Brethren,
Greetings.
Peace, mercy, and grace be with you all from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The heat is on, and gasoline is very expensive. We hope that this will not cause too many difficulties as the next few months wear on and continue to do what we can to promote the Kingdom in this area. Nevertheless, things are going well, and there is cause for encouragement here.
Working with the Brethren
While the gasoline prices have caused some curbing of activity, there have still been many opportunities for brethren to get together and we have enjoyed their association many times during the past month.
Lessons and Classes
Sunday morning lessons again have been varied, considering how one matures in Christ and also regarding dancing and lascivious behavior. We concluded the series on why Israel failed, and the series was well-received. The lessons, as always, are available in outline and mp3 form at norwalkchurch.org.
The class on Luke has continued with good participation and signs of development in understanding of that particular gospel. We will conclude this study in June.
Evangelism
It has been made evident that the most fruitful forms of evangelism here have involved the individual members talking with family members, friends, associates, etc. and encouraging them. We have worked diligently, therefore, to keep encouraging the members to do this and to provide whatever resources that they require to do so. The tract program is going well, and many members are taking the tracts and distributing them to people within the community. We have also developed a new strategy involving the fourth week bulletin: we still send them out to the contacts whom the brethren have supplied, but are also now printing out many more and encouraging the members to take extra copies to personally distribute to people. Approximately 30 such bulletins were taken to be handed out.
We have not abandoned the other programs: door-knocking did not work out this month for various reasons, and will also not work in June; we hope to again knock doors in July. We have many tracts developed, both in print and online, and after the Bible correspondence course is launched more tracts will be developed. While we will still do what we can with evangelism in the community, much of our focus will shift soon to prepare for the fair in August and the gospel meeting in September.
Conversions, Departures, and Visitors
We are pleased to inform you that thanks to the good work of our members here, two men have put on Christ in baptism. This has provided much encouragement for the brethren here.
This month also saw the Sanders family leave us to return to Arkansas. We wish the best for them.
We also have continued to see the visitors of whom we spoke last month, and hope to continue to encourage them and perhaps to see if they desire to identify themselves with us. We very recently have seen some visitors from a local congregation who live closer to us; perhaps we shall see more of them.
Current Studies
Cindy. Since Cindy has begun to work as an assistant for one of the children's classes, our studies now focus on the Gospel of Luke.
Ben and Katie. We have seen Katie and the children more and have been complementing our class studies in Luke.
Debbie. We are working with Debbie in the Gospel of Luke.
Andrew. Since Andrew's baptism we have tried to get together once a week to talk about various matters and to answer whatever questions he might have.
Charles. Charles and I had one study along with one of our elders, and that was more of a confirmation of his desire to be baptized and the actual event. Charles is a bit older and does not seem to be very interested in personal studies; he has not missed a Bible class or an assembly since his conversion, and so therefore he is indeed present and learning.
Support
I would like to thank all of you for your participation in the work here in Norwalk, either through your prayers or through encouraging me or through financial support. I would like to solicit your continual prayers so that the work here may prosper.
May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirits.
Response/Feedback
Do you have a question or comment about anything you have read here? Please feel free to contact me through the form below.
Please click here to return to the main reports page. Thanks!