For years they weren’t there.  The ground lay dormant.  No one tilled.  No one watered.  The garden was really no garden at all.  Just hardened earth.  Rocky soil.  Unattended land.  Then one day attention was given.  A plan was made. The soil tilled.  The weeds removed.    The land watered.  Seeds planted and fertilizer applied.  And by God’s own design, they started to appear:  the first shoots.  Even more exciting, however, is that the same thing is now appearing elsewhere in Malawi in many of our Lutheran Churches!

For months our pastor’s group has been making visits to congregations which haven’t been served by any Called Worker for years!  We found what we feared: desolate land and untilled soil of the congregational heart.   Similarities between an unattended garden and an un-served congregation abounded:   Barrenness and fruitlessness. Untaught boys and girls.  Unstarted work.  Unmotivated leaders.  Unlearned teachers.[slideshow=122]

Discouraged?  Not at all!   Not when the power of the seed is in the hand of God!  We were hopeful with the possibilities that our good Lord had lain before us!  Like spiritual farmers, we plowed and we sowed. We watered and we fertilized.    Read more ›

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The monsoons have been erratic this year. Parts of India have received too much rain, way too much. The rain has caused flooding and mudslides in the north. Commuters in the big city of Mumbai, with a population of thirteen million people, struggled through flooded streets and closed railways when the city received almost ten inches of rain in one day this year.

Other parts of India, including the states where most of the congregations of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Ministries are located, have received far less than normal rainfall. Both coasts of India have received normal or above normal rainfall, but the interior of the country is parched and dry in many places.

These dramatic pictures graphically tell the story. The Lake Palace in the city of Udaipur draws visitors from around the world because of its beauty. It is normally a shimmering jewel in the middle of Lake Pichola. [slideshow=123] Read more ›

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A little more than a year ago, the picture of ministry here in Battlement Mesa was…well…rather empty.  In July of 2008, we had no core group of members.  In fact, we had no members at all.  We had no prospects.  We had no congregation.  About the only thing we did have was an idea that this community would be a good place for mission work.

Now fast forward to today, and the picture is entirely different.  We have three workers in Battlement Mesa—a pastor, a staff minister, and a music coordinator.  We have a core group.  We have a long prospect list.  And, as of July 26, 2009 we have members!

The time in between these two pictures is full of the blessings that only God can give.  He’s allowed us to reach out in this community with the gospel.  He’s opened doors for us to connect with our community so that we can then connect them to Christ.  And he’s allowed us a front-row seat to see His Word working in the hearts and lives of his people.

July 26th was the day we welcomed 18 new members to our congregation.  But that was by no means the greatest blessing of the day.  Because July 26th was also the day our congregation celebrated the Lord’s Supper for the first time.  Over 22 people were strengthened through the body and blood of our Savior.  They were reminded of all that their God has done to save and unite them. Read more ›

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If you want to talk about ministry highs and lows, we can certainly join in.  We’ve gone through them both.  This month, it seems we’ve been on the high end.

God certainly blessed some very visible and tangible efforts of our ministry this month.   And that’s not to diminish or downplay the daily comfort he gives us in his Word — the forgiveness, peace, and eternal life we have through Christ.  Nor is it to diminish the daily privilege we have of sharing this comfort with people of all ages, races, stations, and situations.  It’s simply to recognize that God continues to heap blessings upon this family in Christ here in Battlement Mesa.

We hosted a Family Fun Night at a local park on a Friday night in late July.  We had done quite a bit of preparation and organization.  We mailed out invitations to each and every family in our community.  We put ads in the local newspaper and on the local radio station.  We passed out invitations as we took our regular, daily walks in the community.  We even had a youth group from Plymouth, Nebraska travel here to assist with the planning and organizing of our event.  This Family Fun Night was our way of saying thank-you to our community.  Sure, it also was a great opportunity for us to reach out, but we especially wanted people to know what an honor it is for us to be here, serving with the gospel. Read more ›

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What do you get when 150 people gather for a service that might have been unfamiliar or perhaps even uncomfortable to them? How do you capitalize on this precious privilege to share a magnificent message with these 150 souls? The answer is both humbling and awe-inspiring: “God’s always doing great exciting things!”

Amazing Grace in Myrtle Beach, SC hosted VBS this past July at a local elementary school in the community under the theme: God’s Always Doing Great Exciting Things. Then on Sunday July 26th, the children, families, and friends were invited back for the VBS closing worship. During the service, through Word and song the children that had been taught how God’s Always Doing Great Exciting Things for them and through them, shared the great, glorious, and exciting message of Jesus with their parents.

But it wasn’t just the parents who were impacted. The fact that God is always doing great and exciting things was open and obvious to Amazing Read more ›

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