August/September Newsletter 2007
June/July Newsletter 2007
Dear Brethren,
Here are the events and opportunities for the months of June and July 2007. If you would like to see the pictures that go along with this email, please go to our website: www.kianabaptistmission and look under photos.
First off we want to let you know that the missing girl we told you about last time has still not been found. Several of you asked about her.
There are a group of men here from Nova Gold researching about starting a mine. We don’t know how that will pan out, but will let you know. We’ve been told that there is start of a mine near Ambler, which is up river from us. There have been a few town meetings. Of course, some are for it and some against it.
John went to Noorvik 2 times in June to conduct a home Bible Study. He was well received. He has been talking with the Ministering Council about having VBS next month.
June 9th, we had a town picnic! It was great, lots of good food, fellowship, and door prizes! It was a nice day and we really enjoyed it. June 11th, there was a “Fun Run”. I helped with that as John stayed on the lookout for our friends coming from Soldotna. Our friends are with Arctic Barnabas Ministry. They brought us all kinds of goodies. Even 2 pizza’s from Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut delivery all the way to the Arctic. They ministered to us and fellowshipped with us,and had to leave the next day to go to another village.
We had our first work team of the summer come in on June 15th. They leveled the house, worked some on the church, and built a shed. One night after fishing, we had a midnight fish fry! They were a great team and we bonded with them right away. I was so glad they brought Anne, who did the cooking and dishes. I really enjoyed her company. They went home on the 21st.
June 25th, we started our VBS with our own team. We had 61 enrolled. One of our youth did all the music for all grades herself and another youth taught 3rd and 4th grade all by herself. They did a great job and it was their first time!
July 4th is always filled with many activities for the day. We set up 2 screen tents. One was for baked goods and the other for selling kids items. The money went to help with youth going to “BLUME”. There were Eskimo dress contests, in which I won 3rd place. Baby contest, 3 legged races, running races, and tug of war. John and I played tug of war and our team won!!
John went down to Noorvik on the twice in July to have Bible Study. The weekend brought a softball tournament. There were several other villages that participated .
I left on July 7th, with 3 youth girls, and headed to Anchorage. We went to Kansas City for the BLUME convention. It was our first time, but I don’t think it will be our last. BLUME is the German spelling for Flower. The BLUME national convention is held every 4 years. Next time it will be in Orlando. This is for teenage and college age Christian girls. We returned home on July 16th. Now they are wanting me to take them on a mission trip to Hawaii next summer. It’s from June 28-July 4th. We’ll see how the Lord leads on that. If you want to learn more about BLUME, go to www.blumeforgirls.com If you want to see lots of pictures from BLUME, go to www.whoneedsphotos.com
While we were in Kansas City, John had 3 men here to work. They finished leveling the church and painted the shed. Our VBS team arrived on July 14th. This team is from Whites Memorial Baptist Church in N.C. This is their 6th year to come to Kiana. Since we had done the children’s VBS, they were here to do youth and adult VBS. They also held a Basketball Clinic every day. The children each received a basketball, t-shirt, and 2 jersey sets! There were 2 salvations from the camp. On Friday night we went down to the river and baptized 2!
There was another baptism service held on July 22nd in which 5 were baptized. We are planning to schedule another one before the summer is over. Speaking of that, it’s actually getting dark some at night now.
July 24-26, we had VBS in Noorvik. We boated down every day and back with 2 of our youth girls who did crafts. John and Terri Forrester and Tammy Hoke came from Kotzebue and Sarah came from Kobuk. There were 3 helpers from Noorvik, too. We had a great time in Noorvik. There was one salvation, a boy 11 years old named Anthony. We are hoping to go back next year and do VBS again. Meals were prepared for us by Donna in Noorvik and John and Terri Forrester also stayed with her. She is a wonderful women and was a blessing to us. Thank you to all who helped make VBS a success in Noorvik!
Next week is Native Youth Camp, I am planning to go down to Anchorage tomorrow with the rest of my group coming in on Monday. I haven’t been to camp for a few years, but my girls were begging………. Haha. Please pray for all of us at camp next week. Thank you to all who made it possible for us take 10 to camp this year!!
Thank you to all who helped Eva go to Christian School!! May God bless you for your quick response to an urgent need.
We are looking for a fill-in for this Fall so we can attend the State Convention. The dates for that are, September 24-26. We would like to go a few days before and stay a few days after. Please pass the word along and let us know if any of you would be interested.
We have opened up a trust fund, John and Kim Piepmeier Kiana Baptist Mission Trust Fund. We are doing this so that the work will continue here in Kiana, even after we are gone. If anyone would like to donate to this fund, you can send checks to the Alaska Baptist Convention 1750 O'Malley Road Anchorage Alaska 99507.
Please continue to pray for Jerry who has lung cancer and for Jana who has graves disease
Thank you to those who have partnered with us to help pay utilities
Thank to those who have worked to get us stove oil for the winter
Thank you to all of you that have helped with providing needs from the "Ways You Can Help" page.
Thank you to the many who have sent us letters, cards, and e-mails,
supplies, Wal Mart gift cards, and love gifts along with their prayers.
Thank you to the ones who continue to support us and pray for us
Thank you for the ones who sent VBS items
God is Good! All the Time!
Please continue to pray for :
NFL: NEW FOUND LOVE – This is a new Christian Club at school led by students for students, will start back up in August.
All the things mentioned in the newsletter
Us to have wisdom, strength, and health to serve here
For our children, grandchildren, and family
For revival in the Northwest Arctic Region
For John Forrester and family who are pastoring in Kotzebue
For the Love's pastoring in Shungnak
Pastor for Ambler and Kobuk
Love in Christ,
Pastor John and Kim Piepmeier
"Mission Service Corps Missionaries"
On Top Of The World In Kiana Alaska
Our Eskimo names: "Qayaaqpaq and Ayagiaq"
P.O. Box 145 Kiana Alaska 99749
(907) 475-2126
kjpie@inutek.net
www.kianabaptistmission.com
Dear Brethren,
Here are the events and opportunities for the months of August and September 2007.
This newsletter is a few days overdue, but will be explained as you read towards the end.
The first week of August, the annual Native Youth Camp was held at the LaVerne Griffen Youth Recreational Camp in Wasilla. You can see all the pictures on our website: www.kianabaptistmission.com
Here is an email from Lance Kramer about the camp this year:
Grace and peace to you all my brothers and sisters!
Praise the Lord and to God be the glory! The Alaska Native Youth Camp was a success again this year, thanks to you obedient servants allowing God to work in and through you to accomplish His purposes with these kids. By praying, giving, or going, you all have helped Native kids from Kotzebue, Kiana, Buckland, Togiak, Dillingham, Ekwok, and Anchorage either begin their first steps with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, or helped them with their next steps toward serving Him. Quyaanaqpak! (Eskimo word for Thank You Very Much)
As most of you know, our theme this year was "Ready2Serve? Step Up!". With the 56 students who came to camp, 18 prayed to receive Christ and are now in the Lamb's Book of Life. Praise the Lord! 10 rededicated their life to Jesus including one of our counselors! More than half of the students who came to camp are veterans and stepped up tremendously.
We divided the kids into 3 groups this year:
1st Milers (30 of them): 1st year kids to ANYC. We had them go to the "Knowing Christ" class throughout the week to get a biblical view of God, man, our need for a Savior, who Jesus is, what He did for us and how we can respond.
2nd Milers (20 of them): 2nd and 3rd year kids. These students learned how to do their part in a Kid's Club whether it be Teckie work, Worship, Skits, Bible Study, or Games.
3rd Milers (about 12 of them): some 3rd---5th year kids. These not only learned their parts in the Kid's Club, but they also helped serve and clean up in the cafeteria...showing the others what humble servants they are.
All students went through "Team Time" and practiced using their Evangecubes. I received an email the other day from a student in Dillingham who reported he already shared the Gospel with the Evangecube to 10 people so far. Praise the Lord. About 15-20 of the students passed the Evangecube practicum and received a very nice Christian CD/DVD combo pack.
As you may know, we had the 2nd and 3rd milers practice twice a day for putting on a Kid's Club (using Lifeway's G-Force curriculum). They practiced a certain lesson entitled "Jesus Obeyed God" and Friday afternoon, they all did their parts in front of 25 kids that we brought in from the area. The Native kids did the entire Kid's Club themselves...and they nailed it! It was so cool to see them practice all week, have the jitters when the little ones walked in and then do their parts confidently. We had a little testimony time after the little ones went back home and you could see the joy and elation the Native students felt afterwards.
The Kelly Austin Band was phenomenal! They definitely were in tune with the Holy Spirit and led us in powerful worship services every night. I'm still singing their songs in my head every day.
Thanks again to all who have helped in one way or another. Keep these kids in your prayer throughout the year, please. They'll need every single prayer.
"They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith (Acts 14:21,22)"( 14:27), "On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles."
In His Hands,
Lance Kramer
ANYC Administrator
As you read, this year’s camp was great! We thank you to all those who helped to send our Kiana Youth to Camp. There are 2 of our high girls attending the Christian School in Eagle River, and 4 at the Alaska Christian College, please continue to remember them in your prayers.
I attended the First Annual Pastor’s wives get away to beautiful Orca Island where we spent 3 days. It was wonderful to fellowship and become friends with other Pastor’s wives. I am looking forward to this again next year. Thanks, Brenda!
We had a group come in and do Door to Door Evangelism and we held revival services for 3 nights. There were 3 salvations!
Bart, from Arkansas, was here for a week to help John winterize our transportation and get stove oil and get it pumped into the barrels. We were thankful for his help.
We are blessed to have Aeriale take over the R.A.D.D. Youth group on Sunday nights. She is doing a great job. She also stayed at our house and took care of Moka, so we could attend the State Convention from September 22-29th. Ray Henry, from Florida, came up the weekend we left to hold services here in Kiana. Thank you, Ray!
When we got to Anchorage on the 22nd, FBC men held, “An Enchanted Evening” in which we attended. Ron & Beth Wells, Centrepoint Ministries, Tyler, TX was there. He brought a group of men with him, including one man from Georgia. They all served us and Ron brought us a message. Ron and his wife are planning a trip to Kiana in February.
The next morning we attended FBC service, the speaker was Dr. Geoff Hammond, president of NAMB. We got to visit with him and his family more at the State Convention in Birchwood. Speaking of the convention, it was great!! We had Brian and Debbie Love with us, from Shungnak. We all stayed at the FBC mission house. They had to leave Shungnak and go back to Tennessee for Brian’s job. We are praying that God will make a way for them to return and that it not take too long.
We went to Noorvik and held Bible Study and visited several people. One woman, we had been visiting, passed away, and John was able to attend her funeral. It meant so much to the family for him to be there.
Fall hunting has been going on. We didn’t hunt for a Caribou. We did have some Moose given to us. We have our Fish, and Berries for the winter.
Lance stopped by on his hunting trip and brought pizza for the youth. So, the youth will be having a pizza party and enjoying looking at the DVD from camp. Thanks, Lance!
While we were in Anchorage for the State Convention, I had a Dentist appointment in which it ended up with me having a tooth pulled. Now, I will be getting a 3-piece bridge while we are in Kansas City for Christmas. I had a pedicure done in Anchorage, my previous visit, and it got infected with Staph. My foot, ankle and half way up my leg was swelling, it Puuviq, (Eskimo word for swell)The Dr. prescribed antibiotics and ended up removing part of my toenail. We had to change our airline tickets as the Dr. wanted me to stay longer so I could be monitored. We originally planned on being home on the 29th, but didn’t get to come home until October 3rd. It was an expensive trip as the Dentist bill was $175, the Dr. bill was $670, changing tickets $100, and more days of car rental! I think I’m good now for another 50,000 miles! Many of you know of Eva. We got to have her for the weekend while in Anchorage. We took her out to eat at Golden Corral. It was her first time there and she LOVED it! She really is thankful for all of you that helped get her tuition paid so she could attend the Birchwood Christian School.
The river froze up completely today, and last night’s temperature got down to 11 degrees. It has snowed lightly a couple of times but didn’t stay on the ground, so we’re waiting for snow to cover the ground before it gets too cold. People were pulling their boats out of the river yesterday. Our neighbor got his boat out and parked it behind his house. An electrical fire started. John went over with a fire extinguisher. Many people came to help put the fire out, but his boat was burned and even burned a hole in the metal.
John cut his finger on a can lid and had to have stitches, right on his knuckle.
Our gas price has gone up to $5.75 a gallon, and $5.00 a gallon for heating oil.
We have opened up a trust fund, “John and Kim Piepmeier Kiana Baptist Mission Trust Fund”. We are doing this so that the work will continue here in Kiana, even after we are gone. If anyone would like to donate to this fund, you can send checks to the Alaska Baptist Convention 1750 O'Malley Road Anchorage Alaska 99507.
Please continue to pray for Jerry who has lung cancer and for Jana who has Grave’s disease
Thank you to those who have partnered with us to help pay utilities
Thank to those who have worked to get us stove oil for the winter
Thank you to all of you that have helped with providing needs from the "Ways You Can Help" page.
Thank you to the many who have sent us letters, cards, and e-mails,
supplies, Wal -Mart gift cards, and love gifts along with their prayers.
Thank you to the ones who continue to support us and pray for us
God is Good! All the Time!
Please continue to pray for :
NFL: NEW FOUND LOVE – This is a new Christian Club at school led by students for students.
All the things mentioned in the newsletter
Us to have wisdom, strength, and health to serve here
For our children, grandchildren, and family
For revival in the Northwest Arctic Region
For John Forrester and family who are pastoring in Kotzebue
For Paul and Glenda pastoring in Ambler
For a pastor in Kobuk
For a pastor in Shungnak
Love in Christ,
Pastor John and Kim Piepmeier
"Mission Service Corps Missionaries"
On Top Of The World In Kiana Alaska
Our Eskimo names: "Qayaaqpaq and Ayagiaq"
P.O. Box 145 Kiana Alaska 99749
(907) 475-2126
kjpie@inutek.net
www.kianabaptistmission.com
