I appreciate a quote found in the book "Shaped by God's Heart" by Milfred Minatrea. He refers back many years to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry who wrote in the early twentieth century. "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." Of course, his reference wasn't particularly to shipbuilding but to almost any task that benefits from copious amounts of passion in hearts of committed adventurers. It is especially relevant to adventurous Christ-followers seeking to obediently build up the body of Christ and minister in their own mission fields.
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On May 26, six folks from Strawberry traveled to Vermont for a week of mission work. We are grateful to Lynnwood and Alma Blankenship of Quaker, Raymond and Elaine Strachan of Staunton, and Steve and Barbara Manuel for giving of their time and resources to minister to the brethren of the Green Mountain Baptist Association churches. They shared in doing light construction and repair, serving in a food kitchen and food pantry ministry to the homeless, assisting various folks with some computer needs, singing, and prayer walking. Thank you for praying for their travels and ministry.

Most gleanings are held on Saturday mornings. Weekday gleanings may also be available for groups. No gleaning on Sunday. For more information, call 1-800-333-4597 or email sosaglean@endhunger.org. Register online at www.endhunger.org/apple/signme.htm.

Hunting Creek will host a Sports Camp for K-6th grade children, Tuesday-Thursday, July 11-13, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Mount Hermon will have VBS Sunday, July 16, through Wednesday, July 19.

In June, a mission team from Palestine served in Iquitos, Peru. The team helped build a church, painted a church that was built during previous trips, and helped with Vacation Bible School.

Pecks called Rev. Bryan D. Sheehan as pastor effective June 1, 2006. From Asheville, North Carolina, Bryan and his wife, Ada, have two children, a son, Justine (13), and a daughter, Lydia (9). We welcome the Sheehan's to Strawberry.
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Women on Mission: Rainbow Forest will lead devotionals at Oakwood Manor in August. Radford will host the July birthday party for residents of Bedford County Nursing Home; Morgans will host it in August.

SBA Mission Friends Summer Project
Last year, when thousands of children were orphaned in the wake of South Asia's disastrous tsunami, Virginia Baptists partnered with The Precious Children's Home in India by providing initial funds to help build a "children's village" which will house about 330 children.

During the months of June, July, and August, Mission Friends (and their families) are asked to save pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters—even dollars to help make this "children's village" a reality. At the end of August, give all the money to your church and request that a check be written to Strawberry WMU and mailed to Mrs. Emily Morris, Treasurer, 2161 Penns Mill Rd., Big Island 24526. You might even want to consider giving your VBS offering toward this effort. (Mentow's VBS collected $948.56 for this ministry.) Your children can truly make a difference in the lives of children just like themselves and they can connect to something "larger than life" that will truly change lives.

Note: We need adults (1 for each 5 children) from each church to accompany the children as they rotate through the various music opportunities during the week.

Click here for registration form.

We have several free foldable walkers for someone who is in need of one. Two of them have wheels. There is also an adjustable assist rack and bar assembly for a standard bed. This is designed for someone able to pull herself up using the hanging chain and bar. Call the office right away, because we will not be holding on to these for long.