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Putting Others First: June 2008

By June 3, 2008No Comments

Reach Internationals in Your Community

Do you have internationals in your community? Do you have a plan to reach them? Would like to increase your church’s direct involvement in international Great Commission ministry? This year’s Pre-Conference Seminar is for you! Ariel Abadiano, a gifted and visionary Filipino leader, and one of our outstanding international partners will be conducting a valuable training session that will enhance your church’s global ministry strategy. Ariel is making a special trip from the Philippines to minister at our Annual Conference. Take advantage of this enriching learning opportunity, Tuesday, June 24, 9:30 a.m. until noon. As a service to our churches, we are offering this seminar free of charge. Email Andrea Gower to register now.

Operation Love – 2008 VBS Missions Offering

Operation Love will direct offerings collected from churches using RBP’s 2008 Dino Detectives VBS program to the many orphans in Africa and Asia.  Some children were orphaned by war and others lost their parents by rampant disease .  If you choose to adopt this project, be sure to go to www.garbcinternational.org  and click on the Dino Detectives image.  Four short videos are posted to assist you in promoting this project to your children.
Help Myanmar Victims

Chris Hindal writes, “Over the past two years as I have talked about the International Ministries of the GARBC, I have repeatedly told congregations that I am proud to be part of an Association of churches that has a heart of compassion. I have cited the extraordinary giving that reached out to the tsunami victims in Thailand, as well as to our own countrymen along the Mississippi Gulf Coast who suffered the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Myanmar, like Thailand, is overwhelmingly Buddhist. We must take back the ground for the cause of Christ. We must make a timely response. Everyday that passes brings more suffering. Certainly, believers in GARBC churches will want to be involved in this significant opportunity for sharing the love of God.” You can put your compassion into action by donating now to the International Ministries Emergency Relief.

Pray for Sister Church in Iowa

Recently a tornado touched down in the community of New Hartford, Iowa. The path of the tornado hit a few blocks away from a sister church in our Association, First Baptist Church. Praise the Lord that the church and parsonage were spared, but many people in the community lost their homes, including three families from First Baptist Church. Pastor Ben Epley conveys, “the need for our families is to find rental living, as they look for more permanent residences.” Pray for these families-the Swailes, Bennetts, and Hutchinsons as they seek housing and reestablish their households, and for the ministry of the church in the community during this time of need. Another note of praise–eight sister churches provided encouragement by assisting with the clean-up. Churches caring about churches is what makes the Association a wonderful family! (Read more about the tornado and clean-up on the Baptist Bulletin website.)