Epoch

Praise God!
We are all ‘littlefaiths’ aren’t we?
We wait for God and He is faithful.
We say we are patient, but we are not.
We wait because we have to.
We say “your will oh Lord”, but we long for our way.
Praise God!
He is faithful!

How it all works out we can’t even imagine, but it has worked out every time.
Biblical history…
Our walk of faith…
He is faithful.

We are seeing fruit in the lives of kids and grown-ups.
Answers to prayer.
Unanswered prayer for which we are grateful

• We start a guitar class and bible study on Wednesday
• The chaplaincy is going well and kids are asking questions.
• The church is growing and the gospel is preached.
• We are seeing real cross-denominational ministry opportunities.
• We found a house to buy IN Alva.

It had to be IN Alva.
17 months of watching and various disappointments.
It seemed like every six weeks we would find a new option and watch it NOT work out.
We sold a condo in LA (71% return on 5 year investment) and banked the cash short-term in a CD that covered the debt service.
But the exchange rate effectively cut any $ in half.
Just recently, our CD matured to a very small rate of return at rollover, so we moved the money into a simple money market and were looking at paying a bit on the loan each month

But when we finally found this property, and got turned down...again,
the economy began its latest pangs and the sellers came back willing.
We are now buying a small cottage at the lowest exchange rate since we arrived. (Since 2006 actually)
Any time sooner and we would not have afforded this one.

Please do pray:

• Lots of older folks are sick at our church.
• The Fraser family is ‘full of cold’, as they say.
• We are a bit stressed with a house full of boys.
• Liz and I are meeting with a family counsellor to learn how to communicate better.
  (more like a third party to help us honestly apply biblical truth)
• I also have a habit of keeping up my best face for the public and being less encouraged at home so consistency in witness at home is key.
• In the last year and a half: Home sale, international move, new pastoral ministry, missionary culture shock, new baby, home purchase, financial questions = stress…
• Some kids are really giving us trouble at the kids club:
  Pornographic MP3s on their cell phones
  Cheeky influence during the lessons
  So we kicked them out.
  Now I’ve got Prank phone calls and ring and runs at my home.
  Pray. for my witness, these kids aggravate me.
  These feral creatures need parenting and love, but they are infectious and rude.
  I can only reach so many people in a week and I think our investment is better suited to training up good kids and not coddling reprobates who scoff at God!
  Though I learned at SoM how much CC depends on we recovered reprobates!
• That salvation would visit the homes in our sleepy burgh of Alva
• for our home purchase to move ahead

He who began a good work…; I can do all things through Christ….; God is good!

Signs of Life (Fruit)

My Utmost for His Highest: 27 September

"Once the call of God comes to you, start going and never stop."

Latest News

(Dont forget to look at previous entries that arrive inbetween reminder emails)

We are seeing the High School opened up in a way that hasnt happened in remembered history!
We received an open invitation to adopt an entire year group and be their chaplain. They are open to the Pastor 'loitering with intent' to chat with kids about God. They asked if we would come alongside teachers and help them address their disciplines when our expertise contributes.

The Christian Club at Alva Academy is growing and being populated with seekers and interested non-Christians. So cool!

We are seeing growth in the church and maturity in the existing family who gather.
We spent a recent deacons' mtg discussing the need for the church to repent of her poor witness in the community over decades; and celebrated a Harvest Thanksgiving service with a theme of repentance. All on the heals of a prayer service where this pastor apologized to the community if we were at any point the awnry sister down the road. God is so faithful when we come to Him humbly and glorifying Him. He is just and He is worthy.

The church is open on Sunday Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Not just traditional church, but relationships seeded with the gospel message.

Playing ping pong Friday night a young man shared the following:
"You know, since I've been coming to church (Friday night, not yet Sundays), I can see God's hand on my life. Iv'e been reunited with my sister and brother, I can see that God has given me (his mom's boyfriend) as a guy in my life to help me, and I am learning more about God. Iv'e been thinking that I would like to be baptized" (pastor lifts jaw off the table)

Simon came to the house the next week and his mom's boyfriend was concerned that the lad not take action in ignorance or rashly. Simon's mom came by the next week to see what we are about and approves of her son's decision.

We will be starting a discipleship course begining with Salvation and Baptism on a Wednesday night soon (next week).

There is life here! We see fruit. Love works!!!

This is a church that is returning to her First Love.

And you stand with us!
THANK YOU JESUS!

September Mission Trip

Life Connections International brought over a team of five people from Texas and California to serve alongside of Alva Baptist Church for a week.

This 'scouting' mission was classic MO for God working through LCI. We stepped out to invite them and they agreed to pray about the visit. And God brought together the perfect team! He tipped His hand to us about the massive work that we may see in Scotland over the next few years, God willing.

The Fraser house was swarming with activity as 10 people from (ehem) 40 to 4 mos came and went from day-to-day and adventure-to-adventure.

We saw lots of opportunity to pray with different groups of people and encourage them about the ongoing work.

Several people who visited are gifted evangelists and they helped to start relationships that are still growing now that they have returned home.

I think the Scots inspire Americans as much as Americans encourage Scots. And its not just dopey Braveheart-smitten Americans or Holywood worshiping Scots; we saw citizens of heaven recognizing the body of Christ and calling outside the walls of the church buildings to candidates for salvation!

There is so much happening in Alva, Clackmannan, Central Scotland...and beyond.

Prayer, feeding, evangelizing, encouraging, learning, growing, serving, sharing... we had it all!

LCI in Scotland

Just outside Edinburgh Castle. Still digesting all that happened while these folks visited.

Family Photo

Some of you have asked, so here is a new Fridge Photo for those of you who pray for us:

Josiah 4; Aaron 3mos; Liz 20-something; Daniel 5 (and 4/5ths!); David 39

AND...there was a sunny day here!

proof:

Please pray for the LCI Mission Trip here 31 August-8th September!