The Gale’s Tales
January 31, 2023
Ministry Update
Dear Family and Friends,
We thank the Lord for your constant outpouring of love and prayer support.
I began our December ministry update with: “Work, work, work! The work continues with no end in sight. Yes, there is much work that we have done and there is still very much work to do.” And I must begin this update in like manner.
I continue teaching basic systematic theology in Sunday School and in the morning service I have returned to Second Peter. The attendance fluctuates between 10 and 27. Ministering to a farm and ranching community is certainly different from what I am used to. But we are learning. Much of what the farmers and ranchers do is dependent upon the weather. The weather here has been very cold with rain and snow.
Dayle was able to get together with the ladies to plan the calendar for the year. Many exciting events were planned as outreach to the community such as "Trunk or Treat", Movie Nights featuring good Christian based movies, Easter Resurrection Egg hunt, and many more. Dayle also started a weekly ladies prayer group (suggested by one of the moms), as well as teaching the Tuesday evening Philippians bible study. She also started volunteering at the local school across the street.
We are continuing to work on the property and parsonage. We just remodeled and painted the nursery. As far as the parsonage goes, the probate court was just finished and we can now distribute everything and clear out all the stuff. The person who inherited all the household items asked us to try to sell all the stuff that she doesn’t want. Dayle has been doing this and has already sold a bunch of stuff.
We also just had a retired building contractor look at the entire place and he is working up a cost estimate for materials knowing that we will be doing the work ourselves. We are also looking into the possibility of purchasing the house next to the church if we can convince the owner to sell it and if we can afford it. The house is currently not being used so we are hopeful.
Living way out in the middle of nowhere, can be quite challenging. We have to plan our weekly trips to Winnemucca as it is a 42-mile drive. But this is perhaps the only drawback of living so far out is when I need something for a job that I am doing, I can’t just run to the local store, because there are no local stores. But there are some advantages to living here. The farmers and ranchers don’t throw away much stuff. So if I need something, anything, I just go to the farm and scrounge around their “bone yard.” The bone yard contains everything imaginable. I have gone and found plumbing parts and electrical parts that I took from old mobile homes and used them in the church and parsonage for repairs. Recently I made a covered porch for our trailer all from used pallets from the farm and other materials that were just laying around. I did have to purchase two 2 x 6's and five 2 x 4's. (See Photo below)
On the first of December, I listed the Pastoral position on the IFCA website but we have not yet had a single inquiry. We still continue to pray for the Lord to send us the right man and wife for this church.
As far as our children and grandchildren all are doing quite well. Autumn is all healed up from donating her kidney to her brother, Asher. And she just started as a student at Montana Bible College in Bozeman, Montana. Asher is doing well with his new kidney. Aiden is currently serving in Florida at a month-long Korean Awana Camp as the Bible teacher. This gives their parents, Jason and Shelli, a taste of the empty nest which will be coming when Aiden also goes off to Bible college.
Stephen and Neeley and their two little ones, Jack 10, and Pearl 9 are doing well. Mel and Annie just moved across the country into the house they just purchased in Hayes, Virginia, Their two boys AJ, is busy working in Grants Pass, Oregon, and is not moving to Virginia with his parents. Andy is in the US Army and is currently in Ranger training. And Andy just got engaged to his high school girlfriend.
Personally, we are doing great no health problems at all. Although I greatly miss my Hot Springs Spa. Every day is an adventure for us and we love doing almost everything together. We were able to go visit Stephen and Neeley and the kids in Sacramento arriving on Christmas day. I stayed for 6 days and Dayle stayed another week and came home on the Amtrak train.
Financially, the Lord continues to meet all of our needs even though we are down to only two supporters. We just had a significant expense for new injectors for the truck but this was not a surprise and we had planned for it.
Prayer Requests:
~ Please continue praying for all of our children as each one is contemplating major changes in their lives.
~ Please continue to pray for this church and it’s future pastor and wife.
~ Please pray for our friend, Dennis McBride, pastor at Bethany Bible Church, Lake Havasu City, AZ. He has a pancreatic tumor containing cancer cells and is undergoing treatment. He is scheduled for surgery to remove it on March 14th. Also pray for his wife, Lynda as this is extremely hard on her. But they both at praising the Lord even through this difficult trial.
We would love to hear from you from time to time so please don’t hesitate to call, text, or send us a note.
Serving our great God and Savior,
Shelley and Dayle
Our mailing address: Phones: Shelley (541) 218-9717 or (360) 207-1967
P.O. Box 116 Dayle (541) 450-5576
Orovada, NV 89425
If you would like to financially support our ministry please send support to:
Northwest Independent Church Extension PO Box 2225, Sumner, WA 98390, and put our name in the memo. Or simply go to the NICE website at https://nicechurchplanters.org/donate/
