AFLC Home Missions Knee-Mail

Dear Praying Friends:

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8).

We are preparing for our Home Missions Retreat and Board meeting and are seeing some spiritual warfare as we prepare. The Lord must have something special that He wants to do during our Retreat as we see the warfare heating up and the physical temps plummeting just in time to head to the ARC. We are writing to ask for your prayers for a number of situations.

Pastor Tom Olson asks for prayer for Doug Niesen, an active layman from Cloquet who has served in Naknek, AK as a lay pastor: "Doug's cancer is worse than expected. He has lymphoma in his lymph glands, chest, arm pits,legs and groin and will immediately be put on massive chemo. Both Doug and Jan are in good spirits and trusting the Lord. There is a good chance that the chemo will be effective but Doug is ready to be with Jesus in heaven too."

Pastor Brian Pearson of Brandon, Florida is back in South Dakota to visit both of his parents who have cancer. He was just notified that his father's condition has worsened (His father is in Grand Forks at this time). He also asks for our prayers for some difficult family situations.

Dick Hanson's wife Vonnie (from Faith Lutheran Church in Detroit Lakes, MN) is struggling right now. She is having a lot of pain with her arthritis and we ask you to uphold her in your prayers.

Please continue in prayer for Pastor Tom Olson and the congregation at Mineral Point. We visited them on Wednesday and they are facing some very important issues. Please pray for the Lord to guide in these decisions.

Please pray for the new radio broadcast, which has started at Camarillo California. Jim Johnson's 15 minute message "Soul Break" is heard every day on KDAR 98.3 FM. Our Parish Builders, Chad Friestad, Jared Langness and LizLackey are in need of prayer for their financial needs.

Calvary Free Lutheran of Mesa, AZ is praising the Lord for the completion of their new Youth Room. They are asking for prayer as they begin a new session of English Classes for the community with Dr. Georg and Barbie Marstellar as instructors. Continue to pray for a Spanish speaking Parish Builder for their congregation.

Our Parish Builder Brent Raan of Madison, South Dakota requests your prayers for a youth event entitled "Saturday Nights Alive". This will be held Feb 9 there in Madison. The Worship team from AFLBS will be coming down to lead them in worship. They have the old armory rented out and Brent's boss, Rex Roger will be doing the Bible Study. He is really excited for this event but knows that this event really needs to be coated in prayer! Good Shepherd Free Lutheran is also going to be sending 14 people to the ARC for Side x Side and Snowdaze.

In February, Bill & Linda Buck are setting out for Florida to help with the work at Cornerstone Christian Church in Brandon, FL. Please pray for their travels and for open doors in the days ahead.

We have experienced God's moving in our midst here on the campus during this Inter-Term. Continue to pray that our AFLBS students will respond to God's calling concerning God's will for their lives, and even Summer Team ministries.

Pray for the decisions our Home Mission Board must make on Monday. Pray for our Home Mission Pastors Retreat, our speakers, Mark Benz, Ollie Olson and Al Monson, and a special time of refreshing and encouragement for our pastors.

Please pray for the AFLC Pastor's Conference which will be at the ARC next week as well. How can we tell? The temperatures are falling - are we surprised?!?

Praise!!

Board member Loren Tungseth reports on Sharon's medical report from Mayo: "Thanks for your prayers. We got the news and the Doctor said everything looks good. We had an appointment for an ultra sound today but there was nothing that needed further checking so we came home last night."

Pastor Craig Scavo reports that his wife Sherri is home from the hospital and on the road to recovery. They thank you for your prayers on their behalf.

In Christ,

Paul Nash, Director

AFLC Home Missions