February 6th, the women of our congregation hosted a one-day retreat. Mary said twenty-eight women attended the event. I am always proud of the women of our church. So many are talented in so many ways. Some are great speakers, others constant in prayer; still others good with handcrafts, while others are great at decorating and serving others. Each did her part to produce a well-balanced program.
The following Thursday, February 11, I was off to Managua, Nicaragua, to participate in a conference sponsored by Good News Productions, International. The emphasis was on use of multimedia in ministry and outreach. I believe seven countries in Latin America were represented. It was a richly rewarding experience to learn, share, question, suggest and analyze this outreach method so popular in the twenty-first century. We all came away with a commitment to keep each other informed, as well as look for creative ways to use multimedia.
As soon as I returned, the 14th, Mary and I enjoyed a visit from our son Ben and his wife, Tiffany from Chicago as well as her parents, David and Valerie Hendges, from Traverse City, MI. We got to spend around a week with them...way too short.
Friday, the 19th, the church enjoyed a campfire with all the trimmings; hot dogs and marshmallows. For some, it was the first time to prepare a wiener over an open fire. The night was rainy, and windy. Even so, twenty-nine showed up for the event. 
Finally, this last Sunday, we enjoyed an annual event; Children's Day. It was a wonderful day in spite of copious rain and and blustery winds. A group of actors from a church in the area presented a drama about super heroes...the greatest of all being Jesus, the Christ. We had food prepared on the grill and bouncy houses for the children to play in after the drama. Mary counted one-hundred and twenty-seven in attendance. We had to set up extra chairs to accommodate the people. Several members were absent. I do not know where we would have put them if they had been present!
The best part of the day came at the end of the service. I had the delight of baptizing a young woman. I had studied with her one evening before I left for Nicaragua. This past Sunday was the first opportunity for the people to be present to witness her baptism. It was a sweet moment for her and all who saw the event.
In three days is a Talent Show competition and then next month a youth retreat. I will report on that next time. God bless you.
Johnathan and Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment