2/29/2008 - Summer of Missions      

Well I can’t believe we are already talking about summer!  This year seems to be flying right by and we are now looking a summer full of mission opportunities for our youth and families.  As we look forward to a summer spent growing in our walk with Christ through reaching out others, I ask that you would make a commitment to praying for the work that will be done in His name. 

On June 23^rd, approximately 15-20 Plymouth Haven Baptist Church members will take up the Great Commission and travel to the Czech Republic to share Christ with people who once lived under communist oppression.  During the trip we will be leading worship in the churches as well as in the parks.  Several members of our Daybreak and Youth Praise bands will be participating in this evangelism through worship.  In addition, our team, working in conjunction with two English teachers (missionaries) will gain access to the schools.  At this time we will speak about Christianity in America and invite the students to the church to “practice their English” with us while we share our testimony.  There will also be an opportunity to work on and in a half way house for former prisoners in the area. 

A month leading up to the trip, we will begin a Bible study on Sunday afternoons to begin preparing our hearts and minds for this trip, as well learn how to begin functioning as ministry team together.  If you are interested in participating in this trip, please see myself or David Godfrey for more details.  This trip is open to anyone in the church (not just youth) who wishes to take part.  If you are not participating, we covet your prayers leading up to and during this trip.

After returning on July 1^st, we will have about a week or so to rest before the beginning of our next mission trip: Impact Virginia!  Last year, we took 11 youth to the Eastern Shore, and through the ministry of repairing houses, working with underprivileged children, and witnessing to the downtrodden, the love and power of Jesus Christ made a lasting difference in people’s lives.  This year already, we have 15 people signed up to attend.  The Spirit is moving in mighty ways through our youth and convicting them of the need to love, serve, and reach out to their brothers and sisters.

Leading up to the event, we will be preparing a theme interpretation for the evening worship services that happen during Impact, as well as a participating in a service project that will involve handing out water at the Metro station.  Please pray for the Lord to work in the lives of the youth who will participate in this event as He did last year.  If you would like for your youth to participate in this event, or you yourself would like to attend and work as a Construction Supervisor (which they are always in need of) or a Crew Youth Leader, please contact me.  Though we have already registered, we can still get more participants in if we know soon enough.

And of course, what summer would be complete without our church’s biggest outreach and evangelism event of the year: Vacation Bible School!  Although I cannot relay many of the specifics at this time I will ask you to be in continual prayer over this event.  Last year we had one of the largest Vacation Bible School’s in recent history and through the love and power of God many children came to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior and professed that for the first time! 

The Lord has blessed us with the opportunity to do some pretty big things for Him this summer; but it is so important to remember that this is not about us- It’s about Him.  Through much prayer and planning I feel God has set these tasks before us for a reason.  He has selected us for these tasks to paraphrase a Casting Crowns song, not because of who we are, but because of what God’s done; not because of what we’ve done, but because of who God is.”

Please continue to pray for the work God has set aside for us to do here at Plymouth Haven Baptist Church.

In Christ,

Pastor Matt