Summer 2015 Update

Sharing the Brain Teaser Survey at the Farmer's Market

Greetings!

It’s been a wonderful summer for evangelism. Thank you so much for your prayer support. We’ve given out thousands of gospel tracts, 60-70 Bibles, and many gospels of John. Here are some of the stories from our table ministry at Thursday Farmer’s Markets, Friday night concerts, Heritage Days Festival in June and Allegany County Fair in July:

Judith works the ministry table - Farmer's Market

A couple with two children took tracts. The father said, “I was born a Christian.” He said he had read the Bible many times since he had lots of time for reading whenever he was in prison. (!)

A young woman asked for my opinion on polygamy because she is involved with a married man who says she is his second wife in God’s eyes and the Bible doesn’t actually forbid it. Her parents (Christians) later asked for prayers for her, as she won’t listen to them.

Heritage Days booth - lots of interest in our tracts.

      A young man with a Christian upbringing admitted he has not yet committed his life to Christ. After hearing the courtroom illustration and the “good judge” who must see that justice is done, he said that was the best explanation he had heard of how the gospel works. He agreed to think seriously about it.

 

We gave out over 500 custom hand fans for Heritage Days

I had a long conversation with an atheist young man whose wife became a Christian after they married. He pointed out objections to Christianity (such as Israelites in the Bible killing women and children). I respectfully challenged him to consider the ultimate source of his sense of right and wrong, and how he considers God unfair. He appreciated how we listened to him since, he said, other Christians have just told him he was wrong.

County Fair - many Bibles given out.

A young woman said she was feeling pressured to join the Mormons and get baptized but had some doubts. She was open to hear more about their teachings that conflict with the Bible and how they are not another Christian denomination but a different religion. She took a couple brochures related to Mormonism. 

 

A young man stopped to chat at the Farmer’s Market and then came back each week. He is clearly seeking to know God but hesitates to make changes, such as dealing with his love life. He took books by Ray Comfort and Billy Graham.

 
 

 

Pastor Ron shares with the vendor next to us.

An older woman and her daughter stopped to browse our booth at the Fair, originally from the Philippines now living in West Virginia. The woman said she was baptized at an SDB church in the Philippines! Each was happy to receive a Bible.

 

It was a huge unexpected blessing when the Mark Cahill ministry sent us a box of tracts, free! I had emailed them about a typo I saw on their website, and these were their thank-you to me. Praise God for His provision! (www.markcahill.org)

In late May I visited the Shiloh, NJ, SDB Church and gave an update on the work I’ve been doing in Cumberland. They are on my support team and have been a great encouragement. I enjoyed the hospitality of Pastor Don and Charlotte Chroniger, including a meal in an Amish restaurant and a drive to see nearby historic places.

 

I also visited with church members of the Raritan Valley SDB Church that weekend. We talked about church planting and re-planting and the resources needed for either one. They welcome your prayers as they consider God’s future plan for SDB witness in northern New Jersey.

 

  

Pastor Ron and Karen, Fran from Friendship Haven Church

Have you heard of prayer walks? We’ve done a few here in Cumberland and it has been good to pray for the city, the neighborhoods and whatever God brings to mind. Sometimes we stop to talk with residents as well, encouraging them in their spiritual journey.

At the end of June I served as a counselor at Camp Joy in Berea, WV, for Junior Camp. We had times for music, crafts, lessons, meals, chores, campfire, recreation and lots more. It was very fun, though I was glad it was only 4 days rather than a full week!

 

This summer I started riding with a local bike club, the Western Maryland Wheelman. Every Tuesday we rode about 20 miles up and back on the GAP trail (Great Allegheny Passage). In July I actually rode with them on the GAP 48 miles round-trip from Cumberland to the Eastern Continental Divide, with 1,787 ft. elevation gain. Got a bit saddle sore but really enjoyed it! Another good way to meet people in the community.

 

Pastor Ron & Karen Higson, Roseanna & David White, me

The church I serve, Full Gospel SDB, was welcomed as a new member of the Conference at the annual meeting of Seventh Day Baptists of USA and Canada in July. We celebrated this special moment and thanked the Lord for allowing this church to grow and be a consistent witness here in Cumberland. Congratulations to Pastor Ron Higson and his flock!

 

 In August I was happy to do evangelism workshops for churches in the Appalachian Association: the German SDB in Salemville, PA, and Shepherd’s Fold Ministry SDB in Johnson City, TN. I’m calling the training “Taking the Gospel to People” to emphasize how we can engage people in conversations about spiritual things on a daily basis in respectful, natural ways, and minimize fear. I was also invited to share evangelism tips with the adult Sunday School class of Friendship Haven Church, one of our partners in ministry in Cumberland.

 

In September I traveled to Las Vegas for a Xango convention (my home-based business with natural nutritional supplements and good-for-you products). I stayed with my good buddies Gretchen Zwiebel and Pat Williams and enjoyed world-class keynote speakers, Eric Alexander and Robert Kiyosaki.

 

Since I was just two hours away from Kingman, AZ, I rented a car and went to visit the church I previously served, the Kingdom of God SDB, spending a few days there.   

What a blessing to see these friends again and encourage them to keep up the good work. 

Pastor Bob Peet, AZ, baptized 4 new believers

  

So, what’s up next?  Here’s the plan as of today.

1.     Pack the car and leave Cumberland on September 30, taking 11 days to travel to Colorado, visiting friends, families and churches along the way (Milton, WI, and North Loup, NE).

2.     Participate in the SDB Church Planting Conference October 22-24, in Colorado Springs.

3.     Rejoice on October 24 when my son, Paul Petersen, marries Aimée Woodard (Boulder).

4.     Fly to Puerto Rico on October 26 to serve a short mission for the new SDB church in San Sebastian, helping them create their organizing documents (constitution, covenant), and serving where needed. Thankfully I speak Spanish (my undergraduate degree, time in Spain and Honduras) and I’m excited to accept this invitation from Pastora Judith Houts.

5.     Return to Colorado December 14 to celebrate the season with family and my home church in Boulder. Maybe rest a bit…

6.     Between now and year-end work with Pastor Ben Figueroa of Seattle, WA, to seek God’s timing and plans for how I can serve their new Spanish-speaking SDB church, the Iglesia Bautista del Séptimo Día. Pastor Ben and his wife, Marcela, are experienced church planters. Estoy lista para aprender! (I’m ready to learn!)

Ladies of the Kingdom of God Church

From the bush in my back yard. Lovely Maryland!

Please keep up the great prayer support, and consider making a financial gift before year-end to help cover travel/moving expenses. Many thanks. I’m praying for additional monthly supporters, to bring my income up to cover things like car repairs and self-employment taxes. I’m hoping to participate in a new matching funds program in 2016 but no details yet, so gifts should still be directed to:    

 SDB Missionary Society

 19 Hillside Ave

 Ashaway RI 02804

(401) 596-4326  Email: Office@sdbmissions.org

 

God bless you as you live for Jesus and make Him famous among all people!