Choir Ministry

Here is a recent performance in Bethany Baptist Church of the adult choir. Jeff and I got involved by request from the choir director about a year ago. Now he has informed everyone in the choir that this year we are taking our choir ministry more on the road to other churches. We've done this just once before and it was a blessing. I pray the Lord will use us as he sees fit.

Last week I wrote about "Another Kind of Ministry" when we went as a choir to sing in a distant church. It was their 120 year anniversary as a church and it was also the holiday called "Harvest Day." That is the day when they give thanks for the year's harvest along with everything the Lord has provided. Not so different from our Thanksgiving, though they do not have a set day and thus pastors do it anytime in September or October. The decorations in the church were so marvelous I had to share them with you. A holiday service is usually a long one. We sat for over three hours and 8 preachers. Usually our services are two hours and three preachers. We had a feast of a lunch afterward in only the style that Ukrainians can do. Again, much like Thanksgiving, but with much more variety. It was not a day to be on a diet and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Choir Director's Accident

"...pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James 5:16. "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 5:2 Above is our choir director at the piano and his assistant leading us in practice. As you will notice there are crutches next to him. I would ask that you pray for Alexander as he fell from his attic and has been several months and extensive surgery putting his hip and leg back together. Sadly, there is now the problem that he is not healing. Though he can walk with crutches, he cannot stand on this leg. This is a man who has devoted himself to Christ and leads our church choir on a volunteer basis. Though I know this dear man has had a very difficult time, I have only seen smiles and a joyful spirit from him. I know the finances of all his medical has been very great so if the Lord should touch any one of you to help with his bills, we would be be so happy to pass that on to him. Any amount could be sent to the missions office:
Designate the check to Jeff Franks-workfund (Alexander Borisovich)
BMAA
P.O. Box 30910
Little Rock, Ar. 72260

This is one of our choir practices in mid-April. Notice that we all had heavy coats on against the cold in the church. Heat hasn't been on for a long time in order to conserve energy. This is a common practice in most churches across Ukraine. As Americans we take so much for granted in our warm churches.