Above photograph from Angie Perry

Cottageville, South Carolina Report

The month of May saw a lot of movement in the lives of those in South Carolina.

Phil & Hope’s house is closing on June 22^nd and they’ll be moving upstate in SC. Please keep them in prayer that the Lord would direct them to the house that’s perfect for them.

Carter is closing on Mr. Jerry’s house which is adjacent to Grace Chapel in Cottageville this month so there will be a lot of boxes being packed and moved in June.

Angie made an unplanned trip to see her mom & stepdad for a medical emergency. Mr. Joey is now home and recovering, gaining strength to use the ramp Angie helped install and move forward in rehab.

Linda took a trip to Indiana to visit with some family and returned safely in time for surgery. Please keep her in prayer that it will be successful and her healing complete and uncomplicated.

Megan returned to the country ahead of her family for surgery and her recovery is going well. Steve and the children spent 3.5 weeks in the U.K. with a 2-night visit to Paris and returned this weekend having had a wonderful and busy time, spreading the anointing of the Lord across the land as far as their eyes could see – a prayer Steve prays when driving distances.

Please remember each other in prayer and maybe pick up the phone to call a part of the Body to check in on them!

Ongoing events:

• Children’s PE has moved to 10:00 a.m. on a Friday morning in anticipation of the heat of summer. If you'd like to know more about it, or to join in, please contact Angie (843) 860-8824 or Email Angie
• Children’s Bible study now follows PE every Friday morning at 11:10 a.m. Contact Maggie for more information at: (915) 246-6136 or Email Maggie
• Sunday evening Bible studies are at 6 p.m. and any who are inclined to join together for a meal beforehand are welcome at 5 p.m.
• Weekly music practices have resumed and take place on Wednesday mornings for an hour from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. If you have any interest in joining, please contact Megan (802) 485-8624 or Email Megan

People to contact: if you have questions about the ministry in South Carolina, how you can participate, here’s the list of who to get in touch with.

The South Carolina fellowship:

• Contact Carter: (303) 257-5470 or Email Carter 
• Contact Philip: (843) 217-2644 or Email Phillip

The music team and how you can be a part:

• Megan (802) 485-8624 or Email Megan



Ministry opportunities in Lynchburg, SC, contact:

• James (706) 283-2688 or Email James 

Below photographs from Angie Perry

Photograph of a Quail visiting Mr. John's yard.

Grace Ranch Report

Grace Ranch has continued moving forward on many fronts. We are very pleased to report that Karen has returned to the ranch after her back surgery and has started the healing process. Please keep her in your prayers as this was not a light surgery and it will take time for a full recovery. She’s up and about and is a joy to have back home among us.

Bob has been working on the family cabin in advance of Rick, Sue, and Naomi moving out of their camper. They need to get it to Camping World for repairs before the warranty expires. The hope is that they will be able to move in by July 1^st. Rick starts his 3^rd round of Chemo June 5^th with 3 more scheduled every 28 days. It has been a challenge, but by the Grace of God he is doing very well. 

Ministerially we’ve been focused on “growing up” in Christ. Growing up in Christ is not about how old you are or how you feel. It’s about taking responsibility, walking out the walk of faith by love, and learning (and then doing) what the Lord expects of us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. Our carnal man’s desire to be the center of everything, always be right, to ignore wise counsel, argue with authorities, and every other evil work that leads to trying to be justified, must be put off if we are to truly “grow up in Christ.” The most pointed question we have been instructed to ask ourselves is, “Who do you serve?”  If you say you serve God and truly do, then you will honor and obey Him and do His Word which will be evidenced by those around you, specifically your authorities in Christ. If you say you serve God and don’t walk in obedience, there won’t be evidence regardless of how hard you try to “make some.” If that is the case, you’ve been fooling yourself, and need to take stock of where you are in the Faith. It can be a gut-wrenching process, but it’s one the Lord is well able to bring each and every person through if they simply yield to Him and His Word.

Lastly, we finally launched the new Grace Ranch website. Please take a look when you can and let us know if there are any issues that were missed in the conversion.

https://www.grace-ranch.com  

May the Lord continue to extend His grace and mercy to us all.



For questions regarding the Grace Ranch, Texas fellowship:

Contact Rick: 

(928) 302-9078 or Email Rick 

Contact Robin:

(915) 307-0514 or Email Robin

A message from Brother Lawrence Tsimese

The month of May was very busy and challenging. I did a lot of outside church ministry, made possible by the social programs I attended, and met many new people, not already in my inner circle. The important thing to me is the opportunity of the Lord bringing people ‘your way as you go.’ During my visit to a Methodist Church in the Western Region, I chanced upon this banner (see photo below) hung at the back of the pulpit and thought it was interesting. 

This theme continued as Pastor Otim Emmanuel from Uganda contacted and is still in communication with me on a regular basis. Most questions he asked received scriptural responses, and the way things are going I believe he may enroll in discipleship soon.

Pastor Korsah has relocated to another part of Ashaiman, but is still reachable. Where he now lives is closer to the Higher Glory House ministry headed by Pastor Padi. As his current location is further away from where he used to attend church on Sundays, he has opted to join me at Pastor Padi’s church each Sunday that I attend. Let’s remember him in prayer as he lost his father-in-law just about a week ago in the country of Sierra Leone.

Another pastor from Kenya, Pastor Isaiah Oendo also contacted me for acquaintance and fellowship/discipleship. Though he’s not regular, he occasionally answers my calls. Through facts gathered in his manner of communications I came to see that he is associated with Pastor Zachariah of Nyarenda, Kenya whom I visited in 2014. My enquiries directly to Pastor Zachariah proved me right that Pastor Isaiah is well known to him. We’ll see how it will go with Pastor Isaiah in future engagements.

Pastor Wilson is now regular in honoring our discipleship appointments. He is imbibing our studies like a parched soil gulping up water. He truly is hungry for knowledge. Currently we are studying the document on Repentance.

The underlying theme of the messages shared with people (especially new contacts) I encountered in the course of the month, mostly centered on The Christian life of Faith. Having begun the Christian life by faith, we continue to live our Christian life in the same way – by faith. Faith brings us in, and faith continues to keep us. We are saved by faith, and we live by faith. The key to the Christian life is faith – believing that God is who He is and will do what He says He will do. Our faith rests in who God is. The Lord is unchangeable in nature, so His Word is unchangeable. Whatever God is, His Word is. He is good so His Word is good. He is a healer, so His Word is a healer. He has all power, so His Word has all power. Our faith is activated when we take the written Word of God as God speaking to us now.

Our faith is in the Lord and not in ourselves. It is very easy to place our faith in other things outside of God and His word. Sometimes we place our faith in our church or in a servant of God. Other times, we place our faith in powerful people or in ourselves. When we trust others instead of God, He is not under any obligation to do anything for us. And so, we need to answer God's questions for ourselves, just as Job did. Have we seen the hand of God so that our faith is truly ours, or not? Faith dependent on someone else's isn't strong enough to withstand the trials this life will bring. Let's develop our faith by hearing and meditating on the Word of God daily. Let our faith be ‘ours.’ We can’t let it be dependent on the confession of others.

South Africa / Europe Report

The Athertons’ time in South Africa came to an end this month, but not before one final farewell. They had a potluck and invited everyone they’d met in or from the Johannesburg area during their time in the country. Over 40 people showed up and everyone enjoyed meeting some new faces or seeing some old, making new friends or reconnecting with those they hadn’t seen in decades. It was a blessed time that all enjoyed, dispersing before load shedding turned off any opportunities for heating.

Load shedding continues to be a big issue in the country. Please keep South Africa in prayer – it’s now winter and they’re up to at least one 4-hour stint of no power, making freezing pipes and the inability to heat and cook even more dire than in the warmer months.

The family parted ways on May 10^th with Megan going home for surgery, which was successful and her recovery is going well, while Steve and the children took a shorter trip to the U.K. than planned, returning home this weekend. Their visit to Great Britain was busy and extensive, with Steve driving all over the country, spreading the anointing of the Lord as he is always wont to pray when driving places. The country that brought light to the world when the Lord blessed them with the King James Bible is increasingly in darkness. Please pray for the United Kingdom – that the Lord would draw them back to Himself that His light can once again shine across the globe.

If you didn't receive Megan’s daily newsletter on their trip and you would like receive it as a full document, please email her directly.

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