Sunday September 20th was the annual Civil Servant's Sunday at Rock Lake Baptist Church in Lake Mills. Vince Kobosh is the pastor of this ministry. Based on Romans 13:7 each fall the church takes a special Sunday Service to honor their state and local civil servants.

The special speaker for the day was Tim Sherman, the head of the "In Pursuit Ministry" which is a ministry to law enforcement personnel, inmates of jails and prisons, prison chaplain ministries as well as a substance abuse program which has seen great success. During the Sunday School hour Brother Sherman featured his ministry and then preached a clear gospel message in the AM service.

There were close to a dozen civil servants present from the Lake Mills area and they were publicly recognized and given a gift from the church and a law enforcement NT by Brother Sherman. Following the morning service the church hosted a delicious dinner in the fellowship hall with the entire church family and the invited guests present.

I have served for fifteen years as an EMT from Lake Mills and continue to do so one day we week at this time. Also I serve the EMS unit in Lebanon where I now live. Over those years God has given me many opportunities for ministry with both patients, patient's families and fellow EMS workers.

Sunday September 13th was the first public service of Lakewood Baptist Church of Delafield. Dave Marriott is the pastor of this new mission church ministry of the WFBC. Carole and I were able to attend this first service and share in the wonderful event of a new church in the far western suburbs of Milwaukee.

The service included congregational singing, special music and a message by Pastor Dave Marriott from Ephesians 2. There were eighty-seven people present for the inaugural service with about thirty-five attending from the area. Following the service all those present enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by Calvary Baptist Church of Watertown.

Calvary Baptist Church in Watertown is the reproducing church, providing both financial and manpower support for this church planting effort. Lakewood Baptist has been holding weekly Bible studies at the Holiday Inn Express at Hwy 83 and I-94 since the early spring. Beginning in July they used the "Phones for You" program to build a prospect list of unchurched families in the Delafield area. Last month they held a "Cola War" youth activity assisted by youth groups from Brookside Baptist in Brookfield and Calvary Baptist in Watertown. As a result of that activity two teens accepted Christ as Savior.

Lakewood Baptist Church is currently holding Sunday morning services at 10 AM at Cushing Elementary School on Hwy C, just a couple of blocks north of I-94. At this time Bible studies are also continuing on Wednesday evening at 7 PM at the Holiday Inn Express on the Hwy 83 exit of I-94. Be in prayer for the growth of this new ministry as they seek to reach the Delafield community with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We opened our Sunday ministry in September at Faith Baptist Church in Rhinelander. Mark Ring is the pastor of this WFBC mission church ministry. Carole provided keyboard music for the service and I presented our ministry and preached for the AM Service. Even for a holiday weekend there was an excellent attendance for the service.

Faith Baptist Church began in March of 2005 with regular services. Fifteen months later God provided a fully equipped church building from a ministry that we closing down. God has blessed over the past four years providing continued growth. Their goal is to be off church planting support next year.

The Sunday program included a missionary presentation by Brian DeMart who with his wife will be return to teaching in the Fiji Islands at a Bible Institute. After the morning service the church family moved to a local park for a nice picnic lunch and a exciting game of "Minnesota Softball." It was a great time of fun and fellowship to close out the summer season.

Sunday August 30th we were at the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Hillsboro. Kevin Lawver is the pastor of this WFBC Mission Church. Carole and I provided special music for the service and I taught Sunday School after presenting our ministry. Also I preached for the afternoon service following a delicious pot luck dinner.

Lighthouse Baptist Church was started in April of 2007 and two and one half years later is doing well. They have seen good growth in their numbers, purchased the building they are meeting in and anticipate possible future expansion as they continue to see growth. For a largely rural community reaching into Hillsboro, Elroy, Kendall and Union Center they have seen good progress in the past two years.

Continue to pray for our Mission Pastors and their churches. These ministries are as follows: Cottage Grove, DeForest, Eau Claire, Rhinelander and Delafield. Pastor Dave Marriott will be beginning Sunday Services at Lakewood Baptist Church in Delafield on Sunday September 13th.