The weather has definitely shifted into a colder pattern and there is talk of snow. We don't get a lot of snow below 200 meters and so we'll see what is in our future. (The boys are living in hope.)

We're learning how to heat the church and it was cozy this morning for our services despite the cold. God has encouraged our hearts with some attendance increases. A father vistied with his family for their first time on Wednesday PM and his first time at church. It was great to have them all there. We also had a first time visitor out for our SS and AM services this morning.

The message this morning was, "Worship Diagnostics" from Psalm 138. We considered 10 questions which were helpful in evaluating our walk with God. There is a good spirit in all of our services and we're thankful for the work the Lord is doing in our church family.

In other news, Katie's sister and her family arrive this week on Thursday for ten days. We're excited to have family with us for a little while. Thank you for praying for our family and our church family. Your prayer are much appreciated.

Our world calls many things "mental health" that are not. Many are rooted in sinful thinking and sinful behaviour. We enjoyed considering this morning how to have good mental health from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. (Philippians 4:2-9.) It was a very insightful study which I believe was very beneficial for our church family. We also enjoyed our study of the appointing of deacons.

Today is Rememberance Sunday in Great Britain and we observed a 2 minutes silence at the beginning of our 11:00 AM service. We thank God for our soldiers past and present, and for their sacrifices which have protected our liberties.

We have a wonderful praise today as a man trusted Christ as His Saviour following the morning service. Please pray for God's grace as this new believer learns to walk with God. Thank you for praying for Southside Free Baptist Church and our family. God is blessing in answer to your prayers.

It's good to have Katie home, even though she wasn't gone for very long. She enjoyed speaking at a session at a ladies' retreat in Ireland. She was blessed by the fellowship and time away. It's nice to live close to an international airport as she didn't get back until 11PM.

We have some great things happening at church. One of the best things, is the fellowship time after the services. It's wonderful to see God's people spending time catching up with one another. We had a young man visit this morning and he enjoyed a cup of tea with some other men after the service.

I preached this morning on, "Jesus' Final Message" from John 12:44-50. That text is the final discourse of Christ to the multitiude before His crucifixion. 

Life returns almost to normal this next week after a busy month of October. The only extra thing this week for which we'd appreciate your prayers, is a day of prayer in Blair Atholl on Tuesday. I'm thankful to be in a place of prayer on a date that will be historic no matter what the outcome. Please pray for God's rich blessings in prayer as I meet with several other ministers.

In home news, Logan passed his driver's test on Friday. This is a great accomplishment as the test here is very difficult. We're half way in teaching  our children to drive. Three down. Three to go!

Thank you for your interest and intercession. There are several ways in which God manifisted Himself this past week.

British Summer Time ended today and we are into the heart of autumn. God has given us some beautiful weather this past week. We enjoyed the sunshine this morning.

Our attendance was moderate and we have some out with illness. We look forward to getting past illnesses as they have definitely impacted our church attendance the last several weeks. A first time visitor from last week came again this week and we had a visiting family from Wisconsin with us. It's always a blessing to have visitors in our services.

I preached this morning on, "Maintaining Your Course" from the testimony of King Josiah. God's Word clearly gives a timeline of Josiah's obedience which is instructive as you read about a man who did not deviate from following after God.

We have one more big event coming up this week and then we have a more normal ministry schedule. Katie is speaking at a Ladies' retreat in Ireland on this Thursday. Other women will be speaking in the other sessions. Please pray for God's grace for all of those speaking and for Him to do a great work in the hearts of the women. Thank you for your prayers.

First Baptist Church in Gillespie have been a great encouragement to us. We've enjoyed the fellowship and their great work ethic. We have two big projects taking place. The front entry landscaping project was completed this morning. The kitchen remodel is going well and should be completed by the end of the week.

In ministry news; there was an afternoon Tea on Saturday that went really well, the team shared their testimonies in SS. Sunday morning and Evening Pastor DePoppe preached. All of this was a great encouragement to our church family. Monday morning the team did a one day Holiday Bible Club. We didn't have high attendance, but the kids loved it. We had one first timer and we hope he can come to church on Sundays. We also had a first time visitor on Sunday.

Tomorrow morning we hope to do street evangelism and night we are doing a film night. On Friday, we have a youth activity planned. Thank you for praying for our very busy, but good week.

A mission team from Gillespie, IL, (Pastor Jared DePoppe) arrives early tomorrow morning to help us on many fronts. We have a ladies afternoon tea on Saturday. Monday is a one day Holiday Bible Club. Wednesday is a pizza party and film night. Friday is a youth activity. On top of that, we are landscaping the front entrance to the church and removing a wall. We are also doing a kitchen remodel. God has helped us get ready and I'll put some photo's below of our progress before the team's arrival. Thanks for praying with us for God to bless each activity for the next 10 days.

There is much to be done and much on it's way. Thank you for praying for us as we get ready to host a group from Illinois who are going to help us with ministry tasks for 10 days. Pastor DePoppe and a group from his church arrive on Thursday.

We have several fun ministry opportunities planned. Saturday is an afternoon tea for the ladies in our church, sister churches and in our community. Monday is a one day Holiday Bible Club (VBS) from 10:30-12:30. Wednesday is a pizza party and biography film night. (Torchlighters) Friday is a youth activity. Additionally, we have new Gospel leaflets to hand out and we hope to do some street evangelism.

As far as work projects that we hope to tackle, the new kitchen arrives on Wednesday. My boys and I have been hanging plasterboard and plastering. Lord willing, I'll be finished with that task this evening. We then need to begin the painting and lay a click laminate floor.

The other big project we're going to tackle is a landscaping project on the front of our property. This includes demolishing a brick wall and moving some soil. Please pray for grace and safety as we get into these projects.

This morning before working at church, I did street preaching in Edinburgh. I'm reminded that Stephen was martyred and that Philip saw revival and that they both were filled with God's Spirit. I saw a bit of both this morning as I saw anger about sin and conviction about sin (with tears.) I'd much rather see a desire to get right with God than to hear the anger of those who reject the truth of God's Word. Please continue to pray for the power of God in the street preaching. 

Kaite has a lot of responsibility with the team coming, speaking at the afternoon tea, and then she'll also be traveling to Ireland to attend a ladies' retreat where she'll speak in one of the sessions. She is just recovering from illness. Please pray for grace and strength for her for a busy month of ministry.

God is helping us to get ready for our mission team arriving next week. The weather has been poor and it was a good week to write a new Gospel flyer. 10,000 have been ordered. We will begin to put those out next week.

The boys helped me put down floor leveller in the church kitchen today. Also, the electricians got in yesterday to do all the electrical in anticipation of the kitchen rebuild next week. 

We purchased plasterboard and may begin installing that tomorrow. We need to use plaster filler to fix a lot of walls and also mud and tape the new drywall. After that, we'll need to paint the kitchen. The kitchen is supposed to be delivered next Wednesday. Thank you for praying for this project and for God's blessing on the many ministry opportunities scheduled in the week ahead. 

God gave us a great week with the Appel family. Brother Jim, his wife, Cate, and son, Titus, visited us from Monday to Monday. On Tuesday we deconstructed the church kitchen. On Wednesday we did street evangelism in Edinburgh. On Thursday we put out some literature in Roslin. Friday we took up the floor in the kitchen. Saturday we did door to door. On Sunday Pastor Appel preached the AM and PM services. Here is a link to his Sunday AM message on certain things and uncertain things.

We had daily opportunities for fellowship and showing them the area in which we live and minister. Their church has supported our family for around 16 years and we greatly appreciate the opportunity for their pastor's family to get to see what God is doing at SFBC.

We had a great Sunday (Harvest Sunday in the UK) and enjoyed a fellowship meal. A 5 week old was out for his first church service. And, God gave us good attendance. There is a very sweet spirit in our church and it's fun to see the church family spending time speaking with one another after each service.

Please pray for God's grace and guidance as we seek to prep the kitchen in the next 10 days for the installation of the cabinets, etc. The electrician is stopping by the church today to look at what he needs to do. We need to level the concrete floor, lay a click laminate floor, drywall, mud and tape, sand, paint, etc....

Pastor Depoppe and his mission team arrive in a week and a half. They are going to help with the install. We will also be having ministry events about every other day - Ladies' Afternoon Tea, One day Holiday Bible Club, Pizza and film night, youth activity. Please pray for the power of God upon these ministry opportunities. We also hope to get out in street evangelism and putting out Gospel flyer while doing fun activities. So, we are about to hit hyper speed for a little while.

Thank you for your prayers for God's work. His hand is continually evident in our church family, building project and ministry.