ADVANCE 2022 LIFTS UP GOD’S SERVANTS

Praise and thanks to God for a wonderful ADVANCE 2022 this past weekend at Twin Rocks Friends Camp. Pastor Ron McMullan fed us with the Word.  Tim and Judy Simon stepped in on short notice to lead us in worship, when our scheduled worship leader got ill.  InFaith Field director Nathan Bath stepped in for me as MC on the same short notice ( I had to bow out when my wife became ill).  Pastor Steven and Sofi Boyle stepped in to handle registration and a lot of other details…and the Holy Spirit filled our times of fellowship and prayer.   One participant wrote: “Steven (Boyle) was truly a servant throughout the weekend.  He and Sofi…did so much it would take a page to list.”  I was able to show up for the final night and morning services and I too was blessed by the love in the room.  Can’t wait until next year!

 Long-time InFaith missionaries Dale & Marlene Cardwell were presented with the 2022 Bryce O Bartruff Servant Leader Award at the Advance.  Well, actually their presentation came earlier in the week when Field Director Nathan Bath stopped by their home in Salem.  They weren’t planning to be at Advance, so Nathan and the Cardwells’ daughter Twila Mull surprised them during a visit Thursday.  The Cardwells have spent decades serving the Lord, including pastoring Bonita Community Church in Tigard and Immanuel Baptist Church in Salem, serving as InFaith Area Coordinators and generally displaying loving Christ-like servant-leadership through it all.  Congratulations Dale & Marlene!

Do we know what’s happening in your church?
Maybe.  If someone has filled us in. Kudos to Pastor Thomas Robinson of The Church on the Mountain, Pastor John Thomas of Mayger-Downing Community Church, missionary Irene Britton of New Life in Christ Church, and retired Field Director Jim VanVoorst of Hudson Park Bible Church.  These four were the first to submit their 2022 Ministry Information Forms, keeping InFaith: Northwest Oregon up to date with the trends in their service to Jesus (and keeping us all up to date with address and contact updates for the website).  We will need to compile all this information in early February, so your help is greatly appreciated.  If your church has not provided its info, the picture of the form next to this article.  A few minutes of your time will help a great deal!

Thank you for continuing in your prayers for the many needs and struggles of missionaries and ministers in this part of the world.  Field Director Nathan Bath reports that spiritual warfare is taking physical and emotional form in the lives of a great many servants of Christ throughout his NW US field (Oregon, Idaho and Washington).  That’s one of the reasons InFaith is here: to help lift one another up before the Lord.  So start by praying for your pastor, and then whomever the Lord brings to your mind.  The battle belongs to Him!  Caroline and I are particularly grateful for the prayers you have offered on behalf of our 4-month-old granddaughter Autumn Grace.  Her heart surgery went well last week, praise God!  But she is still in ICU and going through daily ups and downs in her recovery.  We cherish each one of you prayer warriors.  Thanks for staying faithful to Jesus!

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