Traveling

The morning of Sunday, April 28, Martha and I worshipped with the Siwell Road Church of Christ on the south side of Jackson, Mississippi, and that evening, we assembled a few miles away with the Clinton Church of Christ. In the a.m., I made my “2019 Guyana” mission presentation, followed during worship with my sermon, “Youth Ministry Begins in the Home.” Well, at least, I tried to use a PowerPoint, but the church’s system failed me about a quarter of the way through the series of pictures. Without incident, Sunday night, I made the same PowerPoint presentation.

Leaving Clinton, Martha and I traveled a couple of hours to the home of our dear friends and Christian brethren Therman and Sadie Hodge—otherwise dubbed “The Hodge Lodge.” Really! There is a sign on the garage wall that says so. We enjoyed some time before retiring for the night and all of the next day with Therman and Sadie; we four also dined with brother James and sister Gail Bragg at a local Chinese restaurant.

Tuesday, Martha and I departed from the Hodge Lodge and drove to Hamilton, Alabama. A group of us on Tuesday and Wednesday participated in prepping the Maywood Christian Camp outside of town for the annual missionary retreat. Wednesday evening, Martha and I drove to the Leighton Church of Christ, whereupon I made my PowerPoint presentation. Thursday and Friday about 60 or so of us who came for the event enjoyed both physical and spiritual food. I was privileged to be one of the speakers. Everyone recharged his or her proverbial battery.

Saturday, we drove to Attala, Alabama where we lodged for the night. Two of the elders and their wives from the Piedmont Church of Christ hosted us at a pleasant Chinese restaurant with multiple food bars in Gadsden. We relished our time together as well as the tasty vittles.

Yes, we were still pulling the utility trailer stuffed with the residue of our office and personal belongings; the car was full, too. (However, that didn’t stop Martha from buying things for the house along the way! I’ve got to stop eating at Cracker Barrel, since we have to walk through the “store” upon entering and leaving.)

Sunday, May 5, Martha and I met with the Piedmont, Alabama Church of Christ for Bible class and worship. Once more, I presented my newest PowerPoint and preached “Youth Ministry Begins in the Home.” Perhaps owing to a recent Windows 10 software update and possibly an update to my Microsoft suite of programs, PowerPoint began acting quirky. By the time of the 12:20 p.m. worship period with the Highway Nine Church of Christ, also near Piedmont, PowerPoint would not function; I had to borrow a computer from the preacher—which had not been updated recently.

After worship, Martha and I drove toward home. Tired and weary, we were unable to make it all the way to Ocala, Florida, and so we lodged adjacent to I-75 at Cordele, Georgia. Monday, we drove the rest of the way to our Florida home. Then, we began the process of integrating the contents of the trailer and the car into our house/office.

We are already planning our next excursion to Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Without the trailer in tow this time, we leave on this journey on or about May 29. We may not be traveling nearly every week as I have been doing for years, but we are still on the move! In July, we return to Mississippi for the annual World Evangelism team meeting. The end of September, we are to travel to Myanmar and India. We travel enough that sometimes I still don’t know whether I’m coming or going. I promised Martha six Saturdays a week, but we haven’t quite achieved that yet.

By the way, Wednesday, I published with the May edition of Gospel Gazette Online to the Internet. My daughter Rebecca proofed the pages and guided me via phone in making the corrections; she is invaluable, and with her education degrees, we apply her skills to our literary efforts.

18 Days on the Road

Friday, April 19, Martha and I made the long trip from Ocala, Florida toward Winona, Mississippi. Well, we tuckered out barely into Mississippi. We stayed the night in Starkville. Saturday, we arrived in Winona at the World Evangelism Building for breakfast with Jerry and Paula Bates and Shane and Emily Fisher. The Fishers recently moved to Winona, almost simultaneously as Martha and I moved to Florida. After eating, we loaded my utility trailer with about a ton of literature, nearly all of which is “reclaimed” from various stateside congregations.

Sunday, Martha and I assembled with the Old Union Church of Christ. During Bible class, I showed my PowerPoint presentation “2019 Guyana” mission trip. We always derived encouragement and assistance from these good brethren in all that we try to do for our Lord Jesus Christ. Later, we drove to Rebecca’s home in Collierville, Tennessee and lodged with her overnight.

Monday, Rebecca trailed us in her car as Martha and I drove to Nashville with the trailer in tow. Our daughter is a true blessing to us and goes out of her way to assist us in so many areas. It took us several hours in the warehouse of Caribbean Shipping to pack five jumbo plastic barrels with songbooks, Bibles, maps, communion ware, tracts, The Voice of Truth International and religious books. These items will arrive in June in Guyana, South America, where they will be distributed to most of the congregations of the Lord’s church in that country.

Upon returning to Dickson, Tennessee, where we left Rebecca’s car and from which we carpooled to Nashville, we enjoyed a satisfying meal at Cracker Barrel. Happily, brother Roger and sister Mary Wright called us and suggested that we dine together. They and we arrived in Dickson about the same time. On the way into the restaurant, I spied a prank, hanging out from under a car’s trunk lid.

Afterward, we checked into our hotel, where we will spend the next three nights. While I was checking in, Martha decided to unload luggage from the back of the van. However, she tripped over the trailer hitch; we had already detached and parked the trailer behind the hotel. She hurt her elbows and tore up skin on one leg and her arms.

Tomorrow and Wednesday, Lord willing, we and others intend to attend the 2019 Annual India Mission Conference. This year, it is being hosted by the congregation in Burns, Tennessee.

Thursday, we will return to Rebecca’s home. Friday, we will load the balance of our belongings in Winona. Sunday, we expect to assemble with two churches of Christ in the vicinity of Jackson, Mississippi. Monday, we plan to head toward Hamilton, Alabama for the yearly Maywood Missionary Retreat. Wednesday night, I have an appointment in Leighton, Alabama. Saturday, we head for Piedmont, Alabama. Sunday we are to assemble with two churches of Christ for me to acquaint them with our mission work. Monday, we head back to Ocala, Florida for a couple of weeks before heading out again for a week or two. That’s about 18 days on the road, this time with the next trek already in view. In September, if our Lord wills, we head back to Asia for a few weeks.

We covet your prayers. Martha and I are thankful especially to brethren and congregations that make it possible for us work for the Lord stateside and abroad.

Sunday—Monday

Sunday morning, April 15, Martha and I drove from Winona, Mississippi to Greenwood, Mississippi. It was my privilege to assemble once more with the brethren of the West President Church of Christ, and it was my honor to present a message from God’s Word during worship. I preached about “Bible Authority”—a fundamental message to Christian faith and practice. Nothing else I do is more enjoyable for me than to teach, preach or write biblical lessons. I set out to glorify God and to edify all present, including myself.

After lunch on the grounds following worship, Martha and I pointed the car toward the southside of Jackson, Mississippi. That afternoon, we met with the elders and deacons of the Siwell Road Church of Christ; the elders oversee Martha and me as we endeavor to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. That evening, we worshipped with our dear brethren at that congregation.

We were treated to supper at an eatery in Clinton, Mississippi after the assembly dismissed. Hence, we lodged in Clinton as well because I needed urgent dental attention, speedily scheduled for early Monday morning in Byram, Mississippi. As it turned out, I needed a root canal plus medicine for an infection and for pain.

Somewhat drugged, I passed the responsibility for driving to Martha. First, she drove two hours to Winona so we could hookup with our coworkers who returned from several weeks abroad in Asia; also, we repacked our suitcase, added more items to the minivan and headed for Florence, Alabama—Martha again at the wheel. It was her job to drive most of Monday, and apparently it was my job to whine and complain!

Finally, we arrived in Florence at Heritage Christian University—the site for the next three days of the annual Indian Missions Conference. After setting up a table of books and such, we made our way to the Quality Inn. Coincidentally, about the same time, brother Ricky Gootam and his son Justin drove into the same parking lot. We will be attending the program together and speaking on the program.

It has been a long day, and the days ahead will be filled from morning to evening. The weeks ahead call for us haul literature to Nashville, Tennessee for shipment to Guyana, South America; attend a missionary retreat in Hamilton, Alabama; and take Martha to Ocala, Florida for the graduation from high school by one of her granddaughters. Of course, it’s time to work on both publications—Gospel Gazette Online and The Voice of Truth International. Life is full and well appropriated. God be praised; we hope to serve our Lord faithfully on earth and happily anticipate an eternal home in God’s house.

2018 India Missions Conference

The 2018 India Missions Conference is rapidly coming upon us: April 17-19. It will be hosted on the campus of Heritage Christian University in Florence, Alabama. Follow this link to the current schedule. Everyone is invited to attend and participate.

http://www.gospelgazette.com/india_missions_conference/2018/2018_india_missions_conference.pdf

Three Days for Us, the Second Time

Wagon, ho! Right after Martha’s medical appointment on Tuesday, March 20, we headed out of Ocala, Florida toward Winona, Mississippi. With our little trailer in tow, we began our trek back to home base for the first time since our recent 35-day jaunt to and around Guyana, South America.

Along the way, though, we opted to take parts of three days for ourselves; we did that once last year, and we thought a repeat performance was due. So, we paused for three nights in Panama City Beach in a hotel on the seashore. Cold, nevertheless, Martha got her fix of seeing sand and the water of the Gulf of Mexico. We snapped a few pictures, chiefly of the ocean at sunset.

In the morning, we hitch the trailer once more to our van and leave for Mississippi. The plan is to stay overnight in the Jackson area so that Martha can attend the annual ladies’ day of the Siwell Road Church of Christ on Saturday. Then, that evening, we will make the last two hour’s journey to return to Winona.

I’m still battling chest congestion and heavy coughing, but Martha seems to have recovered from her brief similar illness. I always have significant difficulty recovering from any chest congestion and cough; I sometimes have coughing bouts without being ill.

We are looking forward to resuming life in Winona, Mississippi. Presently, I’m working on the April issue of Gospel Gazette Online. Last touches to preparation for the upcoming India Missions Conference are ongoing. As soon as we arrive back in Winona, we need to process and mail our newsletter. Weeks ahead will also see us haul literature to Nashville, Tennessee for shipment to Guyana, South America, and we will make appointments for me to speak at various stateside congregations.

Many Christians and congregations make it possible for us to do what we do, especially in foreign missions. Thank you.

India Missions Conference

For months, other World Evangelism team members and I have been organizing the 2018 India Missions Conference. Finally, today, I was able to send email advertisements to approximately 1,000 brethren in several nations. In addition, brother Jerry Bates printed today hundreds of address labels for some of the same Christians so we can send printed flyers to them. The flyers are presently in the process of being printed, and they will be mailed in February.

The dates for the program are April 17-19, 2018. It will take place on the campus of Heritage Christian University again this year. Speakers from the USA and India will populate the schedule.

We hope to see you there. Please pass the information onward to your network of contacts as well. The pertinent details appear in the images included herein. Otherwise, contact us for more information at rushmore@gospelgazette.com or jerry@worldevangelism.org. You may also call our office at 662.283.1192.

Redneck Band & More

Sunday morning on April 30, Martha and I traveled from our Tupelo, Mississippi motel room to the Bear Creek, Alabama Church of Christ assembly. I presented the PowerPoint “World Evangelism Media & Missions” during Bible class time, and for the worship period, I preached about “The Focus of Jesus Christ.” Following lunch at the meetinghouse, Mrs. Rushmore and I retreated to the home of brother Royce and sister Helen Mann for a while and to wait out some bad weather that was passing through the area. Not as pretty as if it were sunshiny, nevertheless, brother Mann gave us a tour of his tree farm. Shortly after breaching the gated and fenced little forest, we forded a small creek in the club cab pickup truck. Pressing onward, our host fed wildlife and fish in the pond as we trekked about amidst the mostly pine trees.

That afternoon, we departed and drove around the larger rural area of that part of Alabama. We located the church building for the Gravel Hill Church of Christ and made sure we were present when the first car arrived for the 6 p.m. evening worship. Bonnie and I had been the beneficiaries of a gracious donation in 2014 toward our foreign excursions, and now Martha and I had an opportunity to visit the congregation for the first time. Happily, the elders of the church invited me to make my mission presentation, and everyone was friendly and encouraging.

(Between the meeting times of the two churches mentioned already, we happened on a couple of sisters who were cleaning the church house of the Hackleburg Church of Christ. We left some copies of The Voice of Truth International and some Rushmore Newsletters with them.)

Tuesday and Wednesday, Martha and I attended the India Missions Conference, hosted in the facility of the Hamilton Church of Christ. We continued to lodge in Tupelo to take advantage of the hotel group rewards associated with Choice Hotels. That location also afforded us convenient shopping and a variety of restaurants.

Thursday and Friday, we were present for the annual Missionary Retreat, this year held outside of Florence, Alabama. Repeatedly, brethren commented favorably about recharging their batteries. Following the program, everyone in attendance yet was treated to folk or to country renditions of a variety of songs by our very own redneck band.

Saturday, Martha Lynn and I traveled back to Winona, Mississippi. After all, it must be time to do laundry and to restock the suitcase!

Visitors from India

Thursday, April 27, dear Christian friends from India paid a visit to Winona, Mississippi. Two of the Gootam brothers, their respective wives and two young ones joined sister Betty Choate as well as Martha and me for supper at our local Mexican restaurant. The food was good—as always—but the fellowship was even better and sweeter.

Otherwise this week, Martha Lynn and I labored tirelessly, though exhausted and aching, to interweave some of her household belongings from her abode in Ocala, Florida into our Winona residence. Who would have thought that an 8×10 trailer and a van load of miscellaneous items could have created a warehouse out of multiple rooms while trying to sort it all out? We can move through the home once more!

Tonight (Saturday), we are in a motel room in Tupelo, Mississippi. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will worship with the Bear Creek, Alabama Church of Christ in the morning. Tuesday and Wednesday, we expect to assemble with other missionaries to India at the Hamilton, Alabama Church of Christ, and on Thursday and Friday we plan to commune with other missionaries to various sites abroad who will be gathering for the annual World Evangelism Missionary Retreat. This year, it will convene in the Florence, Alabama area.

In the meantime, I’m still working out some kinks in volume 92 of The Voice of Truth International with printers in India. Yes, the April issue of Gospel Gazette Online is still a no show, but I have good intentions. Finally, I skimmed through months of newspapers, etc. that had piled up while we were out of town. Goodnight world; it’s time for me to get a little shuteye.

Over the Past Several Days

It has been a while since my last blog entry; several days have passed between then and now. Over the past several days, Martha and I made our way back to Winona, Mississippi from Ocala, Florida. We discovered that pulling an 8×10 trailer packed to the utmost and loading the van from window to window and from floor to ceiling exacts a terrible toll on the Pacifica’s gas mileage—dropping to as low as 15 mpg from the usual of up to 28 mpg!

Friday, April 21, we drove into the driveway of Sadie and Therman Hodge of Meridian, Mississippi around 9 p.m. Saturday was a pleasant repose during which we visited with these dear Christian friends. Sunday morning, I spoke during Bible class and a.m. worship for the Union, Mississippi Church of Christ. After lunch with several of the members at the local hospital cafeteria, Martha Lynn and I proceeded to Winona, arriving at our residence at about 3 p.m. Not long after disconnecting the trailer from the car, we headed to the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, Mississippi for evening worship, and as it turned out, to their Gospel meeting already in progress.

Monday, Martha and I proceeded to the office, whereupon we canvassed weeks’ worth of mail and prepared to send off the Rushmore Newsletter. The newsletter went out later in the morning.

We devoted ourselves on Tuesday and Wednesday to trying to put our house in order, and we’re not done yet! One bedroom and the living room look like warehouse space with everything stacked therein, and the laundry room is impassible! Two bedrooms, the den and the kitchen have been tamed, with the culling of a daybed, a full size bed and miscellaneous smaller items. Once more we visited the West President congregation to attend its Gospel meeting in lieu of midweek Bible class.

Maybe Thursday we will be able to complete the basic and fundamental straightening and cleaning of our Winona home. Being absent for months as well as construction mess from repairs while we were gone have added to the task at hand.

Looking ahead, Sunday coming, we will be with the Bear Creek, Alabama Church of Christ in the morning. Tuesday and Wednesday, if our Lord wills, Martha and I will attend the annual India Workshop, this year hosted in Hamilton, Alabama. Wednesday night, we will travel to Florence, Alabama for the annual World Evangelism Missionary Retreat to be conducted on Thursday and Friday. This year, these two events overlap each other.

Gospel Gazette Online is running late, still; the April edition is not complete yet. Our calendar is slowly filling up with spotty appointments through October 20. The busyness with which we have shrouded our lives can get a little hectic, sometimes frustrating and often stressful. The yard is crying for attention, which I cannot give it right now—more pressure. Some sprigs are a foot high, and grass has grown through the carpet of pine needles to form a mesh blanket across the lawn. The 20 or so mature pines have contributed branches and pinecones as well.

Volume 92 of The Voice of Truth International was recently prepared and provided to the printing company in India. I get bored easily, and so I like to keep busy, but a little respite is certainly needed—and soon!

The Usual Suspects!

The 2016 India Workshop is history now. It ran April 19-21. The usual suspects were present. I arrived Monday the 18^th and will leave town, Lord willing, Saturday morning, with a passenger bound for Madison, TN. I, though, am headed for McMinnville, TN later in the day after depositing my rider.

All week, I have been battling severe mouth pain. The antibiotic that was prescribed for me prior to leaving Mississippi proved to be unproductive in the intended way and far too productive in unanticipated and undesirable ways. Not only did the antibiotic fail to remedy the infection, it made me itch all over and produced pimples and scabs on my face and head. Instead of pain subsiding, pain was unbearable. Reverting to antibiotics leftover from foreign travels and downing pain pills intended for my back did little to lessen my pain. Finally today, I started a third antibiotic that I hope will address the infection satisfactorily.

Happily, I managed to deliver my assigned lecture. My invitation said I was a “keynote” speaker, but being the last to speak, perhaps I was the “end cap” to the whole program. Many attendees had drifted away before the event concluded, but several remained to the very end.

This Sunday, I look forward to worshipping with and speaking for two congregations in McMinnville – the Smyrna Church of Christ and the West Riverview Church of Christ. Over the course of the previous week and all day Friday, I devoted my time to working on Volume 89 of The Voice of Truth International. I am thankful and appreciative to brother Roger and sister Mary Wright for their stellar hospitality during the week; he preaches for the Central Church of Christ in Vincennes, IN.