Recruiting, Recruiting, Recruiting

We have involved in several facets of the ministry since the first of the year. We have already started visiting churches to talk about our ministry. Last week we started taking a semester long class called "Perspectives". It is really good and you can read more about it on our personal blog (http://www.thecrossers.com/blog/2008/01/perspectives.html). But the aspect of our ministry that is taking the most time right now is recruiting. As you can see on our team's website, we are still recruiting for youth ministry, children's ministry and music outreach/worship ministry. We are spending hours on the phone and writing emails. It is receiving applications and reading them. It is calling references and checking with others who are involved in the decision making process. I love it! I think we are almost at a point of having our initial team formed though and that is a good thing. It allows us to focus on all the other things that need to get done before the initial team is ready to go to the field.

Gifts and Giftings

Here we are entering into a new year. So naturally our thoughts turn to new beginnings, fresh adventures, but most of all...finishing our year end reports. Ugh. As you know, I have been struggling with getting our mission finance records in order since we arrived back in the States. I won't go into the details, but it has been a fiasco. (Is that an Italian word? If it's not, it should be!) Anyway, I finally told Ann I needed her help. As she sat down next to me and started to put the pieces of the jigsaw mess together, she said something to the effect of, "You know, I really like doing work like this." Good Lord! I *hate* doing work like this. Figures, numbers, paperwork. I'd rather slash my wrists! But, God in His infinite foresight -- and mercy -- gave me Ann. To each one, God has given various gifts and talents. Mine is definitely not figures and finance. But, praise God, Ann's is. She definitely compliments me in many ways, and believe me, that's a *big* job! I think we just might be on track by the 15th.