Summer in Vermont

Allis State Park

Much has taken place here in Vermont since our last post. We have taken a short vacation to York Beach, Maine, started Bible studies in Waterbury, participated in many community activities, worked with a mission team from Virginia and been encouraged by friends. We are looking forward to another visit from friends on Sunday and another mission team in August. Nathanael has also turned three years old! Here are some pictures from the last month.

Nathanael at the Waterbury Kids Festival

We will have a team here next year to help with a booth for Waterbury Mission

Katie- we enjoyed shopping at Old Navy at the beach and

made a stop at Target on the way, too!

The Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine

The Nubble Lighthouse

York Beach, Maine

Walker's Point

Waterbury July 4th Parade

We visited Ben and Jerry's on July 4th

Our first Bible Study in Waterbury

We had 7 adults and 4 kids at our last Bible study and had some help

from our friend Mara from Faith Community Church with the kids.

Mission Team from Ironbridge Baptist Church, Chester, VA

Mountain Bike Trailwork

They also helped to paint the Senior Center (where we meet for Bible Studies)

$1 Car Wash- where we give a dollar to wash cars and share the love of Christ

Stoweflake Balloon Festival

Nathanael's Birthday

His dearest friends

My funny looking fire truck cake

Yes, he needs a helmet and shoes!

Steve and Liz

His gift from Golfer Steve

Katie checking out Gary and Debbie after the party!

Thank you for praying for our family and the ministry in Waterbury!

www.waterburymission.org

God is good- what will He do next?!

Our last "official" day at Faith Community Church

Many exciting things have been happening here in the last few weeks! We have met with one couple who has committed to joining us in Waterbury- we will begin discipleship meetings with them this Sunday. Another couple that I (Allison) met through work has expressed interest in Bible studies as well. We had a profitable meeting with them last Saturday discussing our vision for Waterbury and some theological issues as well. We hope to meet with them again this weekend.

We have also secured a meeting place for our Bible studies in Waterbury. We will begin to meet in the Waterbury Senior Center on Tuesday nights from 7-8pm starting in July. Pray that we will make many contacts and be able to invite them to this study! Brian has been participating in group mountain bike rides every Thursday nights and taking the kids to the library, train station and park every Monday.

We are visiting churches in Waterbury to get a glimpse of what is available in the town at this time. We visited one on Sunday in which Jesus was never even mentioned. Despite the "Trinity Sunday" theme, the pastor discussed the environment and left us wondering what application we should make. It really made us realize the true need for biblical teaching in the town.

Over the last few weeks God has blessed our family through many different people. Katie received two tubs full of clothes up to 2T from one of the families at Faith Community Church here in Barre. Allison's home church in Petersburg, VA has committed to supporting Brian's salary monthly in the amount of $1000! Finally, we have seen God at work as two churches from Florida have contacted our association this week about funding a church plant in the northeast! Pray that we will be able to establish sponsorships with these churches! Who else but God can do this?

The Village

Amtrak at 926 daily

We are still facing challenges in finding affordable housing in Waterbury. We have an appointment to look at a "more affordable" home tomorrow night that is a bit out of our price range, however it appears that the owners are very motivated to sell. It is at the end of a dirt road in Waterbury close to the town hiking trail. I (Allison) found our dream house, but the selling price is about $100,000 more than what we can afford! The cute white farm house with the wrap around porch is still out of reach. We are looking forward to what God will do to bring us to the right house.

Nathanael is becoming quite the helper. He is enjoying playing with his friends down the hill, is learning to recognize letters and LOVES the trains in Waterbury. Katie is rolling over, cooing and sleeping well through the night. Her palate is becoming well versed- she's having sweet potatoes, carrots, cereal, peaches, peas, green beans and bananas.

Barre Fire Truck

Working in the Yard

Katie is all smiles! (most of the time)

"Katie, this is a very important white truck. This is how it works."

Hope you enjoy the pictures! Please continue to pray for the town of Waterbury. To receive weekly updates, please email vtplant@gmail.com

Back in VT

We have finished our trip, made it back to VT and are getting used to our "new" old routine. Allison is back at work, Brian is hard at work looking for work, and Nathanael and Katie are having a good time with one another.

Brian finished up his last sermon at Faith Community Church last Sunday, which means we are even closer to beginning Bible Studies in Waterbury. We have one family and another gentleman who have committed to joining us in Waterbury. Brian will be spending much more time in the town in the upcoming weeks making connections and hopefully finding a job. He has applied for a job at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and the State of VT. The summer farmer's market will begin soon on Thursday evenings. We plan to head up there each week to support the community. Brian has also been working with a group of men on mountain bike trails and is taking the kids to the library each Monday. Last week, the library was closed, but he did meet a lady and her two girls whom I met while on maternity leave at the library. Our kids are very close in ages and the mom is a nurse as well. Please pray that this "library family" will come to know Christ as their Savior!

We feel our biggest challenge is moving to the town. There are not many homes in the area for sale, nor are there apartment complexes from which to rent. Most homes are out of our price range, but we have found two that are possibilities. We are working with a realtor there and will go back this week with a contractor to help figure out how much work needs to be done before either house is livable. Please continue to pray that God would work this detail out in His perfect timing. Also, if you are not receiving our weekly prayer update, and would like to, please send an email to vtplant@gmail.com or visit waterburymission.org and hit contact us.

She'll grow into this hat!

Caroline and Sarah on our trip to NC

Marbles Museum in Raleigh

My dear friend Madai and I were able to catch up while our kids played!

Playing after a picnic with the 9300 Duke girls!

Visiting Ms. Tommie

CC made a special cake

Easter

The Creemie Stand is OPEN!

Katie and "Grace" that Ms. Tommie, Ellie and I made when I was pregnant with Nathanael

A few days ago, then...

Snow on April 28th

He did go sledding in it, too!

Our Travels

After traveling for two days and eating Krispy Kreme and Panera, we reached Richmond safely! At the first stop on our trip, Brian spoke briefly at the Middle District Association Minister’s Luncheon in Richmond where he shared a bit about his changed life and how God is moving in the state of Vermont. CC met us there and we went back to her house where we have been staying since we arrived on Tuesday. CC, Holly (my sister) and I took the kids to the Richmond Metro Zoo while Brian enjoyed a bike ride along the James River. We will be in VA, NC and SC over the next few weeks talking about what God is doing in Vermont, the least religious state in America.

Speaking Schedule

Ironbridge Baptist Church: Chester, VA Sunday March 14 9:00 and 10:30

Western Heights Baptist Church: Petersburg, VA Sunday March 14 7:00 pm

Southside Baptist Association Executive Meeting: Tuesday March 16 6:30pm

Matoaca Baptist Church: Matoaca, VA Wednesday March 17 7:00 pm

Gainesville Baptist Church: Lincolnton, NC Sunday March 21 11:00 am

Lake Swamp Baptist Church: Timmonsville, SC Sunday March 21 7:00pm

Olde Mount Vernon/Grace Baptist Church: Raleigh, NC Wednesday March 24 7:00pm

Smyrna Baptist Church: Dinwiddie, VA Sunday March 28 7:00pm

Check the church plant website for other updates, too. www.waterburymission.org

Camel

Peguins

Orangutan

Flamingos

Feeding the Giraffe

March is here!

We have been very busy since our last post... having two children is definitely challenging, but we are enjoying each day! Nathanael is doing great wearing big boy pants... he has only had a few accidents in the last two weeks! He is even going without any help! He is excited about wearing undies with Thomas, Lightning McQueen and even firetrucks!! Katie is growing fast! She gets her first set of shots on Thursday. We are getting a bit more sleep as she has been able to go up to 6 hours at night without waking!! Enjoy these pictures from our last few weeks!

Making chocolate chip pancakes

Katie- 6 weeks old

Snowshoe adventure

Singing her a lullaby

Potty Prize

A lovely tree outside our house

Enjoying the snow!

Fixing our dishwasher

Katie- 2 months

We are closer to our move to Waterbury and covet your prayers as we continue our journey. We were able to go to an evangelism conference in MA this past weekend where we were given lots of information and encouragement about ministering to the community and growing the church through evangelism. In the next few weeks we will be traveling to Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina to talk with folks about our plans for ministry in Waterbury and also raise support for the new church plant. Brian has been in contact with a few people in Waterbury with whom we will be able to volunteer in the future doing trail work and community service. Allison has been to the library the last two weeks and has been able to meet a few moms. Please continue to pray that God will soften hearts and cause us to develop relationships that will lead to people coming to know Him as Savior and Lord!

Green Mountain Club in Waterbury

Reading to Katie

An Empty House

Brian's Mom was our last visitor and she is back in Virginia now. She did get to stay longer than expected due to the snow storm in the southeast last weekend... I hear they are getting more this weekend! Nathanael enjoyed her being here, as she had a gift each day for him. As you can see in this picture, Katie enjoyed her too! We went to the Trapp Family Lodge between Waterbury and Stowe, the grocery store and pushed around the car cart for Nathanael, and had a great time shopping in Burlington.

The Barre Fire Department during a short snowfall last week

We have enjoyed the snow!

Please pray for Brian this weekend as he will be volunteering at a snowshoe festival in Waterbury. We hope that this will be a time that he is able to both share the gospel and make contacts that will help in ministry in this town. Thanks!