August 2009 Monthly Report

Assembly Measures

The attendance numbers for the first two Sundays of August include the 23 visitors from the Cedar Hill church (see report below). I have to credit Roberto Ulate for collecting this data on a list of members I give him every Sunday.

Fig. 1 Sunday afternoon service (August 30th, 2009)

In the last Sunday afternoon service of the month, on August 30th, there were 23 people attending. 19 of these were people who didn’t come in the morning. In other words, this is how many seats were released in the morning. Now we don’t see so many people seating outside, on the sidewalk in the morning. However, the greatest benefit is a higher overall attendance. The highest attendance reached when services were not divided into two services was 115 on May 10, 2009. Now that we have two services, our attendance is steadily rising and the highest so far is 119 on August 30th. This is overall attendance to at least one Sunday service. In other words we are not adding 23 to the morning attendance, we are adding 19 to the morning attendance, because 4 people who came to the second service, had come to the morning service. I guess the decision of having two services is beginning to pay off —it is not so crowded in the morning, and we are reaching out to more people.

Total collection of offering was $2.313,49. Total expenses during the same period went up to $2.219,50. This figure includes extra remodeling expenses, first payment of the video beam, and attention given to group from Cedar Hill. The balance at the end of August is $1.727,00.

Fig. 2. Part of group from Cedar Hill preparing to go campaigning

As I had mentioned in the July report, a group of 23 members of the Cedar Hill church, Texas, were welcomed in our homes and church during the first 10 days of August. Ron McClung, former missionary to Costa Rica, led them. Ron had contacted me with the idea of bringing a group to give us a hand with evangelism and marriage counseling. Within our philosophy of mission (theirs and ours) it is contemplated that missionaries stay in the homes of members of the local church, and not in hotels. So, the homes of Roberto Ulate, Walter Jones, Damaris Astorga, Miriam Brenes, and mine, were blessed by having them most of those 10 days (they made a two day trip to La Fortuna).
The group handed out fliers in Heredia and the Campus of Universidad Nacional. The fliers offered an invitation to have a personal Bible study in English or Spanish. More than 20 new contacts were made as people called in response to the invitation, and came to the church building during most of the days that the group was in town. They came for Bible study and fellowship. The names and phone numbers of these contacts were assigned to local members, and we are hoping that some of them will continue to accept Bible studies.
Also, a movie called “Fireproof” was shown on Sunday night after the evening service on August 2nd. This movie tells the story of a marriage that was saved by the Lord. More than 100 people, mostly visitors, attended that night. Then, on the following three nights, Ron presented a series of lessons for couples. Close to 100 people attended each night. Ron’s Spanish was perfect for the presentations, as he knows most of the Costa Rican idioms. As a result of this series, several of the husbands who are not members, did come and now materials are being provided with the hope of raising their interest in the Lord’s help for their marriages.
Matt Helm, the Youth minister of the Cedar Hill church, preached on that Sunday afternoon, and several people came forward. Later in the month, Roberto and I studied with three of the ladies who came forward that night and they have already been baptized. Auxiliadora, a lady about whom I reported in July, had contacted these ladies. Roberto and I are now studying with two of the husbands in the new downtown group (see narrative on study measures).
I have to credit Roxana Ulate for handling all the logistics related to the visiting group from Cedar Hill. Roxana was my assistant. She did a great job, making all the phone calls, writing emails, arranging for meals, organizing transportation, etc. I don’t think I would have been able to handle so many loose ends. She kept me updated with stuff and continually reminded me of things.


Study Measures

The people contacted by Auxiliadora became a group Bible study that meets on Sunday night after the evening service in downtown Heredia. We have had three sessions. There have been 3 baptisms. Auxiliadora herself is still struggling with the decision. It is ironic that the people she invited have already become members, and she hasn’t. She is struggling with serious heart disease and diabetes. Robin Worsham, a medical doctor, and Garrin Elwell, a girl, from the Cedar Hill group, visited Auxiliadora and encouraged her a lot.
Damaris Astorga is reaching out to one wife who is not a member. She has had several Bible studies with her. This is the wife of Eduardo, someone Walter had reached out to along with Freddy Astorga. Walter tells me this was the last person Freddy baptized. Also, Andrés Hernández and Mindy are reaching out to Adonis, Roberto and Noris’s son. Andrés and Mindy are leaders of the Youth Group, and have taken the initiative of bringing Bible studies to this teenager.
A Leadership Training Series was started. We are studying Gene Getz' The Measure of a Man. This book was a gift given to Walter Jones by Mike Montalvo. The sessions meet on Saturday at 5:30 pm. We had the attendance of 17 men to the first session and 16 men to the second session. Gene Getz’ book is great for Christian men. Each chapter is devoted to one of the requirements for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. We are covering a different requirement in each session. There is interest. At least 16 of the men are participating. Roberto and I now have the opportunity to influence more directly this group of men.
The recently baptized man whom I had reported in July as having fallen away made it back! We hope he has done so for good. Roberto and I continue to meet every Wednesday morning for an hour and sometimes for more than an hour for prayer and encouragement.