The Firs Update - SEPTEMBER

Hello Friends,

Fall is here, and even though the summer programming is done, we are still staying busy around here. We took some time to debrief and evaluate this past summer, and it was a blessing to look back and see what God did through the ministry of The Firs. Many kids made first time decisions to follow Jesus. Families had a safe place to send their children, and they also got to hear the story and experience the love of Jesus. Child Evangelism Fellowship was at the Retreat Center for a week. Many churches came and had their own retreats. It was great to hear reports of how they were able to experience the love of Jesus and have so much fun at the same time. We are definitely praising the Lord for the protection and health that He provided this past summer. Will you please thank the Lord with me for the blessings?

We have a few retreats, this fall, at the Retreat Center and up at the Chalet. We are starting to work through the budgeting and planning for next year. I have had a few requests for Family Camps, Firwood Reunions, and Senior Retreats. We are just starting to plan the next year, so if you are one of those that might be interested in any of these ideas, we need to hear from you. Would you be interested in a Family Camp, Firwood Reunion, or the Senior Retreat? Please let me know so that we can start to plan. If you have any other ideas, please let us know about that as well.

In the last update, I mentioned theCOLLEGIUM – a year-long, Christian College Residence Life Program that we want to pilot this year. We have 13 young adults signed up that are living in the dorm above the Dining Room. These Residents have signed on to live on campus in a discipleship community, where they will learn project management, event planning, and they will all learn how to cook. That is the hope anyway. They will be around all year, and then are committed to be on summer staff next summer. They will intern around here and at some of the local ministries around. We will have all year to train and disciple them to be our summer LPs, and they will also serve as hosts and kitchen staff throughout the year. A few will move in in October, so I will send you a picture in the next update. Please be praying for the program and our Residents. There are many young adults that have no idea what they want to do after high school. Some will go to college and walk away with a degree and a huge debt load – and still not know what to do. We are hoping that we can help with that. If you want to hear more about it, please let me know.

I want to remind all of us that the work at The Firs is the Lord’s work. We get to partner with Him to do His work. Lately, I have had the opportunity to speak and share about the Lord’s work at The Firs. I was able to speak at the Whatcom Youth Leaders Summit last weekend, and I will be at a men’s group this Saturday at Cordata Presbyterian. I will be speaking to the Prime Timers at Northlake Community Church on the 20th, and I will lead a hymn sing. I will also be speaking at a church on Lopez Island in October. I have been meeting with people individually, as well. If you have a gathering or group that would like to hear about what the Lord is doing at The Firs, please do not hesitate to let me know. This is a great season to head out to churches to speak. If you know of anyone that needs to hear an update about The Firs, please respond to this email and lets get something on the calendar.

Thank you to all of you that continue to be Champions of The Firs, by continuing to give to the work of the Lord here. We want to thank you for your continued support. I am also hearing from many folks that are not receiving this update. If you know of anyone that wants or needs to receive this update that currently do not, will you please reply to this email and let us know? We want to get out the story of what God is doing here.

Please continue to pray for The Firs. There is still a lot going on here. Will you please pray that God would continue to bless and give us wisdom and discernment to continue to do His work here at The Firs?