Items of Praise

·           Thank you for your prayers for the 2011 Assembly.  There was a very real sense of the Lord’s presence and delegates were greatly blessed by the “new look” devotional sessions at the Assembly.  441 delegates from 207 churches attended.  The Rev Stuart Cranna (Durban North) was inducted as President and the Rev Reuben Ihlenfeldt (Bethany Emmanuel, KWT) was elected as Vice-President.  Mrs Janet Galant was inducted as the President of the SABWD, with Mrs Portia October (Heathfield) being elected as the Vice-President.  Rev Angelo Scheepers was re-elected as General Secretary and the Rev Peter Holness as National Confidential Consultant. 

·           BU Finances: Many have been praying for the current financial situation of the Baptist Union.  The Assembly also spent much time in prayer.  God is answering prayer and offerings and pledges at the Assembly amounted to R39 000.  We were also pleased to receive a telephone call from one of our churches yesterday informing us that their leadership and congregation had agreed to contribute R50 000.  Praise God and please continue to pray that He will provide the remaining shortfall of R130 000 and that we will end the year on a positive note. 

·           Pastor Joseph Dladla (Khethani, KZNBA) thanks all for their prayers with regard to their burglary and the loss of their sound system.  He reports “The Lord has heard your prayers and has graciously blessed us with a sound system which is actually more powerful than the one which was stolen.”

·           Petrus and Mariana Vorster (Upington) praise God for a time of rest and ministry on the KZNSouthCoast and at their home church, Deo Gloria in Pretoria.  They request prayer for the team from Glenhaven (Pretoria) and for a team from Kimberley doing prison ministry, both in October.

Items for Prayer

·           Ill: Pastor Les Wiseman (retired) was in remission from cancer, but this has now returned with cysts around the kidneys and near the aorta; Pastor John Thomas (King of Kings, CT) is still suffering from constant nausea and recently underwent a double ballooning endoscopy and colonoscopy; Pastor Lucas Potgieter (Ridgecrest) is suffering from chest pains and went for tests yesterday; Mrs Sue Watson (Pretoria) is suffering with heart problems; Mrs Val Payne (wife of Dennis Payne, previous BU Administrator) is still in a coma after a stroke.

·           The Missions Developer reports that several of the BMD missionaries are currently needing financial support.

·           Southern Hills Baptist (Cape Town) recently experienced a burglary and arson.  Part of the church was burnt down.

SPECIAL REQUEST: Pastor Burt Elliot (47 years of age from Hout Bay) recently underwent a kidney transplant.  His sister donated a kidney, but his body has rejected it.  Pastor Benjamin Smit (Heideveld) has offered to donate a kidney but needs to undergo several tests to check for compatibility.  Please pray much for this situation.