Dear Friends and Family,

    I am writing to briefly catch you up on our ministry and share with you an opportunity to serve pastoral leaders in Uganda this summer.  For 25 years, Babette & I (along with children Chris, Cassie and CeJae) have been blessed to serve in Middlebury Center (North Central), PA for 11 ½ years and now more than 13 ½ years in Brick, NJ.  While I have enjoyed serving the local church, I am eager to explore an opportunity to serve the global church  this summer (July 5-18) alongside Wendell Stoltzfus, a Mission Partner of our church and a Director of Global Partnerships with Equipping Leaders International (www.equipleaders.org).

   Equipping Leaders International serves local church pastors in a variety of countries to help bridge the educational gap by providing coursework in the Bible, theology and pastoral leadership.  Our purpose will be to provide a leadership course to two groups of pastors, who will be traveling from around the countryside to Mbarara, Uganda for a week-long training.

   In Uganda, and other parts of the world, churches are growing; people are coming to Christ in large numbers. Those who show some gifts become pastors—but they are overworked and under-trained, and resources are scarce. 85% of pastors in the majority world begin with little to no formal training. Imagine being asked to pastor a church with no training! That is where the ministry of Equipping Leaders International (and a trip like this) is particularly important because so many pastors around the globe need more training and support. While I hope to provide training and support to these pastors, I expect to receive an even greater blessing from them, as I learn from them and their example of sacrificial service to Christ!

   I would appreciate your prayers for God’s wisdom, provision, and empowerment for this trip.   If you can financially help support the cost of this mission, I would also be grateful. As part of our total costs, Wendell and I will also be covering the expenses for these pastors in Uganda to travel and attend this training.  If you feel led, you can mail a donation for the trip (church address above) or give online through our church website: https://livingfaithnj.com/give and select “Alex-Uganda 25” as the fund designation. If donating by check, please make your check payable to "Living Faith Bible Church"  notating “Alex-Uganda 25” on the check. Please let me know if you have any interest in being updated as the trip takes shape, and I will keep you updated by an email newsletter.   

In Christ’s love, Alex