At the end of the month from January 29 - 31, 2012, we attended the Baptist Bayou Conference at Gonzales Baptist Temple in Gonzales, Louisiana.  Al though I was not scheduled to preach at the conference,  Pastor Clint Johnson let us park at the church and attend the meetings.  We have many friends in this church from ministering at the church in the past.  So I spoke for the Teen Sunday School class and the children’s church during the morning service.  On Tuesday, I spoke in their Christian School chapel.  We praise the Lord for the girl that trusted Christ as her Savior that morning.  “A New Name Written Down in Glory”

Please pray for Pastor Clint Johnson; he and 2 other men from Gonzales left on Thursday after the Conference to minister in Peru.  They will be riding in a bus for three days before arriving at their final destination.  Pray that their ministry will produce much fruit and that they will arrive back home safely.

Lebanon Baptist Church in Roswell, Georgia was our next stop for Sunday,  January 22, 2012.  For Sunday School in the teen class, the teens and I studied one of the Sons of Proverbs.  Then, for the morning service, I preached from the book of John and seven adults raised their hand asking for prayer as they seek to reach a friend for Christ.  Sunday night was a whole church fellowship with a potato bar and chili.  We had great fellowship with Pastor Paul Mann because of his history of ministering in Iowa and being a board member of Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa.  Please pray that this church will take us on for support in the near future. 

Lebanon Baptist Church has a long history and was established in 1836.  During the Civil War, the invading Union Army tore down Lebanon Baptist Church and used the wood to build a bridge across a river.  In the church office they still have a wooden slave bench from the original building.    Please pray for this church as they continue to reach this growing, affluent community for the Savior.

On January 15, 2012, we had the privilege of ministering in LaGrange, Georgia at Oakside Baptist Church with Pastor Stephen Curry.  We started the morning with the Golden Gleaners Sunday School Class.  I told the story of Daniel with Rodney and spoke from Ephensians 4 on God’s gift to the local church.  During the morning service I spoke for children’s church with object lessons and a story with Rawley.  Sunday night I presented our ministry to the whole church and preached from John 3. 

This week we spent some time with Christopher Staley who is the son of one of our evangelists with COME.  It was exciting to see one of our COME kids all grown with a family and a burden for the ministry.  He and his wife serve in the church with the Reformers Unanimous.  Please pray that this growing church in LaGrange, Georgia might take us on for support in the future. 

For the month of December, we parked our trailer at Faith Baptist Church in Bridgeton, Missouri with Pastor Dan Gonnerman.  Our goal was to stay parked at one church and present our ministry and Christmas program in churches in the local area.  We were able to stir up some prayer support and use Rawley and Randy to present our Christmas program.  On Sunday December 4, we presented our Christmas program at Cottage Hills Baptist Church in Cottage Hills, Illinois.  Then on December 11, we left our trailer in Bridgeton and traveled to Moberly, Missouri at Heritage Baptist Church.  It was great to see Pastor Micah Panjada and his family for a few days as we presented our Christmas program to the church family.  Then on December 18, we finished our Christmas program at First Baptist Church in Roxana, Illinois.  Praise the Lord.  God answered our prayers:  First Baptist Church has found and called a new pastor who will begin in January.

Our prayer was that we might see 5 people trust Christ as their Savior as a result of our Christmas program.  Although we have not heard of any that were saved, we have been told of several who attended who still have not responded to the gospel.  Please pray for those lost souls that need to respond soon before it is too late.  For the rest of the year and the beginning of 2012, we are staying with family in Pierceton, Indiana.  Have a Happy New Year from “Silcott Ministries.”

In November I was able to attend the Bible Conference at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary from October 31 to November 4, 2011.  On November 6 I preached at Norwoodville Baptist Church.  They have supported us from the beginning of our ministry back in 1991.  It was a real joy to see our friends again and give this faithful church our update on our ministry.  On November 13 I preached for the morning and evening service at the First Baptist Church in Cumberland, Iowa.  Because of hunting season, we stayed in Cumberland while I went bow hunting for some deer meat.  The Lord blessed and I was able to harvest a nice mature 10 point white tail buck.  PTL

On the 27th, I presented our ministry at the First Baptist Church in Brayton, Iowa.  Pastor Steve Inman was called as their pastor in May and has already seen some growth in this small town north of I - 80.  The week before on November 20 First Baptist had a mortgage burning service for their new building.  Please pray for this church as they strive to reach this community for the Savior.

October 16 and 19, 2011, I preached at the Germantown Hills Baptist Church in Germantown Hills, Illinois.  I shared the story of David and Goliath to the children in their Sunday School opening and preached in the morning service.  At the end of the service one of the young people raised her hand to talk to someone about trusting Christ as her Savior.  A few days later I found out that she had understood her need of a Savior and trusted in Christ for salvation. 

Sunday night I presented our need for support.  We need to raise another $500.00 a month to meet our monthly bills.  Please pray that they will consider adding us to their supported missionaries.  On Wednesday night I told the story of Jonah and the great fish.  Rawley helped me share with the children the three things that Jonah learned about God.  After the service five children responded to the invitation, but only one truly understood and prayed for Christ to forgive him of his sins and be his Savior.  Please pray for those who still do not understand the gospel. 

On October 9, 2011 I preached at the Calvary Baptist Church in Quincy, Illinois.  While I studied at Faith Baptist Bible College, I attended Altoona Regular Baptist Church and Pastor Mickey Farlow was the Assistant Pastor. It was good to see Pastor Farlow and his wife after all these years.  I spoke for an all church Sunday School class to start off the day.  In the morning service, I preached from John 3 emphasizing the gospel for the lost and encouraging the saints to use this message as a challenge to share the gospel with a friend in the next two weeks.  Seven raised their hands asking me to pray for them as they look for a time that they can share with a lost friend the gospel.

On Wednesday October 12, 2011, I was able to speak to their Awana club for a family emphasis service.  Many of the parents came to meet the pastor and Awana leaders and hear a special story from one of my ventriloquist friends.  Please pray for those who heard the gospel, but have not trusted Christ as their Savior.  Also pray that this church might take us on for support in the near future.   

In a strange accident, while grocery shopping, a frozen turkey fell out of a freezer and landed on Jane’s big toe and it broke her toe.  She is doing fine, but keeping her foot elevated and wearing a walking cast. 

For October 2 - 5, 2011 we held a Fall Family Kids’ Kaampaign at the First Baptist Church in Perry, Iowa.  It was a unique week for the whole family with an emphasis on the youth.  For Sunday morning I preached an evangelistic message to start the meetings.  The rest of the meetings were introduced with a story from one of my ventriloquist friends and illustrated with object lessons with a surprise ending.    The meetings were well attended and one girl asked many questions about eternal life.  Pray for this little girl that she will soon understand the gospel and trust Christ as her Savior.

On Wednesday night the Awana club from the church came for our last meeting.  The parents were invited and we had the largest group of the week.  Please pray for these families and their children that they will start coming to church faithfully and trust Christ as their Savior in the near future.  On Monday Pastor Tjapkes and I were able to go fishing and add some more fish to our small freezer. 

I read the e-mail that said that Pastor Brad Hansen was working hard through the summer to put their new church up in Bussey, Iowa.  He said that they could use some help if anyone was willing to take some time and stop by.  Our schedule allowed us to be in the area so I contacted Pastor Hansen and said that we would be willing to stop in if they could use us.  It worked out for us and for the church family for us to stop in for Sunday September 25, 2011.  I preached for Brad for both of the services on Sunday which gave him some extra time to get some things done on the church. 

The rest of the week I helped with the new building project.   On Tuesday Scotty Hansen and I drove to Altoona, Iowa to pick up the carpet, so we could install the carpet on Wednesday and Thursday.   I was also able to help put some of the baseboard in the auditorium and one of the class rooms.  On Sunday, October 2, 2011 they will be holding their first service in the new building.  Their dedication service will be on Sunday, October 9, 2011.  Please pray for this growing church as they try to raise funds for their new  kitchen and gravel for their new driveway and parking lot. 

On September 18, 2011 we presented our ministry at First Baptist Church in Roxana, Illinois.  This small church in the heart of Roxana is looking for a pastor to lead them in reaching this community for the Savior.  Please pray for this church as they seek for God’s will in finding a future pastor.   For Sunday School we put the whole church together and Rawley helped me tell the story of Jonah and the Great Fish.  Then in the morning service, I preached from John 3 challenging the Saints to share the gospel with one of their friends in the next two weeks.  Please pray for the six people who raised their hands asking God to give them the opportunity to share the gospel.

On Sunday night I told the story of Daniel with my friend Rodney then I took some time sharing with the church our need for more support because of rising fuel prices and the need for health insurance.  We closed the day with a challenging message from Daniel 3 on Daniel’s three friends who stood up for the glory of God.   On Wednesday night I will be speaking for the youth group as we close our meetings in Roxana, Illinois.