July 8, 2013

Every week for decades the bus workers of GRIBT have boarded their vehicles to hit the under-privileged neighborhoods of Providence to transport children to Sunday School.  Virtually every week we see some of these children pray to receive Christ as personal Savior.  We see a fair share of these students integrated into the constituency of our youth group and begin to give their lives fully to Christ. Occasionally, some of these students in their teen years succumb to peer pressure and get away from the things of God.

Such was the case with Stacey. Stacey was saved in our bus ministry. One of our Bus Captains, Peggy Paccheo, led her to the Lord. She developed quickly, responding positively to discipleship, and then got away from church late in her teen years. Yesterday, Stacey returned to church and brought her boyfriend, Manny, with her.  Manny knew that his life was empty. He was raised Pentecostal, but had never yet found forgiveness of sins. He was searching for a relationship with God, and Stacey recommended GRIBT. They both came, and at the conclusion of the service Manny prayed in my office to receive Christ. Amen! Please pray as we seek to help him and Stacey build their relationship on Bible principles.

The fallout of Vacation Bible Time continues to be felt. Danielle Franco, daughter of Joe and Jackie Franco, accepted the Lord at this year’s VBT. She was led to the Lord by Merry Sirois. Yesterday, Danielle made her faith public through the ordinance of baptism. She is our 28th person to be baptized this year. We are so thankful that God is continuing to keep the baptismal waters stirred at our church house.

Some of our newest members, Scott and Christine McLeon, were back in church yesterday to present their new son David. David was born with a minor health complication that the doctors at Hasboro Children’s Hospital were able to fix with relative ease. The proud parents were back in church.  We are excited about Christine’s baby shower, which will be held July 19 at the home of Elisabeth Blair.

Please be in prayer for several of our church people who are having health complications. One of our shut-ins, Marilyn Verardo slipped and fell in her home. She was hospitalized at Rhode Island Hospital for a couple of days and has now transitioned to rehab. We thank the Lord for her continued improvement.

It was also good to see Cathy Collins return to church yesterday after rehab from her knee replacement. We are also glad to see that Glen Hawkinson is making good recovery from his knee staff infection. Please continue to keep these saints in your prayers.

On a personal note, Karen and I will be travelling this week to Utah, as I will be preaching a missions conference at Victory Baptist Church in Orem. While we are away, our daughter April will be visiting her sister and friends in Georgia before she heads off to PCC later this summer. Pray for Pastor Tom as he preaches Sunday in my absence. Also pray for Brother McKeever, from New England Baptist College, who will be presenting the school and preaching this Wednesday night.

Your continued prayers and support are much appreciated. Continue to pray for us as we serve a greater God by taking the Gospel to the greater Providence area.