GREAT FIRST HALF OF THE SUMMER

Are you tired?  Wonder why?  Apart from the demands of your job and family, you have been busy advancing the cause of Christ at Bear Valley!  There was your planned, generous gift on Mission Sunday of over $17,000, giving that did not diminish your response to our challenging weekly budgeted need.  There was the graduation of one of the school's finest classes in memory near the end of May.  What a joy to be a part of one of the greatest works in our brotherhood! Then, there are the activities. From Vacation Bible School and Future Preachers Training Camp in June to involvement in Red Mountain Youth Camp and Kamp Koinonia earlier in July, you can sit back long enough to gear up for our Higher Ground Girls Camp that starts this Sunday, July 29th!  TERI AUTREY & KATHY POLLARD have directed this camp since 2009, and it has grown tremendously.  Like our FPTC, this camp is provided free of charge to teenage girls (ages 13-18) who apply and are accepted.  This year, we have right at the maximum of 60.  They are coming from 11 states!  It is annually described as a spiritual life-changer!  So many of you are going to be involved in one way or another (staff, counselors, teachers, providing food, etc.).  

We have also seen a steady influx of great families placing their membership with us this summer.  By my count, since May, we've gained the EMERSONS, ROSES, KIRKLANDS, HURTS, and BATES.  Oh, how we will miss the AUSTINS, when they move next month to resume work with the Navajos in Arizona.  Youth activities continue to flurry and keep already busy teens on the go.  We are blessed with numerous visitors each service, it seems.  Last Sunday, MARY ANN PARKER, JOEY BAILEY'S sister, was baptized into Christ!  All of these are mountain top moments for which we should be grateful.

Fellowship opportunities will continue, including the Annual Churchwide Picnic on August 26th.  Our incoming and returning students have already been arriving here at Bear Valley.  The lectureship is less than two months away.  Ladies Bible Class will soon resume.  Catch your breath, then find as many ways to reach across, reach out, and reach up in the cause of Christ here at Bear Valley!  It's a joy to be a part of a loving, living, and learning church!

To God be the glory! Oh, and THINK SOULS THROUGH SERVICE!

Love,
Neal