Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Continuing the Work

Shame on me for not updating this blog sooner.  So much has happened that I can't remember everything.  The ministry is going quite well.  Since my last update we have been extremely busy with the facilities.  We are still repairing, cleaning, organizing, and landscaping.  Last month Brother Bob Minshew (our benefactor) allowed me to purchase several needed items including a portable  outdoor sound system, a back pack blower, and several hand tools.  The sound system will allow us to have outdoor events in the amphitheater or elsewhere.  (We had planned to have the Easter Sunrise Service in the amphitheater.  But the weather didn't allow it.)  The back pack blower greatly reduces the time it takes to clean up the parking lot as well as leaf blowing.
Amphitheater view from the top

The first week of March we drove south to the Shepherd's Conference.  I dropped Dayle off at my sister's house in Pinon Hills, then I continued to my brother's house near the church.  The Shepherd's Conference was just fantastic with 18 speakers from all over the world speaking on the inerrancy of the Bible.

My first night in southern California, I received news that brother Bob Minshew had passed away.  This was bitter-sweet news.  Bob has been suffering with heart failure for quite some time.  He woke up that Monday morning and he knew that he was "going to go home to the Lord today."  He had called the pastor, the mortuary, and his lawyer.  He called his sister and daughter to say goodby.  Later that evening he was gone.  We had the memorial service out at His Place and his life was celebrated giving glory to the Lord as Bob always tried to do.

The second week of March we attended the NICE Regional Conference in Vancouver, Washington.  This was another terrific conference with the them of developing leaders in the local church.  The sessions were very helpful but as always the fellowship with friends and colleagues was the highlight.

After Bob's home-going we returned to His Place with lots of work to do.  We had a large 8 by 20 foot shed to empty out as well as an entire classroom fill of Bob's stuff.  We asked the ladies of the church to go through and see what they wanted to hang on to for use in the kitchen facilities and the rest we were going to try to sell.  After five days of setting up, we had our "World's For Sale."  This was a huge indoor yard sale which took up the entire chapel and two large classrooms.


The sale went quite well and my goal was to get rid of the stuff.  Almost everything was on a voluntary donation basis.  We made over $1800 and all but about 20% of the stuff was sold.  The remaining stuff was put into a single 7 by 16 foot trailer and taken to a local high school for their fund raising sale.  I now have ample storage, and a shed to turn into a work shop, and two more classrooms.

We recently had a His Place board meeting to work on goals and vision for the future and to determine officers.  I was unanimously selected as board chairman .  We also discussed future goals and vision as well as projects that need to be done.  Much of this in on hold pending the receipt of the funds that brother Bob bequeathed to the facility.

Perhaps the highlight of the last two months was the Easter services.  We preformed the Easter program "HeRoes"" and I played the part of Simon of Cyrene.

"We had the Sunrise service with 55 in attendance and then at the church we had a "family breakfast" and then the regular Easter service which literally packed out the church.  The services were very well planned and the pastor gave great messages.  I even did a couple of songs on the guitar.  At the Good Friday service I did a duet with Naomi Hoard (the youth pastor's wife) singing Beautiful, Scandalous Night by Bebo Norman and on the Sunday service I did He's Alive by Don Francisco. I guess all those music and singing lessons are starting to pay off because the people loved it.

This coming weekend we will be driving to Sacramento, CA then taking a plane to Southern California to attend my cousins Donna and Al's, 50th wedding anniversary.  This event is very special to me not only because I was at their wedding and my sister, Andrea, was their flower girl, but because Al was the first example that I have ever witnessed of how to love a wife.  Al is one of the most influential men in my life.  Not only did he continually demonstrate true love for his wife but he encouraged me to join the Coast Guard and was a positive influence in my Coast Guard career.  He himself retired as a USCG Captain.

Then the third week of April we will pack up the trailer and head north to spend a little over three in Port Angeles, Washington with Jason, Shelli, and the kids.  We are so looking forward to taking a little vacation.  It has been work,work, work for the past 8 months.

Dayle recently had another bone scan to determine the seriousness of her osteoporosis.  The bad new was that it has not gotten any better after two years of diet and exercise.  The good news is that it hasn't gotten any worse.  But the doctor said that she needs to be on a treatment program.  After much research we decided to go with quarterly Boniva infusions.

Dennis May from Fir Point Bible camp called the other day and asked us to come for June and July which is their busiest time of the year.  Since we are getting things under control here at His Place we told him that we could come.  I can still prepare the institute courses while there and everything else pretty much shuts down here in Brookings during the Summer.  Dennis did ask us to come on a permanent basis, but I told him that we cannot commit to that at this time.

We just got back from the dentist and Dayle needs a crown put on.  She has another cracked tooth.  It will be put on the day we leave for Jason and Shelley.  Grrrr, my poor Dayle.  She is really afraid of any dental work.  So this Thursday they will do the crown prep then on the 21st they will put in the crown.

Until next time please remember us in prayer as we travel and continue to serve here at His Place under First Baptist Community Church. Also pray that the Boniva infusions will work for my Dayle.


Shelley for the both of us.