About Us
The Maness Family
Hopewell Association Youth Rally at Mt. Sylvia MBC
Monday, February 19, 2018 our children presented the program for the Hopewell Association Youth Rally hosted by Mt. Sylvia Missionary Baptist Church. Below is the video of them playing music and answering questions from the audience.
The ABA National Meeting
Many of the friends we have made while on deputation we got to see again at our association of churches messenger meeting.
The kids enjoyed seeing their friends as well at the meeting. Many of the children present are preachers’ kids or missionary kids.
The first part of the week is the annual National Women’s Conference. I took the girls to that while Scott took the boys to the Missionary Committee meeting.
There were a lot of sweet babies at the meeting this year. I wish I thought to take a picture of all the strollers lined up by the wall where we sat.
Scott was honored to carry the Argentine flag during the flag ceremony on Tuesday night honoring the countries represented by missionaries and pastors present.
Probably one of the most exciting part of the meeting for the children are the booths.
We spent most of our time at the meeting attending our booth. The bracelets we passed out were a big hit.
Bro. Chase Reynolds shared an amazing missionary message about the responsibility of each church to send someone somewhere to share the gospel with a lost and dying world.
It truly was a week!
Jonathan’s Impromptu Sermon
Sunday night, after the service at Cornerstone in Roswell, New Mexico, we enjoyed an ice cream fellowship. We also enjoyed an impromptu sermon from Jonathan on the life of David from 1 Samuel.
Below are some pictures from the evening and a video of Jonathan’s sermon.
Resurrection Sunday
We had a busy Sunday this Easter. Sunday morning we visited Grace Baptist Chapel in Albaquerque, NM. Scott played his viola along with the other musicians in the services.
After the services we took our traditional Ressurection Sunday family Easter picture. This was our first Easter without our eldest son, Joshua. He is going to school at Texas Baptist Institute-Seminary.
We really enjoyed our time at Grace as we parked there and were able to enjoy several activities from various ministries they have to the community.
Then Sunday afternoon we left Albuquerque and headed to Roswell, New Mexico to attend Cornerstone Baptist Church’s evening service. Cornerstone is currently seeking a church to help them organize. We were blessed by their fellowship and are praying with them for God to provide what they need.
I will do another post about our time at Cornerstone.
Navajo Nation, New Mexico
Towards the end of the first week of April we drove from North Little Rock, Arkansas to Two Grey Hills, New Mexico. We left Thursday evening and arrived late Friday night.
It was a long windy drive but we made it in plenty of time for the Four Corners Fellowship of Churches hosted by Two Grey Hills Missionary Baptist Church and their Missionary-Pastor Rusty Denny.
That Sunday morning we enjoyed worshipping with Two Grey Hills. The ladies blessed us with singing a special in the beautiful Navajo language.
We enjoyed visiting with the members after the services. So many friends who have visited Two Grey Hills for short mission trips have asked about different members.
Bro. James (pictured below) has had some health problems but is doing better now.
Bro. Nelson enjoyed trying some of our Argentine Maté. He tried to get some of the others to try it but they weren’t convinced.
We had a really good time and were blessed to see the work God is doing there.
We also got to see their beautiful new building that can be seen for miles around the area. It’s a beautiful large white building that isn’t hidden in the area.
World Missions Seminar
March 27 – April 7 we attended the World Missions Seminar hosted by Faith Missionary Baptist Church of North Little Rock, Arkansas. The first week was directed towards sponsoring church/ missionary relationships, money management, hosting missionaries, etc.
The second week’s lessons were directed with the missionary in mind covering topics on deputation, cultural adaptation, culture shock, language acquisition, family life on the foreign field, Church planting, inter-personal relationships, Biblical conflict resolution, etc.
Bro. Lynn and Sis. Brenda Raburn did an excellent job putting the Seminar together and arranging all the wonderful speakers during the two weeks.
Elijah’s and Hannah’s Birthdays
Elijah and Hannah both celebrated birthdays in March. We celebrated both of their birthdays with friends in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Louisiana State Ladies Retreat
While we were in Louisiana Ruth, Joanna, and I were able to attend the Louisiana State Ladies Retreat on March 10-11. The retreat featured wonderful speakers such as Ann Luellen and Cindy Hebert. I was honored to help in the music department by playing the keyboard. We had a great time.
The theme of the retreat was “Take Me Away” with spa style decorations giving an atmosphere of relaxation.
Spanish Services and Fellowship
On Saturday morning, March 4th, we enjoyed visiting with 3 Spanish speaking congregations at a fellowship with Iglesia Bautista Bella Esperanza. There was great music, great food, Bible Quizes, Games, and Scott was invited to preach. He loves any opportunity he is given to preach in Spanish.
February Deputation and Family Time before we head out of Texas
Elisabeth’s first shopping trip.
Our sending church Nevill’s Chapel held a Faith Promise Conference and our picture was posted along with the other missionaries on the church sign.
Granted we’d be around 70 if this shirt’s message still applied 30 years from now.
My parents holding their two youngest grandchildren. Note the toys all over the floor the next picture explains why.
We made a special occasion before we hit the road on deputation to make this picture happen for my parents with all 16 grandkids.
Joanna on one of her new baby blankets that was given to her by the ladies of Ridge Crest MBC in Levelland, Tx.
We had a good time during Senior day at Glenwood Baptist Camp. The kids got to help Bro. Ken Sibley with his gospel illusion lessons.
We also got to hear the gospel group The King’s Servants the same day at Camp Glenwood.
Scott was the guest speaker on Senior Day. He preached from Psalm 71:18.
We enjoy singing together as a family.
My cousin Christi had her baby a week before Joanna was born. We finally got the second cousins together for some pictures. It was a little tricky getting both babies to be happy at the same time.
We had a really good visit with Mema (Charlcye Taylor) before heading out on a longer deputation trail visiting Churches all over the United States.
We also visited Bethel MBC of Tatum, Tx with Mema, Aunt Connie, and Uncle Tom.
Scott shares our mission plans for Argentina…
…and he enjoys preaching from the Word of God when given the opportunity.
Elijah gets to hold Joanna in this picture. Joanna is not short on getting attention with so many siblings.
