Okay, so here’s the current sitch with my parents.

Basically the church has been putting them through trail after trial:

We sure appreciate your prayers at this time. While things here continue to be discouraging, we have great hope for the horizon. As many of you know, we have decided to seek a new church for ministry. This church was in great financial problems for over a decade before we came and neglected to tell us. The people have not – for at least a decade – desired to serve in the ministry. As a result, the ministry here is in great difficulty – and was before we came! The search committee put all of this information away while we were candidating and now are paying the consequences for their deception. As we have told you, we would not have come had we known the real condition of the church!

However, God is always good. A church (350ish) in Napa, CA (near San Francisco) will be looking over my 2nd questionnaire tonight in their search committee meeting for a Senior Pastor. They were very impressed with both my resume and the 1st questionnaire I sent to them. We have had several contacts with them and they are very excited about their church – they refer to it as a place where their service is done with great amounts of laughter, food and fun. Please pray God would clearly direct them as to His will and us as well.

We also are in the running for the Executive Pastor position in a church in Porterville (350ish). The pastor is very excited about us and would like us to come. They will interview the last two potential candidates on the next two Sundays. Then they will make a decision as to who they will candidate for this position. We are less inclined to this church as we have already witnessed some direct occurrences of complaining against people, leaders and the pastor from our visit there. Do be in prayer for wisdom in this one.

We have decided to sell our house at this time. We simply need to be ahead of the curve when things come to an end this December. Our realtor is working on research at this time and will meet with us soon. We hope to begin listing the home the 1st or 2nd week of November with a closing date of around 12/30. With the church here needing to cut $60,000 from their budget, (about the amount of Hannah’s and my salaries), we feel this is the wisest thing to do.

Needless to say, this is a heart-wrenching time. The elders did their first ever annual evaluation of the pastor – even though it is mandated by the By-Laws. In the process they sent out an evaluation to the membership and regular attenders. They took criticisms from the congregation but won’t share the names of those who have complaints so that I can speak with them and bring those issues to resolution. Melodee was so mad she sent a direct letter to the elders about their methods being unbiblical. They wanted to meet with her and when we did, they defended their methods and brought no resolution to the situation. We are frayed at this point and God has surely used this process to sever our desire to remain.

Melodee is still without prescription drug coverage – even though this was to be completed August 1st. She has been getting samples of her once a day needed pill – Nexium 40 mg – for many weeks. However, we will need to buy some soon. The price of the pills is about $5 each here in Florida. We have purchased a month’s worth from an online pharmacy which reduced the price to $3 per tablet. We still need some Rx coverage – please pray.

All of this has deepened our walk with God and our trust in Him. He has been sweeter in these weeks than ever before and He has shown Himself strong on our behalf. We were stunned and thrilled – all at the same time – when Hannah announced to us a couple of weeks ago she was applying to Moody for the fall of 2005. We will see what God does with that. She has one more reference to receive and then she will be able to mail in her application. Pray for God’s will in this matter as well.

We are excited to have with us this Thanksgiving our dear friends and my spiritual father, Dr. Daniel and Madeline Goldberg. We will have them with us for several days and are looking forward to a great time of fellowship and mutual encouragement. Tabitha cannot come for Thanksgiving, but will be with us for a week at Christmas! How fun that will be!

We so appreciate your prayers, your love and your constant concern for us! Take a moment and write to us – we would love to lift your burden to the Lord as well.

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