McGrath Community Church Mission Work - Update October 26, 2015

Update on the ministry in McGrath, Alaska

Things seem to be progressing on the parsonage in McGrath. We have been in contact with several folks from the church and they say it is really taking shape inside! That is very good news. I am not sure what is the status of the plumbing and water hook up, but everyone seems to be excited about what is happening. The target date to be back in the community is December 1. Just in time for the river to be frozen (which means snowmobile trips on the river), snow for Christmas and for "Ma in her kerchief and me in my cap, to just settled down for a long winter's nap!" Since we were not able to get back to McGrath as originally planned, to "ease" into winter, I have been going to Walmart every day and spending time in their freezers to try to prepare myself for the "cool" temperatures!

Painting Party For Missions

Christie and my daughter Hannah, along with my beautiful granddaughter Dayleigh, were in our old hometown of Geneseo, Illinois last week. While there they hosted a painting party to help the work in McGrath. A very HUGE thank-you to David and Debra Jones for opening their home for the party! Also, thanks go out to Hannah for coordinating the party, and all the awesome ladies that took part!

Website Update

I have been working over the last few weeks with my web designer on the Momentum Ministries website. We have selected what we want the site to look like and finally getting down to putting it together. Hopefully in a few weeks the site will be up. We hope to have a lot of good information on the site, as well as access to the blog, a donate online, and a store where we will be selling many of the items painted at the painting parties. Hannah has really done a great job on her work. I hope to post some of her work in the next blog update so you can order any of the items before the website is up!

Fund Raising

I want to thank all of you that have given financially to the work we will be doing over the next 6 months. You guys are awesome. However, we still need partners to help with the monthly expenses. Please prayerfully consider how the Lord may want you to help with this incredible opportunity to partner with us and reach the bush village of McGrath, Alaska for Jesus!

If you have any questions, or would like more information, please give us a call at (334) 543-2000 Home, or (334) 292-0090 Mike US Cell / (907) 574-0624 Alaska Cell, or email us at momentum.ministries7@gmail.com. We would love to speak to your church, Sunday School class, or Small Group about the work in McGrath. We are in the process of refreshing our website, and hope to provide the ability to donate online. Check back for updates!

K4G (Kids 4 God) Update

I have been preparing for the weekly Bible clubs that will get started January. We have a huge opportunity to reach a lot of kids during the dark, cold months. Looking at some exciting stuff to use to share the Gospel with the kids in McGrath.

If anyone would like to help fund the "K4G" Club we would appreciate it very much. The things we need most are snack items; powder drink mixes, maybe hard candy for prizes, and maybe kick balls, soccer balls (all deflated of course). I am looking for an earth ball. It is a very BIG ball that the kids can play with outside. If you feel led to help us please send them via postal service, Priority Mail to Mike Mason, P.O. Box 133, McGrath, AK  99627.

Youth Pizza Nights

The Saturday pizza nights have been incredible. The turnout has been great and the kids are starting to get engaged, even though it was moved to the church. Thanks to Grant and Lenna Funk, and Barney and Megan Funk for heading this up! Continue to pray for this group of youth, that many relationships will be built!

Just Think About It

The other morning I was reading a devotion from Solid Joys (John Piper, Desiring God). I was in a place where I needed to really hear a word from the Father. Over the last several weeks the voice of the enemy has been pretty loud! You have been there I am sure...seems like all you hear is "SILENCE"! Yea, you know what I am talking about. Then, in His usual way, He brings a word!

God's Final, Decisive Word
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son . . .Hebrews 1:1-2
 
"When I complain that I don’t hear the Word of God, when I feel a desire to hear the voice of God, and get frustrated that he does not speak in ways that I may crave, what am I really saying? Am I really saying that I have exhausted this final decisive Word revealed to me so fully in the New Testament? Have I really exhausted this Word? Has it become so much a part of me that it has shaped my very being and given me life and guidance?

Or have I treated it lightly — skimmed it like a newspaper, dipped in like a taste-tester — and then decided I wanted something different, something more? This is what I fear I am guilty of more than I wish to admit.

God is calling us to hear his final, decisive Word — to meditate on it and study it and memorize it and linger over it and soak in it until it saturates us to the center of our being."

It was like one of the God billboards...you know, the black ones with the white writing...yep, this was one of those. Sum it up....."Listen to Me!" God  Enough said!

Have a great week!

McGrath Community Church Mission Work - Update October 18, 2015

Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather lately! The temperature in McGrath is running from highs in the mid 30s to lows in the lower 20s! Winter is well underway in McGrath.

I had the privilege to visit with the folks at Paoli Presbyterian Church in Paoli, Pennsylvania the weekend of October 11. Paoli is the church that has supplied the work mission teams to McGrath since the construction of the parsonage started. The mission team presented a report from this year's trip and I was able to share about the work we will be doing there over the next six months. They also got to put a face with the name of the first people to occupy the parsonage.

Parsonage Update

I talked with the church this past week and got an update on the work. They have seen more church folks get involved in this work than ever before. Everyone has a specific job to do and things are progressing with folks working after they get off work and on the weekends. I was excited to hear this.

The two big things left to do are install the heater under the house to protect the pipes and have the water connected and plumbing inside (includes the city making their water connection and installing the meter). Most of the major inside work has been completed. They said 2-3 weeks and all but the water and plumbing would be done.

I received an email today from the church asking to push the expected date back in McGrath to December 1. They wanted to make sure that all the work was done, the house was cleaned up, and we get the furnishing in place. Christie made a list of the furnishing from Wayfair.com. We sent this list to the church. Today the church had a brief meeting and approved a furnishing budget that will well cover the stuff Christie picked out and they also gave us some money to have personal things shipped to McGrath. So it seems things are moving along.

Youth Pizza Night

Saturday night was the second pizza night for the youth at the church. There has been a good turnout with the location being moved to the church from a private home. Please pray that this outreach will lead to continued connection with this group. This group is one of our primary outreach ministries. 

Potential Mission Partner
 
I will be meeting with The Vine Church in Troy, Alabama this weekend. I am not sure of all the details about the visit, but I do know that I will be able to share the work in McGrath with the Missions Pastor. The church is looking for new mission partners. Lisa Michael, the very first connection I made re: Alaska, attends that church and has been talking with them about the work in McGrath. If you will recall, my involvement in the work in McGrath was started by the relationship I had with Lisa as part of Momentum Ministries' work on the campus of Troy University. The Father works in unusual ways sometimes. I am very grateful to Lisa. She is a close friend and has been a valuable asset in preparing us for the work in Alaska. Lisa attended Alaska Bible College and was a missionary in Alaska, and part of the original work started in McGrath. Because of the hard work, and continued interest in McGrath specifically, by the teams that have gone before us, we are able to  do the work before us.
 
Please partner with us in prayer for the work in McGrath. If you would like to be a financial partner with us, you can make a one time gift, or help support us on a monthly basis. You can make your check payable to Momentum Ministries and mail it to Momentum Ministries, 90 Anna Grace Lane, Wetumpka  AL  36092. Please note on the check "McGrath Mission Work". Momentum Ministries is a "Not For Profit Organization under Section 501(c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code". Your contribution is tax deductible and year-end tax statements will be provided when a valid mailing address is provided.

 If you have any questions, or would like more information, please give us a call at (334) 543-2000 Home, or (334) 292-0090 Mike US Cell / (907) 574-0624 Alaska Cell, or email us at momentum.ministries7@gmail.com. We would love to speak to your church, Sunday School class, or Small Group about the work in McGrath. We are in the process of refreshing our website, and hope to provide the ability to donate online. Check back for updates!

Sharing Mission Work at Local Churches

Christie and I had the opportunity to share the work in McGrath, Alaska with the faith family at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Gardendale, Alabama this past weekend. We would like to thank Pastor Wayne Shelton and the church for inviting us. We had an awesome time meeting the great folks at Redeemer. We would also like to thank Charlene Holmes, one of the founding members of Redeemer, for helping us make the connection.

I will be traveling to Paoli, Pennsylvania this weekend to be a part of the McGrath Construction Team presentation from this past summer at Paoli Presbyterian Church. I will have a few minutes to share about the opportunities for ministry in McGrath and the work we will be doing there over the next several months, as well as a question and answer time.
 

 

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