McGrath Community Church Mission Work – Update August 17, 2015

August has been known to be a rainy month, and this year it no exception. The last few days have been rainy and cold. I know that you will not believe what I am about to tell you, but as many of you know Christie hates hot weather! The colder, the rainier, the cloudier, the better. Well, this past weekend it was rainy, cold and dreary…but she said the words I thought I would never hear her say, ” I am cold!” Just about knocked me out of my seat. She even asked me to start a fire in the wood stove! Next time you talk to her ask her is she is feeling! 🙂

Parsonage Update

The parsonage is about a week to a week and a half away from being ready to move in. There is some cabinet work to be done, the waterlines need to be connected, the bath fixtures installed and the bath tiled. Once this work is complete, the church can start looking for a pastor to come and help lead the church. The church built the parsonage to provide housing and utilities to a pastor who could come as a missionary pastor providing their support for living expenses (excluding housing and utilities) or a pastor who would come as part of mission organization that would provide the salary for the pastor. Please pray for the church as they begin this process.

With the parsonage construction near completion, it will soon be time to start furnishing the parsonage. I am in the process of setting up “Lists” (similar to wedding/baby registries) online at Wal-Mart, Target, and Fred Meyer. If you would like to help with the furnishings you can go online and see what is needed. The list may vary from store to store because you have to actually select items and add them to the list. Check back later this week for how to access these lists.

If you would prefer to send a donation that will work also. Make your check payable to McGrath Community Church and note on the check “Parsonage Furnishings”. The check can be mailed to McGrath Community Church. P.O. Box 82. McGrath, AK 99627. You will receive a year-end statement for your contribution.

Ministry Update

Christie did a lot of baking this past weekend, mostly cookies. She did a great job as she always does, but this time she did the baking in the wood stove! The cookies were very good. We are hoping to do more visiting this week if we can get some good weather.

We had a very good crowd this past Sunday despite the cold rain. We had a good worship time as we introduced a few contemporary worship songs via video clips. We were pushing the envelope a little but it went very well and the folks sang very good.

We looked at the book of Jonah in Part 3 of the current series, “Life Interrupted”. We talked about the consequences of running from God. Since many of the folks here are fishermen, I had the chance to tell a BIG fish story! Get it???

The series is going to wrap up on Sunday August 30, the last Sunday we are expected to be in McGrath. Sunday August 23 we will look at one of my favorite passage, the woman caught in adultery, and the last Sunday I will share personally how God has interrupted my life. At least that is the plan as of today. Please be in prayer for us as we close out our time here.

Special Ladies Event

Saturday August 22 at 2pm, Christie is gathering the ladies of the church and community together for a painting party. There will be wooden cross and Mason jar door-hangers available to paint. We are very excited about this outreach to the ladies. We have had a good response from the church, and hoping to get the ladies from the community involved also. We posted the event on the local online message board so we are hoping the word gets out.

I would like to give a very special thank-you to Becky Darnell for donating the wooden crosses and Mason jars to be painted, Rachel Nelson for donating the ribbons and burlap, and Hannah Cooper (my awesome daughter) for donating the paints and brushes. You gals are awesome!

Kidz Zone Update

Our summer program, KidZ Zone, wrapped up this past week. It has been so good to be in the community after VBS to follow-up with the kids. This was something new and we did not really know what to expect. But we had a good response for the first summer.

I am working on the school year program to follow-up the summer. We are going to call it “K4G”, Kids 4 God! It will be held one day a week after school, which just so happens to be right next to the church. Trying to focus on a high-energy hour to hour and a half program to really get them fired up about Jesus! Please pray that I can get some adults and high school kids to help with this program.

If anyone would like to help fund the “K4G” Club we would appreciate it very much. The things we need most are snack items, powder drink mixes, maybe hard candy for prizes, and maybe kick balls, soccer balls (all deflated of course). I am looking for an earth ball. It is a very BIG ball that the kids can play with outside. If you feel led to help us please send them via postal service, Priority Mail to Mike Mason, P.O. Box 133, McGrath, AK 99627.

Lucy and her calf update

No sightings this week! I guess she knows that moose season opens in a few weeks so maybe she is laying low for a while! I do not know why she should worry; first, you cannot shoot a cow moose, and second, you cannot shoot a gun in the city limits! I would say she is safe.

Parting Thoughts

Continue to pray for us as we share the love and message of Jesus Christ! Our newsletter should be on its way in the next few days. We will tell you about some exciting ministry opportunities! If you are not on our newsletter mailing list please send me your information, including email address if you prefer it emailed, to me at [email protected].