November 20, 2007 update

Dear Friends,We had a really good weekend with the Wickens family, missionaries to Northern Ireland. Brother Wickens preached two challenging messages concerning our responsibility to reach this lost world for Christ. It was a great challenge for the church to be able to host a missionary family and to hear their burden for world wide evangelization. God has blessed and as a church we have been able to start a missions fund to be able to support a missionary. It was exciting to have them come and be a part of our services. As a missions work in itself we desire to reach beyond our own community with a global vision. Thank you for praying for our missions weekend. Lord willing this week we as a church will formally take on the Wickens family for monthly support.

There are a couple of other things that we are trying to put together for the Christmas season. My desire at this point is to see the folks become more faithful to the evening service. Many of our folks work in the medical field which causes them to miss on occasion.

Also, please be in prayer for our son Kaleb. He is on his third ear infection in the last five weeks. This time it is in both ears and his throat. There is no fluid built up in his ears so they do not want to put grommets in at this point. It is just very exhausting with a sick child getting up in the night many times and having it go on for several weeks. We have been to the doctor several times and have been given more antibiotics then I care to think about. This time they gave him something quite potent. Hopefully it will be more effective. Do be praying that he would outgrow this situation or that the Lord would just take it away.

Once again thank you for your prayers

God bless,

Don and Lisa Thatcher

November 15, 2007 Update

Dear Friends, This past week we had some very nice weather which made for quite a pleasant time out on the doors. Also, on Saturday I was able to talk in a little more detail then usual with five different people. I was at least able to get some of the points of the Gospel out to different one. One lady was really struggling with the fact that such a loving God could send a person to "judgment and hell". I shared with her some thoughts concerning the longsuffering and patience of God along with the fact that He is righteous and just. I pointed out to her that the Bible does declare that "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" and that there is a way to avoid standing before God to be judged for sin. Do continue to pray for this spiritually darkened "Land of Saints and Scholars" to which Ireland is often called.

Thanksgiving as far as a holiday is not celebrated here in Ireland, but it sure seems to be a very Biblical practice. This Saturday we are inviting the church to come by our home for an open house. We have given it a theme entitled "An Autumn Heart of Thanksgiving". Lisa is preparing three different soups along with several breads, coffee, tea and biscuits. I have asked everyone to share one thing for which they can thank God for from the past few months. We are looking forward to a good time of fellowship together.

Also, this Saturday and Sunday we will be hosting our first missionary family that is coming to present their mission work to our folks at Anchor Baptist Church. They are Martin and Carrie Wickens and their two children serving the Lord in country of Northern Ireland. As a church we are looking forward to hearing their burden and Lord willing plan to be able to support them on a monthly basis.

Please be praying for the events of this weekend that the Lord would broaden our vision to reach out beyond Waterford City. Continue to pray as well for our outreach for the lost souls in Waterford each week that the Lord would bless and reap a bountiful harvest.

God bless,

Don and Lisa Thatcher