Mtn Home Men’s Retreat Wraps Up with Sunny Worship
Mtn Home Church’s weekend-long men’s retreat wrapped up Sunday morning at Clackamas County’s Metzler Park, with a moving worship service under the yellow-green canopy of the last leaves of summer. Beautiful music of the John Abraham Worship Band filled the campground to start the service.  Then we shared from Hebrews 12 and Genesis 25 as we explored the value of letting go of bitterness and resentment that could hurt our Christian unity.  Closing the service, congregants prayed for dozens of their neighbors, and for whomever it was that ransacked the century-old Mtn Home Church building last week, stealing a new big screen TV and several other valuable items.

 Pastor Searches Continue at Dover and Shiloh Basin
Shiloh Basin Community Church (Rainier) continues its prayer for a new shepherd to lead their small, rural congregation.  Please pray that the Lord will guide the man of His choosing to that loving fellowship.

 At Dover (near Sandy), Pastor Bob Droullard is still seeking the “Joshua” or “Elisha” who will take over his mantle of leadership when he retires in the near future.  Potential candidates for either post should feel free to contact me at thiscox@infaith.org and I will point them in the right direction.

Portland Pastors’ Prayer Thursday at Woodland Park Chapel
Pastors of InFaith affiliated churches in the Portland area are again invited to meet this Thursday, September 30th at Woodland Park Chapel for a time of prayer.  Led by Pastor Steven Boyle of Columbia Community Community Bible Church and Pastor Brad Gentry of Woodland Park, the prayer time starting at 10 AM is open to all who wish to lift up the needs of our various fellowship churches and ministries.
October is Pastor Appreciation Month
Many Christian communities throughout the US celebrate October as “Pastor Appreciation Month.”  Some celebrate the second week of October as “Pastor Appreciation Week,” starting with “Pastor Appreciation Day” on Sunday, October 10 this year.  No matter how your congregation observes this tradition, please make sure your pastors knows his ministry is a value to you.

 Autumn Grace is Growing Stronger
Caroline and I continue to thank the Lord as His hand guides the growth of our granddaughter, Autumn Grace Thomas, born September 15.  Though she remains in Neonatal Intensive Care, her platelet count continues to grow, after a transfusion to jumpstart that process in her tiny body.  Her bilirubin count is down to the normal range; and she is making great gains toward nursing (both from mom and the bottle).  We pray she may soon be able to come home to meet her older sisters, Catherine and Felicity.  Down Syndrome brings about the likelihood of the need for a lifetime of special care, and her heart defect will need corrective surgery within months, but we (her family) have felt the love of God through her and through all of you who have been praying for her.  Thank you!

Tom Hiscox, NW Oregon Area Missionary thiscox@infaith.org