Buckeyes in the Czech!

Can you believe that the OHIO nation is all over the world. Buckeye trees are all over the world and even here in the Czech Republic. I am going to scoop as many up as I can and bring them home! Today was an awesome, but much cooler day with some rain. We spent the day walking all over the city of Olomouc and saw the outer parts of the city and majority of the population here. Also, we saw some ministry opportunities Ivos and his wife Ellen have here with social ministry as a means of servant evangelism and making contacts to share Christ. Tonight, we just got back from having a bible study meeting with 7 other believers about a possible movement! I spoke from Acts 1 and the importance of remaining faithful and prayerful. Paul spoke about being filled with the Holy Spirit on a constant basis (Ephesians 5). Only 2 more days before we make the long trek home, so pray as we have 2 meetings tomorrow with a local pastor and businessman here in the city. Attached is a photo from last night as we found a group of college students worshipping...very encouraging here!

First Day From the Czech

After almost 24 hours of flying and driving, we finally made it here to Olomouc, Czech Republic. It is a city of around 100,000 people and when college students are here, around 120,000. It is like stepping back in time when you look around at the architecture and buildings. However, the culture is extremely progressive and liberal. In almost everyone's hand is a cigarette and beer bottle along with a closed view about God. Today, we walked the streets as most here do not drive cars within the city, they walk or use transport shuttles. So, we walked, prayed, and shared Christ with some college students at a coffee/cafe on the campus. The pic you see is from us climbing up 300 stairs in an old Catholic church building that was constructed back in 1412...I don't know how safe it was, but we made it. We are 6 hours ahead over here, so we are close to having dinner and go to a meeting with some college students and talk. Please keep praying as we leave on Saturday morning and time is going by quick...

Living Hope Latest

Good Afternoon,

Just wanted to update you on the latest as to what the Lord is doing here in Marysville, Ohio. The family is doing great and we are extremely blessed. Caden turned 4 in May and finished his first summer of t-ball. He made his daddy proud! Abigail is the apple of her daddy's eye and already has me wrapped. Jennifer is amazing and is the glue that holds it all together...I am incredibly thankful for her! Below is a quick update in several different areas:

Traveling...I will be leaving this coming Sunday evening, September 27th, on a mission journey to the Czech Republic. I will be traveling with Paul Davis, a man in our church and Randall Wood, missions pastor at Dublin Baptist Church. Please pray for our traveling journeys and vision for how Living Hope could possibly be involved in reaching this people group.

Defending...Friday, October 23rd, I will travel to Louisville, KY and defend my DMIN dissertation at the Billy Graham School of Missions & Evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Pray the Lord will give me wisdom as I prepare and speak as to what the Lord has taught me through this incredible degree program. If the Lord allows, I will graduate in December!

Preaching...I will be traveling back home and preaching at the Kirby Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, TN. The dates for the Global Impact Conference are November 11-15, 2009. I will be preaching and sharing the story of what God is doing here on Friday night, November 13. Please visit www.kwbc.org for more information.

Moving...As a result of the growth, Living Hope Church has outgrown her meeting space at the school and has to move! Beginning this Sunday, September 27th, Living Hope signed a 1 year lease and will begin meeting at Creekview Intermediate School. We will be in the same sub-division and meeting next door from where we have been the past year. Living Hope is currently averaging over 160 on Sunday mornings. There have been 4 saved in the past month with another baptism service and membership class scheduled soon!

Sharing...This past week, I was offered the opportunity to share the vision and story of Living Hope on the Christian radio station WRFD (wrfd.com) here in Columbus. Please click here or you can go to our website to listen to the program in its entirety under the "media" section.

Honoring & Licensing...Sunday, September 6, 2009, was a special day in the life of our young church. We licensed Josh Wiley, son of Associate Pastor Gerry Wiley, into the Gospel ministry. Josh is a senior at The Ohio State University and will be graduating in May 2010. Also, Living Hope honored IMB Trustee and charter member Will Pollard in recognition of 50 years in the Gospel ministry. We are honored to have Godly men and women who understand missions in the life of our young church.

Giving...As the church grows, so do expenses. Though our giving is increasing as a result of families joining, we are still in need of financial partners and givers. Several of our families have been laid off and are looking for work. Since moving in to a bigger facility, there are some items we have purchased and STILL need to purchase. We are praying, seeking, and asking to raise $6,000.00 for the move to our new facility. This money will be used to buy extra staging and curtains, a new welcome center, advertising to the community informing them we have moved, a nice but used video camera to film and edit ministry videos and signage throughout the building and outside the building, etc...

Partnering...I am pleased to announce that Dr. Clayton Cloer and the FBC of Central Florida will begin partnering with us in 2010! Would you please consider a one-time financial gift or a monthly commitment to meet this goal at Living Hope. You can click here and donate to Living Hope on-line through our local sponsor church, Dublin Baptist. Also, you can make a check out to Living Hope Church and mail it to the church office at:

246 West Fifth Street
Marysville, Ohio 43040

Thank you for your time and faithful commitment to the Lord and His Kingdom. Please keep praying for the harvest here!

--

Jeremy Westbrook

Living Hope Church
www.livinghopemarysville.com
937.738.7114

On Hold.....

Do you ever feel as if you are on hold and nobody is ever going to give you an answer? Well, join the club! Right now, we are waiting to hear back from a couple of people as to a new meeting place for the youth ministry and also the Victory Outreach Center here in the heart of Marysville. However, we did get some exciting news concerning a new meeting place on Sunday mornings that I will be announcing this coming Sunday morning! Thank the Lord that when we pray, the Father hears and never puts us on hold!

I will keep you posted...

"Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."
- Psalm 121:4

Need More Room

Today, the staff and I met at an undisclosed location to consider moving from where we currently are meeting on Sunday mornings. Currently, the growth rate of Living Hope has pushed us to the max where we currently are, leaving us with space problems, which is a GOOD problem! The meeting went well and I hope to have some exciting news to announce soon, so please pray. Also, be praying for our youth ministry and a place for them to hold their Wednesday night worship service as they are already out of room!