Update

Hello everyone, I'd like to update you about the two churches where Joan and I are ministering. This summer we had about 20 people per church and we had a low Sunday of 15 and 17 people (low in several different senses of the word!)

We have decided to switch our focus to developing families, teens and children in both churches. We have had events like Backpack Blessing, Friend Sunday, meals, Trunk-N-Treat, youth events, and - just yesterday - a Candy Cane Festival. It seems to be working. Both of the churches are growing.

The Fort Miller church is averaging nearly 30 people and the offerings have been very strong for that many people. I have held a couple of weekday Bible studies that were designed to help adults to grow in their understanding of God, the Bible and themselves. We are still not getting many children and teens at this church, but I can tell that God is setting the foundation for an influx of younger people. We all have to be on the same page about why we exist before God can send young familes who need God's love and need a solid, caring church family.

We have gained some wonderful people over the past months, most notably a couple who were missionaries in Brazil for several years. They just left the field a few months ago and they are re-acclimating to the US and to cold weather! They are being a wonderful help.

Please pray for a man in his mid-20s who is making some decisions about the direction of his life. He has been coming recently and there is great potential to reach to other young families through him and his family.

Chestertown - Wow! What a trip! It has seemed that this church was on the verge of closing many times. This summer we made some changes in the signage out front, in the children and infant areas, in the care and upkeep of the building, etc. It has been a long time since someone really cared for this building and the body of believers who meet there. The church is only five years old but it has been through multiple pastors and church bosses in that short time. The remaining people were skeptical about me and Pastor Jon. There was almost a palpable sense of fear and distrust. I took it personally a few times, but the Lord was leading me to understand that they had been through hurt and disappointment several times and their pain was not going to go away in a matter of weeks.

We have tried to consistently minister with compassion, firmness and honesty to each person we came in contact with. We have held the events I listed above and each time we accomplished something together you could tell that we were growing from the inside out. There was greater energy, greater trust, greater hope. This church has had 40 people three out of the past four Sundays. There are children running around all over the place and growing group of teens. It seems like God has his hand on the what is going on here.

Please pray that we will keep our eyes focused on what God has for each of these churches. Thanks for praying. James