October 8, 2008

“Today is a day to celebrate. It is a Celebration of the Goodness of the Lord. If you have come for any other reason, you are in the wrong place.” This is how a member of the worship team began the 11:00 worship service at Membley Baptist Church on Sunday, October 5, 2008.” These are also the introductory words to a new blog – http://goodnessofthelord.blogspot.com/ – A blog to share the excitement that Jack and I felt on Sunday as we participated in the 5th anniversary of Membley Baptist Church, a mission of Parklands Baptist begun not by preachers, but by committed laypersons from Parklands Baptist Church and missionaries, Dena and Roy Brent.

“Our 5th Anniversary is a time of Thanksgiving for what God has done and looking forward to what He will do. We seek to join him where He is working and Glorify His Holy Name!” The purpose of the new blog and my prayer is that as you see what has happened in the past and what is happening and what can happen in this one church and in the lives of its members, you will glorify our Heavenly Father. For this story is a true Lottie Moon Story of our Saviour's Great Commission being fulfilled. This is also the story of what has happened thanks to the prayers and the time and financial investments of many Southern Baptists since the beginning of our work in Kenya in the late 1950's!

The above paragraph is also taken straight from the blog, not just because I’m too tired to think of anything new to share with you (although between taking over 500 pictures on Sunday during our six-hour visit to the church and working for hours since then preparing the blog, I am exhausted!), but because I want to thank you for being a part of this story. You are the ones who have prayed and invested your time and finances in the work in Kenya. THANK YOU for how you have participated in what is happening at Membley Baptist Church and in other places in Kenya through your prayers. Thank you for your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and to the Cooperative Program which supports your missionaries and allows us to be a part of God’s work in Kenya.

I often wish I had my camera with me so I could share our lives with you and thankfully I did have the camera on Sunday. In addition to the slideshow of the kids of Membley, there are two large slideshows on the blog that hopefully will allow you to experience the special anniversary worship service and the afternoon celebration presentations to Dena and Roy Brent.

Thank you once again for being our prayer partners. We do depend on your prayers and we know you are praying – we are experiencing the blessings, watching as prayers are answered, and feeling the needed strength and encouragement when there are problems. Bert Yates