This is the last Sunday to have Doug Wamble send your Christmas cards to our SBC International Mission Board Missionaries.  Please place your cards in the Missions Committee folder in the church office.

Week of November 27^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Emily Skinner: (COS) The last Compass course began on October 24^th.  Emily has been teaching 5 super precious two and three-year-old children.  Pray for these children and their parents as they minister overseas.  These weeks of class have been challenging as sickness has gone through the building.  Still people have endured well with flexibility and humor.  Continue to pray and consider how you might support Emily.

Jonathan Ferre: (COS) Iglesia Gracia y Verdad is now Calvary Gracia y Verdad.  Jonathan’s church has joined the alliance of Calvary Family of Churches based out of Denver.  They remain part of the Southern Baptist Convention and they will continue working closely with other churches to disciple and multiply churches.  Pray for this new relationship with Calvary.  Pray for their church to grow in unity and maturity.  Pray for God’s provision for Jonathan’s family.

Kent and Elizabeth Slack, Brooks Salgado and Jayme Collins: (COS) Last month one of their students put their faith in Jesus and now he is in discipleship weekly.  Pray for his spiritual growth.  Pray for Christian Challenge Bible studies each Tuesday evening on campus and also Community Night each Thursday evening on campus.  Pray students will come to Community Night and that they will feel comfortable enough to come to Bible study…so far this has been happening.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Dusty and Ashley Jackson: (Near Seoul, South Korea) Dusty is leading the high school praise team this year.  This team leads out in worship in chapels each week.  Many members come from various backgrounds ranging from Hindu to atheist.  Pray for these students as they seek God and how to become a Christian.

Oswald and Amanda: Pray Oswald and Amanda can nurture a relationship between a children’s home and the local prosthetist.  Several children have limb differences and need leg prosthetics.  Pray for the spiritual inroads that could come from these relationships and associations.  Pray for the outcome of the Buddhist festival Oswald attended.  Pray their team will have greater understanding as to how to reach Buddhists.

Ken and Barbie: Swirl-land has been in lockdown because of a rise in COVID-19 cases.  Citizens may leave their homes for daily COVID tests.  If they test negative, they may move about the city.  Ask the Lord to cover the Swirl believers with peace and endurance as they live in such a controlled environment.  Pray Swirl believers will be able share True Freedom found in Christ.

Robbyn Booker: (Middle East and Africa) In Africa the Gospel is going out over the airwaves, but many people do not have a receiver.  In August ministry partner SonSet Solutions shipped 640 solar-powered, pre-tuned radios to Reach Beyond.  The radios will make their way to various Christian stations where the predominate listeners are Muslim in Central Africa.  Pray many of these people will hear about Jesus for the first time and trust in Him.

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Grace Baptist Church enjoyed fellowship with Tralee Baptist Church last Sunday.  The two Chilean students have found permanent housing!  The Webbs travel to Belfast this coming weekend for a break.  Pray for Mark’s Dad, Bill, as he has been diagnosed with cancer in the pancreas and liver.

This is the perfect time of year to encourage our SBC International Mission Board Missionaries.  Please have your Christmas cards to Doug Wamble by placing them in the Missions Committee folder in the church office by Nov 27^th.  Please use their real names in the cards.  This is the final reminder!

Week of November 20^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Jonathan Ferre: (COS) Iglesia Gracia y Verdad has now become Calvary Gracia y Verdad.  Jonathan’s church has joined the alliance of Calvary Family of Churches based out of Denver.  They remain part of the Southern Baptist Convention and they will continue working closely with other churches to disciple and multiply churches.  Pray for this new relationship with Calvary.  Pray for their church to grow in unity and maturity.  Pray for God’s provision for Jonathan’s family.

Kent and Elizabeth Slack, Brooks Salgado and Jayme Collins: (COS) Last month one of their students put their faith in Jesus and now he is in discipleship weekly.  Pray for his spiritual growth.  Pray for Christian Challenge Bible studies each Tuesday evening on campus and also Community Night each Thursday evening on campus.  Pray students will come to Community Night and that they will feel comfortable enough to come to Bible study…so far this has been happening.  Christian Challenge had an Operation Christmas Child Packing Party this past Thursday evening (Nov 17^th).  Pray this simple project will be the catalyst for growing missions minded adults!

Life Network: (COS) Since the overturning of Roe vs Wade, Life Network has become a regional ministry.  Kristi came from Kansas to visit a friend and to consider what to do with her unplanned pregnancy.  She and her boyfriend did not think they could afford to support a baby.  She scheduled an ultrasound.  The Life Network nurse prayed, “Lord make this little life clear.”  Kristi called the Life Network clinic weeks later and shared she had decided to keep the baby!  Later Kristi shared if it hadn’t been for the ultrasound, she would have chosen differently.  Right now, Life Network has a matching gift fund in place…when you donate to support their ministry, your gift is doubled! 

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Dusty and Ashley Jackson: (Near Seoul, South Korea) Dusty is leading the high school praise team this year.  This team leads out in worship in chapels each week.  Many members come from various backgrounds ranging from Hindu to atheist.  Pray for these students as they seek God and how to become a Christian.

Oswald and Amanda: Pray Oswald and Amanda can nurture a relationship between a children’s home and the local prosthetist.  Several children have limb differences and need leg prosthetics.  Pray for the spiritual inroads that could come from these relationships and associations.  Pray for the outcome of the Buddhist festival Oswald attended.  Pray their team will have greater understanding as to how to reach Buddhists.

Ken and Barbie: Ken and Barbie will be traveling into a northern province to meet with other leaders for several days to discuss continued strategies for reaching the lost, especially in the area of advancing missionaries’ language abilities.  Ask God to give those at the meeting wisdom in determining how to achieve higher language levels without overburdening the missionaries’ already busy schedules.

Robbyn Booker: (Middle East and Africa) Last month Robbyn asked us to pray for Wim, the Reach Beyond missionary from Spain and Alfred, Reach Beyond’s technician from Ghana as they conducted training in Benin.  The training class was for villagers where water wells had been built or were scheduled to be built.  It is important that villagers participate in the construction and maintenance of these wells.  The large number of attendees was very encouraging.  When water wells are built by churches and believers, new churches and new believers tend to grow from those wells.  Pray the Gospel would grow in these areas.

Herb and Celeste: Pray for God’s direction in their future work.  Pray more people would attend the Tuesday Prayer Zoom Rooms to interact with our missionaries in Asia and Pacific Rim area.

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Pray for Madeleine as she settles in Colorado Springs.  Pray for her job prospects – pray the Lord would provide a future and a hope!  Pray for Ian as he learns responsibility and self-discipline in school.  Pray for the relationships in the walking club.  Pray God would provide spiritual conversations and changed lives in Christ.

Christmas cards for Herb/Celeste and Ken/Barbie are due in the Missions Committee folder (for Doug Wamble) in the church office, NLT Sunday, 27 Nov.

Week of November 13^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Jonathan Ferre: (COS) Iglesia Gracia y Verdad has now become Calvary Gracia y Verdad.  Jonathan’s church has joined the alliance of Calvary Family of Churches based out of Denver.  They remain part of the Southern Baptist Convention and they will continue working closely with other churches to disciple and multiply churches.  Pray for this new relationship with Calvary.  Pray for their church to grow in unity and maturity.  Pray for God’s provision for Jonathan’s family.

Kevin Green: (COS) Praise – Kevin just had a great workshop at Good Shepherd Fellowship in Pueblo in October where 10 people were equipped to share their faith.  Pray these people will continue to use the tools and hone their skills in sharing Christ.  Pray for good outcome for Kevin’s two cataract surgeries – one on Dec 19^th, the other on Jan 16^th. 

Brooks Salgado: (COS) Brooks is on staff with Christian Challenge (CC) on the UCCS campus.  Praise God – Thursday Community/Game Nights have been a success at meeting new students!  Praise – a student who attends CC events but is not a UCCS student, gave his life to Jesus last week!  Clint, one of the student leaders with CC, is discipling Blake.  Pray for his spiritual growth.  Pray for endurance and unity for the student leadership team and staff.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Dusty and Ashley Jackson: (Near Seoul, South Korea) Pray for the high school worship team.  This team leads out in worship in chapels each week.  Dusty was asked to mentor this group of students.  Recently he found out the student leader was vaping and drinking.  Dusty took the student off the leadership role and spoke with the student’s mom.  She told Dusty the father is abusive and they fear more abuse when the father finds the boy has been drinking.  Pray the student would trust God to handle school and family pressures.  May the student and family trust the Lord for their strength, comfort and guidance.

Oswald and Amanda: Oswald has been on a trek into the mountains attending a Buddhist festival.  Pray this time will give Oswald and others insight into how to share Christ with Buddhists.  O and A have been ministering in a local children’s home for special needs children.  They hope to go regularly to play games and tell stories.  Some of these children need prosthetic limbs.  O and A hope to get new prosthetic limbs through the local prosthetist.  Pray the Lord would develop this relationship.  Pray Bible stories heard by these children would result in children trusting in Christ.

Ken and Barbie: A Swirl believer who had previously been interrogated by police was brought in recently by police.  Since her arrest about a year ago, she had been careful to obey their rules.  She sometimes has a meal with a friend in her apartment where they may discuss God’s word and quietly sing Christian songs, but this has not been in disobedience to the police.  After she was released it was revealed they simply wanted her new address.  They knew she had moved and wanted her to know they were watching her every move.  Pray the church will flourish in spite of having to go underground.

Robbyn Booker: (Middle East and Africa) Currently Robbyn is in South Africa visiting the Cape Town Reach Beyond staff and families.  Pray for safe travel as she meets new people and encourages them.  She returns November 12^th.  On October 14^th 20 local churches held Inspira (inspire) 2022 where nearly 2,000 people attended a time of worship, prayer, music and preaching.  The Reach Beyond radio station, Radio Vida, covered the event with interviews of pastors and organizers.  Pray for those who would never attend a church service who attended or listened on radio.  Continue to pray for Robbyn’s support raising.

Herb and Celeste: Pray their time with Abbie, their daughter and her family and new grand baby will be fun, relaxing and a time of refreshing.  Several Christian women are praying for a Christian man to marry.  Pray the Lord would bring each one a believing husband.  These women receive pressure from friends and family that it does not matter if the man is a believer.  Pray God would provide H and C direction in their work.  Celeste’s birthday was this past week – pray it was a great celebration and that she felt special on her day!  Pray the Prayer Zoom Room this past Tuesday was used to glorify God and what He is doing in Hong Kong, Macau and Laos.

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Two ladies from Chile who are attending Killarney English School have been advised they must find another place to rent.  Pray for Ian as he adjusts to school.  Pray He will make good decisions. Pray for Madeleine as she prepares to move back to Colorado.  Pray for the walking club and conversations when walking with the members.

Christmas cards for Herb/Celeste and Ken/Barbie are due in the Missions Committee folder (for Doug Wamble) in the church office, NLT Sunday, 27 Nov.

Week of November 6^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Kevin Green: (COS) Praise – Kevin just had a great workshop at Good Shepherd Fellowship in Pueblo in October where 10 people were equipped to share their faith.  Pray these people will continue to use the tools and hone their skills in sharing Christ.  Pray for good outcome for Kevin’s two cataract surgeries – one on Dec 19^th, the other on Jan 16^th. 

Brooks Salgado: (COS) Brooks is on staff with Christian Challenge (CC) on the UCCS campus.  Praise God – Thursday Community/Game Nights have been a success at meeting new students!  Praise – a student who attends CC events but is not a UCCS student, gave his life to Jesus last week!  Clint, one of the student leaders with CC, is discipling Blake.  Pray for his spiritual growth.  Pray for endurance and unity for the student leadership team and staff.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering: The VGBC goal for the LMCO is $110,000.  Contributing to this vital offering keeps 3,650 Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries on the mission field all over the world!

Oswald and Amanda: Oswald will be on a trek into the mountains next week to attend a Buddhist festival.  They want to gain insight into what barriers keep their people group from understanding and believing the One, True God.  They also hope to share the Gospel with others.  Please pray for Amanda and the children as Oswald will be away for two weeks.  Pray for good health for everyone and safety.  Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel with people who need Jesus.

Ken and Barbie: The team K and B supervise is one year old now.  All these families, including K and B, have been helping relief efforts because of recent flood damage in and around Chang Mai, Thailand.  Here are a few prayer requests related to that storm damage.  Pray for relief efforts as it continues over the next weeks and months.  Pray for families who have lost so much.  Pray for those who have not been able to work and draw an income because of the devastation.  Pray these who have lost so much would hear and receive the love of Christ.

Robbyn Booker: (Middle East and Africa) Robbyn is on Home Mission Assignment visiting friends, families and supporters until the end of the year.  In October she and her daughter visited 15 people in 16 days – a route which included Arizona, Northern to Southern California and then Arizona again.  She fell in Monterey, California hitting her head and arm.  She plans to fly to California Thanksgiving Day and stay in Long Beach with friends for three weeks.  Pray for her safety as she travels.  Pray for these contacts and that new and old supporters will support her.

Herb and Celeste: In mid-November H and C will travel to Thailand to visit their newest grand baby.  Pray for safe travel for all the families traveling.  H and C’s international church is struggling with disunity and spiritual attacks.  Pray for peace and unity.  Every second Tuesday of the month H and C’s Creative team hosts a Prayer Zoom Room featuring International Mission Board missionaries from Asia and the Pacific Rim area.  Pray with these ambassadors and hear their hearts for how the Lord is working in this area of the world.  November 7^th is Celeste’s birthday!  November 8^th is the next Zoom Room featuring the country of Laos.  Register at www.imb.org/apac/events.

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Lona still has a painful tooth.  Pray for the dental exam and relief from pain.  Pray the Lord would bring someone to help with the children’s ministry also preaching and teaching.  Pray for Midleton Baptist Church as they await the arrival of their new pastor!

Christmas cards for Herb/Celeste and Ken/Barbie are due in the Missions Committee folder (for Doug Wamble) in the church office, NLT Sunday, 27 Nov.

Week of October 23^rd 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Isaac and Becca Herold (Greeley, CO) Isaac and Becca Herold direct Christian Challenge at the University of Northern Colorado.  Pray their student activities would result in students confessing Jesus as Lord!  Pray Christian students would grow a closer, mature walk with Christ.  Pray the Herold’s marriage would be authentic and vibrant – pray the Lord would be in charge of all our missionary’s marriages!

Life Network: (COS) The gala event they had two weeks ago raised $500,000 for the ministry!  Reaching this goal will allow them to reach more clients for Christ and help mothers choose life for their pre-born babies when they have an ultrasound.  Last year Life Network helped 344 mothers-to-be choose life for their babies!  Contact Life Network to volunteer your time or financial contributions to help them minister to expecting mothers and fathers.

Mercy’s Gate: (COS) “I have So much respect for Mercy’s gate. They helped me in my greatest time of need. Thanks to them, I was able to keep my electricity on. They provided me with food and they helped me pay my rent during a financial hardship.”  This is one of many hundreds of our community neighbors helped by the ministry at Mercy’s Gate.  Mercy’s Gate has been serving El Paso County providing resources and education to the working poor since 1982.  Here are a few tangible needs at their pantry: toilet paper, toiletries, egg cartons (cardboard or Styrofoam), baby food and baking items.  Please consider volunteering your time and or your finances.  If you want an opportunity to share Christ with others, Mercy’s Gate affords you many opportunities to share Christ with the lost.  Contact them at info@mercysgatecs.org. 

Brooks Salgado: (COS) Brooks is on staff with Christian Challenge on the UCCS campus.  Pray for Tuesday evening Bible studies on campus.  Pray for those who have attended Bible studies and that they will continue to come to the study times.  Pray students will be receptive to the Gospel taught from the Bible and that they will respond in obedience.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering: The VGBC goal for the LMCO is $110,000.  Contributing to this vital offering keeps 3,650 Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries on the mission field all over the world!

Ken and Barbie: Flood waters from Typhoon Noru have finally receded.  Ken and Barbie’s team provided resources and partnered with Thai churches to distribute clean-up and food relief to hundreds of Buddhists and Muslim families.  Each recipient was also exposed to the Gospel with several showing further interest.  Pray Holy Spirit would draw many hearts to the hope found only in Jesus Christ. 

Robbyn Booker: (Middle East and Africa) In 2016 in the region of Benin, Africa there were no Christian believers.  Since that time partners have built four water wells and from those wells have sprung up 30 churches – six with a building and the rest as house churches!  Since late last year there have been three more wells dug!  Reach Beyond representatives/technicians plan to visit Benin to work with local leaders to maintain these wells and visit media partners in North Togo and North Ghana.  Pray for the maintenance of these wells and that people fed by these wells might receive Christ.

Herb and Celeste: Pray for the creative team as they endeavor to report back to Christians the work that is going on in Asia and the Pacific Rim.  Pray for Herb and Celeste and their family – children, grandchildren.  Celeste’s birthday is November 7^th.  Pray for this special time in her life.

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Two students from Chile who have been attending English school have been inviting fellow students to attend worship and Bible studies at Grace Baptist Church.  They have been an encouragement at the church.  Pray for Ian as a university student.  Pray for Mark and his conversations with the walking club.  Pray the Lord would bring someone to help with the children’s ministry.

Christmas cards for Herb/Celeste and Ken/Barbie are due in the Missions Committee folder (for Doug Wamble) in the church office, NLT Sunday, 27 Nov.

Week of October 16^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Emily Skinner: (COS) Emily is Assistant Director of the Pre-field Children’s Intercultural Programs (CHIPs) at Mission Training International (MTI) in Palmer Lake, Colorado.  She is a VGBC member and raises her own support.  She participates in teaching a curriculum which prepares missionaries and their children for overseas ministry.  Numerous missionaries and even their small children write back to MTI thanking them for helping them to be prepared for ministry.  Pray for Emily and financial support raising.  Because of inflation she needs an additional $750 per month to maintain current living standards and save for emergencies.

Mercy’s Gate: (COS) Mercy’s Gate has been serving El Paso County providing resources and education to the working poor since 1982.  Pray about volunteering your time and resources to this organization.  VGBC members routinely serve here and share the Gospel of Christ with their clients.  Here are a few tangible needs at their pantry: boxed items…Rice-a-Roni, potatoes, Hamburger Helper, and rice mixes, canned chicken, canned meals, cereal, crackers, fruit (fresh or canned).  Contact them at info@mercysgatecs.org. 

Kent and Elizabeth Slack: Christian Challenge staff and leadership have had opportunities to share Christ with students over the last several weeks.  They are diligently helping students understand the Gospel message and to communicate it better.  Pray students will accept Jesus as Lord.  Pray for future events – pray these events will provide more opportunities to share the Gospel.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering: The VGBC goal for the LMCO is $110,000.  Contributing to this vital offering keeps 3,650 Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries on the mission field all over the world!  Please begin now to prayerfully consider your part of supporting this vital missions offering.  Three VGBC couples are IMB missionaries in Asia.

Ken and Barbie: Typhoon Noru first hit Vietnam then inundated Laos and Thailand with copious amounts of rain.  Floods came, reservoirs overfilled and waters had to be released.  Now their city is flooded.  One family on their team had to leave their home as the waters rose and filled their house.  Pray for the hundreds of families displaced in their city by flood waters.  Pray this will be an opportunity for many to hear of God’s love and His desire for their spiritual salvation.

Robbyn Booker: (Middle East and Africa) In 2016 in the region of Benin, Africa there were no Christian believers.  Since that time partners have built four water wells and from those wells have sprung up 30 churches – six with a building and the rest as house churches!  Since late last year there have been three more wells dug!  Reach Beyond representatives/technicians plan to visit Benin to work with local leaders to maintain these wells and visit media partners in North Togo and North Ghana.  Pray for the maintenance of these wells and that people fed by these wells might receive Christ.

Herb and Celeste: This is probably a little “dated” news but you will remember we were praying for H and C’s daughter and the safe delivery of a granddaughter.  That happened at least two weeks ago.  Praise God for this new life – mommy and granddaughter are doing fine!  Does anyone know how many grandchildren H and C have?  Certainly their quiver is full!  Celeste’s women’s Bible study consists of 11 women – 9 Taiwanese, 1 Malaysian and 1 Filipino.  Pray they will be able to connect as sisters in the Lord and grow spiritually!  Pray for the Prayer Zoom Rooms every second Tuesday each month.

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Here’s an update since the Webb’s time in the US.  Ian is taking six courses at the Muster Technological University.  He takes an 8:00 AM bus in the morning and comes home on a train each afternoon.  Pray for good study habits and social skills with students and instructors.  Madeleine will move to Colorado after Christmas.  Pray for a good job and quick adjustment to the culture shock and a good network of Christian friends.  Lona is baking cookies for the school and is taking classes through the Baptist Bible College.  Mark is reconnecting with the walking group.  Pray for all four…pray the Lord would use them to bring Christ to the lost.

This weekend please plan on attending the VGBC Missions Conference.  You must have a reservation for the dinner Saturday, 8 Oct.  No reservations are needed for the Sunday, 9 Oct panel discussion.

Sunday school classes, this is the perfect season to work on a project to “bless” your class missionary.  Call, write or e-mail them asking how you can bless them this Christmas.

Thank you for helping our church reach our Colorado Baptist Missions goal of $17,500.  The generous $18,566 received will be used to bring the lost to Christ in Colorado and beyond!

Week of October 9^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Emily Skinner: (COS) Emily is Assistant Director of the Pre-field Children’s Intercultural Programs (CHIPs) at Mission Training International (MTI) in Palmer Lake, Colorado.  She is a VGBC member and raises her own support.  She participates in teaching a highly respected curriculum which prepares missionaries and their children for overseas ministry.  Numerous missionaries and even their small children write back to MTI thanking them for helping them to be prepared for ministry.  Pray for Emily and financial support raising.  Because of inflation she needs an additional $750 per month to maintain current living standards and save for emergencies.

Jonathan Ferre: (COS) Jonathan is a North American Mission Board missionary and pastor at Iglesia Gracia y Verdad.  This church start is six years old.  Pray this church would have boldness to go out and share Christ with the lost.  Pray for the women’s Bible study.  Pray for the men’s Bible study – for discipleship and encouragement.  Pray for financial support for this pastor and his family.

Life Network: (COS) On October 13 and 14 Life Network will host their annual Gala event.  This will be a time when staff and volunteers will share how the Lord has used this ministry this past year.  Pray for the speakers and that God is honored during this event. 

Kent and Elizabeth Slack: Christian Challenge staff and leadership have had opportunities to share Christ with students over the last several weeks.  They are diligently helping students understand the Gospel message and to communicate it better.  Pray students will accept Jesus as Lord.  Pray for future events – 9 Oct is Second Sunday.  13 Oct is Community Night.  14 Oct is Guys Night/Girl’s Night.  Pray these events will provide more opportunities to share the Gospel.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering:  One hundred percent of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goes to our foreign missionaries with the International Mission Board (IMB).  Please begin praying about the upcoming LMCO coming up in November and December!  Three couples from our church serve with the IMB.  The VGBC goal for the LMCO is $110,000.

Robbyn Booker: (Middle East and Africa) Robbyn’s sending agency is Reach Beyond and she oversees financials from here in Colorado Springs by remoting to her desk computer in Southern Spain.  Pray for Robbyn’s recovery.  Last month she fell tweaking her left wrist – it is tender.  After prayer and listening to wise counsel, Robbyn has decided to stay in the US and not return to Spain, for the immediate future.  Continue to lift her up as she supports ministry seven to ten time zones away.

Herb and Celeste: Herb and the Bylaws Committee at their church have been working on updating the Constitution and Bylaws for several months.  Apparently this church has been dealing with hurt and pain for many years.  Because of these issues this committee has come to an impasse.  Pray the Lord would heal the hurt and pain in this church and that there would be unity and peace among believers.  Pray for the Creative Team meetings this month as they seek the Lord’s guidance for 2023 projects.  Coming up on October 11^th, a Prayer Zoom Room featuring missionaries from Vietnam and Japan.  Register and log in at www.imb.org/events.

Ken and Barbie: God continues to move among the people in Northern Thailand.  Teammate Mark helped in the baptism of over 20 new Thai believers last Sunday.  Teammates Jason and Kristi are praising God as an older Thai couple prayed to receive Christ this week.  Teammate Jessica learned how to say, “Can I tell you about Jesus?” in Thai language then went to the vegetable market, used her new phrase and passed out two Gospel tracts today.  The new team is early in language learning but is using what is known to make God’s name known among this nation.  Pray God will multiply the efforts!

Week of September 25^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Kent and Elizabeth Slack: Kent is Director of Christian Challenge at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.  He and Elizabeth have had a very busy semester.  Pray for their 2022 fall retreat Sep 30^th through Oct 2^nd.  Pray students will be able to attend and will have the funds to pay for the event.  Pray lives will be forever changed by Jesus during the retreat.  Kent is the Christian Challenge co-state chair.  He will be making visits to several campuses the remainder of Sep and into Oct.  Pray for his responsibilities here at home and state-wide.  Pray for traveling safety during these visits.

Kevin Green: (COS) Kevin and Gina Green are VGBC members.  Kevin is Evangelism Explosion’s Regional Coordinator for the western US.  He is continually reaching out to churches across our area to teach evangelism techniques and encouraging western US leaders to grow their outreach efforts.  Pray for Kevin as he leads these efforts.  Pray the Lord would help pastors and church leaders see the importance of their churches actively sharing their faith with the lost.  Pray and consider financially supporting Kevin as he leads Evangelism Explosion in our area.

Jonathan Ferre: (COS) Jonathan is a North American Mission Board church planter here in Colorado Springs.  He pastors Iglesia Gracia y Verdad meeting Sundays at Garden Ranch Baptist Church.  On Wednesdays they are studying through the New Testament regarding the end times.  Pray these Bible studies will enhance Sunday morning sermons on the book of Revelation.  Pray for Jonathan and Myrna, his wife as they raise their children, Peniel, Jonatán and Mirelix.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

All Missionaries: Our missionaries face loneliness!  It is easy to succumb to loneliness in a foreign land when surrounded by people of another culture and language.  Loneliness is one of the means the devil uses to discourage and depress us and to cause us to engage in self-pity.  In Hebrews 13:5 God promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Pray our missionaries (here at home and abroad) will experience fellowship with God in ways that bring glory to the Lord and encourages our missionaries and their families.

Arlyn Van Enns: (Canada, Central America and India region) Arlyn is a missiologist with Multi-Nations Mission Foundation.  Pray for pastoral training classes in Central America.  Covid, dengue fever and deep floods have taken a toll on this area.  Pray disease would subside so important training can occur in remote areas.

Robbyn Booker: (Reach Beyond – Africa and Middle East) An electrical issue has kicked the Spanish station off the air intermittently.  This problem has prevented Robbyn from remoting in to her computer in Spain preventing her from accomplishing her work.  A technician got a circuit breaker flipped to get the station operational but Robbyn is still unable to remote to her computer.  Pray this will be fixed soon as she is weeks behind in her work.  This issue simply re-emphasizes the need for a station manager, technical support, recording studio techs and others.  Please pray about how you can serve this ministry in Southern Spain.

Ken and Barbie: Ken and Pastor Ahjan Bandhit has partnered to provide a Conference for Pastors and Church Leaders from across Northern Thailand for mid-October.  Expecting 40 pastors and 10 IMB missionaries, a place for the 3-day meeting was found.  However the interest and registration has been so great, a new venue was needed.  Now 90 pastors/church leaders and 21 IMB missionaries are attending!  Praise God for these men and women who are hungry for training and encouragement.  Pray for this event that God would be Glorified and churches will multiply as a result.

There is still time to invest in Colorado Baptist missions.  The funds you contribute bring the Gospel to Colorado ski slopes, downtown urban ministry, and church planting which VGBC supports right here in Colorado Springs.  The Colorado Missions Offering also helps seminary students with scholarships and funds the Colorado Baptist Disaster Relief program which ministers all over the US.

Please reserve the date and plan to attend the VGBC Missions Conference October 7-9.  Reserve your space to attend one of these dates!

Week of September 18^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Kevin Green: (COS) Kevin and Gina Green are VGBC members.  Kevin is Evangelism Explosion’s Regional Coordinator for the western US.  He is continually reaching out to churches across our area to teach evangelism techniques and also encouraging western US leaders to grow their outreach efforts.  Pray for Kevin as he leads these efforts.  Pray the Lord would help pastors and church leaders see the importance of their churches actively sharing their faith with the lost.  Pray and consider financially supporting Kevin as he leads Evangelism Explosion in our area.

Emily Skinner: (COS) Mission Training International (MTI) has cancelled the normally scheduled Compass program for September.  However, an additional Debrief and Renewal class (DAR) has been scheduled.  Emily will be assisting the DAR program wherever needed and work on a long list of curriculum improvements, classroom projects and raising financial support.  Pray for MTI’s staffing especially in the housekeeping and kitchen departments.  The DAR program needs a permanent director – please pray God’s person will be selected for this position.

Jonathan Ferre: (COS) Jonathan is a North American Mission Board church planter here in Colorado Springs.  He pastors Iglesia Gracia y Verdad meeting Sundays at Garden Ranch Baptist Church.  Pray for holy boldness for their church to share Christ with people around them.  Pray for Jonathan as he takes his last three seminary classes and prepares to graduate!  Pray for the women’s Bible study which started last month.  Pray for Myrna, his wife and children, Peniel, Jonatán and Milelix.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Arlyn Van Enns: (Canada, Central America and India region) Arlyn is a missiologist with Multi-Nations Mission Foundation.  Pray for pastoral training classes in Central America.  Covid, dengue fever and deep floods have taken a toll on this area.  Pray disease would subside so important training can occur in remote areas.

Herb and Celeste: Pray for Celeste as she leads a women’s Bible study.  Pray relationships established between Celeste and the ladies will go deep and the Lord would be the focal point of these relationships.  Two of Herb and Celeste’s team members needed to return to the US.  They will be greatly missed because of their ministry to the Thai people and their contributions on the Creative Team.  Pray they will be used by the Lord in their future calling.  Pray for Tuesday evening Prayer Zoom Rooms “aired” every second Tuesday of each month.  Pray for Herb and Celeste’s Creative Team.  Pray the result of these prayer sessions would bring Southern Baptists and others to personally get involved in the lives of Asia/Pacific Rim people groups.

Robbyn Booker: (Reach Beyond – Africa and Middle East) Habari Maalum College in Tanzania has a diploma program in media which supplies Christian and secular radio stations throughout Africa with qualified workers.  The school has an outstanding reputation and draws students from all over Africa.  Recently this school received an unexpected tax bill.  Because of this the staff has not been paid for weeks, yet they continue to teach.  Reach Beyond sent the school a gift to help them make payroll.  Praise the Lord for this gift!  Please pray for this school’s future finances.  Pray this institution will continue to educate qualified workers to produce and publish Christian programming.

Ken and Barbie: Pray for the team members which make up Ken and Barbie’s team.  Adult missionary moms and dads dedicate themselves to learning the new language while also sharing their love and care for the local people.  And these team member couples also try their new language skills with the locals and have to humbly laugh at themselves when they mess up a word choice or mis-pronounce something.  Pray the Lord would give them grace to laugh at themselves and be OK with the training process.  In the midst of this learning process pray moms and dads are able to make it fun for their children as they raise missionary kids.  Pray these children and youth would develop a heart and love for other cultures and love selflessly!

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Praises – Forty people attended church last Sunday!  Ian had a good meeting with a school advisor two weeks ago and this past week he took a tour of the school campus.  Thank the Lord for new people who have visited Grace Baptist Church!  Pray for Lona as she has not been feeling well since their return to Ireland.

The VGBC goal for the 2022 Colorado Missions Offering is $17,500.  Please consider a financial gift to underwrite Colorado mission endeavors.  These funds provide scholarships for men and women attending seminary, underwrite statewide evangelism outreaches and undergird the Colorado Baptist Disaster Relief program which reaches into many states beyond Colorado.

Save the date and plan to attend the VGBC Missions Conference October 7-9.  The conference emphasis will center on how God can use us as missionaries.

Week of September 11^th 2022

HOME MISSIONARIES

Brooks Salgado: (COS) Brooks is on staff at Christian Challenge ministering to students on the UCCS campus.  Pray for Brooks as he engages and encourages UCCS students to understand the Gospel this year.  Pray his relationships with students grow new leaders in the Christian Challenge ministry, actively sharing their faith and always sensitive to outreach opportunities.  Pray for Brooks as he raises his own financial and prayer support.

Emily Skinner: (COS) Current reality at Mission Training International (MTI) is that more missionaries are coming back from the field than going to the field.  So the September Compass program has been cancelled and an additional debrief and renewal class (DAR) has been scheduled.  Emily’s plan is to assist with the DAR program wherever needed and work on a long list of curriculum improvements, classroom projects and raising financial support.  Please pray for Emily’s support raising efforts.  Pray for MTI’s staffing especially in the housekeeping and kitchen departments.  The DAR program needs a permanent director – please pray God’s person will be selected for this position.

Jonathan Ferre: (COS) Jonathan is a North American Mission Board church planter here in Colorado Springs.  He pastors Iglesia Gracia y Verdad meeting Sundays at Garden Ranch Baptist Church.  Pray for him, Myrna, his wife and children.  Also pray for the Spanish-speaking community he is trying to reach.  Pray for Myrna as she manages the home while also homeschooling their children.  Praise – a teen girl ministry for the past six months has been studying womanhood and discipleship.  The men of the church have been meeting once a week for discipleship and encouraging each other.  Pray these studies grow Godly men and women.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES

Herb and Celeste: Celeste began a women’s Bible study this past week.  Pray the Lord will arrange the right women to come to the group.  Pray Celeste will bond with these women and that lasting and close relationships will be formed.  Pray for safety of missionaries and local believers in Herb and Celeste’s immediate area.  Pray their confidence will be found in the Lord as world events swirl around them.

Robbyn Booker: (Reach Beyond – Africa and Middle East) The Reach Beyond New Zealand office has devised an apparatus they call the “sheep station.”  A sheep station is comprised of a tall pole with solar panels and a light mounted on top.  Multiple charging stations are attached to the pole and programming is received through a speaker.  The sheep station is equipped to receive programming – images, videos and downloaded Bible stories to people’s mobile devices.  These sheep stations will help children do homework and villagers to hear Christian programming.  Pray for Reach Beyond and ministry partner Theovision as they provide Sub-Saharan Africa an opportunity to hear the Gospel in the remotest locations on the continent.

Ken and Barbie: While Ken and Barbie’s team focuses heavily on language, everyone is also developing national partnerships.   Many Thai believers have never shared the Gospel before.  After equipping 5 Thai Believers with a simple evangelism tool, several of their teammates recently took their first mission trip to a province near the Laotian border.  They shared the Gospel with several who had never heard.  Pray God will multiply the efforts of these Thai Believers and ask God to draw the not-yet-believers unto Himself, opening their hearts and minds to His Salvation and purpose for their lives.

Mark and Lona Webb: (Killarney, Ireland) Praises – Mark, Lona and Ian’s jet lag is behind them and they have reconnected with church, walking groups and friends.  Mark preached this past Sunday – there were four new visitors.  Ian turned nineteen years old last Sunday.  Also, Ian met his university advisor this past week…pray for this coming school year, and that he will flourish in his studies.  Pray the Lord would bring someone to help with the children’s ministry and also help with teaching and preaching responsibilities.