Canada
Alberta
Fort McMurray: As of last report, no believers’ homes were destroyed in a wildfire that crossed the city in early May. The new hall which is nearing completion was left untouched, although it is estimated that 1600 homes and buildings were leveled. Some 80,000 permanent residents and temporary workers were evacuated, with no assurances when they can return. Although amazingly, there was no loss of human life from the fire, many have lost their homes and possessions, and the economy has been greatly disrupted. Please pray for the believers here and that God will bless in unforeseen ways. Individuals or assemblies can direct funds for relief through the Gospel Perpetuating Foundation, 2025 West 42nd Ave., #380, Vancouver, BC, V6M 2B5.
British Columbia
Vancouver: Following the Easter conference, David McKillan (UK) was able to make appreciated visits to Westbank for a week of meetings, and Kamloops for a few nights. His visit concluded with a week of profitable meetings on April 18-22 in Victoria Drive on the “Purposes of God in Relation to Israel: The Nations, the Kingdom, and the Church,” using his chart, followed by a report on South Africa. The last Lord’s Day of April, was spent with the West Richmond assembly.
Ontario
Brampton: The assembly was encouraged with four weeks of gospel meetings with Jim Jarvis and Brody Thibodeau. The interest was good from the start, with appreciated support from other assemblies. Many from the community heard the gospel, and one of the children of believers here professed salvation. Please pray that the Lord will continue to bless the Seed that was sown.
Kitchener: The Christians have recently been encouraged with children’s meetings which were followed by a short gospel series with Jim Bergsma of Chatham. It was heartwarming to hear the gospel so clearly proclaimed, and nice to see several visitors attend. Over the past few months, community suppers have been well attended and are encouraging to the Sunday school students and visitors. Previously, we held our annual children’s recital, with a message by Steve DiMarco of New Market.
Kirkland Lake: Good numbers attended three weeks of gospel meetings with Gaius Goff and Tom Hoy and the Lord gave encouragement.
Parry Sound: The assembly has recently been renewed in spirit in witnessing a spark in gospel outreach. In recent months, an average of 30-40 children have been coming regularly to YMCA gym nights where the gospel is presented midway through the two-hour session. A gospel community outreach meal is served on the last Sunday of each month. It has been encouraging to see new people in attendance who come to enjoy the meal and listen to the gospel. In March, 17 new individuals came to the gospel meeting. It has been unifying for the saints to work together to tell others about what Christ has done. Pray for the Lord’s work in the saving of souls.
Timmins: The saints enjoyed ministry meetings from Jim Beattie on March 23, Fred Krauss on March 28-29, and Bruce Rodgers (on James 1-2) from April 3 through 7.
U.S.A.
Iowa
Ankeny: Frank Sona and Allan Christopherson completed a two-week series of gospel meetings in late April. The assembly was encouraged with several attending for the first time. The closing night was at the end of the one-day conference on May 1. The assembly was encouraged by a large number of visitors from other assemblies coming for the conference and also by the Lord’s servants and visiting brethren who spoke.
Davenport: Gospel meetings have reconvened on Friday nights with local brethren from the Marion, IA assembly helping Allan Christopherson.
Stout: The conference in April was excellent with the Lord giving help in ministry and gospel. The conference was shared by 13 of the Lord’s servants. The weather was favorable and the attendance above average. The gospel meetings with Jonathan Procopio and John Meekin are in the eighth week, with blessing and with others concerned.
Massachusetts
Byfield: The assembly was thankful for a three-week gospel series with Paul Barnhardt and Larry Perkins. There were unsaved in attendance to hear the gospel preached every night and the series was well supported by the neighboring assemblies. Some traveled from Maine and Vermont. One woman was saved in the week leading up to the meetings, and another saved at the start of the second week.
Michigan
Deckerville: Bruce Rodgers gave two nights of ministry on James 3-4, with encouraging words. The meetings were well attended with good support from other assemblies.
Minnesota
Fridley: In April, William Skates presented five nights of Christ-exalting ministry with a rich study of “The Person of Christ,” speaking of the Lord’s various titles and perfect attributes.
New Jersey
Pennsauken: Tent meetings are planned for the month of June with Peter Ramsay and Kyle Wilson.
Washington
Arlington: David Vallance conducted a weekend of profitable meetings during the first weekend in May on the Ephesian epistle. Visitors from other assemblies took advantage of this opportunity and appreciated the hospitality of the saints here.
Marysville: David McKillan (UK) visited briefly in April. He also visited the Clearview and Lynden assemblies.
Wisconsin
La Crosse: William Lavery was expected for ministry meetings on “The Levitical Offerings,” May 1-5.
Ontario: Murray McCandless and Scott MacLeod closed after seven weeks of gospel meetings. Two teenage girls professed, as well as one man who came two nights the last week. Please pray for many more unsaved children who attended nightly, and a woman who has stage-4 cancer who would like to be saved.
Waukesha: In early May, Dan Shutt and Terry Topley commenced their second week of gospel meetings in the hall.
Mexico
Chihuahua
Ciudad Delicias: A gospel series commenced on April 25 in this city. There are now four believers who attend the meetings here.
Nuevo Leon
Monterrey: Anderson and María Eugenia moved here from Chihuahua in February. In April, he started the first gospel series in this large metropolitan area of over four million souls.
Sinaloa
Guasave: The believers met together for the first time to commemorate the Lord’s Supper. Believers from Obregón, Hermosillo, West Phoenix, and Iguala were present for this happy occasion. John Dennison, Shad Kember, Abisai Vieyra, and Tim Woodford all shared in the ministry of the Word during different meetings over the weekend.
Nayarit
Tepic: Paul Thiessen and Marcus Cain were with the assembly for three nights of ministry. It was good to see most of the believers from the Santiago assembly attend each night as well.
Veracruz
El Hatito: Weekly gospel meetings on Sunday afternoons commenced in February. God has graciously blessed in salvation. Brethren from the assembly in the Port of Veracruz are involved in this work along with John and Rebekah Nesbitt.
Sonora
Ciudad Obregón: On April 17, four sisters were baptized, with excellent attendance of friends and family. Tim Woodford’s visit for the day was most appreciated. The following Thursday, John Dennison gave helpful ministry on shepherding the local assembly. Josefina, diagnosed with cancer in March, passed into the presence of her Savior on April 11. During the funeral, and on two other occasions, many of her unsaved family members, as well as several friends, heard the gospel clearly preached. Her husband, Roberto, who is in assembly fellowship, has sensed much of God’s presence and peace in this deep trial.
Hermosillo: Carl Knott (Seville, Spain) was with the assembly for two nights, giving ministry on a Biblical perspective on Calvinism and the parables of Matthew 13.
San Luis Rio Colorado: Brethren from here visited the home of Blas and Dina in Ejido Lazaro Cardenas, a rural zone about ½ hour outside of San Luis, in April. Blas and Dina formed part of the assembly in Ejido Colima that has since ceased to exist, and have been attending meetings in San Luis for a few months, showing their desire to form part of the fellowship.
Quintana Roo
Cancún: Timothy and Amy Turkington, as well as other believers in Cancún, greatly enjoyed a 10-day-visit from Duncan and Anna Beckett in April. Duncan gave help in the gospel, and also shared edifying and helpful ministry from Philippians.
South Africa
Joy Muringathery of Mumbai, India writes, “Glad to say, for the glory of God, that I am back to the mission field after three months treatment, care, rest, and hospitalization, for 20 days due to multiple spine issues. We do appreciate your specific prayer for my complete recovery and I am fit physically by God’s rich grace. His strength is made perfect in weakness.
The present mission continues in South Africa, covering Port Elizabeth, Durban, Capetown, Hermanus and Johannesburg. There is much to be done in this land and there are very few in the Lord’s work here in South Africa. I am in Durban now, teaching a group of believers every night who seek to follow right things. We have here a new soul saved from Hindu background. Durban is the place where you would see many Indians who are the descendants of those whom the British brought here to work on sugarcane farms. The majority of them are Hindus, but we have great opportunities to witness to them. God willing, there will be a new assembly testimony in days to come.
Please pray for my travelling within the country and every need, physical and spiritual. For everything our God is able.”
Conferences
Englehart, Earlton, Charlton, Kirkland Lake, ON
June 25-26, in the Englehart High School. Friday: Prayer 7pm (Gospel Hall), Saturday and Sunday: Meetings at 10am, 2pm, 7pm. Contacts: Jeff Taylor (Earlton), Tel: 705 563-8131, E-mail: jdtaylor1996@live.ca; Doug Yade (Kirkland Lake), Tel: 705 567-5951, E-mail: doug_yade@hotmail.com.
Sioux City, IA
July 16-17, in the Sioux City Gospel Hall, 120 South Leonard Street, Sioux City, IA. Saturday: Prayer 7pm. Sunday: Breaking of Bread 9:45am, Bible Reading 11:15am (Hebrews 1 – Jerry Jennings), Lunch 12:30pm, Children’s meeting 1:30pm, Ministry 2pm, Dinner 4:30pm, Gospel 5:30pm. Corr: Gary Hayes, E-mail: george55698@outlook.com.
Conferences Previously Published:
Bancroft, ON – June 4
Saugus, MA – June 4-5
Garnavillo, IA – June 11-12
North Bay, ON – June 11-12
Portage la Prairie, MB – June 10-12
Glen Ewen, SK – June 16-19
Augusta, ME – June 25-26
Staffordville, ON – June 25-26
Taylorside, SK – June 24-26
Kamloops, BC – July 2-3
Pugwash Junction, NS – July 2-3
New Works
Anderson and Mariu Hernandez, commended to Mexico from Venezuela. Address is: Calle Casa Grande #149, Fraccionamiento Residencial los Morales, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico 66470. Tel: (00521) 811 235-1091, Cell: (00521) 812 352-9213. Emails: herlop1@hotmail.com; fliahernandezlopez.ah@gmail.com. San Nicolás de los Garza is part of the large metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, with a population of around 4,000,000. It is located about 2 ½ hours south of Laredo, Texas. Please pray for this new work.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA: Paul Barnhardt continues to visit and work in this new area. Gospel meetings in the summer of 2015 followed a Seed Sower distribution. Some contacts were made, which he continued to follow up and visit during the winter months. His intention is to return this summer to try additional gospel meetings. Prayer is requested for guidance and for the Lord’s blessing in this new area.
Change of Correspondent
Phoenix, AZ (Orangewood Gospel Hall): Andy Feinberg, 4882 W Kesler Lane, Chandler, AZ 85226. Tel: 480 940-9461, Cell: 480 329-6841, E-mail: abf121@gmail.com.
Home-calls
Dale Brooks of Loring, ON, on November 30, 2014, age 76, having battled cancer for seven years. Dale was saved in 1958 through Acts 16:31 in a gospel series with Mr. Ramsay and Mr. Grainger. Approximately 40 souls professed at that time. In 1962, he was baptized and received into assembly fellowship at Arnstein Gospel Hall. In his later years his saying was, “Stay close to the cross.” He will be greatly missed by his wife, Joan, daughter, Ruthann (Tom) and son, Myles (Tracey), eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by Perry in October, 2012. The funeral service was taken by Don Nicholson.
Roland “Rollie” Ekstrand of Hinckley, MN, on March 31, 2016, age 88. Raised in a Christian home, Rollie made a profession of faith at the age of 12, but was plagued with doubts. He eventually married Judy, a neighbor, who had been saved following gospel meetings in his parent’s home. They raised their children while in fellowship at Forest Grove, OR and Willmar, MN. Judy passed away at 36 years of age. While studying in 1 Peter at a Bible study that was started in his home, he read an old book with an illustration given of two water pipes, one with water flowing through it and one empty. He saw he was that broken water pipe, no water, no life! He saw himself as a helpless, lost sinner through Romans 5:6, and was saved on May 10, 1982. Rollie was in fellowship in Willmar and Minneapolis, MN before the assembly began in Hinckley with the first meeting in their home. He is survived by his wife, Amelia, son Jim (Avril), daughter Beverly (David) Klar, granddaughters Rachel Klar and Michelle (Ben) Scherer, all sheltered by the blood, and three great-grandchildren. The funeral was taken by Robert Orr, Jim Brown, and his son, Jim Ekstrand.
Jean Lukensmeyer of Hampton, IA, on April 3, 2016, age 91. She was born in South Dakota in 1924, moved to Hampton in 1938, married in 1943, and saved by the grace of God in 1945. She, with her late husband, Jerry, operated the Hampton Trading Post/Travel Planner for many years, and following his death in 2008, she was joined in the business by her son Richard. Amazingly energetic and full of vitality that belied her years, she was active and doing what she loved right up until the moment she suffered a stroke on March 31 while driving friends to attend a gospel meeting in Stout. “A mother in the Hampton assembly; whose faith follow.” She leaves five children, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Jeff Kramer and Russ Nesbit shared the funeral service held in the Hampton Gospel Hall.
Paul J. Hammon, Sr. of Arlington, WA, on April 14, age 92. In 2005, Paul and his wife Edna moved to a senior center in Stanwood, WA due to failing health. His dear wife, Edna, went to be with the Lord in 2009. At that time, they were in fellowship in the Arlington, WA assembly where Paul continued, as able, until recently. They came to Alaska in 1953 to help in an assembly children’s home in Palmer, and moved to Anchorage in 1955 where they were a real help to Tommy Thompson in establishing a gospel testimony that continues. Paul was saved at the age of 16 during meetings of John Rae in Bellville, IL. Paul was an able song leader and a godly elder for many years and the ultimate hall caretaker in Anchorage until moving in 2005. He is survived by three children, Ruth Rogers, Lois Bang, and Paul Hammon, Jr., 10 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. His grandson, John Bang, gave an excellent word at the funeral service, stressing the gospel.
Vera Starratt of Avonport, NS, on April 21, 2016, age 97. Our sister was saved in the late 1950s and was in fellowship with the saints at the Avonport Gospel Hall. She was unable to attend the assembly meetings in recent years because of health issues. She was a faithful sister who was marked by a love for her family. She loved the gospel and out of an exercise for her family, a hymn sing was started at her apartment where many heard the gospel both in song and preaching at these sessions. The funeral was taken by three local brethren, was well attended, and many heard the gospel faithfully presented. She will be missed by her large family connection and the assembly saints. Prayer for the many family members will be appreciated.
