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.

First Baptist Mortgage Burning

Sunday December 7th we were invited to participate in the mortgage burning ceremony at First Baptist Church of Waunakee. Gerald Marsden is the pastor of this sixteen year old ministry. Pastor Leon Leeds founded the church while serving as the State Missions Director of the WFBC and during the 9:00 AM service he provided some insight to the founding as well as preaching. At the end of the service the deacons of First Baptist burned the mortgage as a celebration of their paying off of all the church debt.

During Sunday School I shared a Bible lesson as well as presenting our ministry. The church provided a delicious prime rib dinner for all who were present at noon. Following the dinner Pastor Mike Mayhak spoke for the afternoon service. Brother Mayhak had worked with Brother Leeds and pastored the church for seven years after its founding.

We praise the Lord for the establishment and growth of this ministry in the greater Madison area. This is the real fruit of the ministry of the WFBC in our state.

Lydia Carole Vawter

On November 16th our daughter-in-law Pauletta gave birth to a healthy, eight pound baby girl. Paul and Pauletta named her Lydia Carole Vawter. She joins her three year-old brother, Michael and 18-month old sister Grace. Carole was able to be present for the home birth and Lydia and Pauletta are doing great!

Paul is in his third year of teaching math and Bible at the Mesilla Valley Christian School in Las Cruces, New Mexico. They are also actively involved in the ministry of Mountain View Baptist Church in Las Cruces which pastored by Pastor Robb Redlin.

Carole flew down on November 10th and was able to be present for the birth. I drove down a little over a week later. While in Las Cruces we celebrated Thanksgiving with Paul and his family and returned to Wisconsin this week.

Falls Baptist Church of Menomonee Falls is holding its annual missions conference this second week of November. Wayne Van Gelderen is the pastor of this dynamic church ministry which includes a Christian day school and the Baptist College of Ministry.

Though my Sunday schedule was full, I was able to participate in the conference on both Monday and Tuesday evenings. I was able to be a part of the Missionary Christmas dinner as well as presenting our ministry in a pre-service session before Tuesday evening service. In the evening service I shared a brief report of the ongoing ministry of the WFBC.

On Sunday evening November 15th I was at Faith Baptist Church in Oconomowoc. Jim Stevens is the pastor of this local church. As a part of their Missions Emphasis Month I presented our power point presentation and preached for the evening service.

It is a blessing to see the promotion of missionary outreach in the churches of Wisconsin. In keeping with the challenge of Acts 1:8, God has given us the commission of preaching the gospel to the whole world. Even the smallest church can have some aspect of missionary efforts both here and abroad.

Sunday November 15th I was at Tomah Baptist Church for their morning service. Ron Tobin is the pastor of Tomah Baptist. The Lord had kept my morning schedule open so that I could preach for the morning service

On the preceding Thursday the Tobin's son, Jaeson had been killed in a car crash in the city of Tomah. Jaeson had just this fall been taken on fulltime as youth pastor and school principal of Tomah Baptist Academy.

A memorial service will be held for Pastor Jaeson Tobin on Wednesday November 18th at the church at 10:30 AM. Visitation will be Tuesday 4-8 PM and preceding the service on Wednesday. Jaeson leaves behind a wife, Juli and three children.

Be in prayer for the memorial service and for Juli and their children as they adjust to life without their father and husband. We encourage our churches to take an opportunity to minister to this family as they deal with this tragic loss.