We opened our ministry on the first Sunday of March at Grace Baptist Church in Madison. Dean Howell is the pastor of this local church ministry in the city of Madison. During the morning service I presented a video program of our ministry as well as preaching the morning message.

Following the service we enjoyed a delightful time of fellowship with the pastor and his family at a local restaurant. It was a blessing to hear of Pastor Howell's vision for Madison and his desire to see the expansion of Grace's ministry in the greater Madison area.

We closed out the month on Sunday February 28th in the morning services at Berean Baptist Church in Manitowoc. Bill Lobb is the pastor of this local church ministry. Carole and I provided special music for the AM service. I taught Sunday School, presented our ministry and preached for the morning service. There was a good crowd present including several visitors for the morning service.

Following the service we enjoyed a nice carry-in dinner in the church fellowship hall. It was an great time of fellowship around some good food.

Pastors and wives fellowship

About 50 pastors and wives gathered at First Baptist Church in Milltown for our annual Pastors and Wives' Retreat on Monday and Tuesday, February 15-16. Pastor Walter Olsen gave four sessions on the pastor's heart, challenging us about our walk with God as well as our message and ministry and our home. Interspersed with the messages were a time of singing, testimonies, prayer and some great fellowship along with wonderful food.

Pastor Mielke and his people did a great job of hosting us for this occasion. They provided two meals and a some entertainment as well. We are thankful for their hospitality and sacrifice in our behalf.

Sunday evening February 14th we were ministering at First Baptist Church in Woodville. Dennis Tapp is the pastor of this church ministry. Carole provided keyboard assistance for the service and I presented a report of our ministry as well as preaching for the evening service. Following the service we had a lunch fellowship in the fellowship hall.

First Baptist Church is currently in the process of constructing at new church facility. The building is located out close to Interstate 94. They plan to be in that building sometime this spring. A wing of the building will have its interior completed as the Lord provides funds to do so. First Baptist has experiencing limited space and are in need of this new facility, so the completion will be a real blessing to the congregation.

We opened our February ministry at First Baptist Church in Campbellsport on Sunday February 7th. Dave Nothem is the pastor of this local church ministry. Carole provided musical assistance on the piano accompanying Carl on the organ. We also provided a special number for the service. I gave a report of our ministry, sharing our new DVD presentation.

First Baptist Church has faced some recent challenges as a ministry. An internal church action has resulted in the loss of some families to the ministry. Also the pastor and his wife are out of work at this time, adding to some financial pressure. Along with a number of our pastors, Dave Nothem must work to support his ministry. We must continue to uphold these bi-vocational pastors as they labor in the work of ministry while working an outside job. Their sacrifice is a real indicator of their full commitment to the work of the gospel ministry.

Lakewood Baptismal Service

On Sunday January 31st Lakewood Baptist Church officially organized into an independent Baptist church. Thirty-four people signed the charter statement and constituted a local church. They accepted the articles of faith, constitution and covenant as a basis for their organization. Dave Marriott was officially called as the pastor of this new church, and church officers were elected including deacons and treasurer.

The services included a Sunday School challenge by Dr. Marty Marriott, father of the pastor and newly called president of Maranatha College in Watertown. Dr. Robert Loggans preached a challenge to the church and to the new pastor. Calvary Baptist Church in Watertown during the past year has operated as the reproducing church providing support and help for the formation of Lakewood Baptist Church. Those present enjoyed a delicious lunch at the church following the charter service. The congregation adjourned to the Holiday Inn Express for a baptismal service in their pool, where seven were baptized and added to the church charter.

Lakewood Baptist Church has been enjoying a strong attendance around 100 for the past two weeks. Sunday's charter service saw 137 attending. Our prayers are for a growing local church ministry in the Lake Country area. Also pray for God's direction and provision for a permanent location. The church is currently meeting at the Cushing School on Cty Hwy C just north of Interstate 94.

10th Anniversary of Faith Baptist Church in Portage

On Sunday January 24th Faith Baptist Church celebrated their tenth anniversary. Faith Baptist Church is pastored by Jonathan Robertson, who has been serving as an Army chaplain in Iraq for the past year. In his absence, Daniel Gaschke acted as interim pastor during that time.

The anniversary included messages by Pastor Gaschke in Sunday School and retired pastor Bob Dow in the AM service. Pastor Dow assisted the church ten years ago acting as its founding pastor. Following a lunch at the church, I preached for the afternoon service to close out the program for the day.

Also included in the day's activities were a couple of presentations. A collection of pictures was shown during the morning service of various services and occasions at Faith Baptist over the past ten years. In addition Pastor Robertson showed a program through pictures that featured the past two years as he prepared and then went to Iraq. There were many comments of joy over the progress of the ministry in its decade of history.

Pastor Robertson will be transitioning back into his pastoral role at Faith Baptist. However he is making himself available to churches that might want to have him share his ministry as a military chaplain. Give him a call, and he would be glad to come and present his special ministry. Pastor Gaschke will be seeking another pastoral position as the transition closes out over the next few months. Be in prayer for him as to God's direction.

On Sunday January 17th we were ministering at Calvary Baptist Church in Sun Prairie. Calvary Baptist is seeking a pastor at this time. Carole and I were able to provide special music for the service. I taught Sunday School and presented our ministry DVD while sharing a report on our state ministry. Also I preached for both AM and PM services.

We were members at Calvary Baptist Church in Sun Prairie for the first 15 months of our ministry with the WFBC, as we were living in Sun Prairie at that time. Thus we consider Calvary one of our home churches. Pray for the church as they seek God's man to lead their ministry.

We opened the new year of 2010 with ministry at First Baptist Church in Horicon. Roger Siedschlag is the pastor of this local church ministry. During Sunday School Carole taught the ladies class and I taught the men. I presented our ministry via power point in the AM service as well a preaching for that service.

Pastor Siedschlag is one of our bi-vocational pastors working a fulltime job while pastoring a local church. Over 20% of our men are doing that very thing as a part of their ministry. We appreciate their sacrifice and faithfulness.

Lakewood Baptist Church

Sunday December 13th we visited the services of the new church plant in Delafield, Lakewood Baptist Church. Dave Marriott is the pastor of this new church started September 13th. Currently they are meeting at Cushing Elementary School on Hwy C, just north of I.94. Their Sunday School begins at 9:15 and the AM service at 10:15. Last Sunday they had 70 in attendance even with a couple of families that have been attending regularly being absent.

Lakewood Baptist Church is planning their Charter Membership Service for Sunday January 31st. At that time they will become an independent local church from their reproducing church, Calvary Baptist in Watertown. Also they are planning a baptismal service for that Sunday for several who are interested in membership and need to be baptized. Pray for this new work that God would provide a permanent location in the future as well as continued solid growth from the Delafield community.