We are almost finished with our winter pastoring gig here in Lake City and God has blessed us through this adventure. How we wish you could have been here to hear David preach each Sunday and to experience this lovely little town with us. We thank God for your support and encouragement.

We had a glorious Easter here in Lake City even though we woke up to a dreary, snowy Sunday morning. All the churches come together to celebrate our Savior. From Thursday through Sunday we were worshipping together in one way or another. Thursday we held a Christian Seder in the Baptist Fellowship Hall. It was a very unique ceremony where I read the part of the Jewish mother (David said it wasn’t much of a stretch). On Good Friday we attended meaningful services at the Episcopal, Catholic, and Presbyterian Churches. Sunday morning the whole town turned out for a Community Breakfast at our church and then we all walked over to the Armory where several hundred gathered for the Easter Service. David was thrilled and honored to be asked to preach this service!

This month I traveled to New England to speak to a Ladies Retreat in New Hampshire. God worked in a mighty way with all of us through that weekend. I taught on Psalm 23 and shared my testimony which gave all of those women courage to be vulnerable with each other in a very intimate way. Several of the small groups agreed they want to continue meeting throughout the year to keep growing in their relationship to Jesus and each other.

Now we are headed back to Texas for the month of May to regroup and relax with our folks before we come back in June to open the Inn. Please pray for us as we change gears and make preparations for the summer ministry.

Thanking God for you,

Rosie Whitelock

We just finished a very busy but most stimulating and profitable week. From Monday to Wednesday we were at the Rocky Mountain CCCA Sectional. It was enjoyable and worthwhile. We were able to visit with some great friends and meet some new ones.

Then, Thursday, the day after we returned, we had the exciting privilege of being with Seth and Crystal Dady in the hospital in Gunnison assisting in the birth of Stella Grace, their first child. They are dear friends who are the youth ministers for the whole town of Lake City.

The next day, Friday, we began a retreat at Camp Redcloud with 10 couples from Grand Junction. It was an amazing weekend. It was clear that God had planned it as there were several hurting ones there who identified with our story of pain and suffering. We were able, by God’s grace, to comfort and encourage them. Sunday we had a wonderful Communion Service to close the Retreat and then I hurried off for our usual morning church service.

Our Prayer Requests at this time are:

(1) Continued guidance in preparing and giving the messages each Sunday.

(2) God’s working in the hearts of our congregation and in our outreach to the town folks.

(3) Guests and Volunteers to fill every week at the Inn this summer.

(5) Increase in Contributions since we are behind from where we need to be compared to other years.

However, the sun is shining outside, it’s a beautiful day and God’s love and care never ceases! He has promised, and His word is true, that He will act on behalf of those who wait on Him. (Isa. 64:4). So we are resting in Him and looking forward to His working for us. We hope to see you this summer.

Yours together in Christ’s service always,

David

I want to share our pastoring experience through these photos. As you can see the deer come right up to our front door, David and I are thrilled with the snow, and I walk the town most everyday. God has brought so many interesting people into our lives and we are grateful for this exciting winter adventure in Lake City.

We’ve been thrilled to be involved in both church and community activities. This month we attended or hosted various bible studies, prayer meetings, dinners/lunches, civic meetings, Valentine celebrations, and had the youth group in for a “hang night”. I play the piano for both the Presbyterian and Baptist services. David is doing a great job of preaching each Sunday.

As March approaches please pray for us as we continue serving the Lake City folks. Both of us will teach at a “Wild at Heart” Couples Retreat at Camp Redcloud. We will attend a Christian Camping International conference near Colorado Springs. I’ll travel to New Hampshire to speak at a Ladies Conference. We’d sure appreciate your prayers for all these events.

Please pray also as we begin to make summer plans for the Inn. We are recruiting

volunteers right now so if you can get away for a week please come and be on our ministry team in 2009.

We are grateful to God for all that He provided this past year, and excited to report that we closed 2008 out in great financial shape and are ready to start a new year.

We feared last summer’s attendance at the Inn might be small, considering the cost of gas and the failing economy. Imagine our surprise and delight when god gave us our best summer ever! We met some wonderful new friends and greatly enjoyed the presence of many long-time ones.

My new adventure as an interim pastor here in Lake City has been stimulating and challenging, but enjoyable and rewarding also.  There is much more going on here in the winter than we ever expected and thankfully, we’ve been able to develop a closer relationship with many folks in town through this experience.  We had a most encouraging community prayer meeting last week with over 30 people from all the local churches gathering together to pray.

Please pray for my messages each Sunday – their preparation, content, delivery and reception in the hearts of the hearers.  We greatly appreciate your prayers for all of Lake City.

We look forward to an exciting summer again in 2009, as God provides and works through the ministry at the Inn.  Please pray for all our preparations in this regard.  We have a great start on reservations already.   We’d surely love to have you come be with us.

David Whitelock