Dear Friends in Christ,
So what do we do now that we are no longer pastoring? Glad you asked. It’s quite diversified and yet in so many ways similar to what we were doing when pastoring in a single church.
Many of our week-ends are busy with pulpit supply; mostly on the Navajo Reservation, but not exclusively. Sometimes they are having special Sunday events and sometimes the pastor is sick or needs to be away from his pulpit. We actually find this a bit more difficult when you only have one day to preach rather than able to follow a more extensive and intense study of a book or doctrine.
Each week, Sam is now teaching the next class in Theology at a local Bible School in a Navajo church that is now pastored by a former student from years ago when we were with the Southwestern School of Missions here in Flagstaff. This semester, the class is not as full as last semester, but we are thankful for each one that desires to understand God’s Word and therefore know God more intimately.
We are also filling in our calendar with speaking and teaching opportunities: fall conferences, annual camps, Mother’s Day, retirement celebration…
Our week days are often busy with unscheduled visitors wanting advice from God’s Word. Since this often involves traveling a distance, we try to have something to feed them. Add to that nursing home and hospital visits and Janet’s piano students… We are just thankful for each opportunity to serve the Lord.
Another trip to Thorne Bay, Alaska is being planned for late July and beginning of August. It has been suggested to us that the cost of travel and lodging and getting the equipment needed for building, would make it more sensible to get a local contractor to put up the outside construction for the Radio Station cabin. The interior finishing could then be done with smaller groups of volunteers in the future. This trip will be a scouting trip to find a local contractor that will understand what we want to accomplish and hopefully at an affordable cost.
We know that many of you pray with us for these needs, as well as help us financially.
Please pray for both of us as we minister to men and women, both in public and personally, as well as safety in travel. Also pray with us about the progress on the Thorne Bay radio station project. Thank you.
II Cor. 2:11 “Ye also helping together by prayer for us.”
In Christ,
Sam & Janet Grammer