Update, 31 March 2006
We thank the Lord for the faithfulness and prayers of so many on our behalf.
We look forward to Spring – it is just around the corner! And we are so grateful for the warm weather in Chesapeake, where we live. We think it has already arrived. However, we know from experience that colder weather often comes again later in and even in April. The storms that come from both the north west and north east are particularly nasty here. Thankfully we don’t get them both at the same time! Actually the Hampton Roads area is heading into a drought period this eyar. We have had about 3 inches of rain since 1 Jan and normally expect to have about 12 by this time.
We left home on Monday 13 March and drove to the ACCTS Staff meeting at Bethany Beach in Delaware. We had missed both meetings in 2005 so we were looking forward to this one. We were not disappointed. We gave veteran staff member and one-time long serving Executive Director, Dell McDonald, a ride each way and it was good to spend time with him. He is a wonderful friend although we don’t see as much of him as we would like. Dell was the one who invited us to join the ACCTS staff way back in 1993/94.
The meetings were held in an excellent spirit of family fellowship and were ably chaired by recently appointed ACCTS Deputy Executive Director, Don Martin. The range of topics that were prayed about, discussed and sometiumes planned were very wide ranging and extensive. Every continent was in focus and many, many countries were highlighted. Christian ministry is going on in every one of them to a greater or lesser extent. Some countries are having difficult times, others not. Every one is different and it was awe-inspiring to be involved in a Gospel-led missionary agency that has such a far reaching ministry for such relatively little financial expenditure. Main subjects this time were Interaction 2006, American-English Langauage Training, future ministry potential in some of the more challenging nations of the world, the growth of the Alpha course in the armed forces of the world, and a lot of discussion about how to structure ACCTS effectively now it has become an organization with so many staff members.
We drove home again on Saturday 18 March and, as we approached the restaurant on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, we had a phone message from Toby telling us of the very sad news of his and JoAnn's miscarriage. What a sad end to a lovely week.
After a hectic weekend helping to lead the Alpha course we are doing at our church (including hosting several Korean and US out of town friends here for the FCMM meeting) and facilitating the follow-on Alpha course, A Life Worth Living, at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA, we organized and led the annual Naaman Initiative meeting on Mon 20 Mar at Fort Story Chapel. This meeting prays about a specific strategic military ministry outreach, well known to those who are involved. The following 2 days were taken up with the annual Fellowship of Christian Military Ministries meetings, which also went extremely well. Altogether, an excellent although tiring week.
Since the meetings finished it has been all go on helping to get the word out about Freedom Fest which takes place on 29 April; and on getting ready for the Alpha for the Military (A4M) workshops at the Alpha Raleigh, NC conference on 20/21 Apr 06 and the US Army Chaplains Preaching and Spiritual Renewal Workshop at Fort Leavenworth, KS from 1-5 May 06. Everyone involved in all these activities is stretched to the limit and some, like me, are burning the candle at both ends. Not the best way to give one's best to the Lord, but where are the other helper's one can get involved?
With Jesus love and blessings,
Noel and Meryl
We look forward to Spring – it is just around the corner! And we are so grateful for the warm weather in Chesapeake, where we live. We think it has already arrived. However, we know from experience that colder weather often comes again later in and even in April. The storms that come from both the north west and north east are particularly nasty here. Thankfully we don’t get them both at the same time! Actually the Hampton Roads area is heading into a drought period this eyar. We have had about 3 inches of rain since 1 Jan and normally expect to have about 12 by this time.
We left home on Monday 13 March and drove to the ACCTS Staff meeting at Bethany Beach in Delaware. We had missed both meetings in 2005 so we were looking forward to this one. We were not disappointed. We gave veteran staff member and one-time long serving Executive Director, Dell McDonald, a ride each way and it was good to spend time with him. He is a wonderful friend although we don’t see as much of him as we would like. Dell was the one who invited us to join the ACCTS staff way back in 1993/94.
The meetings were held in an excellent spirit of family fellowship and were ably chaired by recently appointed ACCTS Deputy Executive Director, Don Martin. The range of topics that were prayed about, discussed and sometiumes planned were very wide ranging and extensive. Every continent was in focus and many, many countries were highlighted. Christian ministry is going on in every one of them to a greater or lesser extent. Some countries are having difficult times, others not. Every one is different and it was awe-inspiring to be involved in a Gospel-led missionary agency that has such a far reaching ministry for such relatively little financial expenditure. Main subjects this time were Interaction 2006, American-English Langauage Training, future ministry potential in some of the more challenging nations of the world, the growth of the Alpha course in the armed forces of the world, and a lot of discussion about how to structure ACCTS effectively now it has become an organization with so many staff members.
We drove home again on Saturday 18 March and, as we approached the restaurant on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, we had a phone message from Toby telling us of the very sad news of his and JoAnn's miscarriage. What a sad end to a lovely week.
After a hectic weekend helping to lead the Alpha course we are doing at our church (including hosting several Korean and US out of town friends here for the FCMM meeting) and facilitating the follow-on Alpha course, A Life Worth Living, at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA, we organized and led the annual Naaman Initiative meeting on Mon 20 Mar at Fort Story Chapel. This meeting prays about a specific strategic military ministry outreach, well known to those who are involved. The following 2 days were taken up with the annual Fellowship of Christian Military Ministries meetings, which also went extremely well. Altogether, an excellent although tiring week.
Since the meetings finished it has been all go on helping to get the word out about Freedom Fest which takes place on 29 April; and on getting ready for the Alpha for the Military (A4M) workshops at the Alpha Raleigh, NC conference on 20/21 Apr 06 and the US Army Chaplains Preaching and Spiritual Renewal Workshop at Fort Leavenworth, KS from 1-5 May 06. Everyone involved in all these activities is stretched to the limit and some, like me, are burning the candle at both ends. Not the best way to give one's best to the Lord, but where are the other helper's one can get involved?
With Jesus love and blessings,
Noel and Meryl
posted by Noel Dawes | 4:24 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home