A busy summer of ministry and missions beckons many of us. Homecomings have begun in our churches. VBS season will launch is a few days. Mission trips including those directly related to the PBA, Brazil in June and Kentucky in July. Revivals. Help with the recovery of the Sapps community, materially and spiritually. Add in – Weddings. Graduations. Singings. Vacations. Gardens. Putting up food. Fishing. Some will look for new jobs. Others will be preparing to move away to college.
Pray about all of these matters, and others. Pray particularly for our mission teams in Brazil June 17-26 and in Kentucky, July 18-24. May the harvest be plentiful. The income from our Baptist Center Thrift Store will benefit these missions. A chapel will be built in a small town in Brazil. About a fourth of the cost will be covered by a $5,000 grant from the income at the store. This is the sixth such building supported by income at our thrift store. The items sold and given away at the store come from donations of the people of our county. The operation of the store, for more than 25 years, is made possible by about 50 volunteers who work a day or more in the store each month. Prayerfully consider volunteering one day a month, Wednesday through Saturday. Call Joyce Ferguson, 205-375-2642, for more information. And continue to donate good used stuff to the thrift store. Not only is a new church built and dedicated, but several hundred new believers are harvested.
Funds from the income of the thrift store will also help with a day camp at Galilee in Panola, camp for children and youth at Unity Grove Campground, Sapps spiritual renewal, and many other ministries during the summer.
Our other mission team will be returning to Princeton, Kentucky for the third time. It was there we learned about Rubies for Life which has been so effective at the Aliceville FCI. The team will be working with a Job Corps camp. We are seeking to plant a Christian Woman’s Job Corp at the Aliceville FCI camp this summer. Pray for these endeavors too.
We want to invite our churches to consider having a block party this summer or fall and use the resources of the association. Call me and let us discuss the process. My cell is 205-463-8833. The office is 367-8632.
The Diabetes Support Group after more than 10 years has concluded its monthly meetings here at the office. Diabetes continues to be a major issue in our area. We served well and that service is now ended.
A retreat for bi-vocational pastors is planned for Saturday, July 16th at Alabama Lake in the Benevola community. It begins at 7:30 am.
Our work at the prison is getting back in place. Charlie Wilson, Glenn Sandifer and I are again offering Samford Extension classes both in the FCI and in the camp. Rubies for Life and the quilting classes will start soon.
There will be opportunities to help and to contribute to the restoration of the Sapps community. The Serving Aliceville Together team has done some great work. Contact Kenny Gibson, the EMA director, to volunteer.
Rev. Bob Little, the pastor of Galilee in Panola, has signed a recording contract with a major label. He will be doing some concerts. You can access tracks at Amazon.com and at the other download sites like googleplay and itunes.
So, here comes a busy, blessed summer of service.