God provides, and the needs are great.

The last few months have been quite a challenge, on several levels. 

One obvious level is that last year we approved a budget at the church that requires us to not spend money we don't have. And the giving was very low. The only place in the budget lage enough to flex with wide income gaps is the salary for the pastor.  

(The church also approved a housing allowance which is fixed, so we can keep paying the mortgage without a hiccup) the result was that we ended up with a huge budget reduction on the home front. Not a crisis so far, but certainly a challenge.  This past Sunday, we had an extra large offering, one which brought us back into a normal budget range for at least one month, God provides.

We also got our one deacon back from an extended ministry absence. And while we may call him a deacon, he actually functions as the primary trusted spiritual caretaker for many of the more mature members of the congregation. It is a huge blessing to have him back among us. But it pointed out the crying need for leaders in our midst. 

Leadership development is not an overnight event, so as we start to work toward developing the innate potential in some of our members, my prayer is that we can hold on long enough to begin to see fruit.

A third challenge is about to kick off in earnest. We have been given a grant to provide parenting training for families in our community, it is a great program, but it will require a lot of effort from members who are in many ways not able to do much anymore, or not able to do much because of how life is working right now. The thing is this program has reached out to the community, and in the last few weeks I have had everyone from child services and county parole officers to pastors and school principles I my building to talk about serving our community. A huge opportunity which I can only trust God to help develop.

Related to huge opportunities I got a call today from a local food distribution team, looking for a place to hold their weekly food distribution program.  They see about 400 people every week, so I am not sure they would even fit, but I am also not sure that it would be wise to get into the handout business at this stage In the game.

Pray for wisdom in knowing when to say "No" and when to leap on opportunity. For exceptional insight into how to mold leaders and  For Gods continued providential supply.

Thanks for your prayers.