|
|
|
|
|
|
bfc board of missions |
||||||||
|
|
Edition Issue 25 Let’s Fish Bible Fellowship Churches sharing resources to evangelize the world. A place for the exchange of ideas on short term missions projects and local outreach. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
All responses can be sent to office@bfcbom.org
Current and past issues can be found on the web at: www.bfcbom.org look in “Mission Events” then Let’s Fish
Greetings from Allentown!
NOTICE: There will be no Let’s Fish publication next Wednesday. See you on August 13!
1. Journal from Elizabeth Studenroth 4. Trips in the works (updated weekly) 5. Nelson’s Short-Term Nuggets
1. Journal from Elizabeth Studenroth
If you are a regular reader of Let’s Fish, you know that I have been advocating journal writing while on a missions trip. God teaches you so many lessons, you see so much, you meet so many people, and you would never be able to keep all of this information in your memory. It is after you get home that your journal takes on a special significance as you reread all that you learned and saw. There is however a tremendous value in taking the time to process a day on paper prior to going to bed.
Here is this week’s entry from Russia:
Jon Barr told us there have been 14 million Bibles and still more tracts distributed in a city of 4 million, and enough evangelistic meetings for every person to have attended one had they so wished. They aren't ready for the gospel message. The church planters are discovering that they just aren't interested. He told us our work is not reaping, or even sowing, but plowing. I was up on that 2 story sliding board reading Matthew on one of the very scarce chances I had to get away and do that, and I got to that parable of the sower and the different soils. Jesus interprets it for them and us, but He never really states the application. I always thought it was, "be receptive soil, and the word will bear fruit in your life." However, I thought then, since it is given us now not just to be soil but to be the sowers, shouldn't our lesson be, "Rip up the sidewalk, weed the garden and cart away the stones before you plant and the seed will be more fruitful"? They are trying to build relationships of trust, and they told us if all the Russians take away from these camps is that religion is important to us and yet we're really cool, that's a great milestone. If we at camp can just build relationships, they can build on that for the rest of the year after we're gone, and they said the camps accomplish more towards that then anything else and are absolutely vital. There is such a freedom in that job description: there is no guilt if you don't get to say anything and no pressure to force the issue on them; all we have to do is love people and make as many friends as we can. And that is not difficult or uncomfortable or unpleasant at all, it's absolutely and utterly and joyously fun! I love loving people. It was so wonderful of Him to command it. And I told Jon I feel so at home doing this; I long to be a missionary but I don't feel gifted to fly airplanes or be a doctor or nurse or all the usual jobs.
But hey, I can love people.
Dear Dana,
Many of our congregation commented on your powerful message of Sunday morning. Thank you SO much for coming, and sharing it with us. Leb BFC loves to have you & Lynette visit w/us. The heading reads "so cool" because I am SO impressed with "Let's Fish" - it's the greatest. It's got to be the inspiration of our great God - and he uses you & Nelson in such an awesome way to speak to the teens & young adults.
Thank you for being there for Sukey - she reported on Morocco trip earlier this mo. in prayer meeting... Day Camp is going well here in Leb. County. The Lord has held off the rain each day so the kids can have their activities and lessons. Pastor Schoen is well received! Jenny is a counselor, but has been struggling w/a very sore throat this week. Antibiotics don't seem to be alleviating it. She was at Ephrata BFC on Sun. a.m. and was sorry to have missed seeing you. Her bedroom is a disaster area of luggage -- packing to return to the field after the yr. at Columbia Intl. Univ. She will see you at Pinebrook in Aug. and returns to Black Forest Academy on 8/9/03. Thanks for praying for her and all the upcoming decisions. Your sister, Melodie
Dear Dana,
Greetings in Christ's name from Serbia and Montenegro! Here is another report of The Church Building Project in Backi Petrovac, Serbia. I trust you will praise the Lord with me as you read it and see the pictures. Continue to pray and praise Him for His goodness in reversing our fortunes (Ps. 126). After fifty years of communism and one decade of wars and strife, this monumental work is emerging from the ashes. It is a grandiose testimony to His sovereign will and work of grace is salvation of our beloved people. What a privilege to have the part in this work along with you!
May the Lord bless you richly by His riches in Jesus Christ! Phil. 4:19
Yours ever grateful because of Christ,
Ondrej and Milina Franka
PS. We need urgently the bricklayers! Can you do something?
(Editor’s note: Contact Reading church for details. 610 375 2333)
Write me. I love e-mail!
I was shocked to hear that Jess’s dad died! Read carefully her letter to me. It demonstrates the importance of missions work. Not only do we have the opportunity to make an impact on the world through God’s grace, but sometimes God allows our mission experiences to profoundly impact us!
Dear Pastor Dana Weller,
I want to thank you for the influence of missions you had made on my father and I. This past Wednesday night my dad went to be with the Lord. He was in Maryland doing his hobby racing lawn mowers. When he took a couple practice laps and then went back to his truck and that’s were EMTS found him not breathing right. My mom rushed down to MD to see him, but he was already gone. They found out that his heart had failed. Then when they did an autopsy they found he had had a heart attack. Praise the Lord that my father has been committed to the Lord. The cool thing is about 2 weeks ago he was on a missions trip. Some thing that he loved doing and being a servant for the Lord. I think my Father and I share the same gift which is real neat for me to share with others. My father had left a lasting impression with everyone that ever met him. I had some one tell me yesterday that I am much like my father in many ways... I can always leave a lasting impression.
Thank you again to you all who made my dad who he is...
Jess Swank
(Jess, the readership of Let’s Fish sends to you our deepest love and sympathy during these hard times and thank you for those very special words. We will all look at the importance of what we do on short term trips in a different way!)
4. Trips in the works (updated weekly)
The Board of Missions is keeping statistics of all short term missionary trips (both by teams and individuals). Please let us know all the important information about your trip. WHO, WHAT, CHURCH, MISSIONARY, COUNTRY, and DATE. Contact: office@bfcbom.org
To Date the following ministries being done by BFC’ers have been registered with Let’s Fish:
May 26- Aug. 5 Alicia Billups Team Coordinator for RGBI June – August Rachel Bechtel CE summer missionary July 2- August 1 Rebecca Zurbrick from Paradise BFC will be going to Panama July 6-August 10 Kara Lapp from Paradise BFC will be going to Wyoming to disciple youth and lead an outreach with YWAM July 10, 24, and 31 Reading Church Good News in the Park July 26- August 3 Q’town & Lehighton missions trip to Asheville, North Carolina. July 26-Aug 3 Harleysville Ixamal, Mexico August 1-6 Terre Hill at Spruce Lake VBS outreach August 2-18 - Emmaus Ukraine Trip doing puppet shows, drama, music and coffee house ministry as well as a morning camp program with Push-the-Rock each morning. August 3-9,Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church Youth Group to The Fold, Vermont w/the Hesh family August 8-21 Cedar Crest trip to Pollocks Team of 11 teens and 7 adults for day camp among Native Americans and work projects. August 10-17 Wallingford have a team of 46 traveling to The Fold (Tim & Barbara Hash) with Chris Merrick . Aug 14-17 Harleysville Wildwood Boardwalk Chapel
Trips highlighted need our prayer support RIGHT NOW!
August 16-23 - Emmaus going to Wissinoming BFC for VBS and evangelistic puppet shows. August 20-24 Pastor Carl Cassel Canada with Rob Patterson August 20-28 Cedar Crest to Morocco Work team and ministry. August 22-24 - Walnutport BFC Weekend Block Party. Emmaus will be doing puppet shows and a Saturday block party. Aug. 30 - Dec. 1 Pastor Carl & Charlene Cassel in Kenya, Carl to teach at Moffat College of Bible and Charlene, hostess at Kijabe Motel. September 18- 29 Royersford Barnabas Team to visit with the Moyer's in France and with Rick Erb in the Ukraine. September 19- 29 Royersford Work Team to put roof on Church building in Palowice, Poland. Sep. 26-Oct. 11 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) Oct. 9 - 17; work trip to Guatemala (Mi Refugio). Building skills sought. Several from the BFC mid-Hudson churches are planning to go -- elder Hans Waldvogel (Faith BFC, Holmes, NY) is the contact person hwaldvog@jhmc.org October date to be determined Cedar Crest to Kosovo Work and ministry.
5. Nelson’s Short-Term Nuggets
To make a very long story short, my wife and I belong to different churches, I am a member of Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship and she is a member of First Baptist Church in Bethlehem. Years ago a good friend of mine and I were looking for a place to play volleyball and we ended up at First Baptist’s Christian Singles Network on Monday evenings. Well that was over ten years ago. As a result of my attending CSN, as we affectionately refer it, I met my wife Robyn and have met many other brothers and sisters in Christ. I have also been blessed to have the opportunity to travel with First Baptist to Mexico three times and next week will travel to my home state of West Virginia to work with a large group of teens and adults with Habitat for Humanity. And, in October I will be traveling with a group to Russia. Please pray for our West Virginia team, many of the adults have traveled with me to Kosovo, some several times. We should have a great time of fellowship and hopefully will accomplish great things for our Lord and Saviour.
Emotional rollercoaster!
That may be the best way to describe the past week. On Sunday I received a note from Walt bringing me up to date on a public crisis in the Philippines. Today I received a State Department Warning reiterating the ongoing danger for Americans around the world. With many of you traveling overseas to do Kingdom work, and with our missionary family stationed in 34 nations, such events and warnings cause great emotional concerns.
It is so fantastic when you read such things to simply take your concerns to God!
The Psalmist said: Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
I remember taking 8 girls from LBU to Morocco on the very eve of the war. No one knew what would be the World’s reaction to the upcoming American invasion. As we stood on the asphalt of the college and said goodbye to family members, the only real and lasting hope and peace was the knowledge of how much the trip was saturated with prayer.
As a weekly reader of Let’s Fish, I encourage you to be a consistent prayer partner. Look over the above dates and pray earnestly for every team that is on the field. Pray, Pray, Pray!
I include below Walt’s letter and the State Departments warning. I do so not to scare you but to demonstrate why prayer is so much a part of short term ministry.
Dear Prayer Warriors,
This is how our Sunday began a few hours ago...
Remain calm and alert. A small group of dissident military officers has sealed off the Glorietta/Ayala Center area in Makati City. No violence has been reported. The Government of the Republic of the Philippines stated that it is in control of the situation. Remain in your residence and avoid going out and public gatherings.
From the US Embassy, Manila, Philippines
--Thankfully-- it is almost over. The 200 army soldiers and officers held themselves up in a large hotel in the center of the business district of Manila. It got the attention of the whole nation!! It seems that they didn't really plan on shooting or trying to do a full coup but a radical way to air their strong grievances. They were not terrorists but soldiers that are frustrated with the corruption in the current system. No shots were fired, no hostages taken. It seems like it is almost over now (10pm, Sun. evening -- your 10am Sun. morning).
We are thankful that no one has been killed and it is ending soon. -- Pray-- with us that the groups issues will help the current government address some of the deep rooted corruption in high places. Some of these issues you can see in Gloria Burnham's book, "In the Presence of my Enemies."
Caleb and I were planning on going very near the area this afternoon so I'm glad of God's timing so we didn't get caught up in the event. Personally for us it is a time to mostly stay inside and avoid heavily populated areas like malls and large intersections. Otherwise it is not scary for us. We watch the news on TV and wonder how negatively this will effect our economy. Practically this is our 3rd coup attempt in 15 years. The last one took 1 week to resolve. This one seems to be only a 1 day'er. In a city of 15+ million it is rather easy to sit quiet and stay safe. Thankfully we Manila terms, we are far from the event.
By the way, a large typhoon hit the Philippines earlier this week, doing quite a bit of damage. Thankfully it missed Manila for the most part. We only had some flooding. We know many people north were severely affected but we were spared.
Some good news needing --prayer... Gigs, my next door neighbor asked for me to share with him from God's Word. Yesterday was our first Bible study. It was 2 hours long! --Pray-- he'll continue to come. He listens well the first time and asks many good questions. He has lost of anger and bad experiences in his background to work through. --Pray-- for his salvation.
Thank you for your prayer support for us!! We appreciate it!
Walking by faith, Walt & family
Worldwide Caution Public Announcement U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman
July 29, 2003
This supersedes the Worldwide Caution dated April 21, 2003. It is being issued to remind U.S. citizens of the continuing threat of terrorist actions that may target U.S. citizens and to update these potential threats. The U.S. Government remains deeply concerned about the security of U.S. Citizens overseas. U.S. citizens are cautioned to maintain a high level of vigilance, to remain alert and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. This Worldwide Caution expires on January 26, 2004.
Tensions remaining from the recent events in Iraq may increase the potential threat to U.S. citizens and interests abroad, by terrorist and other groups. Terrorist actions may include, but are not limited to, suicide operations, hijackings, bombings or kidnappings. These may also involve commercial aircraft. Other potential threats include conventional weapons, such as explosive devices, or non-conventional weapons, such as chemical or biological agents. Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. These may include facilities where American citizens and other foreigners congregate or visit, including residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, hotels, outdoor recreation events or resorts and beaches. U.S. citizens should remain in a heightened state of personal security awareness when attendance at such locations is unavoidable. U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or suspend public services from time to time to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. Americans are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest American embassy or consulate.
As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, U.S. travelers can get up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328.
Blessings, Dana
Most of all, Keep Fishing!
Dana
Reminder
November 14-16 BOM Missions RWR This annual work/study weekend sponsored by the BOM is for high school and post high school young people serious about knowing God’s will for their life and the possibility of career missions. This weekend fills up quickly so register early by e-mail to office@bfcbom.org. Name, age, church, e-mail and snail mail address, and phone # required. Registrations are already coming in! Don’t miss out!
September September 19 Short Term Debriefing Round-up December 27- January 1 Urbana
A cooperative effort of the churches of the BFC to win the world for Christ Your response is always welcome at: office@bfcbom.org 610 398-8776 |
|||||
|
|
 |
|
|
