Missions Update: July 2009

Short term missions has seen some changes from our January plans, but there is progress. See the missions display board in the lobby for pictures of the house foundation in Tijuana, and the house walls in San Quintin! Brian Smith will be leading a team to San Quintin around the end of July to help put the roof on. Teams from other churches will be completing the Tijuana house during the summer.

Other trips are proceeding as planned.  Taylor Smith will be leaving for the Philippines in mid-July. There is a fund raising BBQ after church on Sunday, July 12. Hope you can participate. If you have yard work, painting, childcare, or other work you need done, hiring Taylor is another way to provide funds for this trip. The Honduras team, consisting of Keith Telle, Dave and Julie Hicks, and Gary and Sue Rickman, will be leaving August 21st for ten days to work with MEDA missionaries, Carlos Montoya and Adrian Donato. Continue to pray for the preparation needed by both of these trips.

A few summer missions plans have been cancelled. The Cottonwood VBS won’t be happening. The San Quintin ministry trip was cancelled because school sessions there have extended into the summer to adjust for flu closures earlier in the year.  We understand that the San Quintin church will be running those ministry activities themselves at a later date, so pray for them. The Pleasant Hill CEF children’s clubs will not happen this year because of teacher availability. We are confident that this is all in God’s providence, and we remain enthused to see some new ministry efforts being successful. Praise God!

~The Missions Ministry

What’s Going On at Grace? Missions Update

GBC’s church planting efforts continue to move forward Churches with whom we are partnering are working to establish a formal networking agreement and leadership team. March 30th was a second church planting seminar. Many gathered together to hear Ray Ortlund Jr. share his experiences. There is a lot more work to do, but progress is happening.

Construction in San Quintin has begun for 2009. Men from Pablo’s church have started work on the foundation for the parsonage. Plans are for them to complete the foundation and the external walls. Then a GBC team will go help with the roof and internal walls during June or July. Funding for this and other missions trips is still needed.

Adrian Donato, missionary in Honduras with MEDA seminary, was invited to bring a seminar to the Kachin Baptist Convention in Myanmar, about 50 miles from the China border.  He was there the first half of February teaching from the book of Titus. The message of Titus was a great encouragement to the local pastors, and Adrian was asked to return next year. While Adrian was there, the secret police interviewed hotel staff about his presence and also spoke to the Baptist convention leaders.  It is a challenge for the pastors to live under such tight scrutiny from their government about contact with westerners. Pray for them.

-The Missions Ministry

Missions Update

Missions Short Term trips for 2009 have begun! February 20-23, Ben Nissen led ten youth on a quick trip to Tijuana. They joined fifteen regular attenders at the Friday night, weekly Bible study at Tony Varela’s church. Ishmael taught, Fernando translated, and all enjoyed a message on Christ as the anchor of our hope from I Peter. Saturday was a day of work clearing weeds and trash from a nearby lot, in preparation for building a house. The planned painting of the sanctuary was deferred to the next trip because of dampness from recent rains. Sunday, Ben preached and the rest of the team were busy as Sunday School helpers. Later, Fernando shared with the team what it was like to minister in Mexico. That was a great opportunity for the GBC team to gain insight into a life focused on ministry. 

Future trips include construction in both San Quintin and Tijuana. The San Quintin church is currently working on a foundation and exterior walls for the new parsonage. In May, GBC plans to go help with the roof and interior walls. There are also plans for two weekend construction trips to Tijuana to get the foundation poured for the house on the lot that was cleared by our February trip. The construction team is recruiting people to participate. If you are interested and haven’t talked with Brian Smith, please let him know of your interest. They are looking for 10-12 people. 

-The Missions Ministry