Dear Church,
Thank you for continuing to read these letters, pray for us, and send support each month. We had several good visits on door-to-door visitation over the past couple months and have shared the gospel both in tracts and in conversation. There has been so much to tell but no time to tell it as the past two months flew by at record speed. Let’s try to catch up on the news from Astoria!
Stacy is taking classes at the local college and working on an accounting degree. She was required to give an informative speech and decided it must be about chickens. In order to give said speech, she needed visual aids in the form of cute cuddly baby chicks which she purchased and brought to class with her. She quickly won the hearts of many (if not all) in the classroom with her chicks while sporting her “Jesus Changed My Life, Ask Me How” t-shirt. The speech was a hit! For her argumentative speech she wore her Anchor Baptist Church hoodie. She pointed to the logo for reference and told how “church is essential” and cannot ever shut down even under threat of imprisonment or death. Some were nodding in agreement as she concluded quoting from the first amendment of the constitution which forbids the government to hinder “the right of the people to peacefully assemble.” Please pray for her and those she meets as she prepares her next speech.
Caleb and I met a Jewish couple while visiting and they needed transportation to an appointment. I agreed to take them, and we set the date. Their appointment was scheduled to last longer than an hour, so I left them and did some driving around and pulled into a random parking spot to make some calls and get some work done. I looked up and realized I was parked in front of a building for lease. I called the number and spoke with the property manager who came right over and opened the building to show me around. The price is $1.00/sq ft, and the building is 1500 sq ft. They require a 1-year lease, and the property is right on the main highway. It is located 20 minutes from our current location and although it isn’t technically Astoria, it is still the greater Astoria area. I have been working very hard on this and praying. Will you pray with us? The good folks at Cornerstone Baptist Temple in Sequim (Squim), WA donated 60 locking pew chairs in good condition. There are many other huge hurdles to cross but if God is in this move, I trust he will take care of every detail. I will attach a list of the costs involved with this move but please understand that we do not have the lease and do not know if it will go through. Our church is new and has no credit history. Again, please pray with us concerning wisdom and provision. The property manager said the owners do not want lighted signs but said we can put in a proposal. We have already paid out some money for an electrician’s proposal to show the owners that a sign can be installed safely and professionally. We also need the city to approve a conditional use permit before we can lease. There are more details than I can share in this letter so please pray for wisdom, miracles, and God’s provision. Please see the attached cost analysis and keep this matter in prayer. We had a first-time visitor last Sunday which encouraged us, but no souls have been saved for a while. Please keep praying! For those wondering, Stacy has an “A” in speech and is on the honor roll. Praise the Lord!
