My Week- 10/27/2021-11/8/2021

5013 Miles

6 States

2 Rental Cars

4 Flights

5 Different Beds

Lot's of Coffee

Plenty of fast food

Started this trip visiting the club at First Baptist Roy, UT. Awana Ministry Director Rachel Mark and her team are doing a wonderful job at relaunching this club with new vision and new leadership. Great to see so many young children at this club as this indicates young families are attending showing a good future to the church and club.

I then drove to Meridian, ID to meet Awana Missionary colleague Jerry Berheim to attend the Utah/ Idaho Baptist Convention annual pastor meeting. This was a great opportunity for us to meet pastors and share the vision and ministry philosophy of Awana and how we might partner together to build a stronger church in the future. Many great conversations happened here. 

I then drove to Rock Springs, WY to visit Emmanuel Baptist Church. I have not had the opportunity to visit the club here, so I decided to come on a Sunday morning to meet the pastor and other Awana leaders. They've informed me that the enrollment of their Awana club has come back after a season of Covid. Praise God!

From Rock Springs, I drove back to Salt Lake City and flew to Chicago for 3 days worth of meetings with Awana Missionaries from around the country. We discussed many things, but when it was all said and done, the summary of our meetings were REACH-MORE-KIDS. 

I then came back to Salt Lake City and met with Pastor James Carlson at Clearfield Community Church in Clearfield, UT. Clearfield Community Church has started Awana this year, and Pastor James wanted to meet to discuss how they could make Awana more effective as a tool to reach out into the community to reach more children and families with the love of Jesus. 

Sunday, I went to Midvalley Bible Church in Bluffdale, UT. Midvalley has used Awana for over 50 years. I came to thank them for their ministry and the legacy they've had over the last 50 years at reaching the children and families of Utah with the love of Jesus. 

That's it for now. Thank you again to all who give, pray, and serve. Together, we are reaching the next generation of the Church. So thankful for you and all you do. 

Blessings!

October 2021 Ministry Update

 

My Week- 8/22/2021-8/28/2021

1072 Miles

2 Flights

1 Turo Rental

2 States

3 Different Beds Slept In

Lots of Coffee

3 Clubs Visited

I started the week out at Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley. Calvary is launching Awana this year. I got to share with the congregation about God's heart for kids and then did a Basic Training.

Tuesday, I flew to Las Vegas. This is the Reno Airport; you can see how dense the smoke was due to the Northern California fires. My flight was delayed 3 hours due to lack of visibility. 

Wednesday I visited the club at Spring Valley Baptist Church in Las Vegas for "Missionary Night" and "Ice Cream Night". I shared with the kids there what an Awana Missionary does along with how God is working in our area. Spring Valley served my favorite "Cookies and Cream". 

Due to Covid and lower travel business, many of the car rental companies have sold much of their fleet, and car rentals have been difficult to come by. This has created some problems for those of us who need to rent cars when they travel. I found out about TURO and this is my first TURO rental in Las Vegas. TURO is the Airbnb of cars and I rented this car from an individual owner. We must all stay in the creative mode as we all come back to whatever is normal now. 

I had the opportunity to visit Faith Christian Fellowship in Henderson and talk with Pastor Daniel Ozuna and his wife Liz about starting Awana here. Pastor Daniel was an Awana leader over 40 years ago at Las Vegas Bible Church and responded to an advertising flier I sent them. We had a great conversation and look forward to helping them start sometime later this year. Please be praying for this ministry.

I've been working with the folks here at Crescent Valley Baptist in Crescent Valley, NV. They will be starting their club September 19th and taking advantage of our Awana Basics Online. Crescent Valley is a very small community half way between Battle Mountain and Elko. Most of the children in this town could ride their bikes to club. Super excited to see how God will work here. 

July 2021 Ministry Update

 

April 2021 Ministry Update

 

My Week 3/1/2021- 3/19/2021

3,105 Miles

4 Flights

4 Uber Rides

3 States

2 Rental Cars

4 Different Beds

5 Starbucks

3 Clubs Visited

I drove out to Fallon to see old friends at Parkside Bible Fellowship. AMD Carl Lunderstadt shares the Large Group Lesson to both Sparks and T&T. Gene and Sarah showed me a new "Battleship" game they play with the T&T kids to encourage them to pass more sections. I was even treated to dinner before club. Thank you to everyone at Parkside!!

Green Valley Baptist in Henderson have been up and running all year. AMD Carmen Boland shared they have been doing club a little different to keep all the clubs separated during Covid and have shut down games this year, but she said they have been very pleased at the level of discipleship. The night I was there, the T&T club was preparing for an "in house" Bible Quiz. Praise God for all He is doing at Henderson.

Mustache Night at Sierra Bible in Truckee

Everyone has done things a little different this year. Pahrump Community Church started the year online and just a few weeks ago, decided to go live with kids, leaders, and gametime. They have kept everyone separated to mitigate Covid as much as possible. It was so much fun to hear kids laughing, see them having fun, hearing the Gospel and memorizing God's word. Praise Him!

On my way from Pahrump to Battle Mountain, NV I had the chance to drive through Smoky Valley. Beautiful...God did it right. 

On my way to Battle Mountain, I had the blessing to stop at Austin Baptist Church and meet Pastor Charlie Vaughn. One of my responsibilities as an Awana Missionary is not only to meet pastors who have Awana, but also to build relationships with those who don't. Pastor Charlie has a great ministry in Austin including a food pantry, shepherding his flock in Austin as well as those who drive through town on Hwy 50. Pastor Charlie shared with me that although there is only an attendance of 6 in the Austin school, his VBS every year shares the gospel with 20-30 kids as many of the grandparents who live in Austin bring their grandchildren out to Austin for a visit with them as well as a week of VBS. I truly enjoy hearing about the ministry of the small town pastors. 

I flew to Las Vegas, then drove to Bullhead City to see God working at City Bible Church. AMD Julie Arnold and her team started Awana in January this year due to Covid. They are determined to help kids finish their books this year and shared with me the kids are on track as they will pass 3 sections per week. To mitigate Covid risk, City Bible Church plays games outside and the weather in Bullhead City is perfect to do so. 

12 Things You Can Do When Your Large Group Teacher Can't Make It

2 Tips for your Awana Ministry

My Week 2/6/2021-2/27/2021

 

Online Bible Quizzing- It was great to see kids from our ministry area engaging in online Bible Quizzing. Thank you to West Coast Honor Camp and their entire team for putting on this wonderful event.

I had the opportunity to set up an information table for weekend services at Summit Christian Church in Sparks, NV as one of their "highlighted ministries". So much fun to engage with their church members and share with them about our ministry so that Awana is seen not as a "program", but as a ministry of the church that evangelizes and disciples the children and families in their community. 

What a beautiful drive south along the Eastern Sierra of California to Bishop, CA. I had the opportunity to meet with and share meals with pastors along my way and back. 

Great to see some old friends and meet new ones at Calvary Baptist Church in Bishop, CA. Although CBC has had Awana for over 40 years, they started mid year due to Covid. Thank you to Mary Matlick and Tammie Hovet for your passion for kids and your creativity in getting the ministry up and running again. 

I was notified by Awana that a new club started at Grace Baptist Church in Fernley, NV. I had breakfast with Pastor Rick Lynn from GBC several years ago and have corresponded with him over this time. Great to see this club take root in Fernley. 

Club visit at Sierra Bible Church in Reno. What a great team AMD Christy Cronk has put together. Enjoyed the opportunity to come and visit with the kids and leaders. I was even asked to give a "missionary message" to the Sparks. 

Ice Cream Sundae Night at my home church, Sierra Bible Church- Truckee. AMD Ben Lyhne and the Journey students scoop up "The longest ice cream Sundae in Truckee". I love to watch the look in a Cubbie or Sparkies eyes as they watch this ice cream sundae being brought into the building.

Made a trip out to Fallon, NV to see old friends at Parkside Bible Fellowship. Here is AMD Carl Lunderstadt sharing the large group message with the T&T club. Later in the night, he also shares the message with the Sparkies. 

We are working with Awana missionaries from Alaska to Georgia and reconnecting with  pastors of churches who've dropped Awana over the years and asking them if they might be interested in taking a fresh look at our ministry and how it can benefit their church. There are over 3,000 churches that we are working at reengaging with. 

February 2021 Ministry Update

 

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