The Mainstream

GRR Calendar

March 28-29 - Oasis: Area 1 ABW Retreat at Stronghold

March 29 -AB Men's Disaster Relief Leadership Team Lake Springfield Baptist Camp

April 5 - AB Men's Disaster Relief Spring Training Work Day Grace Baptist Church,

Kansas City, MO and Blackhawk Baptist Camp

April 12 -ABW Spring Rallies: Area I FBC Plano, IL Area III FBC El Paso, IL Area IV Pleasant Grove

Baptist, Humboldt, IL

April 12 - Clean Up Day at Lake Springfield Baptist Camp

April 16 - 19: American Baptist Women in Ministry Conference, St. Louis

April 19 -Area 1 ABW Spring Meeting FBC Morrison, IL

April 19 -ABMen's Disaster Relief Spring Training and Camp Cleanup Lake Springfield Baptist Camp

April 22 - 25: Fanning the Flame, A National Pastor's Renewal Conference

April 25-26 -GRR Missions Conf. Cherry Hills Baptist

Great Rivers Region Missions Conference

Cherry Hills Baptist Church Springfield, IL April 25-26, 2008.

Friday:

3:00

p.m. Registration

3:00

– 5:00: Visit Mission Displays; talk with Duane Binkley or Dwight Stinnett.

5:00 – 6:00 Dinner

6:30 - Evening Session Mission Speaker, Duane Binkley Preacher, Max Klinkenborg

Saturday:

8:30 a.m. Worship Speaker, Gary Baits Commissioning Service for Gulf Coast Volunteers

Missionary Speakers: Duane and Marcia Binkley serve Burmese ethnic Karen and Chin refugees both in the United States and Thailand. The Binkleys work with the tens of thousands of refugees coming to the U.S. while continuing to work with those still remaining in refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar (Burma) border.

(Missions Conference continued, p 2)

Missions Conference (continued)

Ben Sullivan

Barbara Hartnett

Elizabeth Landau

Disaster Relief: American Baptist Men Respond To Ice Storm

An ice storm did extensive damage in the Jacksonville, IL area in December. On December 13, 2007 Ron Greenfield, Mac Shotwell and Paul Stivers met with Rev.Jim Harper, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville to survey the damage and to do site inspection at the locations assigned by the city. They were joined by Bob Nicolette. Later that day the small disaster relief trailer was parked at First Baptist Church, thanks to Charlie Schumaker and George Meyer.

The next day, twenty-one volunteers worked at 15 sites, completing 14 of them. Because of extreme winter weather, the work was delayed until Dec. 20 and 21. Paul Stivers, team leader, led a team to complete eight additional sites: Breaking for Christmas, work resumed In January with three teams completing work at seven additional sites. Together thirty volunteers completed work at 29 sites in 6 days. On January 3 and 4, Ron Greenfield returned to Jacksonville to complete work at one site and three new ones. Work on this, our 7th disaster response, was completed on January 5 at 3 sites.

The following from Carol Rowe summed up what we heard from so many: "Thank you so much for clearing my yard of limbs after the ice storm… I do so appreciate and recognize the hard work and the Christian action. Your love for our Savior is evident in your good works. Again thank you and may God's blessings be with you always."

FBC Kansas City Youth on Mission:

In the summer of 2007 the First Baptist, Kansas City, MO church bus hauling a trailer full of supplies and gifts - followed by a mini-van - headed south on a mission trip. We spent days of work and fun at Murrow Indian Children’s Home and then forced ourselves to part in keeping with our plan to also minister to Bacone College.

At Bacone, our youth first dug in and dug up an overgrown sand volleyball court in time for incoming students to enjoy. The next morning our youth painted parking lines in the hot Oklahoma sun and later cooked our lunch. After lunch they reported to Melissa Foutch for some “inside work” -- folding thousands of newsletters to be sent to Bacone alumni and supporters. Emily Dold, one of our newest youth - though more than glad to help fold, seal, address and ready them for posting - was impressed at how much work this was, especially since we had not worked with its production or printing.

During the next months, God worked in and through Emily and our youth and leaders. This led to our youths’ fund raising skit about our faith and following Christ. Thanks to a gifted and giving congregation we raised over $500 that now has been sent to Murrow in hopes they can purchase a folding machine with perhaps a service contract. May God’s work as seen in Emily, be done in each of us, so we may see and feel needs,

listen to God speaking to our hearts, and follow through with the love we’ve first been given, for we know the needs of our world are great.

Pastor Doug Valentine

April Conferences

DAUGHTERS OF THE FLAME AMERICAN BAPTIST WOMEN IN MINISTRY 2008 CONFERENCE

APRIL 16-19, 2008 St. LOUIS, MISSOURI Contact: Rev. Muriel Johnson

Fanning the Flame A National Pastor's Renewal Conference

April 22-25, 2008 American Baptist Assembly Green Lake, WI

GRR Clergy Spouses

April 18-19, 2008 Lake Springfield Baptist Camp “The Song In Your Heart” Ardys Carpenter - Retreat Leader

Mainstream Contact Information

Pastor Honored for Service