Wisconsin Rapids

      After a few hours of rest Sunday afternoon, we finished the weekend with a visit to Faith Baptist Church in Wisconsin Rapids.  Pastor Stever Steinmetz invited Ray to preach and present the Kewaunee ministry in their evening service.  We had beautiful weather, and enjoyed talking with their church family until well after service ended.  The children played with new friends from a family who had offered to put us up if we decided to stay the night.  After our exhausting week, we declined the invitation but welcomed their company until the church doors locked, and it was time to head home.  We praise the Lord for such a refreshing end to this busy week.

Friday & Saturday

      Well, the big week is over, and we've all got that "good tired" feeling in the Anderson house.  Praise the Lord for all the work and evangelizing done!  So many came out from Bay City  Baptist that we were able meet all of our canvassing goals.  EVERY door in the city of Kewaunee was knocked on, with either a personal conversation and/or a church pamphlet and Gospel of John left behind.  As well, thanks to a busload of teenagers and Tuesday's volleball team, information pamplets were hung on EVERY door in Algoma!  We were able to see two men come to salvation and have a total of 45 homes open to a visit from the pastor!  (I can't help the exclamation points today :) 

      The carpets have been installed and the old carpet scrubbed, and I was able to move some of the nursery furniture in so we can use it during Bible Study.   I'm so thankful for Megan and Joe's excitement about the church.  They both enjoyed "protesting" (as Joe mistakenly called the canvassing) with Daddy this week, and each had a project in the building.  Joe got to use tools and assembled one of the Sunday school benches, and Megan used her gift of organizing to move in the nursery toys. 

      Today we travel to Wisconsin Rapids to present the work in the evening service.  Pray for traveling safety and for one more energy burst for Ray as he preaches.  Then we should have a  "normal" last week of summer vacation before school begins.  The kids will be glad to have Daddy back home before bedtime, and we'll all get some much needed rest.  We couldn't have asked for a better week though, for both the family and Lakeshore Baptist Church.  To quote a young lady I canvassed with Wednesday, "My cheeks hurt from smiling so much :)"

Wednesday & Thursday

      Wednesday and Thursday stayed as busy as the beginning of the week.  Ray hi-lighted our maps for every block that was visited door-to-door, and we are very excited about the area that has been covered!  With so much help from Bay City's families, we're turning Kewaunee/Algoma "blue."  I was encouraged by a few visits Wednesday morning, including one young lady with a baby Titus' age, who invited us in to share the gospel with her.  I hope to see her at Bible study soon.  PRAISE the LORD - Dave Fizz was used to lead two men to salvation on two different blocks this week!!  Pray that they will desire to grow and come out to services.  

      A local couple from Algoma have now become consistent attenders on Thursday nights, and we enjoy their fellowship and participation.  This week's study was attended by a local pastor and two of his friends.  He pastor's a non-denominational church, and wanted to meet us and see what we were all about.  They were very friendly and warm in their conversation and participation.   Ray and I knocked on the door of the Lutheran pastor's family, speaking a few minutes with his wife.  She was very friendly and took our information, saying they'd send any Baptists they met our way ;)  Do pray for relationships between us and the established churches in town -- for wisdom, boldness, and a good testimony. 

      Our planned renovations were completed by the end of Thursday, aside from the carpet installation scheduled for Friday morning.  Brent Luther spent the afternoon on his stomach between ceilings so that we could have lights and fans in the classrooms, for which I and the children are grateful.  Again, we are thankful for so many of you who have come and are praying.  We are confident that our Father is faithful in blessing your hearts as you serve, not for us, but for HIS work.

Missions Week - Monday & Tuesday

      Helpers have been coming and going all day, and the church building is busy!  Please forgive me if I miss some --many-- names. While some went on visitation, others stayed to work on renovations.  We now have windows in the nursery / s.s. room, as well as plaster on the ceilings, and the first coat of paint.  (It'll take at least two to cover that red ;)   A large patch of carpet was removed and trimmed, so that the installers can come Friday morning with the new carpet.   You'll see Abby Effert has been scrubbing away at the awning -- an especially dirty job -- and the bathroom is painted.  Thank you again to Shane Sheehan, the Efferts, and Davis',  who came out and worked all day. 

     Thank you to those who came out for door-to-door visitation.  I started to list family names, but it got too long, praise the Lord!  We've spoken to many residents, and left door hangers wherever no one answered.  The volleyball team came Tuesday and covered a large area in Algoma as well.  We've seen some people are more willing to listen when a young person is smiling at them, so please don't leave the family at home.  Megan was so excited about her "date night" with Daddy to invite people to church ;)

 

Bay City Missions Week

      We are so so thankful to everyone at Bay City for their time and energy this week!  As of Wednesday afternoon, we have visited about half of the city of Kewaunee with the gospel of John and church information, and have left door hangers on one-third of the homes in Algoma!  I could put exclamation points on just about every sentence, but I will refrain.     !!     So many projects are being finished up, and the building is ever nearer to being ready for services.  I plan to update the blog frequently this week, so all those helping and praying can see the progress.  We've taken some pictures, but we're sorry we could not get photos of everyone who has helped -- including those who have offered to babysit for Tiffany.  Thank you as well for your prayers.  We know God is preparing hearts as we find people open to talking with us and asking for another visit. 

     These are a few pictures of the new paint work done the past two weekends by our good friend Adam Surber.  He was able to come out before the work week to do a majority of the painting, including the trim, storage room, main room, and hallway.  What an improvement!

A Double-Header Day

      Sunday kept us close to home with services in two different churches going two different directions.  Our new neighbor in Sturgeon Bay, Pastor Brandon Van Wyk invited Ray to present the work and preach at Peninsula Baptist Church for the morning service.  Their attendance in Door County ever changes in the summer months, and we were excited to find a packed auditorium!  Megan and Joe even gave up their two seats, as the people kept coming in for church.  We are happy to have new friends nearby in the Van Wyk family, and look forward to spending more time with them and their children.   Ray and I were glad as well to spend some time over lunch visiting with our LONG time teacher, Char Rice.  For those who may know her, please pray for some serious health needs.  Though you know nothing seems to slow her down, as she continues to minister to families in her farm home in Sister Bay.

      We headed home for a short afternoon rest, and then skipped down to Kaukauna where Ray presented and preached in the evening service.  Pastor Mark Cline and his wife Diana  are good friends, and we've been to Calvary Baptist so frequently in the past year, it feels a little like home.   God led us to a contact in a young man who was visiting and lives in Kewaunee County!  Pray that we can connect with him again perhaps this week.  

      Though the churches have been different this summer, and we drive in all different directions, there is a familiarity to each one.  Our God is everywhere the same!  It amazes me every week, that in Christ so many people we've never met before, can so quickly feel like family.

Tomah Travels

      We've had a very blessed and busy week, beginning with last Thursday night.   Last week we welcomed our first couple from the area to Bible study!   They are a sweet Christian couple, who have been looking for a Bible study to attend, and sound like they may continue coming out.  We're praying to see them again tonight. 

      Ray has been preparing for our big week of canvassing and renovation work with Bay City beginning the 15th.  We've received our door hangers, John Romans, and hymn books!  Adam Surber did a second weekend of beautiful work painting in the building (pictures to come in the next update.)  As well, we have had some positive activity regarding the sale of our house.

      Saturday the family packed up again, heading three hours west to present the Kewaunee ministry to Tomah Baptist Church.  The church's slogan is "The friendly church that cares for you," and we certainly felt welcomed by their people.  After spending the night in the home of a wonderful couple, Andy presented in the morning service and preached in the afternoon.  Our kids were happily surprised to find out we would be there for the church picinic!  Megan and Daddy were finalists in the egg toss, Joe got to play kickball, and Makayla made a new friend on the swings. 

     As a mom, I am so thankful to my God  that the kids are adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings so well.  Joe is the one I was most nervous about when we started missing services at Bay City to travel.  This week sitting in one of the rooms in Tomah, he asked me, "Mom, do you know what's so hard about coming to all these new churches?"  My mind quickly prepared to address his building fears.  Then he surprised me.  "We make all these new friends, and then we don't get to see them again for like, two years."  What have I been worried about?  God is giving them grace to stretch their little personalities, and our family is really enjoying this time together.