Familia Marcum, Operation Ecuador: Church and Team "Happenings"

Isaiah 43:1-3, 7, 10-13

But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior... Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.... “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

Isaiah 43:1-3, 7, 10-13

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Church and Team "Happenings"

I realized lately that our blog has become slightly family focused. Perhaps that's because mom, who is in charge of the blog, is here at home - and so that's what gets posted. Which is not to say that the work doesn't go on - and that Josh is very busy with a variety of ministry activites. Here's some highlights from what's been going on.

- The youth and the young at heart begin playing volleyball as an outreach on Saturdays in January.
- Maggie and Palmira were baptized in February!
- End of February, Roland Bowen, a member of the missions committee at our sponsoring congregation of Austin Ave., makes a visit to help out with preaching and teaching responsibilites while all the new daddies are still getting back in the groove. Thanks, Roland!
- The youth have an outing to welcome their new members at a local pool in March.
- We have a team get-to-gether on Good Friday to spend some time in prayer and give the kids a chance to hunt Easter eggs.
- We celebrate Easter Sunday with an evangelistically focused service, inviting lots of friends and canvasing the neighborhood. The kids and youth perform some special skits, and the fellowship meal afterwards allows us to visit with the many visitors (we had about 80 in attendance!)
- Our small group, which usually meets at the building, decides to rotate the last Tuesday meeting of every month in members' homes to allow for a little more familiarity.
- And please be praying for this coming weekend: Josh is teaching a weekend course(the last weekend of March, April and May) at the contact center on preaching and Bible exegesis, which is open to churches across Bolivia. He's expecting 10-15 students - and they'll have lunch at our house - my first big hospitality event since Jana's birth.
-The first weekend in April marks the men's annual campout as well. Please be praying for that too.