NEXT SUNDAY

Next Sunday, December 24th, is Christmas Eve. We will have Bible classes, followed by our morning worship service only. After that we will be dismissed for the day so families can spend additional time together.

WITH SYMPATHY

Kathy Patterson’s mom, Patricia Reynolds, at age 88, passed away on Thursday, November 30th. She had lived in Monahans, Texas, where on Tuesday, December 5th a graveside service was held for her.

Our prayers, love and sympathy go out to Kathy, Lynn and to all in the family.

THANK YOU NOTES

♥ Teri and I would like to thank the congregation for all the prayers, cards, calls and food that we have been blessed with during her surgery and recovery. Your love and helpfulness has been deeply appreciated.

We also are thankful for the lovely “money tree” that was presented at the fellowship meal. It has been properly “picked” and the fruit will be put to work! It is a joy to be part of such a loving Christian fellowship.   The Winnetts

♥ Also, a heartfelt “thank-you” to all the congregation for my lovely money tree! The “fruit” is highly appreciated and will be put to good use. My love to all!   Helga Blackstone

♥ I, too, appreciate so much the kind gift of the money tree! Thanks too all who were so generous! What you gave will be well used.   Love, Vicky Williams

BEAUTIFUL FOOTNOTES

What follows is part two of the latest report from the Emperados in the Philippines. We are thankful to be fellow workers with them. Keep Richard, his family and all of the work there in your prayers. For the elders, Ken D

We also dropped by Borongan, Eastern Samar, to visit the church that the MOSES team help plant about 15 years ago. The evangelist there, is Edwin Inso, the eldest of all the three evangelists. Edwin has a school of preaching and he told me that the Borongan church has multiplied into 5 churches. The kingdom formula is really true, that if you plant the “mustard seed”, it will grow. This has happened in several of the churches we have planted like in Masbate, Tagum, and Ilagan.

From Borongan, we drove back to Leyte, and then over to Naval, where we did much of the rebuilding after the big typhoon in 2013 hit. The Nelson Farm is located there, near the Naval church. We have just harvested the rice, and more than one half of the new irrigation system is done. We are so thankful for the North Garland church that helped supply the funds needed to put in an irrigation system so we can grow & plant rice & corn year round, even in the “dry season” of March-May when we have very little rains. The rice & corn is used to help widows, our orphans & students, and other members in need.

Our final lap of the trip was visiting the Baybay church, which we planted 12 years ago with the help of North Garland & Sugar Grove. They had just recently celebrated there anniversary a few weeks ago. They have elders and a promising campus ministry at Visayas State University. Michael was able to teach classes there on the book of Acts again that Saturday and Grant preached Sunday about “The Narrow Way”. Grant always has a history lesson to go along with his Bible lesson, folks enjoy listening to him preach.

We made it back to Cebu on Nov. 27, to celebrate the girls’ birthday with them. We met up Tse Ming again and worked on plans for the church planting. We had to make a day trip on Wednesday to Moalboal, were I taught class on pastoral epistles at the Leyte Christian College extension campus. Tse Ming & Michael had some fun snorkeling and having lunch at the little resort nearby while I had class. Grant was home sick with a fever.

Love,  Richard, Becky, Lyn, Lou, and Grant