Ironman Eve

Penny and I are in Madison WI with Rachel and Brad awaiting the start of Rachel's Ironman tomorrow. Starting at 6:30 am she (and 3000 other athletes) begins her 2.4 mile swim,112 mile bike ride and then 26.2 mile run. Her goal is to do this in under 12 hours, YIKES!!!!!!!!!

Abby and Jeff are in northeastern South Africa doing children's ministry for a missionary training event. They are staying at Shikwaru, the regional headquarters for OneHope, and for RAG. they are returning to the states on Sept. 23rd for a month of fundraising for a new inflatable project.

Penny and I will miss our first non-ministry Sunday at church tomorrow. It has been and exciting summer and the fall looks to be even better. I will be teaching a new adult elective starting next week called, Marriage Built to Last, featuring, Chip Ingram, Kurt Warner, and Dave Ramsey.

is it really fall

For so many years our family calendar seemed to follow a school calendar. That means that the fall is the beginning of everything new. So it seems even though we no longer have to follow a school calendar the fall brings new beginnings.

Rachel is competing in the Madison Ironman on Sept 12. Penny and I are planning to go and cheer her on.

Abby and Jeff will be here for a month or so to raise funds to finish their inflatable project, we are looking forward to some quality time with them.

Penny and I are enjoying our ministry here at 1AGBN. It is exciting to be part of a growing church and a dynamic staff. We have high expectations for an incredible fall.

25 years

This is the first summer in 25 years that Penny and I were not at Lake Williamson Christian Center in Carlinville IL doing camps. We spent 25 consecutive years doing kid's camps and/or Special Touch Get Aways. Our years at LWCC were both fruitful and enjoyable, a lifetime of memories and relationships that will out live both of us.

When we decided to retire from doing the Get Aways last year we knew it was in God's perfect timing. So many people asked us what it was like during the week of Get Away. It was just fine. We had fulfilled a calling and knew it was time to retire; no mixed emotions, just a sense of fulfillment. We had prayed that it would be the best Get Away ever.

Life at First Assembly is wonderful. We have moved into our new Family life Center and are seeing Sunday attendance climb steadily. It is exciting to be part of a growing church with a dynamic ministry team.

Abby and Jeff are doing well in South Africa. They coordinated and hosted a 22 member mission team from Kenosha WI. The team did basketball out reaches and children's ministry.

Rachel just finished a triathlon this morning in 5 hours and 9 minutes and is doing a Precepts class with her church.

africa

Penny and I just returned from almost a month in South Africa. We moved into the Light House Children's Shelter in Rustenburg SA and shared an apartment with Abby and Jeff.

This trip was a combination sabbatical, mission trip and vacation. If you would like to see trip pictures check out Penny's Face Book or Jeff and Abby's web site, EngageAfrica.com.

South Africa is a land of riches and poverty and an emerging middle class. It's a country with 40% unemployment, rising inflation, 14% sales tax, has a relatively high crime, and is being ravished by the Aids pandemic.

We had a wonderful visit and accomplished so much.

We are so proud of what our Lord is doing through Jeff and Abby.

While we were in Africa Rachel had a snowboarding accident and ended a Utah trip with a broken wrist. This injury prevent her from running in the Boston Marathon. We are praying for a miraculous recovery.

All is well here at 1AGBN. Our building project is right on time and the excitement is building. Our church is growing and we have had some incredible services.