Archive for the 'News Updates' Category

Jun 09 2011


On a mission trip…

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From Ron, who is on a mission trip to Prince Rupert, B.C. This week:

Sitting here in northern BC in the home of Christians who have no church. Once a year this Mission Team comes and sing worship songs…pray…share fellowship. The couple says this us like medicine that they get to take once a year. This is why churches are needed…This is why we have come to Canada. Laborers come!

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Apr 25 2011


Mission Trip Day 5 – Update from Canada

Sunday, April 24 – Today we had a wonderful time as we spent the afternoon in Penticton Prayer Walking and making some final preparations for our Easter Egg Hunt. You can sense the excitement as we get closer to the event. I was thinking this morning as I was praying about all those scattered around North America have pitched in and have contributed to this one activity in Penticton BC. People have sent money and or eggs filled with candy from the following  states… California, Colorado, Kentucky, Washington, Ohio, Virginia, and Georgia. We thank God for all of you who have caught the vision for this event and have gone the extra mile to help out. I promise lots of pics and some testimony from the Team on their experiences.
 
Today the Team Prayer Walked six streets as well as around LocoLanding. I spoke to a young man who has been drifting from town to town and is looking for a place to “land”. Please join me in praying for him. We talked to a young father about the Easter Egg Hunt, please pray that he will show up with his two small children. He helped me pick out a proper kite for out basket give away…With some of your financial gifts and several donations from NLBC, FBC Washington, and Lifesong Christian Bookstore we were able to put together a basket valued at over 150.00.
 
Today we were busy so pics are slim. we did stop and take a pic at a lake overlook. The Team is gracious and pose on request and they are always smiling. We were treated to a beautiful day here today and we are praying for a sunny and dry day on Monday. Please join us in praying for the weather here to hold off until after the Easter Egg Hunt, which begins at 11am. There are over 170 families who have sent a RSVP. Should be a wild and wonderful time!
 
 
Blessing and Praise to our Lord…
Pastor Ron and the Team 

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Apr 23 2011


More mission team from Ga updates

What happened today (Friday) with the NLBC Mission Team…
 
Today we attended a Good Friday Community Worship Service in West Kelowna. There were 6 churches who provided leadership to the service and it was well attended with over 500 in a standing room only auditorium. It was a powerful time of Praise and Worship, followed by an Easter message that was clearly evangelistic, followed by a communion service. It was very good and talk is that next year we will have to rent out the hockey arena to hold the crowd.
 
We spent the afternoon driving over the mountain pass to pray in Merritt and pick up Easter Egg Hunt supplies at a partnering church in Kamloops. the drive was a little over 3 hours but with sight seeing stops, visits, and a meal in Vernon it was 7 hours of Creation adventures, prayers, and fun fellowship.
 
Tomorrow will be spent mainly Prayer Walking in Penticton. The Team has been invited to a British Dinner Party tomorrow night which will be fun and filling!
 
Today’s pics shows us on top of the mountain pass with snow and snow fun. Visiting with the Ministry Team at The Bridge Baptist Church in Kamloops.
 
Blessings and Love
Pastor Ron and the Mission Team

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Apr 23 2011


Mission team update

This afternoon we stuffed 5000 Easter Eggs and had a great time of fellowship. We are excited and ready to go. Tomorrow we have a community Good Friday Worship Service and then  off to Prayer Walk in the town of Merritt, where we hope to participate with some other churches in Planting a Church in the near future. We will be going over the connector which is a mountain pass so we should see lots of snow tomorrow (up close) and have some pics of a new town for our Prayer Warriors to begin some focused interceding.
 
Blessings,
Ron and the Mission Team 

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Apr 21 2011


Mission Team Day 2

Today we had a very full day beginning with devotions at 9am and ending with a crash course in Canadian culture at 10pm, in between we spent time with the Pastor of Potter’s House Community Church getting some history of the church and their role in planting churches, we learned what our NAMB missionaries did to encourage other Pastors and churches from small and isolated churches in the interior of BC. We also visited Penticton where we visited the Mel at the Christian Bookstore, Prayed over Penticton from Munson Mountain, and prayer walked the area where the Easter Egg Hunt will be on Monday.
Some of these pictures will show you the places where we where. We appreciate your continued prayers and support for the Mission Team and their willingness to come and give of themselves to reach this area with God great love.

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Apr 20 2011


Mission Team is Here!

The NLBC Mission Team arrived safe and sound to Kelowna Canada. They were certainly tired after their long flights but were glad top arrive and find out about this place we now call home. After a nice meal the Team was taken to their homes away from homes for a good nights rest. Wednesday the Team will have some Canadian orientation, lunch with the Potter’s House Community Church (PHCC) Ministry Team and then off to Penticton for the afternoon. There will will visit the Christian bookstore and meet Mel, the owner. We will pray over the city as well as where we will have the Easter Egg Hunt on Monday. In the evening we will meet some more of the PHCC family who will help assimilate the Team farther into the Canadian culture with the goal of helping to meet people when we are Prayer Walking later in the week. There will be many photo opportunities in the days ahead so we look forward to sharing those with everyone who may be joining us to have a virtual mission trip and prayer walking experience.
 
Blessings and Appreciation for God’s grace and your Prayers.

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Jan 08 2011


Update from BOTH of us in Canada

Filed under News Updates

We are excited to both be here in Canada! The grandchildren have taken their parents back home this morning so we have an empty and quiet home, somewhat to quiet and empty, but now we can focus on working together and getting Linda acclimated to life here in West Kelowna. I am showing her all the side roads and little tricks on getting around here. I sounds like the weather in GA is worse than here. We will be watching to see who gets more snow this winter…Us or Cumming. Should be interesting. We are working on getting out the next Prayer Letter which we hope to have to our wonderful Prayer Letter Mission Team before Monday.
 
Love and miss you all. We are looking forward to the different Prayer Teams from the States coming here in the Spring!
 
Ron and Linda

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Dec 13 2010


Prayer Walking Journal December 10

December 10, 2010 – Friday

 I came to Penticton primarily to help Mel out at Lifesong Christian Bookstore. And so I went over after lunch and spent the afternoon helping get him caught up on some misc work that needed to be done. I had a good afternoon with him and I was very glad I was there because he said he was slow all morning and then got really busy when I came and it was good to have an extra hand. He seems to be relieved to have an extra hand around the place and I am praying after the first of the year he will have some peace about allowing us to help him so he can a break every once in a while. He is there all by himself Monday through Saturday from 8am till 6pm or later as he puts it whenever he feels like no more customers will be coming.

 I have made some of the following observations about the Mel and the Christian Bookstore;

  1. He really has a kind spirit and prays for his customers.
  2. He is in relationship with his customer base
  3. People have a sense of freedom to just come in and hang out in the store. They sit and listen to CD’s, read, or just walk around as though it is a place of escape and peace.
  4. Mel needs a break! I am praying Linda and I can provide him with that opportunity after the first of the year.
  5. Mel needs some help organizing his work room. There is stuff piled everywhere but with no help and no extra time it is difficult for him to do.
  6. He seems more and more open to what we are doing there. Today he asked me if I have been preaching anywhere. I explained I really don’t preach as much as teach but after the first of the year I hope to get a Small Group started in Penticton. I will ask him to come and be a part of our starting core group since he is not connected to a home church at the moment.

 I did drive around the community coming and going today. I try to leave town a different way each time so I can see more and be more prepared for when the Prayer Teams start showing up.

 Some of my impressions from Penticton so far;

  1.  There are loads of Liquor Stores in this town, more than seem needed for this size town.
  2. There are Night Clubs and Bars along and around Main Street. There is one right next to the park I hope to adopt (see below for more info on this).
  3. I feel a strong sense of community here. They take pride in their place and they are loyal to their community businesses. Main Street have plenty of store where people can get what is sold at most of these stores at the Super Wal-Mart just a short distance up the street and perhaps a bit cheaper.
  4. Mostly smaller homes around town here. Communities, even in town, seem to be well cared for with few places that show neglect. They ones that are kind of run down really stand out.
  5. Lots of Senior Adults here (28%) but there were many young families at the Christmas Parade as well.
  6. It is not hard to get people to talk with you if you can ask the right questions and listen…kinds universal. Me talking first usually gets people curious and they ask where I am from which helps to kick start conversations. I am thinking Linda, whose “Southern” is more pronounced than me will get more questions than me as I am starting to lose that part of my language.
  7. Food is expensive here so lots of people pack lunches and don’t eat out as much as in the states.

 Some of my Penticton goals for January 2011;

  1.  Weekly meetings with a Penticton residence
  2. Approaching select members of The Potter’s House Community Church to commit to specific projects in Penticton for 2011.
  3. Meet with city officials about adopting the sitting park on Main Street as an ongoing project for 2011 and beyond.
  4. Finding a Small Group location and set a goal to launch sometime in the early Spring.
  5. Meet with George and Kama (former Praise and Worship leaders at Abundant Life Church). Discuss interest in being a part of the new work.
  6. Want to be trained well enough to give Mel some away time from the store.
  7. Nail down Prayer Walkers form States and their specific dates.
  8. Get connected to someone who can help us get connected to the weeklong Peachland Festival held here in August.

 I was in Penticton from about 12:00 till 4:15pm. I had an appointment in West Kelowna that evening.

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This was up on the mountain yesterday after our fresh new snow…

 

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Dec 07 2010


Prayer Walking Journal December 4

December 4, 2010 – Christmas Festivities

 I was in Penticton to be in town for their Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting. I went a little early to walk around and get a feel for the community on a Saturday. It was an opportunity to see more people and to have a better feel for who is living in this town. There were thousands of people lining Main Street for the parade and I observed loads of young families, which is a contrast to what I normally see during the week while I am in town Prayer Walking. One of the main items I was looking for was what was I going to see at the parade. What I expected to see was community and civic organizations represented and I did. I saw a dance studio with their students dancing down the street, I saw a First Nation’s canoe go by with natives beating drums, I saw the Okanagan Queen’s float with a giant wine bottle, I saw loads of Santa’s, there were people walking around from the city handing out candy and wishing folks Happy Holidays, I saw a Christian school group go walking by, I saw some machine that blew fire out it’s stacks like it might have been for an Air Balloon company but I am not sure but the flames sure warmed us up for a minute or so, but at last I saw a flatbed truck go by with a manger set up and some children sitting around dressed up like Biblical characters. But there was no signage or anything to give explanation to who they were or anything about their scene. One of the things that I noticed is that not one church was represented in the parade. I know the Presbyterian Church was having a “Walk Through Bethlehem” program at the same time as the parade. I was not shocked by what I experienced but I wanted to run into the street and shout Happy Birthday Jesus…But I didn’t. It did give me some more ideas and certainly some questions to ask in the days ahead.

 Before the Parade I visited some shops and looked around. One store that amazed me was a Used Bookstore that had more books than I have ever seen at a used bookstore in my life. In there was every kind of subject you could think of and some you don’t want to think of. I found a section that had books for all kinds of “isms” and philosophies. While there a young man was looking through a book on Muslim thought so I went up next to him and started pulling out books on the Bible and Christianity. I just started praying for him and for him to be confused by the words and be blinded to the teachings he was reading after short while he replaced the book and left that section. I then reached over and prayed over that section asking God to open the eyes to those who have been blinded to the truth and are being held captive by our enemy the father of lies. I will spend more time here again. I spent some time talking with Mel at the Christian Bookstore and was able to assist him with some work he needed to get done at the store before the parade started right outside his door. He has a tremendous location and so we continue to pray for increased business and inquirers to come through the door.

 I was in Penticton from 2:00PM till about 8:15PM

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Dec 06 2010


Prayer Walking Journal

December 1, 2010 – Wednesday

On this visit I was determined to get better acquainted with the community and how roads connected and what different areas looked like. I mostly have been in the business areas and have yet to get into communities and walk neighborhood streets. There are a lot of apartments along Main Street above the businesses and some of them I have seen and made some mental notes. I talked with a number of people as I was walking around and going into different businesses. I talked at length with Mel and discussed his needs and how we could begin volunteering weekly there in the store. Right now with the holiday season it is too busy for him to stop and train me since he is there by himself. After the first of the year he will train Linda and I so he can get some time away for short periods of time. He did share one story that underscores the ministry he has there in the community. His Swing Band, where he plays a customized keyboard has been playing in a restaurant fairly regularly for the past few months. While they don’t share the gospel the workers in the restaurant have begun asking questions and seeking him out to just talk. He has befriended the bartender and even has given him a Bible. A friend of the Bartender has begun coming to the store and making a point of expressing his fascination with the atmosphere of the store and how he feels “different” when he is there. There are indeed things happening in that store and God is working in and through Mel as he ministers to those God sends his way. I did discuss with Mel about the possibility of starting a small group somewhere in Penticton after the first of the year. We need to pray for continued prayers for more customers and for financial wisdom as he makes decisions on products to stock the shelves. I helped him with some physical needs and then promised I would pray for him. I hope to see him Saturday when I am in town for the Christmas Parade and tree lighting. Across the street from Mel’s store is a small area that has some benches and picnic tables. I noticed it last week and saw it was very unkept and in need of some TLC. I discussed with Mel about the possibility of helping the city to clean and perhaps fix it up. Mel gave me a contact name and I am praying about the best way to approach them to offer our services. This could be the first step in making some important contacts in the community. I spent some time Prayer Walking a little on the southern end of Main Street before I drove down to Lakeside Drive. While on Lakeside Drive, which is along the northern lake Okanagan Lake, I pulled off and began praying for what the summer would look like in this area. It has the beach as well as loads of hotels and rental properties lining the shore. I also wanted to visit the Mall and see if what I suspected was in fact true. It was…I thought I would find a larger crowd of senior adults in the mall and I did. With it being winter here the Mall is apparently the place for seniors to gather and talk. The food court was packed with seniors around tables, talking, reading the paper, or just passing the time. I am praying about how to get into this culture and use this gathering for Kingdom advantage. I will go back and pray for wisdom. I did make an appointment to meet some senior adult folks for coffee next week and perhaps we can meet at the food court and I can sit among them and strike up some conversations. Keeping in mind that 25% or more living in this community are senior adults, perhaps that is where God will open the first door for ministry?  More prayer needed to discern God’s direction here. I talked with Mel; some people on the street, a couple of ladies at an small Italian Deli; Darlene at the Chamber of Commerce; Sharon at the gas station who has a brother in law from Louisiana who says “yes mam” like me; A young man at the phone store in the Mall; and Joan with whom I will have coffee with next Wednesday (her husband Ralph will be joining us as well). Mel, Joan, and Ralph are the only ones from Penticton, not connected to our church, who know what we are attempting to do there.  

 I was in Penticton from 10:30AM – 4:15PM  It was a fairly nice day with temperatures in the low 40’s to high 30’s. It gets dark here at 4PM in the winter here.

 

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