Team Wisconsin Update 5-14-08

Lakeshore

It was a wonderful Mother’s Day as I had the privilege of dropping in at the home church to worship with Pastor David Treloar and the Lakeshore church family.  Pastor David preached a good message, as he always does.  He is in a series on the Home entitled “Housework.”  This week was on the Office; he spoke on finances, giving some good Biblical foundation and sharing John Wesley’s three principles on money – “Earn all you can, Save all you can, Give all you can.”  I also had the opportunity to hear Jeff Lennberg for the first time leading worship at Lakeshore.  Jeff and his family have felt led to begin ministry preparation with the Wesleyan church and to begin worshipping and working with Lakeshore.  He does a good job and it was a delight to visit with he and his family.

A special treat for us was to have our son and his family here.  Brent, Laura and Jackson stopped in on their way to Indiana where Brent is taking his last master’s class at Indiana Wesleyan University. 
 
Congratulations to Pastor Russell and Margaret Wooten! They have welcomed their 18th grandchild, Judah Reagan Clipner, into the world this past week. Mom and Dad (their daughter and son-in-law Kenny & Michelle), and all five brothers and sisters are doing great.  Grandma and Grandpa Wooten are pretty excited, too.
 
Nica News

The Knoxes and Eckhardts had a special time of retreat in Matagalpa recently.  The Knox family will be returning to the United States next month for a year of travel and connecting with churches and supporters.

The work team from Sheridan, WY was a huge blessing to the construction project at Mount Horeb.  The project is about 50% complete.  Mount Horeb is the location of one of three schools we have in Nicaragua and there is a church there as well.  Three people from the Mount Horeb church were baptized last weekend

The newly planted church at Matagalpa in northern Nicaragua has been given the use of a house to hold services.  This is a huge praise because the rainy season starts soon and they have been meeting on top of a ridge in the great outdoors.  There were over 80 people there in attendance last week.
 
Please pray for:

Sand Lake and Northern Lakes Churches in the pastoral search process.

General Conference and District Conference in June.

The summer camps (two Children’s, Middle School and Senior High).

Mary Coolidge, who remains in the hospital in Superior.

Debbie Hoover, Projects Director of World Hope, and wife of Chesapeake Dist. Supt.

Stan Hoover (and also Dan and Reenie’s sister-in-law) who will be having surgery on Friday.

Shelley Berry, wife of South Coastal Dist. Supt. Dan Berry as she continues to recover from the serious automobile accident. You can read of her progress and specific requests at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/danshelleyberry. 
 
Calendar

May
14 Nicaraguan Partnership Committee
17 DBMD Meeting
18 Woodland Visit
19-25 Vacation
28 Church Planting Strategic Planning

Summer Camps & Conferences

June
7-11 General Conference
9-13 North & South Kids Camps
15-20 Middle School Camp 26-27 District Conference
29—July 4 Senior High Camp

Eastman is a small town in the southwestern part of Wisconsin. The beautiful brick church sits along the main drag and is one of three churches in the town. I had the privilege of speaking on Sunday, then sharing a meal with the congregation and meeting with their LBA. Pastor Fred and Sandy were called there three years ago and have worked faithfully and hard to build the congregation. The congregation is unique in that almost all of the church is made up of those in the farming industry and almost all families home school their children. They have an active children’s, youth and young adult ministry that meets weekly. It was good to catch up with Fred and see that he is recovering very well from the heart attack he had just a short time ago. He reports that there appears to be minimal damage and he expects an almost full recovery in a few weeks. That is a remarkable thing, considering his heart stopped and he almost died twice. Thank the Lord for His touch and grace on Pastor Fred.

Year End Deadlines!

· May 10 (postmark) USF payments for the past fiscal year.

· May 15 all Annual Service Reports.

· May 31 all other reports (statistical, delegates, leaders, etc.)

Promptness in reporting is not only required; it is greatly appreciated.


Prayer Requests

Please pray for:

· Pastor Mary Coolidge who was rushed to the hospital to stabilize her because of problems with her medication

· Pastor Fred Whyte as he continues to heal from the heart attack.

· Northern Lakes Church and Sand Lake Church in the continuing search for a pastor.

· The upcoming General Conference in June.

· Our annual District Conference.

· Our children’s camps, middle school camp, and high school camp coming in June.

Calendar

May 11 Drop-in Visit (Mother’s Day)
14 Nicaraguan Partnership Committee
17 DBMD Meeting
18 Woodland Visit
19-25 Vacation
28 Church Planting Strategic Planning

Summer Camps and Conferences

June 7-11 General Conference
9-13 North & South Kids Camps
15-20 Middle School Camp
26-27 District Conference
29—July 4 Senior High Camp

Team Wisconsin Update 5-2-08

The past two weeks we connected with West Allis in southern Wisconsin & Stone Lake in northern Wisconsin. 

West Allis
West Allis has combined their two services and blended the elements and style into one.  Pastor Peter and Peggy have been at West Allis for 19 years now, having raised their two children there, and helping to raise foster children in recent years.  While Peter pastors the church, Peggy works in a local school system as a physical therapist.  A number of people have been called into vocational ministry under their leadership. 

Stone Lake
Stone Lake continues to be led by supply pastor Don Berry, now in his 9th year there.  Don and Bea Berry, who live in Rice Lake, have led the congregation in beginning a Monday evening kids’ ministry and completing a beautiful education/fellowship addition to the original church.  They just recently took in 13 members with a few more to be added soon.  I had the privilege of meeting with the leadership team there and talking about their vision for the future.


Spiritual Formation
Heath Davis, our adult spiritual formation director, along with Jeremy and Chopper, have a blogspot and I would encourage you to check it out regularly at www.wispiritualformation.blogspot.com. Heath is the main writer/contributor and I’m sure you’ll find his thoughts interesting and encouraging.  There are also several links to information and resources that can be helpful in your work to help grow and mature the Christ-followers in your care.
 
Congratulations to the Tripps
Pastor Alan Tripp writes, “Just want you to know that we have another blessing in our family.  Sarah Beth made her debut on April 27th weighing in at 9 lbs. 3 oz. and 21 inches long.  She arrived by c-section, but mom and baby are doing good.  Ruth is enthralled with her little sister and will be more help than mom needs.  It would help if Ruth understood what the term "gentle" means.”  Sarah Beth is Alan and Irene Tripp’s granddaughter, the daughter of their son Steven and his wife Tori.  Steven has just recently become a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University.
 
District Board of Administration
The DBA met a couple of weeks ago and dealt mainly with missional issues such as developing churches, church planting and how to provide the financial support for a missional vision.  As we prepare for our annual conference, we are praying and planning for a wonderful time together. 
 
Camps and Conferences
Also, as we begin the required reporting process for the past year of ministry, and continue to look to the future, please pray for the camps and conferences:

General Conference June 7-11
North and South Kids camps June 9-13
Middle School camp June 15-20
District Conference June 26-27
Senior High camp June 29-July 4

District Calendar

May

4 Eastman Visit & LBA
6 Nominating Committee Meeting
11 Drop-in Visit (Mother’s Day)
14 Nicaraguan Partnership Committee
17 DBMD Meeting
18 Woodland Visit
19-25 Vacation
28 Church Planting Strategic Planning

Leading a great team—Your Servant, Dan Bickel, Wisconsin District Superintendent