Our church was blessed on February 8th to have Pastor Jeff Winters and family visiting with us. They pastor Blackfoot Southern Baptist Church in Blackfoot, Idaho.  While they were with us, Gary McKean and family were visiting with his church in Blackfoot.  Gary said, "Simply saying that they are excited does not really convey what they feel. They are truly excited but there is also an atmosphere of great expectation.  They are primed and ready for the partnership."  Pastor Jeff told us something about himself, his family, and his church.  After the services, the mission team had an opportunity to fellowship and talk about joint needs.

What can we do, and what can they do for us?  Good question!  Here are some of the things they are doing. Can you help in one or more of these areas?

Being just across the street from the high school, they have their Paradigm ministry which is a release-time Bible study for high school students.  It has varied from two to seven students.  It is a wonderful opportunity for youth outreach; but, they don't have enough people to lead it.  It is held every school day in one-hour sessions.

The youth are undertaking a puppet ministry.  Bruce and Carol (brand new Christians who just accepted Christ within the last two weeks) have a background in puppetry and building stages.  They have built a wonderful and professional-looking puppet stage.  We could certainly use their help here at Mountain View, and Pastor Jeff said they would be happy to come!

They expressed the need for help in VBS.  One way we can help is to take our youth and others up the week before their VBS to do prayer-walking and door-to-door contacts to invite people to the VBS; and of course, anyone who would like to go up and stay the week to help.

They hold a "Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt" for the community the Saturday before Easter.  While their church is small (60 on a good Sunday) the turnout for this event is tremendous! They have 3,000 candy-filled plastic eggs they hide, and they need lots more.  Here is another opportunity for us - buy and fill more eggs.  Some of our team plan to go up and help this year.   

One of the opportunities for them to help us Gary stated, "We were impressed with their awareness of missions and desire to get involved.  Debbie, for example, asked if we knew of any mission projects that she could join with in the summer.  Paul said that he and Bruce would offer their services to help churches or people who had no money with welding projects (which is their profession) or in operating heavy machinery (backhoes, bulldozers, graders)."

We are sharing calendars so that we can join each other for special events. There is much more but there is no more room on this page. Watch for more news coming!!!