Uplook - July 15, 2023
Dear Seattle Saints,
Warm greetings to you all from Lori and me. Thank you for allowing us to attend our annual camp meeting convention in Portland and follow it up with 4 days of recuperation at the Washington coast. While camp meeting is a wonderful time for all of us to draw close to the Lord, it is also a very busy time for me personally as it is an opportune time to meet with the leaders of our churches from Southeast Asia for whom I have responsibility (in addition to our own Seattle congregation). We were blessed to meet with Rev. Kim Jeong Min and his wife from South Korea, Rev. Fernan Fiegalan and his wife from the Philippines, and Rev. Yoshiki Ohno and his fiancé …soon to be wife from Japan during our time in Portland. As I mentioned earlier we also were able to be a part of the ordination of Bro. Yoshiki which was exciting for him as well as our Kawasaki church. Of course we were also able to meet and have fellowship with many others from churches where we previously were assigned as pastors and others from around the world. I’m not sure we’re completely rested up but a few days at the ocean with beautiful weather was a very good start in that direction.
Tomorrow will be our first Sunday services after camp and will begin with Sunday school, Morning Worship, and evening service. You may wish to note that due to the upcoming youth camp and my trip to Japan/South Korea we will not resume Wednesday night Bible Studies until Wednesday, August 9.
You will also be possibly excited to know that in our absence of the past few weeks the entire church has been reroofed (it has been over 20 years since part was roofed and longer for the rest). We also have completely updated the two first floor restrooms and the third floor restroom. They are now single use ADA compliant. Doors have been reversed downstairs to swing inward and the doors lock for privacy. The 3rd floor restroom door has been repaired to close properly with new hardware and lock which are easy to use. Also the light switch has been moved inside the 3rd floor restroom. The women’s restroom also has a small/child’s toilet and both the women’s and the third floor restrooms have pull down changing tables (in addition to the one in the sanctuary nursery). Sinks are now ADA compliant and there are grab bars available on both sides of the toilets for those who need them. Toilets are all ADA compliant height. Each restroom has new lighting and exhaust fans, flooring, and has been repainted. I believe you will find the improvements very nice. Finally, we have been working on parking lot improvements during this time as well. The upper lot has had some asphalt replaced/repaired and cracks on the entire lot have been sealed. Next week the entire lot will be seal-coated and then restriped. Those are the physical improvements which have been made.
Looking forward, our summer schedule includes Youth Camp from July 24-30. We currently have 14 students and 6 adults who are planning to attend. Please pray for the Lord to find open and receptive hearts in the young people who attend from our church as well as the others who are coming. Lori and I will be traveling to Japan and South Korea from July 27-August 7. We will spend three days and nights in Japan where we will meet with the saints, hold Sunday services, attend English classes, and have the privilege of attending the official engagement of our Bro. Yoshiki Ohno and his fiancé Sis. Rei Takahashi. This is a Japanese tradition and we are honored to have it scheduled when we will be there. We will depart from Tokyo for Seoul, South Korea on Monday afternoon, July 31 and attend the Korean Camp meeting. I am scheduled to preach 3 times, hold ministers meeting, as well as meetings with individuals.
Looking ahead a little farther…for your calendars you may wish to note that Seattle Special Meetings are scheduled for Saturday, September 30 – Sunday, October 1. Rev. Pierre Hancock will be our guest speaker for Sunday and Bro. Seyi Akinrotimi from Pullman for the Saturday evening Youth Service. There will be more details coming but I wanted you all to know so you can pray and plan.
God bless you all…we are looking forward to seeing you all again tomorrow, Lord willing. Please pray for the Lord to continue the “camp meeting spirit” in as we resume our services here in Seattle.
Blessings,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
Warm greetings to you all from Lori and me. Thank you for allowing us to attend our annual camp meeting convention in Portland and follow it up with 4 days of recuperation at the Washington coast. While camp meeting is a wonderful time for all of us to draw close to the Lord, it is also a very busy time for me personally as it is an opportune time to meet with the leaders of our churches from Southeast Asia for whom I have responsibility (in addition to our own Seattle congregation). We were blessed to meet with Rev. Kim Jeong Min and his wife from South Korea, Rev. Fernan Fiegalan and his wife from the Philippines, and Rev. Yoshiki Ohno and his fiancé …soon to be wife from Japan during our time in Portland. As I mentioned earlier we also were able to be a part of the ordination of Bro. Yoshiki which was exciting for him as well as our Kawasaki church. Of course we were also able to meet and have fellowship with many others from churches where we previously were assigned as pastors and others from around the world. I’m not sure we’re completely rested up but a few days at the ocean with beautiful weather was a very good start in that direction.
Tomorrow will be our first Sunday services after camp and will begin with Sunday school, Morning Worship, and evening service. You may wish to note that due to the upcoming youth camp and my trip to Japan/South Korea we will not resume Wednesday night Bible Studies until Wednesday, August 9.
You will also be possibly excited to know that in our absence of the past few weeks the entire church has been reroofed (it has been over 20 years since part was roofed and longer for the rest). We also have completely updated the two first floor restrooms and the third floor restroom. They are now single use ADA compliant. Doors have been reversed downstairs to swing inward and the doors lock for privacy. The 3rd floor restroom door has been repaired to close properly with new hardware and lock which are easy to use. Also the light switch has been moved inside the 3rd floor restroom. The women’s restroom also has a small/child’s toilet and both the women’s and the third floor restrooms have pull down changing tables (in addition to the one in the sanctuary nursery). Sinks are now ADA compliant and there are grab bars available on both sides of the toilets for those who need them. Toilets are all ADA compliant height. Each restroom has new lighting and exhaust fans, flooring, and has been repainted. I believe you will find the improvements very nice. Finally, we have been working on parking lot improvements during this time as well. The upper lot has had some asphalt replaced/repaired and cracks on the entire lot have been sealed. Next week the entire lot will be seal-coated and then restriped. Those are the physical improvements which have been made.
Looking forward, our summer schedule includes Youth Camp from July 24-30. We currently have 14 students and 6 adults who are planning to attend. Please pray for the Lord to find open and receptive hearts in the young people who attend from our church as well as the others who are coming. Lori and I will be traveling to Japan and South Korea from July 27-August 7. We will spend three days and nights in Japan where we will meet with the saints, hold Sunday services, attend English classes, and have the privilege of attending the official engagement of our Bro. Yoshiki Ohno and his fiancé Sis. Rei Takahashi. This is a Japanese tradition and we are honored to have it scheduled when we will be there. We will depart from Tokyo for Seoul, South Korea on Monday afternoon, July 31 and attend the Korean Camp meeting. I am scheduled to preach 3 times, hold ministers meeting, as well as meetings with individuals.
Looking ahead a little farther…for your calendars you may wish to note that Seattle Special Meetings are scheduled for Saturday, September 30 – Sunday, October 1. Rev. Pierre Hancock will be our guest speaker for Sunday and Bro. Seyi Akinrotimi from Pullman for the Saturday evening Youth Service. There will be more details coming but I wanted you all to know so you can pray and plan.
God bless you all…we are looking forward to seeing you all again tomorrow, Lord willing. Please pray for the Lord to continue the “camp meeting spirit” in as we resume our services here in Seattle.
Blessings,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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