The generation seeking the King of Glory

As we move into the season of Christmas, I want to stand with you in praising our great God, the King of glory, from Psalm 24. From Him, we receive His blessings and righteousness. We are the generation who seek His face!

I have continued to go down to the RJC as often as I can in the afternoons after substituting. I am really thankful our church continues to support the "Angel Tree" ministry to children of inmates. In some instances, both parents are incarcerated. More, the gifts may be everything the families receive!

Grant is one of the men I have been privileged to share with over the past months. Pray for him as he prepares to transition out of jail hopefully in December. He has made huge strides spiritually as he memorizes transforming passages of God's word. Would you also pray for a couple with three children I care a great deal about and have been working with for most of this past year? The husband is out of prison now and we are praying together--extended family, husband, wife, and me--to see a mighty work of God to restore their marriage and family. They are starting out with some very encouraging steps. They are precious before the Lord.

In December, our Chaplaincy Advisory Group(CAG) at the RJC will be distributing 850 Christmas Goody Bags. One school and church in the community are coloring the bags. I am thankful to be the president of this CAG.

Our PFCOM income took another tumble this past month. The giving for November was $1200, a full $800 below our average for many months. I would be delighted if you would send a gift through www.pfcom.org, or at:
Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries
PO Box 1350
Woodinville, WA 98372-1350
425-483-4151

MSU with His Harmony

I am supplementing my support-raising income by guest teaching in the Tahoma School District. During this stressful economic season, our finances have been significantly challenged so my expected PFCOM giving is at about $1,800, or a full $1,000 below what I thought had been raised. Yes, this is the nature of being a real missionary. I'd greatly appreciate sharing with you. You may choose to continue giving by sending your gift to:

www.pfcom.org
Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries
P.O. Box 1350
Woodinville, WA 98372-1350
425.483.4151

On November 8, I participated in a concert with "His Harmony" at the Monroe Corrections Center. We were at MSU, which is a minimum security unit for men. The inmates may be finishing up their incarceration or serving time because of probation violations. His Harmony, Angie Swanson, Annette McDermott, Sherrie Fricks, Michelle Warnock, and Richard Fricks, always lead in outstanding worship. Angie shared a great message on her heart to impact change, regardless of her response to the recently-completed election process.



The highlight of this service was Michelle Warnock's announcement that she and husband Aaron are going to be adopting a daughter after the baby's January 22 anticipated birth date. Michelle was smiling and just glowing, six inches off the floor! Michelle and Aaron have been praying about this for months and are working through an adoption agency in Auburn. Angie, Annette, Sherrie, and Richard were ecstatic with her as Michelle chose the concert to announce the details to them. At dinner at Red Robin and on the way home, Michelle recounted all the wonderful details of their surprise party at the agency and made numerous calls to friends.

I preached from 1 John 1 about what a Christian looks like, how we act, what happens in our lives--we are changed, we live a transformed, joyful life focused on the great good news gospel and Jesus Christ. We have fellowship with one another and with His Son Jesus Christ. The Apostle John wrote this letter that our joy together might be complete.

After the service, one of the men recalled a message I shared in Q unit at the Regional Justice Center in Kent over a year ago from 2 Timothy 2:22 on fleeing youthful lusts and pursuing godliness with "those who call on God from a pure heart." He remembered I actually yelled "flee" in a very small room where we have our service to underscore the life-threatening danger of sin, as if our house was burning. Paul challenges believers to pursue godly relationships with the same kind of focus. We "flee" and "pursue."

I continue to serve at the Regional Justice Center in Kent and at Echo Glenn up near Issaquah. I also maintain corespondence with several men who are serving their sentences in prison settings around the state.

Eastern Wahington missions trip

I just completed a missions trip to Eastern Washington prison sites through Prisoners for Christ over October 10-12. a team of four of us traveled to Spokane, Medical Lake, Walla Walla, and Yakima. It was a tremendous experience. The Lord delivers special memories at each site. We ministered to 153 inmates with 8 professions of faith.

In the western outskirts of Spokane, we visited Airway Heights Correctional Facility on Friday afternoon. We traveled from there to Medical Lake for two services at the Pine Lodge women's facility on Friday night. On Saturday evening, we traveled to Walla Walla at the Washington State Penitentuary. We finished on Sunday afternoon at Ahtanum, a medical facility for men, outside of Yakima.

The women at Pine Lodge are always very appreciative and responsive. We did two 45 minute services back-to-back. There were 5 positive responses to the gospel message, there.
Chuck Boyce, a member of our team from Olympia, gave a great message for the women
on responses to the changes that come into our lives. Change is part of the reality of life. The women at PL are not allowed to have Bible studies in their living units but have great opportunities in the chapel

Pine Lodge in Medical Lake

On Saturday night, we met Lewis May, who has been serving as a volunteer chaplain at the WSP in Walla Walla since 1981. We are coordinating with Lewis to join him on a future Saturday night at McNeil Island. I spoke at Airway Heights, Walla Walla, and at Ahtanum on "the precious blood of Christ," from 1 Peter 1:13-19. Every believer is ransomed from their futile way of life inherited from their forefathers. Peter identifies Jesus as the "lamb of God without blemish."

We passed through much of the new construction at WSP (pictured to the right) where the state is in the process of locating all maximum security inmates. This facility is imposing and always causes a deeply sobering response within me. Our team will be heading back over to eastern Washington and perhaps Oregon in late March or early April of 2009.

I am also scheduled to share ministry with "His Harmony," from our church, Faith Baptist Church in Kent, in November up in Monroe.

I continue to serve at the Regional Justice Center in Kent during the week and the Echo Glen youth facility in Issaquah on Tuesday night. I am also doing some guest teaching within the Tahoma School District.

I continue to appreciate your faithful financial giving which has dropped off some over these past months. Thank you for praying for us. Should you be led, you may give through the www.pfcom.org website or at PFCOM, P.O. Box 1530, Woodinville, WA 98072, 425.483.4151,
attention Jill Payne Holman.

Mars Hill and Thomas Manton

On Tuesday night, I was invited by Tony up to his Mars Hill Community Group at Colin and Lauren's house on Beacon Hill to pray and share the incredible work of Prisoners for Christ.

I was touched by their 75 minute prayer time. One of their members is heading back to North Carolina to receive healing from church bodies where he was serving in the past. Another member is heading to California to begin a fashion and design school. She needs a godly roommate and a safe place to live. That is what community groups and church is all about.

I emphasized that a missional people group is right under the visible surface in the youth and adult incarcerated. People who want to do real missions may reach out to city, county, state, and federal jails and prisons. There are opportunities to reach men, women, and youth.

On Sunday, I had the great joy of accompanying Annette, Angie, Sherry, Michelle, and Richard (not pictured) of His Harmony from our Faith Baptist Church in Kent to Twin Rivers Correctional Facility in Monroe for their concert. Their "Achy breaky heart" portion of their medley with choreography brought a smile to the appreciative listeners. They were the very real best I have ever heard them. We go back up to Monroe together on November 8.

I summarized the first three principles of Al-anon:

• I can't and surrender
• God in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit CAN
• I'll let Him

I preached from Matthew 25:34, "Then the King will say, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, receive the inheritance prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' " What an incredible passage about the greatness of God!

Puritan of 1660 Thomas Manton wrote:
(adapted only slightly for the Old English)

Walking by faith makes a man sincere, because he expects his reward from God only, though no man observe him, no man commend him: Mat. 6:6, ‘Thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly.’ Yea, though all men hate him and condemn him: Mat 5:11-12, ‘Blessed are you when men shall revile and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my name’s sake; rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.’ Now this is true sincerity, when we make God alone our paymaster, and count his rewards enough to repair our losses and repay our cost.

Dear friends,

It has been a very, very long time since I have written you about my work you so faithfully support with the Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries. I am serving daily at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, on Tuesday evenings at the Echo Glen Juvenile Detention Facility near Issaquah, and occasional Saturdays at the Monroe Corrections Center. I also serve as the President of the Chaplaincy Advisory Group, CAG, at the RJC.

In September, I will be participating in a CAG-sponsored volunteer appreciation dinner at the Kent Senior Center. In early October, I will be leading a PFCOM trip to several sites in Eastern Washington. On another note, Katharine and I will be enjoying our 13th season doing statistics and handling media calling for the Kentridge Chargers football team.

I want to share with you about Andrew, 34, who received Christ for salvation three months ago. He was hiding from a life of alcohol and domestic violence when he came to the RJC. It was all blown out of proportion and when the truth was known he could go home. It was all going to come out. Another inmate shared with me he knew Andrew was not telling me everything. That is very common. I don't ask an inmate why he is there. I just want to meet him where he is at and share the saving and restoring truth from the Bible. Andrew shared much more of the story in our next session. He has grown nearly daily. Now, he finds himself reading the Scriptures with and encouraging others. He invites men to come with him so I can share the Romans Road to Salvation with him. The Lord has given him a beaming smile.

I also want to share with you about Robert, 18, who also received Christ for salvation just last week when Andrew brought him in to meet with me. Robert has lived an openly rebellious life since he was 12, when he stopped reading or doing anything constructive with school. He has been in and out of juvenile detention. When he came in, he humbly said, "I need help..I need help." Robert had the courage to have me call his parents because he wants to make things right with them. They don't believe him, yet. He has been causing them trouble and embarrassment for a long time. They need Jesus, too. Robert is reading with Andrew every day and is making great progress. How will Robert's life be really changed when he is released?

Would you pray for him?

Thank you for your very faithful support! I am in the process of contacting churches and other individuals to increase my support base, this fall. I am also going to be substitute teaching in the Tahoma School District.

This fall, Andy continues to work as a mechanic at Bowen Scarff in Kent, Peter begins Green River Community College, and Jon will be heading to Kentlake High School. Katharine is still working at the Covington Library and is back working on her novel.