Howdy folks;
It was another busy Sunday for us as we spent a long day traveling to churches in Downey and Soda Springs, Idaho. Both are small congregations in the southeastern part of the state. Fortunately, the church in Downey meets in the American Legion Hall and the room is very small. As a result, I didn’t need to set up the sound system and this made it easier to get back on the road and head for Soda Springs after the service.
Both of these works are associated with the American Missionary Fellowship. Although the churches are small, they have a very positive testimony in their communities. We certainly enjoyed the fellowship and sure appreciated their warm welcome and acceptance of our Ministry. This brought our Fall tour to a close on a very positive note.
After a short rest, we plan on leaving for Cochrane on Tuesday, October 27th. This will give us a few extra days to travel should the weather turn bad. Hopefully, it will be an uneventful trip and we are looking forward to getting back home. For those of you who have been following our blog over the past several weeks, you know how busy we have been. Several new churches have been visited and we have made more contacts for next year’s tour. We’ve put a lot of miles on the truck and trailer and, to date, have had no problems with either unit. The Lord has certainly blessed our ministry and met all our needs on this tour.
Thanks for all your prayers and e-mail messages of encouragement.
On the trail for Him,
Mike and Suzann
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
A VERY BUSY SUNDAY
Howdy Folks
Another week has gone by and we have been very busy with our ministry in Idaho. The weather has stayed seasonable and so we have had no problems traveling to the churches.
This past weekend we drove 90 miles to Malad, Idaho, for the morning worship service at the Victory Baptist Church. Since our last visit two years ago, they have nearly completed their new church building. They have no debt, as they only built when they had funds to pay for materials. All of the work was completed by volunteers from the church, as well as builders from across the U.S. They have a few finishing touches left to complete, but it is a very functional facility that will serve the congregation in the future. The service was well attended with several visitors from the community, who stayed for the potluck and fellowship time after the service. We have made many good friends at the church who follow our ministry and actively pray for us as we travel.
After a quick lunch, we packed up the sound system and drove for two hours across the desert to Moore, Idaho, for their afternoon church service. The Country Church in Moore is located in a rural farming area and hold their Sunday school and church service in the afternoon. We made it just in time to set up the sound system but not have a sound check before the service started. No matter, we just adjusted things after we got started. Again, this little church has grown since our last visit. They have nearly completed the renovations to the building they purchased and have a new pastor. The service was advertised throughout the area and attracted a large number of visitors. Many of these folks said they would be coming back to the church. Assisting smaller churches with their outreach initiatives is the crux of our ministry.
After a time of fellowship with folks in the church and a quick meal in the local restaurant, we drove back to Blackfoot, Idaho, arriving just after 9:30 in the evening. All in all we had a 13 hour day and traveled about 300 miles. We were sure tired, but excited at the unique opportunity God had given us to spread his word. It seems hard to believe that we have been on the road for nearly five weeks and ministered at 8 churches, in addition to a cowboy church service at the Dillon, MT, cowboy poetry gathering. The Lord has blessed us tremendously as we traveled meeting all our needs and opening doors for our ministry. We are continually thankful for the faithful folks who pray for us.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
Another week has gone by and we have been very busy with our ministry in Idaho. The weather has stayed seasonable and so we have had no problems traveling to the churches.
This past weekend we drove 90 miles to Malad, Idaho, for the morning worship service at the Victory Baptist Church. Since our last visit two years ago, they have nearly completed their new church building. They have no debt, as they only built when they had funds to pay for materials. All of the work was completed by volunteers from the church, as well as builders from across the U.S. They have a few finishing touches left to complete, but it is a very functional facility that will serve the congregation in the future. The service was well attended with several visitors from the community, who stayed for the potluck and fellowship time after the service. We have made many good friends at the church who follow our ministry and actively pray for us as we travel.
After a quick lunch, we packed up the sound system and drove for two hours across the desert to Moore, Idaho, for their afternoon church service. The Country Church in Moore is located in a rural farming area and hold their Sunday school and church service in the afternoon. We made it just in time to set up the sound system but not have a sound check before the service started. No matter, we just adjusted things after we got started. Again, this little church has grown since our last visit. They have nearly completed the renovations to the building they purchased and have a new pastor. The service was advertised throughout the area and attracted a large number of visitors. Many of these folks said they would be coming back to the church. Assisting smaller churches with their outreach initiatives is the crux of our ministry.
After a time of fellowship with folks in the church and a quick meal in the local restaurant, we drove back to Blackfoot, Idaho, arriving just after 9:30 in the evening. All in all we had a 13 hour day and traveled about 300 miles. We were sure tired, but excited at the unique opportunity God had given us to spread his word. It seems hard to believe that we have been on the road for nearly five weeks and ministered at 8 churches, in addition to a cowboy church service at the Dillon, MT, cowboy poetry gathering. The Lord has blessed us tremendously as we traveled meeting all our needs and opening doors for our ministry. We are continually thankful for the faithful folks who pray for us.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
WARM DAYS AND COLD NIGHTS
Howdy Folks
The weather has turned cold! Most mornings are well into the freezing range. I’ve taken to draining our water hose at night. Otherwise, we have to wait until the sun melts the ice in hose before we can take a shower. I’m sure glad that we won’t be living in the trailer all winter. During the day, however, it is quite warm and pleasant. Still no snow in our area, but it is all around us in the higher elevations.
This past Sunday we were at the Blackfoot Southern Baptist Church. Those who have followed our ministry are probably aware that this is the first church we ministered at when we started Songs of Faith Ministries. In some ways, it has become our home church while we are in the U.S. The service was well attended and there were quite a few visitors. It seems that folks enjoy the music and poetry and the relaxed style the Gospel is presented. Suzann says I’m starting to collect “groupies”. I told her that was not too bad for an old guy.
The next two weeks will be very busy. We have two services each Sunday and need to drive for a couple of hours between churches. Of course, they are all small rural churches, which suits us fine. Over the years, we’ve learned that these rural congregations are a good fit for our type of ministry. It’s heartwarming to have the folks sing along with the old hymns and gospel songs.
While we always look forward to heading home after a lengthy tour, it’s hard to shift gears and settle back down to life in Cochrane. When we are on the road our ministry is very intensive and doesn’t allow for much free time. It’s always exciting to conduct a worship service and meet the folks in the congregation. Even after the second or third visit, it’s still good to visit and share the Gospel.
Keep praying for us as we travel and minister. We still have many miles to go and solicit your prayers on our behalf.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
The weather has turned cold! Most mornings are well into the freezing range. I’ve taken to draining our water hose at night. Otherwise, we have to wait until the sun melts the ice in hose before we can take a shower. I’m sure glad that we won’t be living in the trailer all winter. During the day, however, it is quite warm and pleasant. Still no snow in our area, but it is all around us in the higher elevations.
This past Sunday we were at the Blackfoot Southern Baptist Church. Those who have followed our ministry are probably aware that this is the first church we ministered at when we started Songs of Faith Ministries. In some ways, it has become our home church while we are in the U.S. The service was well attended and there were quite a few visitors. It seems that folks enjoy the music and poetry and the relaxed style the Gospel is presented. Suzann says I’m starting to collect “groupies”. I told her that was not too bad for an old guy.
The next two weeks will be very busy. We have two services each Sunday and need to drive for a couple of hours between churches. Of course, they are all small rural churches, which suits us fine. Over the years, we’ve learned that these rural congregations are a good fit for our type of ministry. It’s heartwarming to have the folks sing along with the old hymns and gospel songs.
While we always look forward to heading home after a lengthy tour, it’s hard to shift gears and settle back down to life in Cochrane. When we are on the road our ministry is very intensive and doesn’t allow for much free time. It’s always exciting to conduct a worship service and meet the folks in the congregation. Even after the second or third visit, it’s still good to visit and share the Gospel.
Keep praying for us as we travel and minister. We still have many miles to go and solicit your prayers on our behalf.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
Monday, October 5, 2009
A COWBOY CHURCH WEEKEND
Howdy folks;
Well, another week is in the history book. We’ve had a few sunny days, but mostly rain and snow. The temperature continues to be well below the seasonal average. Because of the weather, the potato harvest has been delayed and the farmers are anxious to get into their fields. If you’re not a potato farmer you are a rancher and busy moving cattle from the high country to the feeding grounds on the home range. Consequently, potatoes and cattle were the main topic of conversation at the cowboy churches in Blackfoot and Firth, Idaho, over the weekend.
Although the new Christ’s Country Cowboy Church in Blackfoot is only a few months old, it is growing rapidly. They already have three candidates for baptism and have a congregation of 30 to 40 people that meet every Saturday night in a riding arena. It was a little challenging to set up the sound system on the dirt floor and try to keep my balance as I moved around. There were over 50 folks out that night with some from other churches in the area. It looks like some of them intend to follow us around during our stay in Idaho.
Sunday night found us at the Firth Cowboy Church. This church meets only once a month and has a smaller congregation. However, as I suspected, several folks from the Blackfoot cowboy church were in attendance. As a result, the congregation was a little larger than normal. They didn’t seem to mind that it was the same program. The potluck after the service provided a time for fellowship and brought the evening and the weekend to a pleasant close.
At both cowboy churches, we were continually confronted by folks who said they were blessed by the message in the old gospel songs and cowboy poetry. This feedback is what keeps us on the trail. As we move into the last half of our tour, we are looking forward to the opportunity to minister at the remaining churches on our itinerary in Eastern Idaho. Hopefully, the weather will return to the seasonal averages and we won’t see more snow. We also pray that our ministry will bless and encourage the folks in these small rural congregations. While we look forward to being back with our friends at Cambrian Heights Baptist Church, we know that the Lord has work for us to do in Idaho. To this end, we’ll keep following as the Lord leads.
On the trail for Him,
Mike and Suzann
Well, another week is in the history book. We’ve had a few sunny days, but mostly rain and snow. The temperature continues to be well below the seasonal average. Because of the weather, the potato harvest has been delayed and the farmers are anxious to get into their fields. If you’re not a potato farmer you are a rancher and busy moving cattle from the high country to the feeding grounds on the home range. Consequently, potatoes and cattle were the main topic of conversation at the cowboy churches in Blackfoot and Firth, Idaho, over the weekend.
Although the new Christ’s Country Cowboy Church in Blackfoot is only a few months old, it is growing rapidly. They already have three candidates for baptism and have a congregation of 30 to 40 people that meet every Saturday night in a riding arena. It was a little challenging to set up the sound system on the dirt floor and try to keep my balance as I moved around. There were over 50 folks out that night with some from other churches in the area. It looks like some of them intend to follow us around during our stay in Idaho.
Sunday night found us at the Firth Cowboy Church. This church meets only once a month and has a smaller congregation. However, as I suspected, several folks from the Blackfoot cowboy church were in attendance. As a result, the congregation was a little larger than normal. They didn’t seem to mind that it was the same program. The potluck after the service provided a time for fellowship and brought the evening and the weekend to a pleasant close.
At both cowboy churches, we were continually confronted by folks who said they were blessed by the message in the old gospel songs and cowboy poetry. This feedback is what keeps us on the trail. As we move into the last half of our tour, we are looking forward to the opportunity to minister at the remaining churches on our itinerary in Eastern Idaho. Hopefully, the weather will return to the seasonal averages and we won’t see more snow. We also pray that our ministry will bless and encourage the folks in these small rural congregations. While we look forward to being back with our friends at Cambrian Heights Baptist Church, we know that the Lord has work for us to do in Idaho. To this end, we’ll keep following as the Lord leads.
On the trail for Him,
Mike and Suzann
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
ON FAMILIAR RANGE
Howdy Folks;
It was a great week in Dillon, MT. We were able to catch up with our friends and fellow performers at the Gathering. It was a bittersweet time, however, as this was the last Gathering to be held in Dillon. I led the cowboy church service on Sunday morning and we had some great gospel music and poetry. That evening we ministered to the folks at the Beaverhead Baptist Church in Dillon. They have a young enthusiastic pastor and, although they are only a small congregation, they are very solid. Hopefully, we will be able to get back next year.
Our trip to Blackfoot, ID, was uneventful. The weather was holding beautifully in the upper 80F range. Hard to believe it is fall, but they say more seasonal temperatures are coming. We parked at a small community RV Park in Shelley, ID. The intention was to spend a few days at Shelley until we could find an RV Park to rent space for the month of October. As it turned out, our sister-in-law’s neighbour has a full hookup trailer spot on his property and offered it to us free, if we would watch the house while they were on vacation. The Lord does provide!
The New Hope Community Church in Soda Springs, ID, has invited us to minister. This additional opportunity fills our schedule to the brim. Our philosophy has always been to serve wherever we are led and we praise God for every door that opens. Each year a few more cowboy churches are added and we are seeing other new works started in the smaller communities in Eastern Idaho.
As I’m writing this Blog, the weather has changed. The temperature has really dropped and it is raining. They say it will last for about three days and then warm up some. In spite of the weather, we are looking forward to our month of ministry in the Blackfoot area. The warm reception we receive from the US churches more than makes up for a drop in the outside temperature.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann Burns
It was a great week in Dillon, MT. We were able to catch up with our friends and fellow performers at the Gathering. It was a bittersweet time, however, as this was the last Gathering to be held in Dillon. I led the cowboy church service on Sunday morning and we had some great gospel music and poetry. That evening we ministered to the folks at the Beaverhead Baptist Church in Dillon. They have a young enthusiastic pastor and, although they are only a small congregation, they are very solid. Hopefully, we will be able to get back next year.
Our trip to Blackfoot, ID, was uneventful. The weather was holding beautifully in the upper 80F range. Hard to believe it is fall, but they say more seasonal temperatures are coming. We parked at a small community RV Park in Shelley, ID. The intention was to spend a few days at Shelley until we could find an RV Park to rent space for the month of October. As it turned out, our sister-in-law’s neighbour has a full hookup trailer spot on his property and offered it to us free, if we would watch the house while they were on vacation. The Lord does provide!
The New Hope Community Church in Soda Springs, ID, has invited us to minister. This additional opportunity fills our schedule to the brim. Our philosophy has always been to serve wherever we are led and we praise God for every door that opens. Each year a few more cowboy churches are added and we are seeing other new works started in the smaller communities in Eastern Idaho.
As I’m writing this Blog, the weather has changed. The temperature has really dropped and it is raining. They say it will last for about three days and then warm up some. In spite of the weather, we are looking forward to our month of ministry in the Blackfoot area. The warm reception we receive from the US churches more than makes up for a drop in the outside temperature.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann Burns
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
OVER THE MOUNTAINS WE GO
Howdy folks;
Well, we've been on the trail nearly a week and have covered a lot of territory. After crossing the border, we headed for Salmon, Idaho. The plan was to take Highway 93 from Missoula to Salmon. Good plan, high mountain passes!!! We crawled over two high passes and, at times, I wondered if our outfit would make it to the summit. Then I found out that going up was one thing, but coming down was another. I was sure glad the brakes on the truck had been replaced before we left Cochrane.
We arrived in Salmon a little later than expected and set up the trailer in the parking lot of the Salmon Valley Baptist Church. The weather was still holding and it is a beautiful fall. This is probably the most gorgeous valley we stay in and we look forward to the opportunity to minister here. Since I had the big bass with me, I offered to play with the praise team on Sunday morning. The folks in the church were a little surprised at first, but seemed to enjoy the addition to the praise team. Pastor Mike Palmer left enough time in the service for several gospel songs and, of course, a cowboy poem. As always, the congregation enjoyed the old hymns and quickly began to sing along.
That evening we traveled 28 miles to Lemhi and crossed the Lemhi River eight times according to Suzann's count. The Lemhi River Cowboy Church has grown in the three years it has been in existence. Folks from miles around the community attend on a regular basis. Attendance ranges from 50 to 80 on a Sunday evening. It was a great time of fellowship as we greeted old friends and met new ones.
We plan on spending a few days in Salmon before heading to Dillon, Montana. The Cowboy Poetry Gathering will take up the rest of the week. Sunday evening we have been invited to minister at the Beaverhead Southern Baptist Church in Dillon. This will be a good way to end a week of ministry.
Please continue to pray for good weather and roads as we travel. Also, several doors have opened to our ministry since we left Cochrane and your prayers for these new opportunities would be greatly appreciated.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
Well, we've been on the trail nearly a week and have covered a lot of territory. After crossing the border, we headed for Salmon, Idaho. The plan was to take Highway 93 from Missoula to Salmon. Good plan, high mountain passes!!! We crawled over two high passes and, at times, I wondered if our outfit would make it to the summit. Then I found out that going up was one thing, but coming down was another. I was sure glad the brakes on the truck had been replaced before we left Cochrane.
We arrived in Salmon a little later than expected and set up the trailer in the parking lot of the Salmon Valley Baptist Church. The weather was still holding and it is a beautiful fall. This is probably the most gorgeous valley we stay in and we look forward to the opportunity to minister here. Since I had the big bass with me, I offered to play with the praise team on Sunday morning. The folks in the church were a little surprised at first, but seemed to enjoy the addition to the praise team. Pastor Mike Palmer left enough time in the service for several gospel songs and, of course, a cowboy poem. As always, the congregation enjoyed the old hymns and quickly began to sing along.
That evening we traveled 28 miles to Lemhi and crossed the Lemhi River eight times according to Suzann's count. The Lemhi River Cowboy Church has grown in the three years it has been in existence. Folks from miles around the community attend on a regular basis. Attendance ranges from 50 to 80 on a Sunday evening. It was a great time of fellowship as we greeted old friends and met new ones.
We plan on spending a few days in Salmon before heading to Dillon, Montana. The Cowboy Poetry Gathering will take up the rest of the week. Sunday evening we have been invited to minister at the Beaverhead Southern Baptist Church in Dillon. This will be a good way to end a week of ministry.
Please continue to pray for good weather and roads as we travel. Also, several doors have opened to our ministry since we left Cochrane and your prayers for these new opportunities would be greatly appreciated.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
SUMMER AT LAST!
Howdy Folks;
After weeks of cold and wet weather, summer has arrived. Those hot days and cool nights we've come to enjoy living in the foothills of the Rockies are here at last. Needed yard work and outside house maintenance is finally getting done.
For the most part, Songs of Faith has taken a break from the road. Only short day trips to local churches and small groups have been on the agenda. We enjoyed an opportunity to minister to the folks at the Clearwater Cowboy Church located in Dovercourt, Alberta. Sure enjoyed pickin' and singin' with their praise team and presenting some special music and cowboy poetry. We have many good friends in the congregation and appreciate their prayerful support of our ministry.
A group of volunteers from the USA called Campers-On-Mission have been helping with the renovations at Cambrian Heights Baptist Church. Their trailers are parked at the Canadian National Baptist Convention headquarters in Cochrane. They invited me to present a devotional program to their group. They are a wonderful group of people and it was a blessing to share with them.
Last week, I had an opportunity to meet with a local pastor who hosts an internet southern gospel music program. He wanted our CDs to play on his program. We were happy to share our music with him and look forward to hearing from folks who catch the program on the net. For those of you who listen to internet radio you can go to www.bertradio-online.com and sign up. The program is called Sunday Side Up. There is a new 2 hour show every week and I can tell you it is great music.
Thanks for your prayers and we look forward to seeing some of you on the trail real soon.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
After weeks of cold and wet weather, summer has arrived. Those hot days and cool nights we've come to enjoy living in the foothills of the Rockies are here at last. Needed yard work and outside house maintenance is finally getting done.
For the most part, Songs of Faith has taken a break from the road. Only short day trips to local churches and small groups have been on the agenda. We enjoyed an opportunity to minister to the folks at the Clearwater Cowboy Church located in Dovercourt, Alberta. Sure enjoyed pickin' and singin' with their praise team and presenting some special music and cowboy poetry. We have many good friends in the congregation and appreciate their prayerful support of our ministry.
A group of volunteers from the USA called Campers-On-Mission have been helping with the renovations at Cambrian Heights Baptist Church. Their trailers are parked at the Canadian National Baptist Convention headquarters in Cochrane. They invited me to present a devotional program to their group. They are a wonderful group of people and it was a blessing to share with them.
Last week, I had an opportunity to meet with a local pastor who hosts an internet southern gospel music program. He wanted our CDs to play on his program. We were happy to share our music with him and look forward to hearing from folks who catch the program on the net. For those of you who listen to internet radio you can go to www.bertradio-online.com and sign up. The program is called Sunday Side Up. There is a new 2 hour show every week and I can tell you it is great music.
Thanks for your prayers and we look forward to seeing some of you on the trail real soon.
On the trail for Him
Mike and Suzann
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
