Wednesday, May 13, 2009
"Disaster Assistance" has just completed a short mission with the Hemly Rd. Church of Christ in Bayou La Batre, Al. Just a couple of weeks, ago Brs. Dave Neal and Doug Oaks from the Somerset Church in Somerset, Ohio spent time in BLB. There they taught and baptized 5 people. A call came to us, to come and help teach these new converts as well as several new Christians more about the doctrine of Christ. This church does not have a regular preacher. Thanks to your support in these spiritual matters, we were able to go there and really be a big help to this young growing church. As you may recall, prior to hurricane Katrina, the only congregation in BLB had ceased to meet some 2 yrs before the hurricane. When "Katrina" came to BLB, shortly thereafter, several Christan's came there to help. Out of this help, the church began to meet again, Christians bought another building, have a dynamic outreach program, are now a center of activity in the community and this past Sun. had 80 people in worship service. Your help greatly aided in the development and growth of this congregation. Br. Mike Baumgartner, Director of "Disaster Assistance", with the help of Rosemary and others cooked and fixed some really good meals, 460. The church invited the community in and was the community ever impressed by the friendliness of this church? We inter mingled with them and talked them about the Church of Christ at the supper time meal. We invited them to worship with us Sunday.Several of them who had not visited the church before came to worship that Sunday morning and I personally know some that have expressed an interest in studying God's word. This was an excellent outreach project that you helped make possible. With our spiritual outreach arm of "Disaster Assistance", while there we had 21 in attendance during 12 different bible studies. Now while our effort there was to help "ground" new Christians, one was baptized and I believe two more will be baptized shortly. We left the Hemly Rd. Church of Christ with a renewed appreciation for the outreach of this church, esp. with young people. Of the 80 people who were in attendance at worship Sun. I believe over half of them were young people. I went around to the Sunday School classes Sun. morn. and was deeply impressed with the dedication of the teachers. Sun. Ev. we went to the Creekwood Congregation in Moble. Br. David Sargent had an excellent lesson on Christian's caring We had an opportunity to renew old acquaintances there from our work in Katrina.
As we are back home now for awhile, I think, we have a lot of activity planned this summer at the Howel Church where I preach and which sends and supports Rosemary and I on these various home missionary trips. Our gospel meeting is in June, I am in a meeting at the Mc Burg Church in July, we have our Super Sat. Bible School in July and then there is the upcoming Sycamore Bible Bowl in Cookeville, Tn. in early Sept. then I speak at the Heritage Christian Un. Lecturship in late Sept. In between all of these activities, "Disaster Assistance " remains ready to "Drive at Dawn"to help organize and work for the local church should disaster strike. We can always use volunteers "at the ready". I must tell you, this is work. We start early in the morning and it is usually nearly dark, when we finish. That's 7 days a week, with time off to go to worship. While it's work, it has, I believe, the greatest reward of all on this earth, the knowledge that you helped make a difference in someone's life physically and you also and at the same time had and used the opportunity to show and teach people about Jesus. If you would like to be a part of this Home Mission Work, email me or call me at 931 659 6643 cell 931 698 3150. Also please see Mike's blog about "Disaster Assistance" www.mikesmissionupdates.blogspot.com http://mikesmissionupdates.blogspot..com Don
As we are back home now for awhile, I think, we have a lot of activity planned this summer at the Howel Church where I preach and which sends and supports Rosemary and I on these various home missionary trips. Our gospel meeting is in June, I am in a meeting at the Mc Burg Church in July, we have our Super Sat. Bible School in July and then there is the upcoming Sycamore Bible Bowl in Cookeville, Tn. in early Sept. then I speak at the Heritage Christian Un. Lecturship in late Sept. In between all of these activities, "Disaster Assistance " remains ready to "Drive at Dawn"to help organize and work for the local church should disaster strike. We can always use volunteers "at the ready". I must tell you, this is work. We start early in the morning and it is usually nearly dark, when we finish. That's 7 days a week, with time off to go to worship. While it's work, it has, I believe, the greatest reward of all on this earth, the knowledge that you helped make a difference in someone's life physically and you also and at the same time had and used the opportunity to show and teach people about Jesus. If you would like to be a part of this Home Mission Work, email me or call me at 931 659 6643 cell 931 698 3150. Also please see Mike's blog about "Disaster Assistance" www.mikesmissionupdates.blogspot.com http://mikesmissionupdates.blogspot..com Don
Monday, May 04, 2009
"Disaster Assistance"is fortunate in having so many fine Christians working to help in the caring for people both physically and spiritually thru DA. One such great helper is Russ Blackwell. Russ has told Heritage Christian University about our work and we have been invited to speak at their lectureship this year. We will be discussing the great opportunities for home missionary work with "Disaster Assistance". This lectureship is in late Sept. Rosemary and I have attended this lectureship several times. I always come away encouraged. Heritage Christian University is located in Florence, Al. You too may want to make plans to attend this year. They do have some RV spots available there. I have been deeply impressed on several occasions by the education that students receive at HCU. Don
"We Drive at Dawn" to Bayou La Batre, Al.
Rosemary and I leave early tomorrow morning to spend about a week helping the young church, Hemly Rd. Church of Christ, in Bayou La Batre, Al. This church literally rose from the disaster of hurricane Katrina. The church at BLB had ceased meeting some 2yrs. before Katrina, but when Katrina hit, many Christians worked tirelessly in this area, helping people both physically and spiritually. From the efforts of many dedicated Christians during the devastation of Katrina came forth the Hemly Rd. Church of Christ. This is a new young congregation. The face many of the challenges that a new church can have. They have some truly remarkable, hard working members, that are dedicated to spreading the gospel in this area as they help build the church. It is a growing church. Mike, The Director of "Disaster Assistance", Rosemary and I are privileged to have had a part in the development of this church from the very beginning. A couple of weeks ago, Dave Neal, an elder at the Somerset Church of Christ in Somerset, Ohio, and the minister there, Dave Oaks, went to BLB and spent some time having bible studies. The people were very receptive to being taught the word of God. They baptized 5 people into Christ. We wished we could have been with them but were working in Murfressboro, Tn. helping in the aftermath of a tornado. The Church at BLB has requested that we of "Disaster Assistance" come and, as a major part of our effort is evangelism, help teach these new converts. We truly appreciate this opportunity and are thankful for the confidence that Christians have in us in helping, not only in the physical part of a disaster but in the evangelism opportunity as well. Please remember us in your prayers. Also please know that while we are NOT requesting any funds at this time for this effort, it is your prayers and sacrificial donations that have made this work in evangelism possible. We appreciate the confidence that you have in the mission that we Christians have working thru "Disaster Assistance" and we will doing our very best to wisely use your donation to spread the border of the Kingdom.
Please go to Mike's blog http://mikesmissionupdates.blogspot.com You can read there about the great work that Dave Neal and Doug Oaks did while at BLB and learn a lot more about the Hemly Rd. Church of Christ.
"Disaster Assistance" is under the oversight of the Elders of the Alachua Chruch of Christ 14505 NW. 145 ave. Alachua, Fl. 32615. By the way, another good blog, greatly concerned with evangelism is Royce Ogle's blog http://gracedigest.com
Don
Rosemary and I leave early tomorrow morning to spend about a week helping the young church, Hemly Rd. Church of Christ, in Bayou La Batre, Al. This church literally rose from the disaster of hurricane Katrina. The church at BLB had ceased meeting some 2yrs. before Katrina, but when Katrina hit, many Christians worked tirelessly in this area, helping people both physically and spiritually. From the efforts of many dedicated Christians during the devastation of Katrina came forth the Hemly Rd. Church of Christ. This is a new young congregation. The face many of the challenges that a new church can have. They have some truly remarkable, hard working members, that are dedicated to spreading the gospel in this area as they help build the church. It is a growing church. Mike, The Director of "Disaster Assistance", Rosemary and I are privileged to have had a part in the development of this church from the very beginning. A couple of weeks ago, Dave Neal, an elder at the Somerset Church of Christ in Somerset, Ohio, and the minister there, Dave Oaks, went to BLB and spent some time having bible studies. The people were very receptive to being taught the word of God. They baptized 5 people into Christ. We wished we could have been with them but were working in Murfressboro, Tn. helping in the aftermath of a tornado. The Church at BLB has requested that we of "Disaster Assistance" come and, as a major part of our effort is evangelism, help teach these new converts. We truly appreciate this opportunity and are thankful for the confidence that Christians have in us in helping, not only in the physical part of a disaster but in the evangelism opportunity as well. Please remember us in your prayers. Also please know that while we are NOT requesting any funds at this time for this effort, it is your prayers and sacrificial donations that have made this work in evangelism possible. We appreciate the confidence that you have in the mission that we Christians have working thru "Disaster Assistance" and we will doing our very best to wisely use your donation to spread the border of the Kingdom.
Please go to Mike's blog http://mikesmissionupdates.blogspot.com You can read there about the great work that Dave Neal and Doug Oaks did while at BLB and learn a lot more about the Hemly Rd. Church of Christ.
"Disaster Assistance" is under the oversight of the Elders of the Alachua Chruch of Christ 14505 NW. 145 ave. Alachua, Fl. 32615. By the way, another good blog, greatly concerned with evangelism is Royce Ogle's blog http://gracedigest.com
Don
