CALLING, COMFORT, AND CAMPAIGN

"Faithful is He who calleth you who also will do it." In this age of betrayed trusts and disappointed expectations, we can believe God who says He will do it. When it is God's leading, He will bring it to pass.

We felt that the service this morning was another special time of meeting with God and His people. We appreciate the people who gather in on a Sunday morning to worship with us. Those who come are so sincere in their worship. It was also a special boost to have the Kalovskys with us again this morning. They relate well to the people who come to church, and it is good to have them help in the service, also. Ben and Lori are personable to the people and show interest in them, and the people respond to their interest. Zak and Abraham also relate well, and they add a special facet to the morning. LizzieBeth has her own sweetness, of course; and she wins hearts quickly. Sometimes God sends special comfort to us in the form of His people. This morning the Kalovskys were that comfort.

We are excited that Sister Cecelia Spotted Bear from Wounded Knee, SD, has agreed to come and hold services for us in October. We are planning a children's thrust in the late afternoon, and revival services in the evenings. We get excited just thinking about it. I also get a little anxious, as we have much to do before that time, but God will help us to do what needs to be done. Please pray for us as we prepare for this special time.

Where Were All The Children??

Sunday School time and no children. Where are all the children? It didn’t take us long to find out. This weekend was the local festival for Lower Brule, and they had a powwow, a rodeo, and a parade. The parade went right past the church, giving us a prime opportunity to view culture in its finest form and dress. There were all the children, dressed in their Native American regalia and riding on, in, and around vehicles and kiddie trains. We enjoyed watching them go by, and they were often very friendly—smiling and waving. Well, they had a good time and we didn’t have Sunday School. One thing is certain—if the circumstance is exciting enough, kids will get up on Sunday mornings. Wonder what I could dream up that would be as fun as a parade??

Earl Adair is our district supervisor, and he came for service this morning. It was nice to have him and Wylie drop in. Earl has many years of experience working among the Native Americans, and he is great to work with. We had a couple of men show up for morning service this morning, and we appreciate their interest. They are both an inspiration to us, as they are so warm and friendly and interested in whatever is going on.

I have been working on decorating some areas in the church, as it sometimes feels a little drab to me. One area that has bothered me for many years is the large ‘shelf’ that goes over the steps that lead to the basement. Esther and I have thought and tried different thing, but we like what we have finally come up with. We have other areas we want to work on now for a few weeks.

We thank God for His help to us as we plan for future projects and services. We are planning a fall revival and children’s thrust, and we are finishing working out details of that. We are already planning the Christmas Service, and we have decided on our theme. Thank you for your prayers for the church and for us as we guide it.

Precious Seed

"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who

goeth forth with weeping bearing precious seed ,

shall come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves

with him."

Psalm 126: 5, 6

This scripture verse reminds me of our grapevine (yes, that is one vine) that we planted a couple of years ago. One small grape seed became a vine that is threatening to take over one area of our yard. I keep training the vines to cover the metal archway that it is covering, but it looks like I will have to buy another structure to contain it. I am looking forward to those wonderful Concord grapes. What hope this gives me for Lower Brule!!

We never have two Sundays that are alike. Today was a slower, more varied day than some Sundays. We did not have as many attendees as we have come to expect, but that was not all bad. We had only one who came in first, and we did a Bible study with him. He felt free to ask some questions that he probably would not have asked if others had been there. He is longing to understand the Bible. Another came in time for worship service. The people are so warm and open. I especially felt the need for a van to bring the children to church this morning, and we have asked those who came this morning to pray for a van for the mission. We keenly feel our limitations. There are so many children who have expressed a desire to come to church, but they need the encouragement of our coming to pick them up.

We stopped to visit a friend who is sick in the hospital, and he is much improved. We appreciate our friendship with him. He told us about a man who is down the hall from him that he knows. We stopped to see this man, also, and Ray had prayer with him. It is obvious that he is not long for this world, but he opened his eyes and seemed to consciously watch Ray's face as he prayed for him. It is always troubling to watch someone, ravaged by sin, who is slipping away when that person is still relatively young. This young man was alone, struggling to breathe, trying to maintain consciousness while life was ebbing quickly away. This is why we want to work with the people in a meaningful way--the one, the twos, the twenties, whatever number God sends to us. Only God can give us the wisdom to meet the needy on the level of their needs.

This is the precious seed that we bear--the Gospel of God's Love and His Adequate Power for all of our lives. We often feel the pressures that are so familiar in this particular work, but our weeping endures for only a night, and the rejoicing lasts forever. We bear the seed (carry the load-feel the weight of all that the work encompasses), but we also bring in the sheaves (a happy time of recognizing the rewards of the work.) We need your prayers that we will not become weary in well-doing, and that God will continue to provide what we need for the work at Lower Brule.