November 2017
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Dear Praying Friends,
Suffer the Little Children
In our last prayer letter, we asked you to pray for a Five Day Children’s Bible Club to be held the last week of September. The Lord blessed that week with good weather and great attendance, and we praise Him for what has since turned into an ongoing ministry. We had fourteen different children that week, as well as six adults. The Gospel was clearly presented each day, and both children and adults heard the message! Jesus said in Mark 10:14 to “Suffer the little children to come unto Me… for of such is the kingdom of God.â€
Every Friday since that first week of club, there has been an average of 8-10 children gathering in our living room for a Bible lesson, Gospel songs, memorizing of Scripture, and a missionary lesson. We are just concluding a study on Amy Carmichael, who spent her life working with children in India. Her story reminds us that children are important to the Savior, and we count it a blessing and a privilege to teach this group each week. We have seen some tender hearts and searching questions, and we are praying for these little ones to trust Christ as their personal Savior.
Two Kinds of Thirst
One of our more fun ministries developed out of a desire to get to know our neighbors. Our house is situated just next to the public school, and dozens of parents walk their children past our garage to go to school every day. On Fridays, we set up a table and give them a free cup of coffee and an invitation to Bible study. Our desire is not to quench their thirst with coffee, but with a relationship with Christ. This has proved to be an excellent way for us to get to know our neighbors, and to show ourselves friendly and interested in the lives of those around us.
The free coffee table has brought a couple of different visitors to our Bible study this fall. Recently, however, we were very encouraged to see how the Lord used a simple cup of coffee to introduce us to a teacher at the public school. Then she attended our Five Day Bible Club with her girls, and they have been faithful to come every Friday since then. On Saturday night, they also showed up at Bible study.
Opening the Scriptures and Revealing Christ
The goal of Emmaus Road Baptist Church is to open the Scriptures and reveal Christ. That is exactly what we do on Saturday nights. We are starting to see some growth in attendance. Ben is teaching through the Gospel of John. A member of a supporting church here in NYC invited her co-worker to attend, and she has been coming faithfully ever since. We are praying for her salvation. Last Saturday, four of our neighbors came over as well. Please pray for continued growth in attendance, as well as the salvation of these friends and neighbors.
Finally, we have several upcoming holiday events planned. We would ask you to pray that the Lord uses these events to guide us to people in our neighborhood whose hearts are ready to hear the Gospel message. Please pray for our Pie Social on Nov. 22nd, a Flag Football game on Thanksgiving, a free family holiday portrait session on Dec. 2nd, and a ladies’ Christmas tea party on Dec. 16th. We are also continuing to search for the right place to rent so that we can begin holding Sunday services.
Taking Christ to “Da Bronx,â€
The Hamilton Family
Ben & Andrea, Elaine, Nolan, Liberty, Nehemiah, and Henry