The Last Six Months

It’s been several months since my last post.

Plenty has been happening. It’s just that the fall got very hectic and I never got back to blogging.

Here’s a quick rundown since the last post:

August 05 (returned from Haiti)

August 11 (kids go back to school; Autumn starts middle school)

August 13 (Pam Cooper’s last day as Teen Mission secretary; Pam faithfully served with TM for nearly 10 years)

August 21 (our family moved from Natchez Trail to Traveller Road)

October 04-10 (I follow through on my word and take the family to Disney World in Orlando, FL; we had a really great time!)

October 22-23 (Mission Journeys 25th Anniversary Celebration; nearly 140 volunteers help us pack 54,000 meals for Haiti!)

October 28 (Teen Mission 40th Anniversary Banquet)

November 18-21 (National Missionary Convention held @ Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY; TM serve as Local Arrangements Coordinators)

December 10-12 (6th Annual Appalachian Christmas Project)

December 25-January 01 (celebrating the Holidays with family and friends)

Honestly, a bunch of stuff has happened over the past six months. Just being the parent of a middle schooler is stressful enough! 

Seriously, though, I thank God for giving strength and certainty in this time of transition. 

My goal for this new year of 2011 is to use the blog for more creative pieces rather than just informative. For example: I’m putting most of the Teen Mission news on a monthly email newsletter called, “The Sower.”

I hope and pray that I can post things that are a little more interesting on a more consistent basis.

– Greg H

Haiti (Jul 27-Aug 05): Heading Home

We are wrapping things up and will be flying home tomorrow (8/5). Our team finished a revival at Carrefour-feuilles last night (8/3) with a packed house. We gave certificates to nearly 40 people who’ve completed the Global Bible School course. Dr Sule says 9 people came to Christ and were baptized as a result of taking the GBS course. We held a second medical clinic today (8/4) in Delmas. It went well with 45 people being treated.

THANKS for praying for our team. Please pray for safe travel home.

God bless, Greg H

Images from Haiti (Jul 27-Aug 05)

Haiti (Jul 27-Aug 05) Update 2

Things are going fine in Haiti. Our team finished rebuilding a wall and cleaning class rooms at a Christian school today (7/30). The school was damaged from the January 12th earthquake. The school and church are located in the Delmas section of Port-au-Prince under the leadership of Eddy Bazin.

Tomorrow (7/31), we’ll be doing a medical clinic with Dr Sule Jean Marcel in a section of Port-au-Prince called Carrefour-feuilles. We’ll start a preaching revival there on Sunday (8/1).

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

God bless, Greg H

Haiti Mission Journey (Jul 27-Aug 05)

Our team and I made it to Haiti safely yesterday (7/27). I preached on a radio program this morning (7/28) and tonight at a church service. Our team is working at a Christian school right now. We’re cleaning up some rooms left damaged from the January 12th earthquake. The city of Port-au-Prince is still a mess. We’re told many remain buried in the rubble.

Please keep our team in your prayers.

God bless, Greg H

Teen Mission Notes (May, June, July, 2010)

It’s been a great summer for Teen Mission, USA. It’s hard to believe that it is nearly over!

Every summer, we are very busy with Vacation Bible Schools, Conventions, weeks of Christian Service Camp as well as the Mission Journeys. This summer was no different.

In June, TM was involved with some great Vacation Bible Schools at Gardenside Christian Church (Lexington, KY), Fox Creek Christian Church (Lawrenceburg, KY) and Nelson Christian Church (Bardstown, KY). Many dollars were raised for Teen Mission and several toys and school supplies were collected for children in Haiti.

In July, we had a booth at the North American Christian Convention in Indianapolis, IN (July 06-09). The NACC is a great time of reunion and encouragement.

Last week (July 18-23), I represented Teen Mission at Elkhorn Valley Christian Service Camp in northeast Ohio. I appreciate Ed Eberhart (dean) for having us as the week’s mission. It was a great week with around 40 Junior High campers. Also last week, Ken Henderson was at the School of Missions at Lake James Christian Assembly (Angola, IN). Other camps using TM for their mission this summer were Sugarloaf Christian Camp (Wallingford, KY) and Little Galilee Christian Camp (Clinton, IL).

The summer is also a time when the majority of our Mission Journeys take place. We’ve sent out 20 teams and over 300 volunteers this summer to many mission locations. Our final team of the summer will be leaving on Tuesday, July 27th for Haiti. I’m excited to be a part of that team. As the summer wraps up, we’ll be sharing some of the exciting stories about what God has done through this year’s Mission Journeys. Be watching for that!

The Mission Journeys web site (www.missionjourneys.org) has been updated with a tentative 2011 trip list. It’s not too early to be planning ahead for next year. Check it out! 

Please continue to pray for us as we wrap up the summer and look to the fall. THANKS again and may God continue to bless!

In Him,
Greg Herriford (Teen Mission, USA )

Helping Flooded Areas of KY and TN

During the first weekend of May, Central Kentucky and the surrounding region received record rainfall causing major flooding.

We received a call on May 4th from a dear friend, Bill Teegarden. Bill preaches at Farmers Christian Church, a few miles west of Morehead, KY. Bill (pictured right, showing the water level) says they had 4-5 feet of water in the church basement and considerable damage to their new activities building. Several homes in the community were also damaged.

He asked if Teen Mission could possibly organize some work teams to help in any way. We plan to do so.

I’m happy to report that IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service) in Kempton, IN, has sent us $3,000 to help with repairs to the church building.

 

In Nashville, much of the city was under water, thousands of people in Tennessee have been driven from their homes, and nearly 20 people have died in some of the worst flooding in memory. Please keep all those affected by the recent floods in your prayers.

 

Teen Mission will be organizing teams and individuals who would like to help in these areas. If you and/or your church would like to help for a day, weekend, or a week-long mission trip, please contact me right away (contact info can be found below). You may also contact our Disaster Relief Coordinator Jack Whitaker at 859/582-7061.

 

Teen Mission Notes (March & April, 2010)

A couple of months have gone by since my last Teen Mission update. We had a blessed Easter and pretty decent weather for spring. The spring has also been very hectic season. Here’s some of what’s been happening:

2010 MISSION JOURNEYS – The 2010 schedule of Mission Journeys is starting to really pick up. A team of 23 from Southern Acres Christian Church (Lexington, KY) were in Honduras, March 14-22. In San Lorenzo (outside of Tegucigalpa), the team worked with the local church, building a room for the minister’s family and a patio for children’s classes.

In April, we had several teams working in different areas of the United States. April 3-10, a team from Big Hill Christian Church (Richmond, KY) worked on homes in New Orleans, LA. April 9-11, a team from Gateway Christian Church (Mt Sterling, KY) helped with home repairs in Beattyville, KY, while groups from Catalyst Christian Church (Nicholasville, KY) and Leesburg Christian Church (Cynthiana, KY) did ministry programs in the area. You can read more and see pictures by going to the following post on my blog: http://gregherriford.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/spring-programs-in-eastern-ky/.

In all, we’re expecting to have 30 trips and 450-500 participants this year. There’s still room for you to join a team or project in 2010. The Mission Journeys web site (www.missionjourneys.org) has been updated with dates, prices, etc. Check it out!

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE CONFERENCE (Apr 19-21) – In late April, I attended a conference put on by the Christian Leadership Alliance in San Diego, CA. This group strives to provide Christian nonprofit leaders with insights and expertise to effectively build resources, both people and finances, for ministry.
I had several workshops on working with technology and social media. The main sessions and speakers were outstanding. The weather was not so nice. It rained most of the time I was there and even hailed one morning.

NEW INITIATIVE IN BELIZE - Since 2006, the leadership of Teen Mission, USA, has been praying about expanding the Mission Journeys by starting one or more Teen Mission “mission locations.” This would involve a TM staff member living in a location year-round and helping nationals and churches in ministry.

 

Last May, Dan Underwood approached Ken and I about the possibility of working together on such a project in the Central American country of Belize. The plan is that Dan and his wife Toni (pictured left) would begin by working with a few existing churches he met with last summer, then plant some new churches and eventually establish a ministry center outside of Belize City. They will serve as hosts for our short-term mission teams beginning in 2011.

 

Over the past year, Dan & Toni have been busy raising support and preparing for doing ministry internationally. They are hoping to be in Belize by early summer of this year. Please keep all of us in your prayers as both the Underwoods and Teen Mission enter into this new phase of ministry. If you would like learn more about this project, please check out the following web site: www.bpministry.org.

 

Please continue to pray for us as we head into the “meat” of the 2010 schedule. THANKS again and may God continue to bless!

In Him,
Greg Herriford (Teen Mission, USA )

Spring Programs in Eastern KY

Our “Spring” ministry programs took place the weekend of April 09-11 in Beattyville and Booneville, KY.

A team of 15 from Gateway Christian Church (Mt Sterling, KY) spent the entire weekend in Beattyville working on area homes and the new church building for the Community Christian Church.

In addition, a group from Catalyst Christian Church (Nicholasville, KY) did a ministry program for children at Owsley Elementary School in Booneville, KY, and a group from Leesburg Christian Church (Cynthiana, KY) did a program at Spencer Ridge (Lee County).

A generous donor from Gardenside Christian Church (Lexington, KY) helped us purchase $300 worth of grocery vouchers at the Booneville Shopwise. The school teachers in Owsley County will use these to help out families in major need of food.

A big THANKS again to everyone who helped.

– Greg Herriford (Teen Mission, USA)

Softball Season is Underway

The 2010 softball season got underway last week for Gardenside Christian Church.

The team enters the 2010 campaign with many questions. The biggest one being which Gardenside team will show up in 2010? It could resemble the 2008 edition that went 7-5 and were one out from reaching the semi-finals of the city tournament. However, it could also be like last year’s disappointing 3-7 season. That team forfeited their first-round city tournament game and looked anything but impressive at the National Christian Church Softball Tournament in Bright, IN, over Labor Day weekend.

Russ Bruins ended a long holdout and signed on for another season in late March. He only threatened to quit the team three times before the season started. Those who’ve been with the team for a few years know it’s only “Russ being Russ.”

Russ’ brother, Nick Bruins, has been a regular fixture and solid contributor, but his future with the GCC team is somewhat in doubt as he waits to be placed as a fireman (potentially in another city).

Third baseman turned outfielder Ryan Smith looks to shake off a sub-par 2009 season and return to his 2008 form.

So far, the 2010 season is off to a good start. The G-men won their opener last week (April 8th), 15-7, over the college group from Porter Memorial Baptist Church.

Here’s the rest of the schedule (all games at Athens Complex/Field C):

Apr 15 – vs 1st & 2nd Presbyterian (7:30 pm)

Apr 22 – vs Highlands Baptist (7:30 pm)

Apr 29 – vs Victory Baptist (8:30 pm)

May 06 – vs Eastland Church of God “B” (6:30 pm)

May 13 – vs Ashland Baptist #2 (7:30 pm)

May 20 – vs St John’s Lutheran (8:30 pm)

May 27 – vs Highlands Baptist (6:30 pm)

June 03 - vs St John’s Lutheran (9:30 pm)