We rejoice to report that through God’s goodness to us and your prayers for us, our Easter services in Kemmerer and Cokeville went well. In Kemmerer, the Hartmans were sick and a few others who had previously participated were unable to help, but God gave Elizabeth the strength to play all the music and James the strength to lead the singing and then preach. We rejoice in this, for the strength was not our own! We had several visitors at the service in Kemmerer, even filling up both front rows, and we give glory to God that so many people heard the Gospel!
In Cokeville, we have been praying for our mothers with their children to return regularly. James has been visiting them and encouraging them to attend, but different things continue to keep them away. We do rejoice that our two Sunday regulars attended on Easter and again heard the Gospel through the readings, music, and message. Pray for LC and BS and their children to return. Also, continue praying for the salvation of BR, J&C, CR, B, R&R, and RG.
We also ask you to lift up to God our need for a meeting place in Cokeville. We have mentioned in the past that during the warmer months, the sanctuary in the building we use is inhabited by bats. The presence of the bats poses a health risk and prevents Elizabeth from being able to attend the services, when we move the adults to the sanctuary to have a kids' class in the fellowship hall. Recently, we have also started receiving notes when we arrive in the building, prohibiting us from using it the way we have over the past seven years. Additionally, the Episcopal church (whose building we use) has started a food pantry, which is a good thing for the community—but it is encroaching on the space we need for services, and adding another blockage to our use of the building. Saddest of all, the person leaving the notes was initially the driving force behind us starting the church plant in Cokeville; however, they have gone back to attending the Episcopal services, in part because we would not compromise Biblical truth. Pray for their return, their salvation, and for guidance on a place for us to use.
A further complication is that the Episcopal diocese has moved the priest who was coming to Cokeville to a higher position. At the same time, the building was almost condemned by the building inspector during an in-progress inspection for all the work they have been doing on the building. These things have caused concerns that the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming will close the church. We ask you to pray in two ways over these complications. First, if the diocese closes the church, that we could purchase it cheaply. Second, that those who attend the Episcopal service, to whom we have been ministering for years now, will be fed up with the falsehood and bureaucracy and return to attending services with us, and that they will hear the truth and be saved.
This letter is shaping up to be all about buildings, as we also need continued prayers for both the expansion of the facilities in Kemmerer and a house for us. With all these physical and spiritual needs that we have mentioned, we place them in God’s hands and seek His direction and work.
Another physical need that could be pressing very soon is moisture for our area. We had a very low moisture winter and have been having an early warm spring. Even with the snow melting on the upper elevations of the mountains, the river through town is already at its normal summertime level. Pray that God will supply moisture through rain and snow in the coming months, as a provision for our reservoirs and a protection from the potentially dangerous and prolific wildfire season ahead of us.
On the health front, as we reported about our Easter services, God has been gracious to us. We are both doing well enough for our normal ministry responsibilities. We have upcoming doctor’s appointments over the next few weeks, and more through the next several months. Pray that all the results will be good, and that God will give us the strength needed as we now ramp up for summer ministry with VBS. We also ask you to pray for one of our family members, whose cancer from two years ago has returned and metastized; we are praying for the treatment to be effective, with minimal side effects, and for opportunities to witness to medical personnel along the way.
Finally, we ask that you start praying with us for VBS in Kemmerer (June 15-19) and in Cokeville (July 29-31). We did have another team offer to come help us, but had to turn them down for budgetary reasons. However, the International Baptist College & Seminary from Arizona will have a team stopping in Kemmerer at the beginning of July; they are going to minister in Cokeville, including helping James pass out VBS flyers and doing special music in the park. This prompts us to ask for prayer and provision of a need; for the music in the park, the IBCS team needs the use of an electric piano/keyboard. Please pray that we can find a good one for cheap or to borrow.
The requests we have shared in this letter are great, but they are for the glory of God, and we trust in Him to answer. We are thankful for all of you praying on our behalf and we look forward to the many ministry opportunites over the coming months.