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July 13, 2005 |
This is Richard Gerber reporting the July 13, 2005 edition of Home Missions Today. God is using your prayers to develop the ministries of Orthodox Presbyterian mission works across North America.
MONROE, WASHINGTON—Pastor David Inks reports that Westminster OPC recently received a couple into membership by transfer from another OP congregation. Most of the regular visitors have finished the Foundations Class and are praying about whether to join Westminster Church. Recently, a young man from the group of hot-rodders on the pastor's street died of an overdose of drugs. Pastor Inks, the "Preacher" as they call him, participated in the graveside service where he spoke of the hope of the Resurrection. Please pray that the young men from the hot-rodders group will accept the invitation to become part of a Bible study and that Christ will call them to faith. In August, the Men's Leadership class will begin and will run through mid-December. Pray that through this class the Lord will equip and call out leaders for Westminster Church. Please pray, too, for fruit from the church's outreach efforts and that the Word of God would be powerfully preached week after week.
REEDSBURG, WISCONSIN—Pastor McShaffrey and all the saints of Grace Reformed Church in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, praise God for what he has been doing in and through the ministries of their church. Two new families have been received into membership recently, and occasional and regular visitors are coming to worship. The building fund is steadily growing as the mission work waits on the Lord for direction as to where he would have it meet permanently. Recently, the congregation held its first officer nominations. Please pray for the leadership training that is about to begin. The congregation has been faithful in reaching out to the community through special church events as well as personal evangelism. Please pray that the Lord of the Harvest would continue to grant increase.
HOUGHTON, MICHIGAN—The work of planting a church in a university town with hundreds of international students continues, but not in ways that pastor Todd Wagenmaker and the people of Portage Reformed Church had thought. The expectation was that by now, a year and a half after the arrival of the organizing pastor, some international students and foreign faculty would be regularly attending worship. Dozens of international students and families have been guests in the homes of the congregation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ has been shared with many. Unfortunately, no fruit has been seen from these labors. However, God has sent additional families to Portage Reformed Church and has blessed their college student ministry. The vast majority of regular worshippers are in their twenties. Although the church has not experienced what they had expected, they have seen God's blessing on the work. A solid and growing core group is developing and a very young church has emerged.
PRESBYTERY OF THE SOUTH—The possibility of planting an Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Montgomery, Alabama, is being prayerfully explored. Those interested in learning more should contact either Mr. Lynn Atkinson at 334-290-1213 or Regional Home Missionary Jim Heemstra at 941-723-9293. Please ask the Lord to gather a strong core group in Montgomery, the state capital of Alabama.
Look for the next edition of Home Missions Today on Wednesday, July 27 or call 215/830-9424 ext. 46.
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Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension |