August - September 2009

Aug. 10 - Tallapoosa Association

We were invited to attend the Tallapoosa Association pastor conference in Alexander City.  Bro. Barry Cosper is the DOM (Director of Missions).   We shared with the pastors, our assignment as Alabama Prayer Mobilizers/Coordinators.   We shared about the importance of prayer in everything we as believers do.  Also, we shared the Acts 1:8 Prayer Network web page and how the pastors and their prayer coordinators could find mission trips to pray for before going, while they were gone and after they return. 

We also met  Pastor Jeffries from Sudan who was here seeking aid and support and sharing his testimony about the issues he and other Christians face in Sudan.   For Brenda, it was thrilling and very touching to hear him share how he had witnessed the delivery of Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes in his village.  This is a project that our church participates in each year.  Later we learned that he was going to the Soles4Souls distribution center to get shoes that he would take back to Sudan with him.  Again, Canaan participated in this too.  We collected over 300 pair of shoes in 2008 and delivered them to the Roanoke distribution center, the same center where Pastor Jeffries was going..  And then again, he talked about the need for clean water in Sudan and how the Pure Water Pure Love project has provided filters for them to use.  Canaan's WMU has collected money and purchased these water filters.  It is overwhelming to learn of how God has used the work of our WMU and others in our church to meet the needs of people in far remote places.  And also, to learn how God is using those things to spread the love of Jesus everywhere.

Aug. 14 - 20 - Michigan

We delivered 100 DVDs we had prepared for our partnership in Michigan with our friend and DOM, Bobby Gilstrap.  We stayed in their associational missionary apartment in Monroe, MI.  We went to the Michigan Baptist State Convention office one day to train them on editing video and powerpoint for uploading to their portal on the e-quip.net web site.   I have been doing this for  NoBA (Network of Baptist Associations) e-quip web site (http://noba.e-quip.net) and Bobby asked if we could train them in the process.   Of course, as much as I enjoy working with computers and video, and my love for helping others, I gladly said YES.  Brenda and I also enjoyed the trip and took a little time to rest and relax too.

Aug. 27 -28 - Montgomery

We went to the State Board of Missions (SBOM) office in Montgomery to participate in planning for 2010.  It's exciting to be part of this team and to be included in the planning.  We pray that God will guide all of us as we begin serving in 2010.

September- Missions Summits

The Office of Global Missions at SBOM held 5 mission summits across Alabama.  We attended the summits in Athens, Anniston and Prattville.  This is a time when the Office of Global Missions shares with associations and churches across the state of the mission partnerships and mission opportunities for the upcoming year.  We had a great time sharing about the Acts 1:8 prayer network and meeting fellow believers interested in missions.  Our prayer is that MORE believers, MORE churches and MORE associations will become involved in missions.  It is a commandment from our Lord, Jesus Christ, to go and tell others about Him and the eternal life that is available only through His blood shed on Calvary.

Sept. 13 - Canaan's Mission Fair -

What a great night to celebrate our church's involvement in missions.  We heard from 8 teams that went on mission, including our WMU ladies who played a VITAL role in the success of this year's efforts.  Without them, their hard work, their financial support, their providing materials, and especially their prayers, our mission trips would not have been successful.  WMU - THANK YOU!

Sept. 24 - Baldwin Association Key Leadership Conference

We were asked by Mike Jackson, the SBOM, Director of Discipleship and Family Ministries to lead a conference for him on starting a prayer ministry.   We worked hard for over a week putting together the powerpoint and studying about how to do that.   We had 7 attend the conference and they thanked us for sharing with them.  We were apprehensive about the presentation, but we believe we did ok - but believe us, we prayed a lot about this.  We just had to remember Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me".

We took the camper.  When Brenda found out we were going to Robertsdale for the conference, she said we've got to go to the beach.  Sooooooo, you see why we pulled the camper down.  Today (Friday, Sept 25th,) I'm sitting under the camper awning, in the shade, typing this update!  We've been to the beach earlier this morning and walked about 2 miles.   It's really nice since there aren't so many folks here this time of year.  The weather is beautiful and not too hot nor cool, just right (in the shade).

Pray for us as we make plans for October and November.