Prayer Letter for Donegal Town Baptist Fellowship: - February 2012.
Dear friends and prayer partners.
Sorry it’s been so long since I have communicated with you, I was hoping to get a letter out to you before the end of 2011, but we have been very busy and with all the Christmas rush I thought it would be better left to the New Year.
The Fellowship in Donegal Town continues to meet as normal; Lena & I are still helping out as much as is possible. This arrangement is only until the Lord calls someone to come along, who will be able to live in the town and take on the Fellowship in a leadership role and further develop this work for the glory of God.
We continue to meet on Sunday at 11.30am for the service of worship and the breaking of bread, there is usually one small Sunday school class during the second part of the service. The ladies bible study still meet every other Mondays at 10 am when about 11-13 ladies meet for a time of fellowship and study. Some of the other ladies meet on Tuesday morning for a time of prayer. The mid week prayer meeting & bible study is held on Wednesday’s at 7.30 pm, these have proved to be a great blessing to all of us.
On the first & third Wednesday’s of everymonth we have a Children’s club at 7.00pm with 9 – 11 children attending. Lewis & Louise McMaster, from Stonepark Church, have offered to help with the Children’s club, so we have been doing the club time about. I know for sure that the young people and the parents appreciate the younger input; some members of the Fellowship also assist with the club.
Over the year we have seen a man and his son come back to the fellowship and we have been praying that his wife will soon be coming with them. Others have taken a more committed interest in the Baptist witness in the Town. We have also made contact with a couple from Ballyshannon and a Hungarian family living in Ballyshannon, they don’t speak very much English but we have been visiting them and some of them have been out to the service.
Due to the request from one of the ladies for Baptism we studied the subject in the services on the 3rd & 4th Sunday’s over the spring and early summer. This culminated in Vivian getting baptised on Sunday 12th June 2011 at 3.30 pm in the Letterkenny Baptist church, which was kindly granted. We had a good number out and the presence and blessing of our wonderful Lord was so real.
During the summer we were busy with the Trailer Ministry schedule so couldn’t give as much time to the Fellowship in Donegal. We met with the Fellowship again on Wednesday 14th September 2011, when we reflected on the past 8 months and planned for the Autumn & Winter program. The Children’s club was to continue with the help of Lewis & Louise. The ladies bible study was due to commence again on Monday morning.
We have visited the market in the Diamond at Donegal Town on a couple of occasions with the trailer. This has proved to be very beneficial in making contact with various local people and the town traders. When available and weather permitting Lena would come with us and do some face painting in the centre of the market, this has proved to be a great attraction for the kids and the parents. However the market has been closed down since the summer of 2011 so we have to forgo that outreach.
We held a carol service on the 13th December 2011, the children from the club and the folk from the Fellowship did scripture readings and poems etc; I brought the word of God and after the program we had a lovely time of fellowship and friendship around some tea, coffee and goodies provided by the group members. We had a few outsiders who came and they thoroughly enjoyed the time with us.
We have been involved in visitation and seeking to encourage the members of the fellowship. The wife of one of the men who meet with us has suffered from cancer and over the past year has had very severe treatment, but we praise God that she is doing well at present. Another one of our members had their house burned to the ground and lost practically everything. This occurred while she was at the prayer meeting and we thank God that she has been preserved in full health, but do please pray for her. One of the men who attend has lost his job for sometime now, and after trying very hard for many months he has got a part time job, do please pray for him as well. Just recently another one of our members had a car accident, no-one is seriously hurt but her car is completely destroyed, do remember her in your prayers as well please.
We have been thinking and praying about moving out of our present location for sometime now, we considered moving a short distance nearer the Old Laghey Road; however this move was not possible for a number of reasons. There are a lot of vacant premises in the town centre which would be suitable and leave the witness for the lord in a more prominent place. Nevertheless these properties would be much higher rent and that would cause a problem, yet we must remember that “The cattle on a thousand hills are His. And He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” So please pray much about this matter.
We are deeplyindebted to all the men who help out with the services when I’m not available, this has been a tremendous encouragement to the members and friends of the fellowship who have expressed their appreciation and thanks for the ministry of God’s Word.
We also want to thank all of you folk for your continued support and interest both prayerfully and practically. Without your input we would find it virtually impossible to continue with the witness here in Donegal Town and the surrounding area. Let me assure you that your prayers and support are of vital importance to the work of God here.
Prayer Points: -
- That God would raise up someone with a great interest in the Fellowship to lead and guide in His will.
- For the young people and Children who attend that they will come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
- Safety for all who travel.
- For the ongoing witness of the Fellowship in a very difficult area.
- For all the financial needs.
- For the ongoing preaching of His word.
- For the ladies bible study on Mondays.
- For other more suitable and prominent premises for the fellowship to meet in.
“For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Cor 4:5.
PS. Our contact details are as follows: - Home phone number 02866387864. Mobile number 07989318741. Email address Postal Address 20Killyashambally, Maguiresbridge, Co. Fermanagh, BT94 4RY.
T Hicks
Tot & Lena Hicks.