Dearly Beloved Supporters,
Greetings to you all in the lovely name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I trust you had a Blessed Christmas and New Year! This will be our end of the year report for the months of November and December. We rejoice in the Lord over the doors He opened for us in 2024 and for you who helped us to walk through those doors.
We started the month of November preaching for Brother Darrell Wallace and the First Baptist Church in Kopperl, Texas. We enjoyed ministering to these precious folk and the Lord blessed us
with His presence in each service. There was good attendance and a good response on the part of the members and the visitors.
From Kopperl, Texas we travelled to Northeast, Mississippi to take part in the annual Bible Conference of the Unity Baptist Church in Ripley, Mississippi where Brother Ronnie Barefield is the
Pastor. We were blessed by the powerful singing and preaching we heard during the conference. Brother Ronnie and his people are the most gracious hosts you will ever be around, and they made
us all feel right at home as well, feeding us first class meals. The Sunday before the Bible conference I preached for Brother David Barnett and the Shady Grove Baptist Church in Ecru,
Mississippi, and the Sunday after I preached for Brother Chris McCord and the Limestone Baptist Church in Nettleton, Mississippi. We had great services in both churches and so enjoyed the sweet spirits and fellowship of the people.
Upon leaving Northeast Mississippi Joni and I travelled to Shelbyville, Indiana to preach in the annual “Thank God for Grace” camp meeting at the Victorious Life Baptist Church where Brother
Richard Hivner is the Pastor. We enjoyed the singing of the various groups, as well as the preaching by the other preachers that took part. Each year on the Saturday of the meeting they
serve a tremendous Thanksgiving meal that is always so special. The meeting was blessed with the presence of the Lord and many people came to the altar to get things right with God. That
Sunday night at the end of the meeting I was blessed to preach for Brother Amos Graham and the Liberty Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, we enjoyed the fellowship of Brother Amos and his sweet people!
The month of December brought us to Leesville, Louisiana to take part in the annual camp meeting of the Fort Hope Baptist Church where Brother Kerry Jordan is the Pastor. There was tremendous music and preaching throughout the course of the week and we enjoyed the fellowship of the church and all the invited guests. This meeting always provides an excellent atmosphere with which to end the year and start a new one.
To close out the month, I travelled to Sardis, Mississippi to preach for Brother Gary Stephens and the Sardis Lake Baptist Church. While there that Sunday I preached and gave a report on my
mission trip to Slovakia, Eastern Europe in October. These believers had invested heavily in the ministry of Brother Jozef Abrman who is a missionary out of our home church. My Pastor, Brother
Wesley Barefield, travelled with me and we both took part in the missions’ conference as well as dedicating the Berea Center where the conference was held.
In closing, Joni and I want to thank all of you for your faithful prayers and support! You have helped to make 2024 an unforgettable year of ministry in which our greatest desire was to bring glory to the Lord and edify the churches where He sent us. May the Lord bless you and we pray 2025 brings you all the best that God has for you!
In Christ,
Brother Mark Thrift
