Dear Friends,
God has blessed us with a great summer! Thank you for your prayers for this ministry.
July was a very full month. Our juniors went to camp the first full week of the month at the Bill Rice Ranch West Branch. West Branch has not begun a regular schedule as of yet. However, we were invited to participate in a “work week” or practice run as the camp prepares for a regular schedule next summer.
With just one week in between we held Vacation Bible School. Three young men received Christ as their personal Saviour during the week. Attendance was excellent, and our church family did a terrific job hosting the community.
The week following VBS our teens went to camp. Our campers from both weeks really enjoyed camp and are looking forward to next summer already!
In the middle of the month, Sherry hosted another quilt class for the ladies at church. They have been learning a technique that helps them piece the quilts together much more quickly than traditional quilting. Everyone enjoys the fellowship. And Sherry presents a quilt themed devotional as well.
August had us overjoyed as our nearly all of our children were home together. Manny finished his traveling on ensemble, Josh ended his cowboy work in Tennessee, and our daughter Jackie’s family was able to join us for a week. There were a lot a trips back and forth to the airport, but grandma and grandpa were not complaining! We cherish the time we get with our little grandson, Nathan.
The men of the church got together and got more work done on the buildings in preparation for home school co-op to begin for the fall. It is a continual blessing to see the church facilities continue to improve each year. Plans are moving forward for our next BIG project-a fellowship hall/gymnasium building with much needed classroom space included. We will be writing more about this project in the months to come.
Sherry continues with jail visiting. And, as of August, Steve began taking some of the men to the jail for visitation. Unfortunately for the men, no one has come to the services yet. Please pray that the men in the jail will realize we have a great concern for them and their souls.
Co-op began the 25th of the month with 14 students. Again, I would ask for your prayers for each of our young people as they begin a new school year.
We will be taking our son, Micah, to Tennessee to begin Bible college Thursday, August 28. We are diving from home to Murfreesboro, helping him settle in, then traveling back home. We will put a lot of miles on the car between now and our expected return date September 6. I am grateful for the men of the church that will be filling in for me in our absence.
We want to take a moment and thank all those that have helped contribute to Sherry’s hospital expenses. Your gifts and your prayers are very much appreciated!
For God’s Glory-the Steve De Ford family