August Update

August 2009

We pray that this finds you well. Our whirlwind summer is beginning to wind down. We just finished with Camp. The first half of the week was for our 4th-7th graders and the second half for 8th – 12th grades. We took 14 campers for Junior Camp and 5 for Senior Camp. It was a great week and we saw God impact the lives of our kids.

In July we were able to go to a Pastor’s Getaway at Camano Island, hosted by our District Rep. Vern & Cindy Wilkinson and the folks at Camano Chapel. It was a wonderful time of refreshing for us and many other Village Missionaries in Washington. We were able to spend a few days visiting our supporters at Lake Tapps as well.

We did manage to squeeze in a camping trip this summer just before the 4th of July. We spent a few days at Tahk Lahk Lake on the Northwest side of Mt. Adams. The kids fished, we made S’mores and acquired a few bug bites.

Vacation Bible School was the week after Father’s Day. We had prayed for 30 kids and God answered with 32! Yay GodJ 2 of those kids prayed to receive Christ. We held it in the afternoon and served lunch before we started. This allowed the staff time in the morning to prepare for each day and I think it helped us all be just a little bit more relaxed during our time with the kids.

School begins on August 25, the kids aren’t too excited about that. Grady is taking Running Start this year. He will take College classes online, getting his High School credits while working towards an AA degree as well. We are beginning to look at colleges for him, so please pray about that. We’re still trying to get classes all straightened out with our move from Nevada. Both boys will have to retake a class or two, and they will need to take Pacific NW History with the 7th and 8th graders. Good thing there are only about 10 them!

Becca is becoming quite the photographer. She entered 4 pictures in the Klickitat County Fair. She received 3 blue ribbons and a red ribbon. She has also begun learning to play the Bass Guitar. Grady is learning guitar and Spencer still wants to learn to play the drums. We are in the process of trying to find a drum teacher for him. Then we’ll have to get a drum.

Labor Day weekend we are having a church campout. We’ll have our worship service at the campground, coming into town to pick up those who aren’t camping with us. We are looking forward to having the chance to really spend time with those in our church. We visit them but you can learn so much more when you spend a few days in the woods! The campground is just out of town a ways along a creek. Maybe we’ll get fish for dinner.


As you think of us please pray for the following:
· Unity within our church. We need to grow together as a church family so we can effectively reach our community.
· Fall ministries. We are beginning our new Sunday School Classes, Adult, Elementary and Middle School, as well as Youth Group and Bible Studies. Pray that the people in the church will get connected. Jennifer is also starting a Women’s Ministry Team. Pray for the women who will be part of this team.
· Pray that more people would get involved in serving in various ministries in the church. The needs are great in every area of ministry. The workers are out there, they just haven’t said “Yes” yet!
· Butch wants to go back to school but our budget is tight. He has found a Bible College to take Distance Learning classes from, and Jennifer can take classes for free. Pray that God will provide the funds to get started.
· Praise the Lord that our first 4 months in Glenwood have gone very well. Our kids are doing exceptionally well here. We have seen them blossom and grow. It has been a very smooth transition for all of us.
· Praise the Lord for our time in Round Mountain, NV. We learned so much during our 3 years there and know that God had us exactly where He wanted us during that time, and He has us exactly where he wants us now.

We thank you all for you financial support and your prayers. If you would like to support us financially to help cover this expense in our budget, please contact us or find our name on the Village Missions web site. www.village-missions.org. Without you we could not serve the Lord full-time in Glenwood. Glenwood is a very needy Mission field in that many here do not know Christ. We pray every day for opportunities to share the gospel with those who cross our path.

Serving Him Together,
Butch and Jennifer Hallenbeck
Grady, Spencer and Becca