November Blog

Greetings from Conway

Well, summer has come and gone. Even though it started out wet and drab, we finally got some nice weather at the end of the season. It is amazing to me how time can fly by so quickly. The church has had a good summer. We had many visitors worshipping with us throughout the tourist season, and it was good to have met and worshipped with so many people from across the country who come to Conway to vacation. Linda and I have had a very busy summer as well, mostly entertaining a variety of friends and family. Hardly a week went by that we didn’t have someone in our home for a visit. Throw in a couple of weddings, a funeral, time spent at Gander Brook for retreats, and that makes for a really busy time in our household.

My in-laws, Russ and Jean McConnell came for over a month. Russ was traveling around to various congregations in New England encouraging the brethren who worship in these small churches. While they were visiting, we received a call from our daughter about a student from Harding needing respite for a semester, whose home situation was not conducive for her spiritual healing, so we have taken on a border until after the New Year. It has been joyful to see her gradually developing spiritual health and emotional strength and we are looking forward to her returning next year better equipped to deal with college life.

We are looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday as our daughter and one of her friends are coming in for the week. It won’t be long until we will head down to Oklahoma for our son’s graduation from Oklahoma Christian, and to spend the Christmas holidays with our families down in the south.

We continue to enjoy our work here in Conway. We have had several visitors from the community worship with us throughout the summer. Some have come to several services, and there is hope that we will be able to study with them in the future. One activity which we have recently begun is a monthly meal on Wednesday evenings. We began this activity not just to provide meals for families needing help with food costs, but even more so to get to know the community better, and to get them more familiar with the church here. We hope through this effort to find needs and offer assistance to those needing it. We had our first meal last month. We had over 22 people from the community come for the meal, and a couple stayed for the Bible discussion that followed, so the members here were thrilled.

We have begun making plans for our upcoming Annual Youth Rally, to be held in late February. The theme for next year’s event is “CSI” (Crucifixion Scene Investigation.) We will be looking at how the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus gives young people stable ground upon which to base their decision to become Christians.

As far as our financial situation, we are in the process of trying to secure help for our work here. We have sent information out to many churches about our needs, but have not received substantial help as of yet for 2010. We continue to trust that God will provide our needs in some way. If the future holds to be similar to the past in God’s dealing with our life, we will likely be receiving help from the most unexpected sources. Until we do receive more outside help, Linda and I are both working part time in different areas, trying to make ends meet.

Thank you all again for your support of our work here in Conway. We hope you will continue to support the ministry here next year. I am beginning to realize the process of growth here will not come as quickly as I would like. But the church is doing well in creating a foundation of friendship and love that will gradually make inroads into the community. Continue to pray for us as we keep planting these seeds, trusting that God will provide the growth in due time. God bless you all and best wishes for a wonderful holiday season.

Brotherly yours…
Leland