Our Sympathies
- Our sympathies to the family of Joan Baird-Sik on her passing.
For Continued Health/Healing
Please pray for our members and friends of this church family who are facing various health concerns: Gertrude Shipley, Roxy Moriston (Jackie Jenkin’s sister-in-law), Diane Jennings, Renae Rosenberg, Margaret Northey, Elizabeth Copeland (daughter-in-law of Sid & Deanna), Jay Anderson, Rick Hayes, Jennifer Aakhus (daughter of Christy Thompson), Aliyah (granddaughter of Milt & Ruth Nolting), Randy & Brenda VanKley, Diane Jennings, Kirk Huisenga, Grace (daughter of Lauren VanDyke), Berne & Elsie Graanstra, Jonah Eldrige (Army National Guard), Joy Albert, Boden Webber, Sandy Krout, Gene Ringsdorf, Connie Tryon, Dave Butterworth, Ronan (infant great grandson of Brent & Sandy Kasson), Gretchen Olson (daughter of Ella Olson), Marcia VanRoekel, Hannah Dibble, Dawn Bice, Jacinta Williams
Missionaries
Each month we pray for Missionaries that we support:
Kevin & Moselle Stark
Kevin and Moselle are “Global Worker” employees of World Gospel Mission. WGM is involved in multiple countries, continents, etc. The mission is “engaging Christlike disciples to transform the world”.
They are sent out to serve at Tenwek Mission Hospital in Bomet county, Kenya. Moselle is an OB/GYN who has always felt called to serve God through compassionate medical care in the name of Jesus in an overseas setting. Moselle serves as a practicing OB/GYN and faculty of a new OB/GYN residency training program at Tenwek Hospital. Kevin supports this mission by holding down the home front, homeschooling their children, and serving as a faithful member of the Africa Gospel Church, which runs the mission hospital. Kevin and Moselle have been married for 11 years and are blessed with 4 boys.
Next Life Foundation
Patti Griffiths is a typical American wife and mother whose primary career has been pharmacy. In 2012 she traveled to Tanzania on a mission trip, fell in love with the Tanzanian people, and met Laurence Laben. In 2013 she made her second trip when Laurence was the young Tanzanian working at the orphanage Patti visited in Mbuguni. On that trip he suggested that they team up to create a vocational school to provide skills for Tanzanian young people, providing hope while helping them lift themselves out of the poverty that they have always known. Patti immediately agreed, and the vision for Next Life Foundation was born.
Today, NLF is into its second school facility, has graduated its first two year class of tailors, is halfway through its first carpentry class, and has begun the second session of the tailoring class.
The mission of Next Life Foundation is to provide vocational training and sustained opportunities for the young people of Mbuguni, Tanzania, providing education in a Christian environment while gently sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In this very short time, an obedient woman from the Iowa Great Lakes and a young Tanzanian motivated by his love and concern for his people have been used by God to make a difference in the lives of numerous young people. NLF Tanzania operates the ministry in Tanzania while NLF America provides gentle guidance and funding to support the school. Next Life Foundation is an example of what is possible when one person responds to God’s calling in their life.
First Presbyterian Church has supported Next Life Foundation since 2016.