First
At FBCD, Doug was able to share during the Sunday School hour one Sunday. It was great to reconnect with some old friends and meet some new ones. Denise’s mom was able to join us for this service.
In addition, we joined the senior adults for a delicious luncheon on a Wednesday and were blessed to be able to catch up with these faithful long-term members and prayer warriors!
Denise and the girls were able to join a number of ladies from FBCD for a tea time to have some more informal sharing. This is always a highlight as it helps to get to know members on a more personal level. Denise and the girls also appreciated the two other mission presentations they were able to observe during a couple of extra Sunday visits. A visit on July 4th was especially meaningful.
We are encouraged that there is
interest for some of the members to potentially coming out to
NSBC is truly a missions-minded church and began supporting us in 1999. We were pleased that our furlough dates allowed us to join the church in honoring Rev. Bob Emery and his wife Mary Ann with a retirement dinner. Bob was stepping down as Pastor of both Singles Ministry and Missions.
We were able to present during a Sunday school class and Joy was able to play her flute with the worship team on Sunday morning!
While at NSBC we were blessed by
the hospitality of the church members, including Bob and Ethelyn Schultz who
served with TWR and the Davies family. The girls especially appreciated
reconnecting with the kids whom they remembered from our previous furlough. It
helps so much to have friends they remember. The outings and casual times
with these families were very enjoyable. 
We made sure
to include fun, educational side trips on our way to and fro, including
visiting Vestal area where Doug grew up in his younger years.
Interestingly, Pastor Miller at NSBC hails from Vestal.
NRCC is a growing church on the
south
We were honored to be taken on as one of NRCC’s missionary families early in their foreign mission program, which they continue to expand.
Doug was interviewed during the
Sunday services by Associate Pastor, Denis Keith, whom we knew previously as
pastor of
Denise’s mom and her mom’s two friends joined us for one of these services.
NRCC was Doug’s parents’
home church before their moving to
NRCC would also love to have a part in the digital transmitter project.
We were pleased to be able
to share a meal and meeting with the youth and youth leaders. The vitality
of the youth ministry was an encouragement to us. We were impressed by the
way the children reached out to our kids to welcome them in to the
activities. 
Victory
Due to limited time, Doug wasn’t able to join Victory for a Sunday morning, but because of Victory’s faithful support over the years, he made a point to arrange a lunch meeting with Pastor Bob and Brenda to get caught up. The Remicks, whom have been family friends for years, make getting together fun and relaxing.
After Doug’s departure, Denise and the girls were able to join some of the members for a fellowship time around the Word at the Remick’s home. The girls enjoyed some basketball and kid time with some of the kids they had met during previous visits.
Also, Denise and the girls were able to share briefly during a Sunday morning service and Joy played a couple songs on flute. We appreciate the gracious spirit of the folks at Victory for a presentation that wasn’t exactly “polished”! Denise and the girls were joined not only by her mom and her mom’s two friends again, but by a couple of dear friends from the area.
We were delighted to meet the new pastor and his wife, and to have dinner and sharing time with the faithful core members of the congregation on a Wednesday evening. We only regret we were unable to visit on a Sunday morning to meet some of the newer members as we understand the church has been growing recently. We wish them Godspeed as they reach out to the various ethnic groups and college students in the area!
A side field trip to
the homesteads of the 
We were unable to have a formal meeting at First Baptist Church of Hanson, MA but Denise and the girls were able to visit on a Sunday morning. As always, we appreciated the warm welcome, open spirit and solid teaching of the church. Though the church’s mission program is mainly denominational, we are glad for the ties that their support affords us to this healthy congregation.
Doug planned a visit to Faith
Baptist in Kailua, HI on his way back to
Since Doug’s brother now lives in
Faith Presbyterian and Christian Reformed Church
FPCRC (
Prior to our departure for furlough we were able to give our personal video a “trial run”. It was there that we were told we need to keep the “bloopers” section in our video!
The grace and accountability that
Marstons
Pastor Rob Swanson contacted us a number of years ago because our mission focus of “reaching the unreached” fit in with the missions program which they wanted to expand.
We regret that we were unable to visit Marstons Mills Community on Cape Cod during this visit. However, Denise and the girls were able to make a surprise visit a year ago during trip to the States.
MMCC is also seeking a new pastor as Pastor Rob left the pastorate recently.
Due to distance we were unable
visit