Your Prayers are Needed

President's Update to Board of Directors, District Superintendents, Regional Directors, and Field Directors

November 4, 2009

I received word this morning that Richard Herring (regional director) and Pieter Theron (Mongolian field director) were injured in a bizarre accident on Wednesday afternoon (Thailand time). Participants of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Bangkok attended an elephant show as an outing for the team. While the team was taking pictures, an elephant grabbed Pieter and Richard and threw them about 10 feet into the air. Pieter has a fractured skull and is in critical condition; Richard sustained a broken hip and possible other injuries less serious than Pieter's.
Please put out a call to prayer for Pieter and Richard in your circle of influence. Additionally, pray for all the participants at the Regional Conference as they respond to the needs of the families of our injured colleagues. I expect, but am not sure, that the final days of the conference will be cancelled. As we get more information, we will communicate with you.
Below is a more detailed account of the accident from Brent and Lisa Liberda, Alliance workers in Mongolia.
Praying with you for Pieter and Richard, Gary
　
Here is an account from one of the people who was there:
Members of the RLT (regional leadership team) were on their one free afternoon outing to an elephant and crocodile zoo near the Rose Gardens. We all went to the crocodile show and later attended the elephant show. Everyone was sitting in the grandstands as the elephants performed in a field in front of us.
At the end of the show, the park staff brought out bananas, and about 10 elephants lined up at the fence where people could feed the elephants and take pictures in front of them. After most of the crowd was beginning to leave, some of us from the RLT started to feed the elephants and take pictures. Richard and Pieter were getting their picture taken in front of one of the biggest elephants when suddenly the elephant with his trunk threw them both about 10 feet up into the air. Richard landed on the cement, and Pieter fell on his head. It was very serious. A number of us started administering first aid and praying. There wasn't even a first aid box in the entire park, so we used our shirts and other cloths we could find for compresses and pillows and kept the two men immobile. Both were conscious. Some Christians from other countries who had been there stayed and prayed at a distance. It took about 30 minutes for the first of two ambulances to come, which seemed like an eternity. Two or three from the RLT group went with the ambulances to the hospital.
The two men are currently in a hospital outside the city and will be transferred at 10 p.m. tonight to Vitchayut as the traffic is too bad now. Word from the people at the hospital is that Richard is stable and has a fractured hip. Pieter is in ICU with a fractured skull and is bleeding internally near the brain. He may also have fractured shoulders. The hospital is working on getting a neurosurgeon to the hospital to assess the situation so that Vitchayut will be ready to receive him. The latest news, which is good, is that Pieter's vital signs are stable and the internal bleeding is minimal.
Please pray for God's healing touch in the lives of these two men. Pray especially for Pieter, that God would stop the internal bleeding and that he would be able to receive the help he needs in the shortest amount of time. Pray for his wife, Haniki, as she is at the hospital with him and several others. Dr. Benedict in Colorado has been notified of the situation.
Many thanks for your prayers,
David Strong
Thank you for praying for this situation with us!
Brent and Lisa
P.S.
This just in! As we were preparing to send this e-mail we received the following news. Peter does not need brain surgery. He has some blood on the brain but not enough to require surgery. He has a fractured skull, both shoulders seem to be fractured, and a broken wrist. He is in ICU and will be closely monitored. His internal organs appear to be good and his vital signs appear to be good.
He is in the care of good doctors and in one of the nation's best hospitals.
Praise be to God. Please thank all who have prayed and are praying.
　

"And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" (Luke 10:29-36)

As I rush through my week, I pray I will:

1) Pause and choose to notice those along my path.

2) Allow other's stories to engage my heart and change my gait.

3) Grab the towel of service and discover my neighbor.

Wednesday Coffee 10/21/2009

Wednesday Coffee Prayer Requests 10/21/2009

Praise the Lord for four people from this coffee ministry coming back to tell us of answered prayer this week.

1.      Anne – Asks for the Lord's protection for her husband in Iraq.

2.      Paulette – Asks for the Lord to heal and strengthen her marriage.

3.      Cody – Needs the Lord's healing from the pain from kidney stones.

4.      Sam – Asks for a good report from the Doctor's visit today. Please heal him Lord.

5.      Frank – Needs the Lord's healing and strength for his wife.

6.      Bob – Asks for the Lord's healing touch.

7.      Anquanette – Needs the Lord's guidance and closeness for her and her brother.

8.      Lester – Needs the Lord's help in finding a good job.

9.      Glenecia – Needs the Lord's help in keeping her job.

10.   Takisha – Needs the Lord's help in keeping her job.

11.   Millie – Needs the Lord's help in finding a new job.

12.   Al – Asks the Lord to help build his family's unity.

13.   Dale – Would like the Lord to bless his family.

14.   Lilkenia – Asks for the Lord to help and give her strength for her new job.

15.   Glen – Asks for the Lord to help him keep his job.

16.   Minerva – Needs the Lord's help in softening two of her supervisors at work.

 

 

Help Wanted

Help Wanted!  It’s kind of an unusual sign to see hanging anywhere in Central Florida these days.   The local paper reports there are 100 people applying for every job available in Orlando.   Nationally, they say for every job available there are 7 people needing a job.  Not encouraging statistics.   But I want you to know Westwood has her sign out.  Help Wanted!

 

We have two positions available at Westwood Church.  First, we are looking for some seekers.   Take a look at your resume and see if it matches the characteristics we’re looking for.

           

Westwood Church is actively looking for any seekers who don’t have it all figured out regarding what following Christ looks like.   Applicants should have a hunger for discovery and be willing to live with the tension God’s Word sometimes creates in life.  They will be required to work with difficult people (the Church) and have their toes stepped on regularly by co-workers.  They should be able to embrace change, and not be uncomfortable responding regularly to challenges.  Those seeking a comfortable, nice church experience need not apply.

 

Westwood Church is also actively seeking servants.  Applicants should have a relationship with Jesus.  There are positions open for the inexperienced as well as the experienced.  But, those applying need to be willing to get their hands dirty.  They must not expect the church to be all about them and their comfort.  This opportunity will require applicants to make full utilization of their resources.  Nothing must be held back.  Applicants must be motivated by the Spirit and be sensitive His leading, and to the need in the world. 

 

If you are interested in either of these positions, please apply at Westwood Church.

 

Our Mission and Vision

Love God through relevant worship.

Love others through creating places to belong.

Love the world through participating in opportunities that make a difference.

Prayer Needed

Lord, I need your help...

1) Please pray for Candace. She's a single mom who desperately needs work. Her job must be in walking distance of her apartment in the Pine Hills area. I have contacted a friend in the community who has business a couple of blocks from her home and he has agreed to interview her this week.

2) Please pray for Jenny. She's a single mom who had her car stolen last week. Her purse and cell phone were also in the car. We seeking the Lord for direction. Jenny works over in Winter Park and needs a vehicle to keep her job, etc. We will be contacting law enforcement tomorrow to check on the progress of recovering the car. In the short term Jenny is utilizing one of my vehicles. Though the crisis need has been met for the next couple of days, we are looking for God's direction in the short-term and long-term. Jenny is pretty discouraged but at the same time she believes God has utilized this and other recent events to put her back on track with the Lord.

3) Pray for Samantha. She's a single mom with a 5 yr-old boy I met on Wednesday afternoon. She had lost everything. Her job, place to live, and hope. On Wednesday evening, I introduced her to Amy who hired her as a full-time waitress. Samantha starts work tomorrow. 40 hours at $15 an hour! She sat in my office and wept when I told her about the opportunity. Pray for what God is doing in her heart. We will begin to work on a place for her and her son to live next week.

4) Pray for Forest. Today he began his journey with Christ. Pray that God's Spirit will continually remind Him that he is a child of God.

Pastor Jon

Jon Lauterbach's Baptism October 17, 2009

It was a joy to watch Uncle Jon be baptized tonight in Naples, FL. God has done a great work in his life. Pray for his continued walk with the Lord

Wednesday Coffee 10/14/2009

Wednesday Coffee Prayer Requests 10/14/2009

Praise the Lord for two from this coffee ministry coming back to tell us of answered prayer this week.Five others said that they were going to try our church for the first time this weekend.

1. Tiffany - Asks for the Lord to help her with a troublesome student.

2. Sheena – Needs the Lord's help in finding a job.

3. Anne – Asks for the Lord's protection for her husband travelling to Iraq.

4. Anne – Asks for the Lord's healing for her back pain.

5. Krystal – Needs the Lord's protection.

6. Tanya – Asks for prayer for a friend with breast cancer.

7. Andrew – Needs the Lord's help in finding a job.

8. Pascale – Needs a healing from the Lord and financial help.

9. Mathaline – Asks for prayer for her family.

10. Olivia – Has an unspoken request.

11. Robert – Asks for the Lord's blessing on his child.

12. Britany – Asks for the Lord's protection and good health for her unborn baby.

13. Rollin – Asks for the Lord to touch Betty with His Salvation.

14. Richard – Asks for the Lord to help his family.

15. Erick – Asks for the Lord to help his real estate business.

16. Leslie – Asks for the Lord to help his business.

17. Shannell – Asks for the Lord's help with her marriage.

18. Shannell – Asks for the Lord to help her two boys, Zion and Chase.

19. Kirk – Asks for the Lord to bless his life.

20. Libby – Asks for the Lord's help with her family's finances.

21. Melanne – Asks for the Lord to heal her brother's voice since his stroke.

22. Melanne – Needs the Lord to help her refinance her home.

23. Almaz – Asks for the Lord to bless her family.

24. Sharlene – Asks for the Lord's help in finding a job and her finances.

25. Tracey – Needs the Lord's help with her finances.

26. Tracey – Asks for the Lord's help in getting her friend Tory out of jail.