Empower's Study of Gladys Aylward and Homeschooling at Kenilworth Castle

We had a lovely time yesterday as Myleea's home educators' group had our end of the year get together at Kenilworth Castle, which is about 20 minutes from our home. As you can see from the photos, the kids had loads of fun rolling down the hills, exploring the ancient ruins, and partaking of their picnic lunches. Bubba even brought along his buddy, Spurgeon, for this event's show and tell feature.
Also, pictured at the very top is Gladys Aylward, one of the most inspirational ladies of which I've ever known! She was born in London, served as a missionary to China, and eventually even single-handedly led a group of about 100 orphans through treacherous mountain terrain to safety beyond the Yellow River when the Japanese were invading the province she had so faithfully served. If you have never studied this woman, we encourage you to do that...just as our Empower group has been doing for the past couple of weeks. Her life continues to leave such a legacy of challenging others to sacrifice whatever it takes to spread the Gospel to those who have not heard that they too may come to salvation through Jesus Christ. Let me conclude today's entry with a quote from Ms Aylward herself. Late in her life she felt the need to return to her beloved homeland of England, and upon doing so was faced with incredible culture shock as she witnessed the state of the Gospel even then in this beautiful, yet spiritually dead land. She said: "Even in the churches themselves, the Christians appeared lukewarm. The women were dressed in the height of fashion, and social events were of much greater importance than the prayer meeting or the spread of the gospel message. It was far harder to reach the hearts of an English congregation than those of the ignorant, heathen Chinese.” Ms Aylward died in 1970, and unfortunately, what she proclaimed then, we find still ringing true today. Please keep these in your prayers who have such a hunger for God, yet know not what they seek.

Kate singing at Lunch Club

The Lunch Club members enjoyed their entertainment last week as Kate sang for them.

Kate at Lunch Club

Another picture of Kate serving at Lunch Club.

Kate at Lunch Club

It has been such a blessing to have our daughter, Kate, here with us for the past several weeks. Here's a pic of her during the weekly lunch club meetings when she was helping serve one day.

Our girls

Myleea played her violin for the first time in church recently! She blessed KEC with "Ode to Joy."

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347473278661887458" />

It has been so wonderful to have our daughter, Kate, back with us this summer! Here is a pic of her leading in worship one Sunday at KEC with Bubba on the guitar and Rockie on the piano.

Empower SnowDome Trip

We had an awesome time tonight with Empower members at the SnowDome in Tamworth.

KEC Passion Play Pictures

KEC Passion Play Poster

If you are in town, please join us!!!

KEC Passion Play 2009

C. H. Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle

We recently had the opportunity to go to the church of the late, great Pastor C. H. Spurgeon in London. It was quite awesome to consider that the very porch with its great columns towering on the church's facade actually were the same as those that greeted Spurgeon and his congregation, whose numbers were in the tens of thousands regularly. It is difficult even to imagine that number of congregation members these days when observing Christianity in modern England! However, although at one time the membership of this church had dwindled to only a handful, the faithfulness of its current pastor has been greatly blessed. It now is home to approximately 500 regular worshippers. It also is used to evangelize the community in mighty ways, including a children's mid-week program which currently averages around 700 children each week from the largely unchurched area. We praise God for those "giants of the faith" who have been used in large ways to glorify Him, and whose testimonies live on to challenge each of us to aspire to follow God as boldly and faithfully as they did.