Pastor’s Breakfast TOMORROW (Wednesday, February 19) at Tollgate Inn
Pastor Steve Roth of Eastmont Chapel was the first to RSVP for Wednesday’s monthly InFaith: Northwest Oregon Pastors’ Breakfast.  Will you be next?  It’s a great time of informal fellowship with shepherds from other InFaith churches.  We meet at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of every month at the Tollgate Inn in Sandy for a no-host breakfast and up-lifting conversation.  (Associate pastors, elders and other church leaders are welcome too, so bring a friend.)  It helps to know how many to expect, so please drop me an email, text of phone call if you already know your plans…but feel free to come in any case, even if you don’t have time to call.  We would love to see you!

Pastor’s Prayer Thursday at  Woodland Park Chapel

We always pray at the breakfast in Sandy, but Thursday’s Pastors’ Prayer gathering at Woodland Park Chapel is for the specific purpose of talking with God.  Join us at 10 a.m. as we share specific needs of the various ministries in this fellowship, and lift one-another up to the Lord. 

Thanks for the Ministry Information!

I appreciate the help from many of you in completing your InFaith: Northwest Oregon Ministry Information Forms.  From that data, and from notes from my church visits in 2019, it would appear that there was a very slight uptick in attendance among your congregations last year.  On an average Sunday in 2019, there were an estimated 671 people attending worship services in the twenty fellowships for which we have data.  Nine of the churches reported (at least slightly) higher attendance than in 2018. Six reported decreased attendance.  And five stayed at roughly the same level.  Our survey was far from scientific, but still offers reason for encouragement as we see the Lord expanding His Kingdom, one soul at a time.

Pastor Rudy Yost Memorial Service Set for February 22nd

Pastor Ralph “Rudy” Yost’s life and ministry will be remembered this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, 1101 NE 112th Ave., Vancouver, WA  98684.  Rudy went to be with His Savior in January.  He and his bride Barbara celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in August 2019.

Hymnsing: March 22

Join us for Another InFaith: Northwest Oregon Hymnsing, March 22, 6 PM at Columbia Community Bible Church.  Pastor Steven Boyle’s congregation will again be hosting, this time in their newly renovated building (following a flood last year).  Pianist Jeanette Schempert will be providing the accompaniment, and Norma Baker will be back to direct our voices in traditional hymns to our Lord.  Start planning your carpools now!

Update on Irene’s Amazing Asian Mission

Please keep praying for InFaith intercultural missionary Irene Britton, from Portland, as she travels with a group teaching the Gospel throughout multiple Asian countries.  Irene has been posting pictures on Facebook whenever she can.  Today she sent me this update on their work there for the Lord, to share with all of you:

Shall see how wifi is- has been 'lousy slow' here in hotel. And none all day at church.

Class of 27 from 6 churches in Mienh villages up north in Bokeo province mainly.  Pastors, a wife of pastor, deacon, and??

Majority Christians 10 years or less. 3 illiterate.  Several have had very little exposure to instruction.    (for women school often ends at age 13 or so when marriage can occur)  Only 3 have had book 1 in the course. We are in end of book 2--frustrating for me since each lesson in a book builds/reviews the previous lesson.   Each book builds/reviews the previous book! 

Feedback today is that instruction good but too fast. Tomorrow I will make Sengfo agree to a total review/reteach main points of lessons 9a & 9b.  It is not how much but that what is taught is understood fully!

Tired of white rice 3x a day. We eat at Lao Evangelical Church where students are housed in 2 classrooms and fed. Our teaching is in classroom the males stay in.  Two other groups are receiving instruction--about 12 Thai men are going through book 1 in another classroom and sleeping in another one.

Nice to see a facility well used.

Cant complete a book in this course in a week!  Course says a lesson a week!

Food(all good): fish plain or with broth/veggies; pork plain(fried usually) or cut small with broth/veggies, mushrooms & veggies. Always both steamed white rice and sticky white rice.  Always dish of spicy dipping sauce.  Today at lunch was delighted by dish of watermelon and papaya--promptly 'pigged out' on it!

Bottled water.  Nescafe in packet premixed with cream and sugar served in small (6 oz) cups.  If I stay away from Nescafe I could be weaned from sugar!  Today however, I needed a cup to get me through the afternoon!

Short nights since I review and go over for next day.  We begin 8 am but no overhead projector for 1st half hour so we shall plan to give devotional/short message. Lunch at noon. Instruction 1 to 5 ( with perhaps 1 break and a simple stand up stretch in place break).

Supper about 5:30 pm. Often students want to talk with Sengfo & Sila more so get to motel perhaps 6:30 or 7.  It is about block and half to walk.  Challenging to cross 4 lane street w/o being run over.

Thanks for praying. God put week together even to lessons that got translated for us to bring (even to the fact of not being able to bring the instruction the way the course spells it out to do).   Sengfo's voice is holding out.  We could use more rest but perhaps Saturday before we head to airport to fly to Hanoi (flight to leave Vientiane about 8 pm)

My digestive system a little 'off' tonight so took a probiotic tablet and will try to NOT eat tomorrow. Much of problem undoubtedly,  is that I am not doing much of anything physically active-my body misses it!

Pray for God to help students learn remember and apply lessons.  That we communicate clearly and accurately.  God's work in each of our lives.

Continued health and safety.  I dont think about the Corona virus but am glad to wear a mask due to vehicle exhaust and air pollution.  Dont always wear it in classroom. 

Oh!  Pray 'ahead' for each Mienh village we will be going to--that we be a blessing and encouragement .  I believe 7 to 9 villages so a different village each night but perhaps 2 visits in a day if they are close to each other.  I will find out when we get there.

But I need to close.  I thank God for each one praying for me/us!

Bless you!

Irene

May Irene Britton’s example inspire us all to serve Jesus with passion and perseverance this week!

Tom Hiscox, InFaith: Northwest Oregon Area Missionary