Saturday, May 29, 2021

 Hello in the Name of Jesus!  

For sure it has been way too long since we wrote!  Maybe as we are getting older we are getting slower!

We will give you a short update as to how things have been going this year!  God has blessed, we have been very busy and with not quite half of the year gone we have already done meetings in Texas, Arizona, Missouri, Arkansas and of course Oklahoma.   In the next few months we will be in Idaho, Colorado, Kansas, then back to Texas, Arizona, Missouri as well as Oklahoma!  God has blessed with decisions for salvation, recommitments, baptisms, prayer and church memberships.  We have been pleased with the turnout at the meetings, and in many cases the turnout has doubled from the first service to later services in the meeting!  It appears many people are over the COVID deal and are ready to get back in church!  

There has been some difficulties with weather, in the form of high winds, cold temps, and of course much rain;  rain and more rain!  In all, considering those things, it has been very good!   As always we thank the team members we work with, they are great, always do a fantastic job and are very valuable to the outcome of the meetings.  Those couples who have been helping Mary and I are J.D and Lucinda Couch, Bob and Donna Whitchurch, Jeff and Donna Gore.  Thanks to all of them for a job well done!

As the times get more difficult due to our age, weather, and more directly, the spiritual condition of our nation, we continue to seek God's help and direction in what to do in the future.  For sure the tent meetings are always good, bring more attendees, but are much harder to do.   With our teams helping us with the set up, take down, music, meals and other things we find our selves more indebted to them each year.  Believe me, we just do not drive up to the church walk in, sit down and do nothing until it is our time to minister.  There are hours and hours of preparation and work going into each meeting. With tent meetings, we normally have to arrive a day  before the meeting starts and leave the day after the meeting  ends.   Sometimes, we just do not have much time between meetings.   The commitment our teams make to serve the Lord is to be commended and applauded. We thank them for the sacrifices they make to minister!  May the Lord bless each of them!

If there are any pastors considering using our team this coming year, we would suggest you book us early so we can do the best we can to get the dates you would like.  With tent meetings the spring and fall dates go fast!  We have already had several churches and pastors tell us they want us in 2022, so since we schedule on a first confirmed bases, it would be good to contact us as soon as possible and get the dates confirmed.

In closing, Mary and I pray for all of you who are praying for us, supporting the work and providing the love, care and means to help us continue to minister.  Our special thanks to our home church, First Baptist of Nowata, Oklahoma and our pastor Wayne Clayton for the encouragement, support and prayers given to SCM!

Hope to see you soon!   

Steve and Mary