TAKING OFF

The Quadracci Pavilion and Burke Brise Soleil

Yesterday evening Shirley and I arrived back home from our nearly four day trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin . After my final two meetings on Monday morning it was time for us to take off from this year's NACCC annual meeting. I really found yesterday meeting's possibly the most beneficial of those I was involved with.

My first one was strictly among us missionaries supported by the NACCC Mission Society. We were able to learn what I would refer to as protocol the expected and required procedures to work with the Society. We also brainstormed and discussed ideas among ourselves on running and promoting out individual organizations. Seeing how the meeting's theme was Doing a New Thing I find myself pondering some new ideas already.

My last meeting was what is referred to as setting on the hot seat where you spend a hour being interviewed by the Mission Society. This is a time for the Society members to get to know you as well as find out more about your ministry and organization. The other side of the equation is you get to promote your work and seek the Society's help and assistance.

Now about those photos of the first Santiago Calatrava designed building completed in the U.S. This is the center piece and welcome center of the Milwaukee Art Museum . It sets right downtown on the shores of Lake Michigan on their miles of extensive lake front park system. The building takes on the appearance in my mind depending on where you stand of a giant airplane taking off, or a large sword fish and in some respects the Nautilis from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

It does have a wing span of the size of a 747-400 and the mast that supports the wings weighs more than 300 elephants. The wings have 2 electronic wind sensors that will automatically close the wings when speeds reach 23 mph. The wings also open at 10:00 am, close and reopen at noon and close at 5:00 pm.

Next year the annual meeting will be hosted in Anchorage, Alaska. My wife and I are seriously considering whether to attend and will be praying about it in the coming months . This years event though was well worth our time and financial investment as I feel much was gained and learned. You go away feeling recharged and ready for a new take off for higher altitudes.

In God's love , steve

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, MILWAUKEE 2009

The Wyndham Hotel, Milwaukee

The Resource Room set up for mission displays

The Sunday morning church service

Behold I am doing a new thing !! Isaiah 43:19

We arrived here in Milwaukee Friday afternoon for our first ever NACCC annual meeting, this is their denomination's 55th annual meeting, though their history goes back hundreds of years. We have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this great event and being recognized as one of their 14 mission outreaches.

We were recently accepted as a mission outreach for their churches to use as short term missions in Haiti. Besides getting to talk to interested church pastors and individuals about arranging stm trips it has been stimulating to network with other mission organizations from around the world. Talking with missionaries from Mexico, Philippines, Burma, Bulgaria Cameroon, Kenya and all across the U.S. has been an encouragement to me to even work harder.

Our message at this morning's church service was "Willing to make a new start" and the theme of this meeting is "Behold I am doing a new thing", what an appropriate message. Time and time again I have seen missions and churches fail because they have been unwilling to change ,to make a new start and to do a new thing. I will be sharing some more things about our time here in my next blog but i'ts time now to head to another meeting. In God's love , steve

BE EXTRAVAGANT

DOING THE UNEXPECTED THING!!

This past Sunday our pastor shared a message he titled: The Unexpected Thing.
His sermon was based on Matthew 26; 6-13 where the woman anoints him with the costly perfumed oil. Those who were with Jesus on that day thought this anointing to be an extravagant act, a waste of money. Pouring the costly oil on Jesus body wasn't the expected thing to do. Yet Jesus was the unexpected: He did the unexpected , He taught the unexpected and challenges us to do the unexpected. The Bible verse ends with this scripture" I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." Pastor Johnny challenged each of us to stretch ourselves and get out of the same old rut of always doing the expected "same old same old".

Possibly it was for that reason as I was heading home yesterday afternoon that the unexpected display of love and devotion on the billboard picture caught my attention. I'm sure this man's extravagant act of love for his wife is the talk of the town of North Webster, Ind. What this man did to show his devotion for his wife will surely remain etched in the lives of many who pass by this billboard. It is an example to all of us to do the unexpected. Yes flowers and an elegant meal out is the usually expected anniversary celebration , but soon fade in our memories. Whose to know how far this extravagant act may go in the way other men and women show appreciation to their spouses, children, friends, co workers and even strangers.

Our pastor challenged us to stretch ourselves to be extravagant, to do the unexpected. Maybe it's reaching out to someone we may not know very well, a non Christian, someone we have a problem with or they with us, someone hurting or suffering, someone we are close with but haven't shown our appreciation to lately.You never know what might happen nor how far that unexpected act may go in changing lives. In God's love , steve

LOOKING AHEAD BY LOOKING BACK

The Long Road

At the end of this month, June 26-29th, I will be attending the annual meeting of the Congregational Christian Churches of America in Milwaukee, Wisc. This is a big event for us as we will be recognized as the mission outreach for their churches to work with in Haiti. Attending such an event requires more than booking a hotel room, doing a Map Quest and packing a suitcase. It seems like I have been in contact and sending info to the C.C.C. headquarters regularly the past several weeks. They needed a bulletin insert with pictures about G.A.P.to hand out to all attendees More recently they requested a list of prayer needs to be submitted.

When I put together the bulletin insert I realized that I also needed to reevaluate who we are and what we do. When we agreed to move to Canaan in 2005 and started operating a guest house the distinction between G.A.P. and Canaan became somewhat confusing to many of our teams. This process of evaluation was a good thing out of it has come three new brochures that I will be taking to Milwaukee with me. Our old brochure was designed in 2002 and so much has changed since then. One of our new brochures tells the G.A.P. story and briefly describes each of our 5 ministries. The other two describe specific ministry outreaches.

I thought it might be a good thing to share a little about the G.A.P. brochure. First our logo actually represents some specific things about the Go and Produce Ministry. G.A.P. Ministry comes out of the Bible verse John 15:16 where Jesus tells His disciples that "He chose them and gave them this work to do: Go and Produce fruit that will last". The tree in our logo is representing something that can bear fruit. The five branches of the go and produce tree (a hand) represent the five ministries of our work in Haiti.

Our five ministries:

** G.A.P. Ministry-- a mission agency that organizes, arranges and leads short term missions (STMs)opportunities for individuals, churches and organizations to Haiti. The fruits of these opportunities result in construction projects, medical outreaches, education, evangelism and many other things for those who we partner with in Haiti.

** Feet Across the Mountains--- creates community partnerships to improve the quality of life of the Mountain People while preserving their unique culture and lifesyles. This ministry has it's own brochure describing its goals and objects.

**GLAD Ministry--- means Giving Love And Dignity. This ministry provides a way for churches and individuals to give boxes of specified items to needy families in Haiti. It also has it's own brochure listing the accepted items and how to participate.

** Canaan Community Clinic--- G.A.P. is raising the funds and overseeing construction on a new community clinic in Montrouis, Haiti

** Bible Distribution--- G.A.P. is the contact representative and distributor for World Missionary Press of free Creole, French and English Bibles and tracts in Haiti.

Sometimes being forced to step back and take a look at yourself can be a good thing. In this instance it has made me realize God has "indeed blessed us and enlarged our territory" the prayer of Jabez I prayed so often as we started 10 years ago. It also encourages me to stay focused on Jesus because without Him we wouldn't have ever made it to this point on our own. In God's love, steve

The Scuttlebutt

This is the blog site of my friend Lorah Ray and her husband Justin. When I first met Lorah back in 2003 her last name was Styer. Lorah has joined me in Haiti on 4 different occasions, always proving herself a true missionary. In 2005 she went on to do mission training and assignments with Mercy Ships out of Tyler ,Texas.

She and Justin were  married a year ago in May after finishing a 2 year commitment on board a Mercy Ships off the coast of Africa. They tried to settle into the accepted comfort zone of living the life of conventional newly weds. After several months of regular jobs, an apartment, purchasing and consuming, actually owning stuff,  living life for the weekends, holidays, and vacations they felt the pull to go in another direction less traveled. They chose in Lorah's own words a "simpler life so that others might simply live" , they re-enlisted and headed back to Africa with Mercy Ships in Jan of this year. I always enjoy and I'm inspired when I hear from my friends who are doing mission work around the world.  This is one of Lorah and Justin's recent posts. In God's love , steve   

The Scuttlebutt

A MORNING AT PISGAH NATURE PRESERVE

At the end of April shortly after having arrived home from Haiti for a three month stay in the states I visited the Pisgah Nature Preserve. This is a really neat area about 10-12 miles away from my home here at Tri Lakes. I grew up here  and still live in the lakes region of North East Indiana. This 700 acre preserve is representative of how this lake region looked before the pioneering settlers arrived here in the late 1820's. It encompasses several small connected lakes, marshes and wetlands. The word Pisgah as I understand has to do with the glaciers and the left behind hills of sand deposits. This area abounds with all manner of waterfowl, song birds, pheasants, eagles, osprey , deer, bobcats, coyote, foxes, beavers, muskrats, snakes, turtles and much more. It is a photographer and nature lovers dream spot with the elevated board walks from which you can noiselessly approach the wildlife. I hope my pictures have captured some of the beauty of God's creation that I observed that nice Spring day. In God's love , steve   

A MORNING AT PISGAH NATURE PRESERVE

CHECK THIS VIDEO OUT

If you have followed my blog you may know about Liz Froba who is leading a mission team to 10 different countries this year. I have known Liz since 2007 when she came to spend some time with us in Haiti. Since then she has continued to give her life to mission work and working with young people. Her latest endeavor has been to be involved in this year's version of The World Race. Just click on the second (Indonesian Video Too!) title in the following post to enjoy the latest video in their journey. In God's love , steve

Africa Here We Come! (Indonesia Video too!)

Africa Here We Come! (Indonesia Video too!)

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