"Sea Billows Roll..."

Hey all!
It has been a wonderful week here at Westbrook Baptist Church in Westbrook, Maine. God has blessed us greatly in our efforts to help the pastor. The church here has started building a new building and we have had the opportunity to help the pastor finish preparing it to be insulated. God has kept us safe while were working on scaffolding(much to Matt's chagrin)and using air-nailers to secure stapping on the ceiling.
We have also had opportunity to work in the ministerial aspects of the church as well. Wednesday night, Joel brought a very encouraging message from Mark chapter five. The prayer meeting that followed was a great encouragement and helped us to be able to pray more specifically for the needs of the church. Thursday, Matt had opportunity to give a Gospel presentation in a local nursing home, using balloons. It was an interesting meeting, to say the least.
Just as the pastor was opening in prayer, the fire alarm started blaring! All of the occupants of the building had to be moved outside, where the rain was pouring down. Thankfully, it was only a drill and no one was injured, nor was there a fire. After everyone had settled back down, we noticed that some of the residents had not been in the meeting before the drill! Praise the Lord that He can use an occurrence of distraction to further the Gospel!
Also on Thursday, we were able to go door knocking with one of the members of the church. There were so many people who had no knowledge of the Bible! They were very kind and open to what we had to say. One elderly woman in particular took an interest and will be meeting with the pastor and his wife to talk about what the Bible has to say about salvation. Praise the Lord for opening doors in Maine!
Today, the pastor was performing a wedding ceremony, so he gave us some time to go sight-seeing. We took advantage of it as best we could. Maine is a very beautiful state, filled with lush forests, rolling hills, sweeping shorelines, and complex metropolitan areas. Our first stop was the Two Lights Lighthouses in Cape Elizabeth. The ocean was stunning. The wind was blowing at a steady clip and the waves were rolling into shore furiously. The sun was mostly hidden by the clouds but the weather managed to stay balmy all day.
The Lobster Shack, a local eatery famed for its culinary crustacean creations, seemed like a good place to stop for lunch. It lived up to its reputation and then some. We actually were sitting on the shoreline as we ate, so the view was fantastic!
Our next destination was the Portland Head Light. Originally commissioned by George Washington, this lighthouse was recommissioned by President George Bush Sr. It is also one of the most photographed lighthouses in North America, or at least that's what the church members have been saying...
It was a beautiful spot, nonetheless. The lighthouse is situated on a cliff which looks over a vast stretch of land. Another lighthouse can be seen off on a distant island shore. We were able to take some terrific photographs, with a little adventuring over the rocks. It was a pioneering experience to be certain! The waves seemed to had picked up some power since the last shore we were on, as they were more prominent and powerful here. Nonetheless, God kept us safe and allowed us to witness His handiwork in action. It still is a marvel to think that controls each and every ebb and flow of every tide. How mighty our God is!
God truly is at work here in the Northeast. Please continue to pray for us this week, as Matt is preaching tomorrow night and as we are leaving for New Jersey on Monday. Also pray for us as we minister to local churches all throughout this region.
Thank you in advance and may God bless you for your commitment to His work.
Your brothers in Christ,
-Matt and Joel



Here is a shot of Joel and Pastor Stoeber working on the ceiling.



Here, Matt is working on some wiring in the corner.



Here we are, in front of the Maine shoreline. What an experience it has been!