It is hard to believe that it is already May and next Sunday is the third high "holy" day of many of our congregations (Mother's Day). I trust your plans are in place and you will have a blessed day of worship as you love on these women who do so much in our lives.
April was a crazy month for me. The week following Easter I left for four days of national meetings with the General Executive Council (GEC). This Concil consists of the Regional Executive Ministers, the Executives of the Adminstratively Related Organizations (ie, ABW Ministries, Minister's Council, etc.) and the Executives and key leaders for International Ministries, National Ministres and the Office of the General Secretary (ABC-USA). It is both a time of continuing education, planning and coordination of the work of the various enteties that are ABC-USA. It is a very full, rich and often exhausting time.
From this meeting, I traveled to Chiapas, Mexico to join up with Rev. John Turnage, chair of our ABCRM Mission Team, and several other folks from our Region to spend a week with Chuck Shawyer, ABC-USA missionary to Mexico. We spent five days in the little village of Maravilla working with a small congregation there to help them begin construction of a new building, training and working with the pastoral team and identifying key areas of need that we might be able to address in future trips. It was an amazing time, especially to see the giftedness of John, who as many of you know is an MK (missionary kid) himself, in understanding the culture there and the needs that exist. At the end of the week, in addition to continuing to help this small church with the building program that is so necessary, we were making plans about how we as a Region can go back and help the church engage in Christian Educaation for Children, Cultural preparation for the Young Adults who will be leaving that village to go to Mexico City and other communities to find work, Worship Revitalization so that when these young folk come back there will be a place for them, and addressing medical and dental needs in the community. In addition to witnessing his work, the pastoral care provided by Pastor Carlos (Chuck) was just amazing. Every night it seems he was going to pray with a different family or address a different need. What a blessing this time was for me to experience again not only the ongoing work of our missionaries, but the real value of being a part of a missionary team like this. Pastors, if you have not yet had the opportunity, don't let the year go by without making plans to be a part of the next trip. We will be sharing more details as plans are made and there is money through Regional scholarship programs to help you take part!
Since returning home from Chiapas, I have been trying to catch up and in the meantime got to share in three very meaningful worship services. On Sunday, April 25th I got to share in the Installation and Ordination Recognition Service of Rev. Ron Holz at Montrose. That afternoon, Kenny Pettis was ordained at FBC Delta. And then yesterday was the installation service of Rev. Bob Ballance at FBC-Boulder. Oh, and I can't forget to share that on Saturday I particpated in a recognition of 25 years of ministry by Rev. John Roberts at FBC-Sterling. What great times all of these events were.
God is alive and well in the ABC of the Rocky Mountains. I look forward to seeing more of His Hands at work in the coming weeks.
In Christ,
Steve Van O
Rev. Dr. Steve Van Ostran
Executive Minister, ABCRM
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