Business Manager’s Report - April 2023

Business Manager’s April 1, 2023  Report:

            There is a kind of “busy” that is a “good” busy, and that is to be busy in the Lord’s work. I am thankful to say I have been in a “good busy” mode. We finally received a storage building that we had been trying to get and it is allowing us to put some equipment inside out of the rain, and we are able to get some equipment out of our main building and place it there. This was a great need and the Lord provided. We have gotten some of our parking lot work done and the contractor did a great job. Some other work on the parking lot needs to be done, but it will have to wait until dry weather, and that does not seem to be anytime soon.

            During the month of April (specifically April 24th and 25th), the Sunday School Committee will be meeting here, and we are so looking forward to having the brethren among us. It gives our folks here a chance to get to know the members of the committee and the committee a chance to mingle with us. It is a great time of fellowship and laboring together for the good of the ministry.

            Speaking of fellowship, I had the opportunity to visit among the brethren lately. I enjoyed seeing brethren at Texas Baptist Institute on March 28^th at the Brooks Lectures and the meeting of the Seminaries. On April 3^rd, I was blessed to speak at the Concord Seminary in Norman, Oklahoma. Bro. Clark and the brethren were very encouraging. On April 4^th, Bro. Justin Coburn (representing the Mission’s office) and I went to Arroyo Grande, California for the State Association meeting. The meeting with the California brethren was a sweet blessing to my soul. The brethren were so encouraging, the worship at the meeting was uplifting and moving, and the fellowship just could not have been any better. I was so blessed to be among such a wonderful fellowship. Pastor Jeff Ellis and the church at Arroyo Grande did a great job of hosting the meeting.

            I returned to Texarkana to get back to the “good busy.” The Bible room is coming together as we clean out the room from VBS Seminar, paint shelves, and prepare the room for set up. We hope to have it coming together by the end of April. Also, VBS orders are up, and literature sales are up, keeping our folks busy, which is, again, a good busy. Pray for the work here and come visit.

Business Manager                                                                                                                                   

 J. Crain