From: Art Cunningham [artanddebcunningham@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 10:08 AM
To: Art Cunningham
Subject: Re: Update Saturday February 17, 2007

 Update Saturday February 17, 2007

 

Dear Praying friends:

 

Well, do you want the good news or the bad news? The good news? OK, we are heading back to the field in just over two weeks. The bad news… well, if you are part of our friends and family here in the States, we will miss you these next weeks and months. Maybe it is time for you to pay a visit to England!

 

Going to the Field: Back in December, Pastor Bob Rutledge asked us to pray about coming to Slough to help in the transition of that church to a national pastor. He is leaving the foreign field to become part of the GFA leadership there in Greenville SC. We prayed and sensed the Lord leading. Both the mission and our home church agreed, so we are on our way. We have cancelled all our meetings scheduled for March or later and have purchased tickets for March 5th.

 

Flight information: We will depart Burlington, VT (BTV) Monday, March 5th at 11:35 AM, landing at JFK at 1:27 PM. We will be at JFK from 1:30 until 7:00 PM, and then we depart NYC at 7:05, arriving London – Gatwick 7:25 AM the 6th (Tuesday).

 

Grace Baptist Church of Slough: The church has called Tim Lazenby, formerly pastor of Mount Calvary Bible Church in Oxford, to be the new pastor. Pastor Lazenby will not be able to move down to Slough for a number of months, so we will take part of the leadership role until he is able to make that move.

 

Housing in Slough: We have made an offer on the house we rented from 2002-2005, and are waiting to hear from the landlord. Pray that he will respond as the Lord would have him to. Debbie would really love to be back at that house, and it would serve the whole family well.

 

School in Slough: Our boys have secured places in Priory School, the school they attended for two years during our last term in England. Pray for a good transition.

 

Changes in Support: We have had one family and one church increase our support, and two new churches take us on. Thanks go to Cranesville Bible Church of Cranesville PA and to Bethel Baptist Church of Tucson AZ for becoming part of our support team. Our support is at 89% and we are leaving in 16 days. Please pray with us that the last bit comes in.

 

Family: When David heard we were headed to England, he put his head down on the table and wept. Both boys have really grown to love this place. I guess if we want to see the good that caused the tears, we could thank the Lord for a few things:

 

1)      We have a great home church that they have grown to love.

 

2)      We have an excellent school that they have felt at home in.

 

3)      They have made some good friends that they will really miss.

 

4)      They have grown to love our families and will miss them greatly.

 

Please pray that both David and Robert will see the hand of the Lord in our ministry, and will see all these trials as opportunities to put the Lord first.

 

Recent Meetings: Art made a 19-day trip by himself. Deb had to hold down all the responsibilities at home by herself, and Art had to be without the family all that time. Yet it seemed to be a time of wonderful meetings, from PA to Indiana, to Illinois, to Wisconsin, Louisville, KY, and ending in Ontario. Having neglected to bring his passport, Art had a hard time getting back into the US with his British driving license. If the Super Bowl was not going on, they might not have been so kind, and he is planning to bring it on every trip outside the US from now on.

 

Thanks for praying us through to the field. We sense our total dependence on the Lord’s power as we seek to win the Muslims to Christ, and we covet your prayers to that end.

 

Lu 11:1  … one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray…

 

Yours in His service:

 

 

Art Cunningham