             |
| Marathon Ministry Newsletter for September 2006 (archived)
So I also address you as Friend,
* * * * * Look for Marathon's Latest News - On the World Wide Web* * * * * If you really miss getting our news in the mail every month, go to www.marathonministry.org. Go to the “News Page” and you’ll know almost as quickly as we do what God is doing in Marathon. * * * * * Our New (small) Food Distribution Center* * * * * We started up our new food program in May. The food was stacked to the ceiling in our offices. In June it took more than half the office. We kept moving food and other things around as we bought more. Praise God, on July 1st we rented the adjoining space and now have an 800 square foot distribution center. In short order, the space was overflowing with food, blankets and new children’s clothing. On July 6th Annie Richards of Bristol donated a 30 cubic foot chest freezer which we filled with meats bought at the food bank that same day, and we now buy frozen food regularly, given at every distribution. Our neighbor Colony House Furniture donated a refrigerator/freezer for more cold/frozen food storage. * * * * * Marathon Ministry Needs* * * * * At Marathon Ministry we believe the Bible, in its totality, to be the inerrant word passed down from God by His Holy Spirit to men who wrote it down for all eternity to see and live by. We believe Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” We need a box truck to carry 10,000 pounds of food at a time into the coalfield towns of Appalachia so the poor will have food to eat. We wrote on July 23rd of this need for $32,500.00 for a new truck we believe God has for us. To the date of this writing (August 22) we have received $ 3,710.00 in donations specified for the new truck. We still need $ 28,790.00 We need a pickup truck to take individual items, stoves, refrigerators, etc. to the poorest of families, those who have been burned out, homeless or have lost everything in divorce or theft. We cannot buy one so we are praying that someone out there might have one in good condition to give to God’s service. We need a large warehouse/distribution center in the area of Castlewood because we cannot afford the gas to commute any major distance to one. There are a few buildings in the area that would be perfect, but the owners won’t rent them. Pray that God would convict them to help the poor of this area. We need more freezer space. Chest freezers are best for our purposes.
* * * * * We Commend Three Businesses * * * * * Since February 2004, owner Philip Fleming of Northgate Chevron on Hwy 19 in Abingdon, Virginia has donated a tank of gas for our vehicles almost every month. The total to date (August 31, 2006) has been 496 gallons worth $ 1,142.47. This has enabled us to buy 6,347 pounds of food for needy families here in the Appalachia coalfields with the money we did not need to spend on gas. Pray for Philip, wife Shelia, and daughters Tiffany and Brittany. Dennis Leonard, owner of Tri-State Signs on 17th Street in Bristol has been donating sign work for many years, starting when we came to Bristol in 1994, and continues even now. He has also done the labels for all our donation jars at businesses. Pray for him and wife Sandra and the business. Brenda Lay, owner of Castlewood Signs on Rte. 58 has been donating sign work for us since we moved to Castlewood in 2003. Pray for her and her children. Pray for these businesses that God would prosper them according to their giving, “pressed down, shaken together and overflowing” (Luke 6:38). And we suggest that if you are in Abingdon, Bristol or Castlewood stop by and tell them and their staff how much you appreciate what they do for Marathon Ministry and for the poor we serve. * * * * * "Church Partners for the Poor" * * * * * Our “Church Partners for the Poor” are: Brick Baptist Church, Calvary Baptist, House of the Lord, Pleasant Hill Baptist, all in Castlewood; and Harman Memorial Baptist, Maxie, VA. To find out how your church or group can become a “Partner for the Poor” just write, fax, email, or call our office for information. * * * * * We're Still Feeding His Sheep (Johne 21:15-17) * * * * * And here’s how many we have been feeding since we started up at our new location.
* * * * * "A Special Word From Philip" * * * * * In this our 20th year I just want everyone who reads this letter to know how much I thank God that He called me to feed His hungry children. I want you to know how much I appreciate that God at some point put you in my life. It would take volumes to tell you how much God has done, and maybe someday He will allow me to write some of it in a book that I hope to finish someday called: “Life is a Marathon”. * * * * * Love Notes from Our Friends* * * * * “May God bless Phil & the Ministry and help them” (Bristol, TN). “Got your note about the truck – I’ve sent a bit extra” (Goffstown, NH). “I’m praying the Lord will meet the truck need in a marvelous way with extra ‘gifts’ to fill it with useful supplies” (Bristol, VA). “Philip, friend, may God continue to bless you and your family” (St. Peters, MO). “Bro. Cooper I pray you get the new truck” (Bryant, Arkansas). “May God open the windows of heaven to be your treasure to feed and care for the poor” (Coeburn, VA). “I have good memories of our times together at the Christian Center. A lot has happened since those days. You are doing such a good work for the Lord! Twenty years now! I agree on your purchase of a good truck! Blessings – good brother. The Lord is good” (Princeton, MA). Note from Philip: Harv Meppelink was my first Pastor at The Christian Center in Burlington, Mass. after I got saved at Fort Worth, Texas in 1982. * * * * * A Word From Chase * * * * * No Coincidences: I was out to get a Sunday newspaper, but God had other plans. I tried two places but no paper. At a gas station, the fellow beside me was having car trouble. I offered to help, and he needed a battery boost. I obliged. He drove off, and beside me in the other space, another fellow named Ed and his wife were fixing a flat tire. I asked if I could help. Ed said, “Just pray for me.” So I did. We stood there in the parking lot for an hour having fellowship, talking about God and Jesus. Ed asked if I could visit him sometime, so I wrote down his address. The newspaper search led to the battery boost. The battery boost led to the tire trouble. The tire trouble led to fellowship. The fellowship led to an opportunity to minister even more to Ed in the future. With God, there are no coincidences. * * * * * Our Mission Never Changes * * * * * 5 KIDS SAVED AT DISTRIBUTION – On July 26th which was not a regular distribution day, we had five new families show up needing food at 3 pm. We welcomed them and the children with them, and as for every group that comes, Rev. Cooper preached a message from God's word, and five children accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour. Their names are Jacqulyn 8-years-old, Timothy 4, Dakota 9, Joshua 5, and Christopher 8. Praise God for these brand new additions to His family. On Saturday, August 19th we had a special praise. A young man named Robert, age 19, came with his parents for food and rededicated his life to Jesus Christ. He prayed a beautiful prayer in which he shared how he had turned away from God and wanted to be back in a right relationship with Christ. On August 22nd a lady named Sylvia came for help with food. But she had no idea when she arrived that she would get better help for her soul than for her body. We ministered to her about the love of Christ. Praise God! She accepted Christ as her personal Saviour. Then we referred her to Bible teaching church in her area. That’s what we do. We tell, Christ saves, then we send them to be discipled. * * * * * Marathon's Newest Outreach Ministry* * * * * On 8 August 06, we initiated our new Prayer Outreach Ministry. Brother Spencer Foster from Lebanon, VA comes to the office on Tuesdays and makes phone calls to friends of the ministry to pray with them, to thank them for their prayers and support for the needy, and just to talk about Jesus. Spencer is a mighty prayer warrior, and that’s why he’s here. So far, he’s been a great blessing to many people. If you would like him to pray for and with you, just call 276-SO B BEST (276.762.2378) on a Tuesday morning after 9:30 am. * * * * * Marathon Ministry Prayer List June to August 2006 * * * * * “The effectual fervent
prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16) A family to be saved * Joshua Anderson * Amber Armstrong
* Aunt Dot * Georgia, Sammy, Teddy, Bonnie & William Austin
* Heidi & Roland Baker * Kathryn Blevins * Freda Blevins * Family
of Jacob Blevins * J. D. Boone * Edgar Breeding * Family of Ollie
Breeding * Bill Bresnahan * Chris Cameron * Linda Cantrell * Jean
Castle * Randy Chafin * Jeanie Clark * Shari Cole * Joyce &
Jim Collins * Barry Cooper * Charlotte & Mort Cooper * Ray Couch
* Bro. Couch * Gene Couch * Harold Crabtree * Ricky & Wanda
Crabtree * Sonya & Caleb Crabtree * Inez Crockett * Stacy, Tony,
Damien, Daniel & Daylon Dattolo * Florence, Chuck, Rebecca &
Andrew Delph * Connie Dotson * Brenda Dotson * Helen Duff * Sandy
Dye * Helen Elswick * Larry Ferguson * Family of Tom Fletcher *
Sandy & Jeff Foleno * Bill, Jan, Will, Brooke, Anne, Carissa
Foley * Mr. Ford & wife * Spencer Foster * Louise Francis *
Donna Fry * Raymond & Teresa Halloway * Christine Hardwick *
Peggy, Joe & Dominick Heranney * Jim & Suzanne Heckman *
Larry & Patty Hileman * Brian Hileman * Linda Hileman * Jacob
Holbrook U.S. Navy * Heaven Holfield * Family of Amanda Lasley Holfield
* Kathryn Hurley * Sheila Hurt * Leonard & Sue Jackson * Judy
& Delmer James * Jacob’s (age 7) dog Rex * John Keesee,
aunt Dot * Family of Bill Keesee * Pam Keith * Caroline Kiser *
Terry Kozakevich * James LaForce * Jordan Lasley * Nancy Lester
* Laura & Sean Lilly * Mt. Pleasant Baptist Youth Group * Anna
Gaye Massie * Patricia (mom) & Grant (son) Massie * Danny Mayes
* Carmella McColgan * Roger Meade * Harvey * Jean Meppelink * Cristy
& Joah Newton * New Peoples Bank * Barbara Nunnari * Sheila
O’Quinn * Adam, Allen & Betsy Parris * Randy Parris *
Mamie & Woody Scott * Brian, Brenda & Donna Phillips * Clarence
Phillips * Meredith & Shirley Phillips * Pizza Plus * Denise
Powers * Pretty Girl cow (from boy age 4) * Brucie Ramey * Sandi,
Amber, Brandi & Cora Rasnake * Keith Rasnake * Tammy Ray * Richard
& Patty * Rick * Jim & Darlene Rice * Kindra Sexton * Family
of Denver Shortt * Leona Shortt * Rodney Shortt * Larry Shortt *
Brian Sifford * Pat & Steve Simpson * Cookie Steffey * Luther
Stinnett * Chris Summers * Tickle family * Morana Tinsley * Ike
& Lorraine Turner * Nancy White * Donna Wise * Kenny Wright
* Linda Young * Jacqulyn 8-years-old, Timothy 4, Dakota 9, Joshua
5, and Christopher 8. For the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6)
For Israel at war
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||