Cincinnati Trip

Church family, our time in Cincinnati was incredible! We were able to worship with Pastor Jonathan Howard, his family, and Bridge City Church. Other than the Howards, we worshiped the Lord with people we’ve never met and could call them family because of Jesus Christ! Later on, we shared some quality time together as a team and with the Howard family in downtown Cincinnati. Ask Blaine Thompson if he enjoyed his fried rice in Cincinnati!

On Monday, we partnered with a church to help them paint a shipping container that the city was requiring them to paint. While some were painting, others were helping the church organize donated clothes, toys, home goods, beds, and other items for their event where people in need have the opportunity for these needs to be met. We were glad to help meet the needs for a church currently ministering and living on mission to this area. That evening we cheered on the Cincinnati Reds to a win and loved on the Howard family in the process. Good conversations over MLB baseball are hard to beat!

The following day, we went to a park in Anderson (which is where the Howards live and where Bridge City Church is).  One group painted 13 fire hydrants in a neighborhood and the other group prayed for hundreds of homes surrounding this park. During that time, we were able to pray with three people in the Anderson community and share about the hope we have in Christ with at least two of them! A change of plans Tuesday afternoon led us to a surprise birthday party with birthday cake in the hotel lobby that evening. Our night concluded with giving letters of encouragement to the Howard family, the opportunity to ask Jonathan questions and hear his heart, and to pray for his family and for the church before we said our “goodbyes”.  I cannot do justice to what it was like to see the smiles, the hugs, and tears of joy shared between our group and Jonathan. Our trip concluded with a stop by the Ark exhibit, which was simply the cherry on top of our wonderful trip!

Here are six reminders and lessons from our time in Cincinnati: 

1.  God’s Family & His Kingdom Stretch Far Beyond the Walls of Glennville FBC.

2.  We Best Support Missionaries and Church Planters When We Pray, Provide, & PARTICIPATE!

3.  Never Underestimate the Value of Your Presence.

4.  Pray Bold Prayers.

5.  Patience and Perseverance Are Required to Make Disciples.

6. We Are at Our Best When Different Generations Are Connected to Each Other and Serving Together.

- Pastor John