Archive for December, 2008

We often receive wonderful notes in the office.  One such note made me think of the story of the poor widow in Luke 21:1-4. 

 Dear Brian,

I’m writing to thank you for sending “Country Matters.”  I love the stories–you see, my little country church was closed for many years until Pastor Paul and Mary Lou Canady came from Village Missions.  We had several pastors over the years–I still stay in touch with some of them–wonderful people whom I love very much.

I am a 77 year old widow still attending the same church, no longer “Village Missions,” but I wanted to thank you for everything you did for us over the years.

I can’t send you much money but maybe it will help cover some postage.

Sincerely,

In Christ

Betty

I am so glad that Village Missions has ministered to wonderful people like Betty and I am so thankful for the sweet grace and love they return to us!

Village Missions just received a gift of $74. This gift is remarkable in that it came from GoodSearch. Once I learned about GoodSearch and then designated Village Missions as the recipient, I started using it like any other search engine. You can make it your homepage or you can install a GoodSearch toolbar. The results of the searches seem to be on a par with Google, but, of course, you can always use Google as a backup if you can’t find what you want. I found this on their website:

GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50-percent of its revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users. It’s a simple and compelling concept. You use GoodSearch exactly as you would any other search engine. Because it’s powered by Yahoo!, you get proven search results. The money GoodSearch donates to your cause comes from its advertisers – the users and the organizations do not spend a dime!

In 2007, GoodSearch was expanded to include GoodShop, an online shopping mall of world-class merchants dedicated to helping fund worthy causes across the country. Each purchase made via the GoodShop mall results in a donation to the user’s designated charity or school – averaging approximately 3% of the sale, but going up to 20% or even more.

I haven’t used the online shopping mall yet, but plan on doing so. You can give a gift to a loved one and at the same time, give a gift to Village Missions!

I would encourage you to start using GoodSearch and designate Village Missions or your favorite organization as the recipient of your searches. It only takes a second to designate your favorite charity and then proceeds automatically go to that charity until you change the designation. It is simple and easy! It is one more way, and a wise way at that, to help keep country churches alive.

Morning Star Community Church

Sunday we visited Morning Star Community Church in Red Feather Lakes, CO, our former field. Ten years ago, almost to the day, the new church we had built burned to the ground. Being at the church brought back memories of that challenging time, some painful and some wonderful.

The charred cross that survived the fire still hangs in the entryway. It was a beautiful mahogany cross, built by one of our members. Our construction manager, Dean, found it in the ashes. The fire had been unbelievably hot, so hot that water from a 2 ½-inch hose vaporized before it reached the flames. Yet the cross survived, with all four ends charred but still in the shape of a cross. I wrote a tract about how the charred cross was a much better picture of our salvation than an ornate one. Someone at the church mentioned Sunday that God is still using that tract.

Every year Carole’s brother and family would come up to Red Feather Lakes for Thanksgiving. One of the church members would give us a homegrown turkey, usually over forty pounds. I think the turkey that year was forty-four pounds! Stressed out in the aftermath of the fire, I threw out my back lifting the turkey into the oven! The aftermath of the fire and my back made for an interesting Thanksgiving!

But many heart-warming memories survive! Earl, an electrician in his eighties, who did most of the wiring, came to me and said, “Well, I guess we just have to build it again!” Employees at the Beaver Meadows Resort Ranch put on a fundraiser for the church, with employees themselves giving to help us rebuild. Later, other businesses in the town also raised money for the church. The church was rebuilt in less than a year. The congregation came out of the fire stronger and more unified than before the fire.

Then and even now, ten years later, the Morning Star Community Church fire is a reminder that God often does His most meaningful work out of ashes. The charred cross hangs as a reminder for all of us that what seems to be the worst may actually be God’s best.