Happy New Year . . . 2019?!

We had a discussion the other day about how long one could, ethically speaking, get away with wishing someone a happy New Year. Is it a once-and-done holiday like the Fourth of July or Arbor Day? Or is it a period of time like Christmas or a birthday? I feel that during the entire month of January, one safely can wish a person a happy New Year, as long as one has not yet seen the person yet since the 1st. But once February comes, the New Year becomes the Now Year, and we simply do not wish one another a happy Now Year.

Ethically speaking, then, we cannot, without violating cultural norms, wish you a Happy 2017 or Happy 2018 (or a Happy Halloween 2016 for that matter). Even though it's been that long since we've posted anything here, the statute of limitations has run out. Sorry. We'll just have to pick it all up from here and strive together for the future.

So it's been  a little while [ahem] since our last post. That's just because nothing at all has happened since then. So you're completely up to date!

Actually that's not true in the slightest.

Ginny, age 12

Ginny is now 12 and in 6th grade. That's officially middle school around here, and it comes with a locker, science fair projects, and after-school activities like guitar club and Math Olympics. She's won the Principal's Award for having the highest GPA in her class every year since 2nd grade and is a perfectionist like her Daddy and confident and social like her Mama. She loves Star Wars, any book she can get her hands on, and going WAY above and beyond on school projects.

Cora, age 9

Cora is the life of the party. (Search for the hashtag #lifewithcora on Facebook if you don't know what we mean.) She's in 3rd grade and is killing it, keeping us all laughing and doing just fine in school herself, thankyouverymuch. She loves Star Wars, the Dork Diaries books, and The Greatest Showman. 

Juliet, age 5

Juliet started Kindergarten this year, and is already starting to read the words she sees around her. She hugs just about everyone she sees and confidently tells us her opinions on just about everything. She loves unicorns, dancing, and coloring.














Perhaps the largest change has been with our job situation. In March of 2017 Greg accepted a position at the World Vision Storehouse in the Bronx. The job matched his experience and abilities far too well to not at least apply for, and he ended up getting the job. He coordinates the volunteers who come in from all over to sort donated product and stock shelves, as well as anything else they need him to do. The job involves both physical warehouse work as well as interactive computer work, which suits Greg just fine. The most stressful part of his day involves finding a place to park when he comes home. 

Bethany has carried and run with the Priority 1 torch. Prior to the World Vision job, Greg was usually the one who went around with the various groups who came to the city to serve, but now Bethany is the one who leads devotions and guides them from place to place. She has fully taken the mantle of the Assistant Director role, and in my (Greg's) opinion, is doing a better job at it than I ever did. 

We are committed to communicating with you all much better than we have. Please forgive us for that. Thank you for your prayers, for your financial support, and for your encouragement. 

Oh, and check back to this page in the coming days and weeks, as we will have more updates, news, and thoughts to share. And we'll get that header photo updated as well.

A Simple Update

[Note: This is the text of an email we sent out to everyone on our list just yesterday. If you got that email, there's nothing new here. If you don't get our emails, why not sign up?]

Hi everyone! We've just about survived our second New York City winter. So far this one hasn't been that bad compared to last year, when it felt as though there was snow on the ground for two straight months. This year we had one record-setting blizzard (27.6 inches officially) and one super cold weekend (wind chills as low as -25 degrees), but other than those brief extremes, it hasn't been terrible. 

But enough about the weather. We've been steadily busy so far in 2016, and we're grateful for that. Ideally, I'd like an average pace of a group every other weekend. There are peak seasons during the year, as well as valleys, and some times are busier than others. Summer is, naturally, our busiest time of year, when youth groups come back to back for 5 or 6 weeks to run Bible Clubs. We usually also have smaller rushes during the spring and fall, though winter can bring groups as well. We have back-to-back groups at the beginning of April, as well, so there's that to look forward to.

Of the groups we've had this year, the most unique was the most recent one. This particular team included 7 kids who were age 10 or younger. Having children on a team is something of a first for Priority 1, and one that we went into carefully. We were hesitant but hopeful. You may have heard us talk in the past about our desire to host groups composed of families with small children. It is too often true that families get to church and immediately disperse, that there is little opportunity for them to worship, learn, and serve together. Even less are the opportunities for families to serve together in missions. Indeed, as we were planning this trip, we kept bonking into closed doors: many ministries and organizations have age requirements that preclude anyone under 16, or 13, from participating, and often for good reason: city or state law sets the limits, and they risk fines if they don't comply. We certainly can't blame them for following the law, but we still had trouble finding things that the whole team of 15 could do together. Why is this so hard?

We tried a nursing home at a nearby hospital, but they declined us because they couldn't guarantee we'd all been vaccinated against the flu. Many of our normal partner ministries have age requirements because volunteers handle food. Ultimately, we had the team do a prayer walk downtown (during the coldest day of the year -- that's a whole story unto itself), had them visit a nearby private nursing facility, and worked at the World Vision Storehouse, whose staff are also open to the possibility of having more groups with children volunteer. And because there were kids on the team we had to have more for them to do during the "down time." Because it was Valentine's weekend, we had them make a bunch of Valentines for the residents of the nursing home, as well as learn a song in Spanish they could sing for the them.

They were troopers, and we are thankful for them. It was great to see kids and parents doing things together, side by side. We're still looking for service opportunities. In fact, we always keep our eyes open for new possibilities, new partners, new fields. 

Speaking of which, tomorrow night I (Greg) will help a gentleman from Manhattan Bible Church to register students for an English class he offers for free twice a week. Before we even moved to the city, we wondered if we would end up teaching English in some capacity. Of course, this is simply the beginning, but God has opened doors for this, and we're hopeful about where it could go.

Thanks for reading this far. We continue to ask for your prayers and your support, both of which are necessary for us to keep doing what we're doing. 

"For you, what was the best part of the trip?"

The beginning of May was the most densely packed stretch of activity we’ve had since moving to the Bronx. On Thursday, April 30 a group of 12 from Community Christian Fellowship in Carlisle, PA arrived, ranging in age from 12 to It’s-not-polite-to-ask. They stayed until Sunday. Sunday afternoon Bonnie drove to Newark Airport to pick up four girls from the University of Florida who would stay until the following Sunday morning. The next Thursday a small group from Carlisle Christian Academy arrived, and they stayed until Monday the 11^th.

Ginny (in front wearing the green shirt) accompanied
us on the Prayer Walk around the city. Here they pose
in front of the Survivor Tree at the WTC site.

Tuesday we all took naps.

It’s not that hosting groups is drudgery. Not at all. I love taking people around the city, especially if they’ve not been here before. I love seeing people boggle at all the people, all the buildings, all the bustle. I love seeing people jump right in and have a conversation with someone who doesn’t look like them. Some take to it quickly, some need a little nudge, and some never quite get the hang of it – at least during the brief time they’re with us.

So despite the long days, we love the groups who come. And the teacher in me particularly enjoys seeing team leaders and members alike learn things about God and the world He created. Here are a few of their responses to the question, “For you, what was the best part of the trip?”:

• Knowing that everything we were making or doing was going to someone right there in NYC who really needed it and needed to know about the love of Jesus and how special and loved they are.
• The best part for me was helping the students become aware of how many lost souls are out there.
• The best part of the trip was really just seeing the impact that we were making and it was amazing to see all of the dedicated people willing to serve the kingdom of God in a large city. I loved preparing meals for the homeless and handing Bibles out, I also enjoyed the prayer walk, it was fun and eye-opening.
• Working with the Homeless downtown. It was so cool to serve them, and talk with them. It was also awesome as a leader to see the kids love on them.
• I really enjoyed being able to make people smile, especially when they were having a rough time with life at the moment.
• The best part of the trip, for me, was what I found to be most meaningful and that was my time at the homeless shelter—The Living Room. I was able to speak with an older woman there and I will never forget that experience—I see homelessness in a whole new way now.
• Being able to see my students engage in serving others hands on!



Members of two teams praying for a man
on the subway (who is blocked from view)

• Being able to talk to people and reach people for Christ.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture. These responses encourage us, but they also humble us, because we know with absolute certainty that it is not because we are so wonderful that these teams have such great experiences and have such an impact. All the credit and glory goes to God for using broken and weak people to further His kingdom.

(If you’re curious about what the trips look like, visit our Facebook page and look through the photo albums we post after each team.)

April 2013 Update

Here are some of the questions we’ve gotten recently:

How are things going with moving to the Bronx?

        Slowly. But surely.

Wrestling with Daddy: A favorite pastime

When are you planning on moving?

Well, Ginny starts school in the beginning of September, so before that. We’re thinking July or August, but probably August.

So what do I have to do to support you guys?

Great question! Thanks for asking! A newsletter mailing is imminent, and there will be a response card contained inside. If you want one, email us at gregandbethany@gmail.com to let us know. You can also give right through our blog using the "Donate" button on the right. 

How much are you trying to raise?

We estimate it will cost about $4900/month to live and do ministry in the Bronx. Large chunks of that number come from rent and health insurance.

When should I start my regular donations?

Ginny is looking forward to her new baby sister!

If possible, please start as soon as you can. We will be downsizing from a house to an apartment, and we will move as efficiently as possible, but there are always significant costs associated with moving.

When is the baby due? Boy or girl? Do you have a name picked out?

May 10^th. Girl (that will make 3). And no name yet – that’s the secret we keep :)

Would you like to come speak to my Sunday School class, small group, or church?

         We’d love to! Contact us with         details.
Did you, Greg, submit your resignation from your position leading worship at your church effective May 31st to focus more on your Priority 1 work and raising support for your move to the Bronx later this year?
          Yes.

Please let us know if you are interested in supporting us financially. Every donation counts, no matter how small.