Abounding in hope: God is moving!

Welcome

This blog is for my prayer partners who faithfully interceeded during the Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA) Tanzania 2007 trip.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Tanzania 2007 was about hope informed by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit to make Jesus real and bring healing to anyone who hungers for wholeness in mind, body and spirit.

Scroll to the end of the blog to meet the team. Thank you, Mefi for organizing the local team to pray and for sending out emails.

The photo above is a California sunrise.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

God is moving!

In my last post I told you about the joint prayer meeting last Tuesday night. The Wesleyans were so hungry for more that they met at lunch on Wednesday to pray. Lon and I joined them on Thursday, and they prayed again on Friday.

After prayer on Thursday, I talked with the assistant pastor at FWC about our lack of space at SPSP for a dedicated, 24/7 prayer room and asked if a room might be available at FWC. She went immediately to the senior pastor, and we have our prayer room! We also lent the assistant pastor John Guernsey's video presentation on the "Prayer Driven Church." If you haven't seen it, you can get a copy from the American Anglican Council.

For me, there's been a qualitative difference in all my prayer experiences since Tuesday night. I have a sense of expectation like never before that God is moving here in Roanoke!

Lon has been really struggling with his heart and his hypertension. Through a book he's reading, he learned that hypertension may be the body's response to early-childhood trauma. We will be doing inner-healing prayer for him this afternoon. I'll let you know what happens!

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Lon Atkins, Salem VA

Lon Atkins, Salem VA

Lon is Julie’s husband. Retired as an executive in the computer industry, he now spends his time as a servant of the Lord. It’s much more rewarding in the way that counts most. Lon’s hobbies include cooking and the Asian strategy game “Go.” Shortly after moving to Virginia, Lon was stricken by a virus that seriously damaged his heart. The Lord is now leading him along a course of study that is preparing him to be a teacher of the Word. Lon models his style on a wonderful new Virginia friend, Dr. Gerry McDermott, a professor of theology at Roanoke College.

Carol Collett-White, Roanoke VA

Carol Collett-White, Roanoke VA

Carol, a nurse by profession, was raised in Coventry, England. She married a Canadian Anglican priest, Derek Collett-White, spent 19 years in Jamaica, and is now a citizen of the United States. Carol had a leaning to prayer since committing her life to the Lord in the 1960s in Canada. But it was while living in Jamaica, a developing country, that the Lord impressed upon her the importance of intercession for both individuals and nations. She is honored to be an intercessor for Julie, SOMA and Tanzania 2007. Carol says, “My husband and I are very thankful to God for bringing Lon and Julie to the Roanoke Valley. Selah.”

Judy Griesinger, Claremont CA

Judy Griesinger, Claremont CA

Judy is at home on the West Coast except for a short sojourn in upstate New York, and presently lives in Claremont, CA, near the Claremont colleges. She worked in the Sunday school in two Episcopal parishes (Christ the King, Santa Barbara, and Christ Church, Schenectady), developing and teaching a Biblically-oriented curriculum during the years that her two children were growing up. Then she tried teaching English in local high schools for a while, and did APA-style editing for dissertations at the School of Psychology at Fuller Seminary. Now she drives all the way to St. James, Newport Beach to assist however possible in the church’s stand for Biblical orthodoxy. Mostly she sings in the choir as a section leader for the two early services, and serves as an Intercessor or Lay Eucharistic Minister once a month for the third service (charismatic service). Judy is a rah-rah Global South Anglican today.

Dana Heaps, Roanoke VA

Dana Heaps, Roanoke VA

Dana, a native of West Virginia, graduated from WVU where she met her husband Roy. The two have been married for 37 years. They have two children, Mandie (28) and Jonathan (24). Mandie and her husband, Joel, live in Maryland and are pursuing demanding careers in business. Jonathan lives at home, works as an Administrator at the family’s church, Eastgate Nazarene, and is beginning courses toward his Master’s Degree. Roy is an engineer and Dana is a Speech Pathologist working for most of her career with neurologically impaired adults. Dana says, “I believe the Lord has given me the gift of mercy and, early in my life, placed within me a deep passion for ‘caring for my brother.’” Dana’s desire is to be used by the Lord to minister to the hurting, lonely, and needy wherever they may be. She is very blessed to be part of the intercessory prayer group at St. Peter and St. Paul and deeply honored to be part of this prayer team. (The pronunciation of Dana's name rhymes with "banana.")

Betty Mallory, Wythville VA

Betty Mallory, Wythville VA

Betty is a retired physical therapist who has practiced in Virginia off and on since 1957. She and her late husband, Warren, came into the charismatic renewal in Northern Virginia in the late 1970s, and were blessed to be mentored at Truro, Church of the Apostles, Church of the Word, and finally at All Saints, Dale City. Betty served on All Saints vestry, with one term as Jr. Warden, and headed the search committee that brought the latest Associate Rector to the church. Serving as an intercessor on three missions to Uganda and at two General Conventions has been a privilege and a blessing. Betty now lives in Wytheville, Virginia. The Lord has led her to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul and she feels blessed to continue the ministry of intercession, now focusing on this mission to Tanzania.

Janet Moseley, Tulsa OK

Janet Moseley, Tulsa OK

Jan is a friend of Julie's from college days at Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She spent a summer at Julie’s home in Hemet, California, along with other ORU friends enjoying the California experience. There she led worship at Julie's home church in 1971! Jan is retired from her careers as public school teacher and corporate education and human resources person. She is married to Warren Moseley, a computer science professor. She is presently taking care of her mother who is home bound. Jan continues to sing in the choir at First United Methodist Church of Tulsa, and to volunteer for other church and civic organizations.

Mefi Rowland, Salem VA, Team Leader

Mefi Rowland, Salem VA, Team Leader

Mefi is a nickname given me by my sister, who couldn't say Mary Frances. I have a wonderful husband Dave, two grown children, and an 18-month-old grandson who is one of the greatest blessings God has bestowed upon me. I’ve had the privilege of being in an intercessory prayer group with Julie for about two years, as well as being involved with her and Lon in the formation of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. I work full-time as a physical therapist in a long-term care facility. I am very excited about the trip to Tanzania and all that God plans to accomplish through it, and I look forward to being an intercessor for it.

Nancy Simpson, Newport Beach CA

Nancy Simpson, Newport Beach CA

Nancy was born in Mt. Kisco, a small town 45 miles north of New York City, attended Jr. and Sr. high school in Chappaqua, N.Y. (where the Clintons now reside) and graduated from Wheaton College, Norton, MA. She met Alec in college, and the two were married in 1954. They lived in New York City for a year, then in New Orleans for six years, finally coming to California in 1961. They have lived in Newport Beach since 1963 and, almost immediately following their arrival, became members of St. James Episcopal Church. It was at St. James that Alec and Nancy began their deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the Spirit-led ministry of Fr. John Ashey. Nancy has served on Vestry as Sr. (first female) and Jr. Warden, chairperson of rector search committee and as a long time choir member. She loves to sing the music of the church as her way to worship and pray. Alec and Nancy have hosted a Bible study in their home for almost 20 years (Julie and Lon were members), and are both students of Faith Lutheran Seminary—St. James Newport Beach. The Simpsons have three wonderful children, equally wonderful children-in-law and six terrific grandchildren. Their eldest grandchild, Ali, has just graduated from California Lutheran University and their youngest will turn seven next month. Finally, for the past 30+ years Nancy has worked as a paralegal for a probate/estate planning attorney with time off for wonderful trips and cruises around the world.

Other team members

Kathleen Adams, California

Rev. Kathleen Adams is an Anglican priest from California who is currently involved in church planting all over Southern California.

Nancy Adams, Roanoke, VA

Nancy is a new friend of Julie's from St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Roanoke.

Rev. Philip and Sylvia Bottomley, Roanoke, VA

Pastor Philip is our pastor at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. The Bottomleys are from England.

Wendy Cowperthwaite, Denver CO

Julie met Wendy at New Wineskins 2007.

Mo and Gene Delp, Salem VA

Mo and Gene are our special neighbors.

Rev. Fred and Rosemary Ellsworth, Roanoke, VA

Fred preached and Rosemary sang during the year that we were without a pastor at Salem Nazarene.

Sandra Lane, Florence, OR

Sandra is a friend of Julie's from college days at Oral Roberts University.

David Leaman, Roanoke, VA

David and his wife Jacquie are new friends at St. Peter and St. Paul.

Rev. Vicki McLean, Roanoke VA

Vicki is associate pastor at First Wesleyan Church, which is a stone's throw from St. Peter and St. Paul.

Nancy Ramsey, Denver CO

Julie met Nancy at New Wineskins 2007.