Missionary Feature Story of the Month:  1-30-2001

Ron and Rhonda Schafer in Virginia

Ron writes:
Here are some things you hate to hear when traveling:
"It isn't on the map!"
"We believe we found part of your suitcase."
"No...the man you gave your bags to does not work here."
"Hey Bubba,,,you'll never guess where these folks think they are!"

Some things you love to hear when planting a church:

"Hey Ron, we're moving to Leesburg!"

Phil and Pam actually said those words about a month ago, and
they are now official residents of Leesburg! Phil has found a good job
they now reside in a townhouse in a nice section of town called Exeter.
Already they have been such a great, positive addition to our weekly
Bible study and we greatly appreciate their fellowship, friendship and
support.  Besides his full time job as a supervisor, Phil will be...

Continued from our prayerletter...

exploring licensing and ordination through the C and MA as well as being
a vital part on our leadership team.
We are continuing with our small group study, meeting on Sunday evenings
and have recently started studying "Building Relationships and
Community." We have had more discussion lately on the purpose of our new
church and who our target audience ought to be. During this process, one
of the couples has dropped out after communicating to us that 'outreach'
and 'reaching the unreached' in Loudoun County was not really what they
wanted to do. Was that discouraging? Absolutely. Losing a third of your
core group goes beyond discouraging, but yet it is a process that every
church plant must go through. People who do not have the same vision or
passion must be lovingly allowed to leave and find a church where they
can use their own gifts and abilities. Although this can be
disheartening,  I know it is a necessary step in the life of any church
plant.
We are still trusting God for ten adults (other than Rhonda and I)
before we begin having services on Sunday mornings. Please pray for
those crucial people who can come and share the vision of a church here
in Loudoun County.

Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement.
Would you please add these requests when you pray?

	1. Transition for Phil, Pam, and their children
	2. Salvation for Kim and Howard, Tom and Mary Ann, Mike and Corinna, and Tami's husband, Ken.
	3. Wisdom in the selection of a full time partner. There may be a candidate coming to interview in September.

Again, thanks for standing with us.
By the way, Leesburg is a beautiful place to live, so as you open your
heart and mind to the Lord, maybe I could be so blessed one day to hear
those wonderful words once again:

"Hey Ron, we're moving to Leesburg!"

For His Great Kingdom,

Ron Schafer
Rono@juno.com
Leesburg, VA