Dear Praying Friends,
“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God.” Psalm 147:1
The first half of 2013 has already come and gone. It has been a very busy six months since we started the remodeling on the church building. Reviewing our January letter and the list of repairs, etc. that needed to be done, we are rejoicing and are truly “singing praises unto our God” in being able to mark so many of them “finished!”
*All windows need to be replaced with energy-efficient windows – DONE
*Roof has to be replaced – DONE
*Vaulted trusses will be put in area to be used for auditorium – DONE
*Interior walls removed where auditorium will be located – DONE
*New plumbing in the restrooms and hot water lines run – DONE
*New heating/cooling in the building to replace inefficient wall heaters – DONE
*New or added insulation in building as needed
*Double-entry doors to be the new main entrance – DONE
*Paneling on exterior of building is no longer available, so we plan to stucco the building to
match future building plans
*Leaks repaired and roof recoated on modular building – DONE
*The electric company has finally changed the meter and rate from commercial to house of
worship rate – DONE – we haven’t received a bill under this new rate, and trust this will be a
great savings
Several churches and individuals have donated time, materials, and funds that have moved us to this point. How thankful we are to have this help. We know this is no small sacrifice on their part and we appreciate each one so much.
Recently, the remodeling had pretty much come to a stand-still due to a lack of funds and help. Our church had prayed that the Lord would provide in His time and in His way. A few days later, a businessman contacted us and said God had laid it on his heart to send a sizable gift to help with the work on the church. This was so unexpected, and we are just overwhelmed. God is building His building at Living Waters Baptist Church and using His people to accomplish this great task We are rejoicing in all He is allowing to be done!
UPCOMING PROJECTS:
*Insulation – cost $2,257.00 – includes heat block and radiant barrier
*Drywall the new auditorium
*Stucco outside of building
*Painting and carpeting
*110 ft. ditch has to be dug for the gas line to be laid
Please remember these projects in prayer. Gary is working almost every day on the remodeling, doing most of the work on his own now. Our church men help as they can.
Those of you who received our May letter might remember we asked that you pray for comfort for the loved ones in the loss of Kathy, a fifty-two-year-old woman who was found beaten to death on the Reservation. She had attended our services a few times and was a friend to several in the church. Toward the end of June, the man who was suspected of the murder was found stabbed to death and his body dismembered. It was a retaliation crime, and the young man who committed it was high on meth. We’re praying this will be a real wake-up call as so many lives, both on and off the reservation, have been affected by these horrific acts.
We are thankful to the Lord for several new families and individuals who are attending services on a regular basis from the surrounding community as well as the reservation. And we rejoice that one of our dear ladies, who had strayed from the Lord and was living in sin, has come back to the Lord and turned her life around. A great answer to many prayers! Another praise is that nine-year-old Anamea accepted Jesus as her personal Savior in June.
Several of you may have received our prayer request on behalf of our seven-year-old granddaughter, MaKayla, who had been having seizure-like symptoms. Test results revealed that she is having partial complex seizures. The medication she is taking is doing well in controlling them. Thank you to each one who has been praying for her; please continue!
Prayer requests:
*Funds are still needed to finish the church remodeling
*Physical needs would be met for Larry, a young husband and father of three in our church,
recently diagnosed with MS
*MaKayla’s health needs
*Preparations for upcoming IBIMI missions retreat being held in August at our church
Thank you to each of you for your love, concern and support for the ministry here. May God bless you.
In Christ,
Gary & Bev Messick
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