Our time of focused ministry at Calvary Chapel Surprise, AZ has been completed. We are once again making ourselves available to other senior pastors and their wives to come alongside them to encourage them in their ministries.
We have some opportunities set before us to return to the UK this summer to come alongside those pastors who are serving in difficult circumstances. This involves teaching at conferences and just helping them keep perspective. Pray that the Lord will make a way for this to take place. It will be from Mid-June to mid-Sept.
Jeanne and I were presented with an opportunity to minister to the congregation of Calvary Chapel Surprise, AZ for the next two or three months. We have prayed over this and believe that the Lord would have us accept that invitation. So we will not be at Calvary North for a while. We love all of you and know that you are in capable hands with Pastor Jesse and the leadership there.
As we look back on the past seven weeks we are amazed at the working of our gracious God. Every situation we encountered turned out to be a tremendous blessing, both to those we ministered to and to ourselves. Jeanne and I have experienced the grace of God in so many ways over these weeks. This has been the direct result of our God revealing Himself to us and through us. Your prayers have been instrumental in paving the way for so many "divine appointments". We were able to encourage several pastors and their wives in Scotland and England.
This past week has been full of unique and wonderful ministry opportunities. We had a great last Sunday at Inverness Bible Fellowship, Inverness, Scotland and met privately with a few families before we left on Thursday.
We are finishing our final days of ministry in Inverness. Thank you for the prayers you have brought before our Lord concerning our ministry here. It has been a restful, enjoyable time for us. I had the opportunity to minister to the church on four Sundays and five Wednesday nights. Jeanne and I also spent time during these weeks with several of the families that attend the church.
This past week we had the joy and privilege of having our oldest son, Micah, and his family, plus Josie Sprague, come over to Scotland for a week long visit. They came over from their missionary endeavor in Ukraine (for the past five years) to spend some 'MIMI' and 'POPPI' time. Josie came with them to get her Ukrainian visa straightened out.
Jeanne and I have been ministering here in Scotland since the middle of July. It is amazing to me how our western ministry mindset comes crashing down when you step into a foreign land. Ministry is a slow, day-by-day service to the Lord.
There are times when a few weeks can go by and not one person has responded to the gospel message. For the missionary who senses the call to reach the people of Scotland with the gospel, it can become very discouraging.
