Saturday, August 15, 2009

Youth Carwash Fundraiser

Darla Shupick, Randy Slides Off and Nicole Arnoldbik put together a semi-spontaneous carwash yesterday in the Lakota Thrifty Mart parking lot. The day was rainy and overcast, but that didn't seem to matter too much to the fun-loving work force! The kids did a great job scrubbing away at all the South Dakota bug splatters on windshields and hoods, etc. Plus they had fun to boot! Throughout the course of the afternoon, ten kids armed with squeegies and water buckets could be seen splashing around the parking lot and occasionally taking a break or two to feast on donuts, peaches, pretzels and beef jerky. All in all, it was a fairly productive day and the FBC youth group collected $175 in donations for youth activities and for Windswept Academy, the new Christian school that will be using First Baptist's facilities for the '09-'10 school year. Here's a little video clip with snippets of our achievement!


Friday, August 7, 2009

Summertime: So Far, So Good

Watch this video to get a glimpse of some of the ministry & hard work (and good, bapticostal fun) that's been going on around Eagle Butte. So many visitors have put smiles on our faces and encouraged us through their projects and support. We have been blessed by their dedicated efforts and by the gift of their friendship. This goes out to all you folks from around the country: THANK YOU FOR CARING & FOR PRAYING!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

From the Pastor's Desk

Dear Family and Friends,

The Lord is blessing us with a very busy and productive summer. Thanks to Fred and Betty Igert and also eight men from First Baptist Church of Rolling Hills, Catoosa, OK., our church has new floors, windows, an added classroom, new bathrooms with showers, new storage cabinets, a new janitor's closet and more. It is beautiful! These men worked 12-16 hours each day. We also had a great revival service with Brother Fred and a Cherokee group from Stilwell, OK. led by Brother Don Sanders. One of our men from Eagle Butte, Tyson LaPlante, prayed to receive Christ. Please pray for him.

After all this, our friends from Hamilton Baptist Church, Hamilton, VA., came and conducted our VBS, this being their 11th year. We averaged over 90 children each night with 15 children and youth praying to receive Christ. We had 12 of our adults help in various ways. This group from Hamilton also labored many hours each day preparing for each night of VBS.

After VBS our church family met and unanimously agreed to restructure our Sunday School beginning August 9th in order to reach at least 50 or 60 children and youth every Sunday. So far we have 16 adults who will be working in this ministry. We will even be cooking breakfast for the children. (I have requested two extra sausage and biscuits for me.)

We have two more building projects that we are hoping to do in September or October which will probably cost us about $2,500.00. We used all of the $9,000.00 from our building fund and are already in great need of classroom, fellowship hall and sanctuary space. We have enough property for a 40x60 addition. We would need at least five teams and probably $200,000.00 for this to happen. If God continues to add to our church family and our children and youth ministry we are praying and believing that He will give us the extra space that we need. With God's help we could be pouring concrete in May of 2010. Even though Eagle Butte is said to be one of the poorest places in the U.S. we are choosing to believe that there is nothing too hard for God!

Please pray for us and also for Windswept Academy, which will begin operating in our church building this August. We love you and thank God for you.

God's grace and peace to you all.

Pastor Phil Lawrence