New York and Break Week!

Hello dear friends!

Today marks the first official day of break week here at the East Tennessee School of Preaching and Missions, and we are enjoying it thoroughly so far! Our first quarter was a great one... and overall it went very smoothly! Of course we've had stretches of stress and feeling too busy, but all in all, school has suited us both very well.

After a week of finals, we were blessed to be able to go with the school to Jamestown, New York to participate in a campaign there. What a wonderful time we had there! Two 15 passenger vans left the school at 6am Saturday, the 15th, and arrived in Jamestown about twelve hours later. The brethren at Jamestown were so warm and inviting and treated us just like family. The entire time we were there, they cared for our every need - keeping us in their own homes and feeding us wonderful meals each day.

Bill Bryant (right) with one of the students, Tom Bowling

The students were headed by Bill Bryant, who teaches Evangelism at the school, and he did a wonderful job each night - delivering encouraging lessons for the members about evangelism and affecting the community for Christ! The Jamestown congregation definitely has some folks that are willing to be put to work in the Lord's vineyard!

During the campaign, each day started at 8:30am with a short devo and planning session before heading out to the streets. The students were divided into teams and we all went out and knocked doors - praying for open hearts.

Lee and I were on a team with the Gillentine family - Jeremy, Amber, and their four children. They were a great team to be with! The kids did great doorknocking and talking to people!

 Jamestown is the hometown of one of the second year students and his wife, so it was great to be able to get to know their families and their home congregation! The fall foliage everywhere was simply gorgeous, and everywhere you turned, there were the cutest little century-old houses! The whole trip was a treat for the soul and the eyes! Just about every house we walked up to, I said to Lee "This house is SO cute!" Hehe... :)

 

 At 4pm each day, all the teams would meet back at the church building to discuss the day's accomplishments and to turn in contact cards to Rick McCurdy, the preacher at Jamestown. We talked over the good and the bad and what we could do better the next day. I think we can safely say that everyone learned something over the campaign - whether we had been doorknocking before or not! 

Rick McCurdy (left) discussing a contact card with one of the students, Greg Wanderman

Lee and I were privileged to stay in the home of Rick and his wife, Jeanne, who were the perfect examples of Christian hospitality! Rick is a graduate of ETSPM and invited us to come and hold a campaign there with them this year. We know that the church in Jamestown will continue to benefit greatly from their presence and work there!

The campaign concluded on Wednesday night and all the students packed up and headed home. During our 3 day campaign, we knocked almost 3,000 doors and the church there now has about 40 contacts to follow up on! Two specifically requested an in-home Bible study, and we already had a visitor from the community on Wednesday night! Please join us in praying for all those who were contacted during this campaign that they will be receptive to the gospel and for the brethren at Jamestown that they continue to work for the glory of God!

A special "thank you" to all our supporters who are making it possible for us to be involved in this work - we couldn't do it without you! As soon as Lee gets his grades back from this past quarter, we will be sending out our quarterly reports to update you all further on our progress here at school!

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20,21

In Him,