Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ and partners with us in this great ministry,
Greeting in Jesus’ love! Colder weather and the Christmas season are here, bringing with them multiple opportunities especially advantageous for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and extending His kingdom.
As most of you know, my wife, Rut, has been struggling with pain in different parts of her body for more than three years. We have seen no improvement yet in her health, but we know many of you continue praying for her. Thank you!
Allow me to share with you the progress in our ministry. In Lafayette as summer ended, we developed a program of contacting new people, teaching and preaching. Both the Lafayette and Monticello congregations joined in this program. For several weeks, we walked around town two days a week passing out flyers, giving school supplies to the needy and inviting people to our services. The Hispanic congregation of White River Christian Church joined us for a couple Sundays. Steve Bramlage from Buffalo Christian Church came to preach one Sunday. Tom Haynie, the minister of Buffalo Christian Church, came one Saturday to help us pass flyers and teach one class. The Lord blessed us through these outreach events.
Thanks to Francesville First Christian Church (FCC), who provided school supplies and bottled water. FCC’s James Ketchen (senior minister) and Chuck Mellon delivered those items to my house. They have also been bringing food and goods to my house from the Humanitarian Distribution Center, Inc. (Center), a regional food bank located in Francesville serving 13 counties. Special thanks to these two men. For many years, we have been distributing in different towns the food the Center provides us, but last summer and the first weeks of fall, we also used those supplies to provide a dinner for people once or twice a week.
On April 5th Yosdy Palencia (Monticello congregation) was baptized into Christ! Then on October 25th, we were blessed to see Damaris Morales of the Lafayette congregation be baptized. Both Yosdy and Damaris had been studying and learning the gospel and our prayers were answered when they made the decision to be baptized. Throughout 2015, we have seen many people joining the congregation of Monticello as a result of the evangelistic work of Brother Jorge Palencia. He has a weekly Bible Study at his home, teaches home Bible Studies, etc.
Through the Lord’s blessing, Monticello’s congregation has enjoyed remarkable progress and development. We had been praying for a leader who could help me in that congregation. Our Lord answered our prayers and provided TWO godly and competent leaders: Jorge Palencia and Faustino Hernández. I appointed them as ministers of the congregation, and the elders of Christ’s Church at Monticello oversee them.
On December 6, 2015, we began a 1:00 p.m. Sunday Bible Study at Lafayette. We pray, study the Bible, sing and have the Lord’s Supper. Then at 5:00 p.m., we have our regular Sunday worship service. Thanks to Elmwood Church of Christ for allowing us to use their building for our meetings.
To summarize: at this point, we have established the Hispanic congregation of Logansport and appointed a minister to that congregation; and the congregation of Monticello and appointed two ministers there. My goal for this coming year is to assign a minister for the congregation of Lafayette. Then, I could focus my efforts more on extending the Lord’s Kingdom in other Indiana towns and cities.
Thank you for supporting this ministry and being part of this great team. HOPE Ministries has been doing an excellent job among Latinos in Lafayette, Logansport and Monticello.
Blessings,
Rafael Tirado