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Newly Ordained Pastors and a Newly Engaged Assistant
The New Year is well under way! After six weeks of recovery from shoulder surgery and a few sessions of physical therapy (with quite a few yet to go), I am making good progress. Thank you very much for your prayers. (There is a health update on Brenda below.) Our son, Joe, drove me to Tampa so we could be with John and Kim Tracy for his ordination at Hillsdale Baptist Church on January 10. Joe and I used the long drive time to practice for his examination and ordination at Faith Baptist Church on January 24. Both of these fine young men did an outstanding job defending their doctrinal statements. My assistant, Joy Washer, just returned from two weeks in Kenya, where her parents are missionaries. There, Joy was engaged to Brian Collins, who is completing his doctoral studies at BJU. They are headed (eventually) for missions work in Zambia, where they met at the Central Africa Baptist College. Congratulations to all on these milestones (and gem stones!).
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Strong Ministries and Good Friends
January 15-21 brought fruitful ministry in Indiana and Illinois. Bro. Scott Randolph of Camp Assurance hosted a Saturday Men's Rally at Bethel Baptist Church in Georgetown, IL. On Sunday morning I preached at Faith Baptist, Champaign, IL, with Pastor Bob Hassel, then Sunday evening at Faith Baptist in Danbury, IL, with Pastor Al Rudie. (Pastor Larry Mullinax, now at our home church in Taylors, formerly pastored the church in Danbury. Bro. Mullinax drove me to the hospital on December 15 for my shoulder surgery, waited for me all day, and brought me home that evening.)
Late Sunday evening, we started a winter camp for Christian teens in public schools, which continued through Monday. On Tuesday, we returned to Bethel Baptist in Georgetown for a day of meetings with Pastors and wives. On the 20th, I preached in chapel at Crosspointe Baptist in Indianapolis, with Dr. Rick Arrowood, then in the Wednesday evening service. After many years at Troy Baptist in Troy, OH, the Arrowoods are doing a great work at Crosspointe, formerly Eagledale Baptist under the long time leadership of Dr. Warren Dafoe whom we enjoyed seeing again. Many old friends and relatives of members at our home church were in each of the services on this trip.
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Upcoming Ministry Near and Far (and more Old Friends)
Today, I'm off to Seattle, WA, for a two-day Men's Retreat at Camp Arnold in Eatonville, WA, hosted by Galilee Baptist in Kent, with Pastor Steve Hicks. We'll have Sunday services with him, then home on Monday. On the following weekend, we'll be with Pastor Cary Grant for a Couples' Banquet and Sunday services at Refuge Baptist, Cumming, GA. On the weekend of Valentine's Day, we will be in Myrtle Beach with Pastor Carl Wood, at Anchor Baptist for a banquet and Sunday Services. Pray that Brenda will be able to go with me for that one! We lived in Myrtle Beach the last three years of my military service. I was saved during that time, and started attending Calvary Bible Church there, where we met our first pastor, Dr. Tom Harper, who encouraged us to move to Greenville to attend Bob Jones University.
After a brief stop at home, I'm off to the Winter Board Meeting of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International in Atlanta. On February 18 that meeting ends, and Dr. Craig Hartman and I are off to Israel with twenty couples for a Pastors' Study in Israel, returning on the 28th. We are thrilled that our new Associate Pastor at Faith, Pastor David Stockard, and wife Linda will be making that trip with us. The Stockards are also our neighbors just up the street.
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More Opportunities to Visit Israel
We are posting information about upcoming trips to Israel on our website www.johncvaughn.com. On December 27, 2010, Dr. Hartman and I are hosting a very special group. As far as we know, this will be the very first "Accessible Tour" designed for our friends who use wheelchairs. Becky and I have already done this together, and Lord willing, she will accompany me again. The tour company we use in Israel has just obtained a new coach with eleven wheelchair tie-downs. This tour is open only to those in wheelchairs and their caregivers, and we expect it to fill up quickly. We are also working on the details of another discounted Pastors' Tour and already have several on the waiting list. We do not have the date yet but will be happy to put you on the "interested" list. Many friends have expressed interest in our next open tour, so we are posting sign up lists for all scheduled or planned tours. Please visit the website and click the "Tours" tab.
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More Tests and Doctors' Visits
Tuesday, February 2 is the three-month mark for follow-up tests after Brenda's hospitalization in early November. She will have an ultrasound and MRI done that day. It may take a few days to get the reports. We see three doctors on the 8th and 9th, then another on March 8. Continued prayer is greatly appreciated and all ministry travel is subject to Brenda's health, of course. Until we will visit with you again for our Spring Update, please visit our website for health reports, itineraries, new pictures, helpful articles, and links.
With prayer for God's continued blessings to all our dear friends,
John, Brenda, and Becky Vaughn
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