate the way that you have taken care of us over the years and the many extra things that you do to help support us.  It is a blessing to be your Pastor! 

 

In taking this part-time position, I think some of you will have to take on more responsibility to make the church function properly.  I pray that we will be able to work this out.  I know God will help us.

 

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing you on Sunday for church, the annual meeting and lunch!

 

Pastor Bob

 

P.S.  The Haiti Team (Jake & Stephanie) would like to invite you and your family to come and eat dinner at Big Boy next week (Feb 1^st) after church to help support the Haiti book project.  10% of your bill will be given to them to use to purchase books.  Also, we are working with Applebee’s to set up a similar dinner benefit on Wed, Feb 18^th.  More details on that later.

Our Missionaries - Tim and Charlene Miskimen

Dear Folks – Thought I’d send you a recent email from our newest missionary family, the Miskimens.  They have taken Bob & Esther Howder’s place in Thailand.  Please pray for them today and let them know you appreciate their ministry!

 

Hello!

 

We wanted to let you know that we now have internet at our house.  It’s slower than what we wanted so we cannot do much with video or uploading files, but it’s good enough for email and limited web surfing.  We tried several options to get a faster connection but finally realized it was this or nothing.  It is a special help to Charlene and the kids who now can keep a little more current on news, sports, and emails and feel a little less isolated in Northern Thailand.  Taking the whole family to the office during off hours was not going to be a long-term solution.

 

We had a surprise supper invitation from one of our taxi drivers.  We met Ake (pronounced like “ache”) “by chance” late one night when we were desperately seeking a taxi to get us home with our several bags of groceries.  He has since been a great help to us with several things including buying our truck, getting it repaired, inspected, licensed, and Tim’s own driver’s license.  He speaks adequate English and has been very helpful all around.  His daughter is about Ellie’s age so they have played together on a number of occasions when Ake came to our house to help with things.

 

We gave his family a gift bag at Christmas time as well as a DVD of the Jesus film in Thai.  He reciprocated at the New Year by giving our family a gift basket full of fresh fruit (gift baskets are very common here) along with an invitation to meet at a Thai restaurant for supper that night.  So we went to a nice Thai restaurant with his family and we were also joined by his wife’s sister’s family.  We sat around the table for about three hours as various dishes were brought out (including two whole fish who watched us during the meal).  We talked about all sorts of things and basically had a good time getting to know these dear people.  We look forward to doing more with Ake’s family in the future.  Please pray that we will have opportunities in the future to explain further what we do and why.

 

Sometimes we find that language barriers are helpful – like when your children say things that you hope no one heard or understood.  As I said in an earlier letter, some of our neighbors have loud dogs.  One dog is particularly annoying.  He is an old, German shepherd who has only his bark left – a long drawn out bark/howl/death rattle.  And it’s usually late at night or early in the morning (4:30 AM early) that he seems to see his invisible prowlers.  I admit I have mentioned in my children’s hearing some unkind words regarding that dog.  One day I went out with Ellie and Matthew in their little boat paddling along the canal.  As we came directly across from the house with the German shepherd, he of course began  to announce our intrusion into his territory.  Ellie sang out from the back of the boat, “There’s that Dog Daddy wishes would DIE!”  With the way sound travels across water, my only hope is that no one in that house speaks any English.

 

Thank you for praying,

Tim and Charlene

 

Discipling Leaders for Growing

Churches in SE Asia

Asia Baptist Theological Seminary of Cornerstone University

360/22 San Sai Noi

Amphur San Sai

Chiang Mai 50210

Thailand

(66) 83 564 1226

http://abts.cornerstone.edu

 

Happy New Year

Dear Folks – Hope you had a great Christmas and are having a nice New Year’s Day! 

 

Family news…We have really been enjoying our family this week!  It’s been fun getting to know our son Phillip’s girlfriend Hannah (from Texas).  She has been with us for the last few days.  She is quite something!  She is studying to be a missionary doctor and is attending Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.  She was adopted from the Philippines as a baby by her missionary parents.

 

Steven just got a full-time job in Chicago yesterday!  He’ll be working for a Valet Company at some pretty upscale restaurants.  He said he got to drive a Jaguar last night!  Amazing.  He got a really nice apartment from a friend of ours who is a pastor in Chicago.  So he will be living and working there while he begins ministering with his friends in the city.  God really takes him to some interesting places!

 

Church News…We have a couple of people who are interested in taking over the high school youth group!  I don’t want to say anything yet, but I’m excited about the possibilities!  We’ve been praying and God provides!

 

Also – the nomination committee will be presenting the list of people being nominated for positions in the church this Sunday.  We have great candidates who are willing to be involved.  I’m glad that so many of you are interested in serving in this way.  God is pleased when we minister to others in His church.

 

Our deacons will be submitting the proposed budget for the year in the next couple of weeks.  We are having to make some adjustments because of the current economic situation.  Please be ready with your input!

 

I’m looking forward to this coming year of ministry!  I’m sure that God has great things in store for our church.  I can’t wait to see what they are!

 

Pastor Bob