3x3 Basketball Tournament Slideshow

Long Awaited Update...and Prayer Request.

G'day Family & Friends,

Thank you for being patient with our lack of updates. Here is a catch up with some Aussie speak too. These last 2 months have been full on & we have felt flat out with our Sr. Pastor Colin away for 3 months on his long service leave. My incoming phone calls & emails increased rapidly upon Colin's departure. It was a heavy but worthwhile experience to juggle a lot of Colin's responsibilities too. Because we asked for specific prayer last time, we think it is important for us to share the results.

We were pleasantly surprised with how our After-school program at a local primary school ended. Some of the more difficult kids also responded to us with pleas to return next term. God touched our hearts for these kids who spend way too much time in day cares & not nearly enough with mums & dads.

Thank you for praying for our second 3x3 Teen Basketball Tournament.  At least 75% of players were unchurched! A professional Basketball player also attended to sign autographs & let us quawk at his 214cm  frame (7' 1") as he swooshed his shots, after eating a trough of Sausage Sizzels (Aussie hot dogs).

The all day Oz Family Life Marriage Seminar @ our church had 24 couples attend. It was so good to "tune up" the marriage. I  needed to be reminded often how to keep the fire going & the ears open! A secret for all my fellow blokes; keep the ears open & the fire can burn quite a bit longer between tune ups.

Listen to this: Grace Church in Normal ran an Aussie themed VBS program in late June. We were thrilled to hear they chose our Awana children's ministry as their mission to support through the VBS giving. We split the cost of a new Grand Prix Derby Race Track. Our kids will be jumping like roos when it arrives this next week. Prayer Request: We are seeking to get it on the airplane at LAX with Lori's mom this Monday Night & that it also arrives safely with her on Wednesday morning. 

What about our AU VISA? Long story short! We finally received another 2 yr. Temporary Workers Visa. But due to my caseworker's miscommunication we had to start all over with the Permanent Residency Visa. I mailed the completed application "packet" today with the US$2,116.09 fee! Good news is they said it will not take too long. I asked how long is not too long. She replied; 6-8 months! Aussie speak for "sometime in the distant future but no idea when"! 

Did you pray for our friend YV to be pregnant? Well, she is now 14 weeks pregnant!  And our friend AW is attending church & working towards healing psychologically.

Ministry to Neighbours? Lori established a beautiful friendship with our neighbor, Marianne, & also joined a workout gym with her for 3 months. She will be attending the Women's Retreat next weekend. Please pray for Marianne to respond positively to the love of Christ Jesus. 

Lori organized this Women's Retreat. 54 ladies Christians & non, will be attending the 3 day retreat. Extra special is Lori's mom will also be attending, while I will lead the 5 Munnsters thru the weekend without mum. Anyone interested in coming out to help me?

Lori's hobby of photography continues to bless people as she recently photographed 15 families on a Saturday afternoon to raise money for our church building fund.  The results have been very positive, so this may be a good start for her business to grow.

 

Lori started a Bible study group on Wed. mornings about 1 yr ago with 8 ladies. Last term they split the group of 14 into 2 groups & next term Lori expects her group to begin with 11 ladies. How exciting is this? One of the ladies planning to come has been on the pray list for salvation! 

Matthew is now the Small Group Teacher for his Tuesday night group. Our church Missions Ministry may also come under his oversight in the next several months. It needs to be overhauled for effective Sending & Discipleship purposes. 

In two weeks, we are also providing a community care professional seminar; Why you need a will & other estate issues. Please pray this is a big hit for the Lord, as this has the potential to open many doors to the lives of people in our community with the church's ability to help meet both basic & spiritual needs.

Next time, I will share about our follow up plans & the event we are helping to plan to reach hundreds of people at one time just before Christmas! 

Well,  this is a bit long, but as you can see God is working in tremendous ways & we are trying to hold on & keep up! Thank you for praying, giving and encouraging. 

We'll leave the light on for ya!  

A video for Grace Church but for all to enjoy too!

Here is the link to you tube to view the video in a larger formatt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldou2i6iQzM

Prayer Request In The Praises

We Need The Power Of God Unleashed Here!

1. Matthew is used of God as the main preacher until the beginning of Aug. & he balances ministry & home life well.

2. Outreach: The 50 kids at the Public School After School Program experience God's love through us.

3. Outreach: 3x3 Teen Basketball Tournament July 11th for players to be 75% unchurched. 

4. Discipleship: Pray for Lori as she plans a long over due Aug 21st Women's Retreat for 60 women & all the details come together for God to be glorified.  

5.  Discipleship: Oz Family Life Marriage Seminar August 1st. For Full attendance as this is a new type of ministry event in our area.

6. Our home church, in Illinois, Grace Church's "Aussie" themed VBS in late June to be effective in reaching families in need of a church home. 

7. Lori would like to pursue photography as a career. Pray for the legal & business logistics to come together at the right time.

8. We are trying to apply for permanent residency, but the process is so long over what seems bureaucratic silliness. Please pray we receive our medical forms by June 8th!

9. Y.V. to remain pregnant in this incredible answer to prayer.

10 A.W. to be set free in Jesus Christ from psychological torture.

11. Our neighbours come to Christ Jesus this year.

Thank you for joining us in faith! We need you!

Mother's Day Celebration

Mother's Day at church was a special day. Matthew preached, there was special music and Lori gave her testimony on how she became a mother. (you can listen to the sermon & testimony by going to www.wbcinc.org.au)

Madison & Morgan were video taped giving special messages to Sugar, Nanny and Grandma Rita.

Lori had her picture taken with her children that think she "ROCKS"

And our friends from Illinois (the Semlows) were in Ethiopia on Mother's Day bringing home 3 siblings to be their "forever" family. Praise the Lord! (to read more about their journey log onto: www.semlowadoption.blogspot.com).  Please keep them in your prayers for this adjustment time!

God's Beauty!

After church, walking to our car, this is the amazing sky God gave us!  I happened to have my camera with me that morning.  How artistic is our Creator!  I think it is the most beautiful painting I have ever seen!   

The photo above this one is the sunset he gave us the very next night on the twins' birthday. They were so excited to see this sky that they urged me to photograph it!  The sun is much hotter here and because of that, I think it makes the sunsets more colorful and fiery! Amazing!

A Little Easter Fun...