The Wehrles

“It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?” - Psalm 127:2

Here’s a quick prayer update as Janet and I head out the door! Janet and I are getting a much needed break to celebrate our 15th (July 10). We’ll be in Denver while my parents watch the boys in Cleveland (NC).

• Pray for our boys as we are away. They have had a lot of stress over the last two years as we have followed the Lord on our way to this place in our lives. Now, mommy and daddy are adding to the stress by leaving them to take a trip. Pray for my parents as well as they care for Elliot, Gabe and Nate. They have a great relationship with the boys, but it’s lots of work to care for them!
• Pray for us. We would like to take this week to fall even more deeply in love with each other; to spend time with Jesus in retreat mode; to visit with our siblings and their two new children.
• Pray for the new church. We are experimenting with a new name “Trinity” and will be giving it exposure to over 25,000 people at NC Ag Jam on September 13th. The Ag Jam is an all day concert promoting North Carolina Agriculture and featuring artists like Blake Shelton, Tracy Byrd, Jake Owen and Eric Church. (Have any of you heard of these guys?!?) We are partnering with a healthy larger United Methodist congregation in our area to sponsor the children’s tent. This is a place where kids will come to get away from the noise of the concert, play some games, receive prizes, and hear about Jesus. We will be asking for contact information from the families visiting the tent, and we will be leaving them with information about our churches.
• Pray for contact and partnership with other churches. I have been meeting with numerous church leaders, but have not been good about tying them down to specific commitments. Please pray that those conversations would take place and that churches would come alongside us in specific ways that would powerfully empower our ministry. We are looking for churches who will give financial and other resources, who will spread the word, who will send fellow missionaries to the field to work with us.
• Pray for our continued “ministry by walking around.” In the words of my coach, Jim Griffith, “church planting is a contact sport.” The most effective times of ministry we have had to date have come through the dozens of contacts we have made while simply walking through the neighborhoods and shopping centers in our area, and simply “being” where people are. Your prayers lead to open conversations with folks in Cleveland about their spiritual journey. As that happens, we are adding them to our “interested list.” Some time very soon, a church will begin to emerge from that work.

Thanks very much for your continued partnership in this ministry! Please stay in touch! We enjoy praying for and with you.