Our Busy Schedule and Two Sad Goodbye's

Dear Prayer Team,

We've had an incredible week of ministry as we sang at Foothills Church in Stayton, Oregon on two nights for an outreach event, three services on Sunday morning at Salem Alliance Church, and on Tuesday night at Skyview High School - a public school in Vancouver, Washington. It's pretty amazing to me that we were able to keep a schedule like this given the fact that WE HAVE NO EQUIPMENT! God is SO awesome. Alpha Sound in Salem, Oregon has been one of our sources for sound equipment in the past and has been an incredible support to us through the years. When they heard that our trailer/sound system had been stolen, they decided to make sure that we were taken care of until we were able to get up and running with new equipment. They have gone over and above what you'd expect even a supportive company to do in a situation like this, and we are left feeling extremely blessed! We have also been bowled over by the emails and calls of support and help during this time.

In the midst of this time of blessing I am sorry to have to bring you some sad news. At the end of December we are losing two of our singers. Our bass, Josh Wheeler and our vocal percussionist/baritone, Luke Coles are leaving to continue their college education. As you know, Josh is engaged to be married to his college sweetheart, Mandy. He has prayerfully come to the decision that it would be best to not begin their marriage while performing full-time in a touring group and will be going back to finish his last year of college at LCU in Texas. Luke has also decided that it would be best, for he and his new family, for him to continue his education. Luke, Serena and baby Tyson will also be moving to Texas where he's enrolling in a Christian college. It has been an unbelievable 9 months and both of these men have been incredible assets to this ministry. We have been blessed to serve beside them during all of the beautiful ministry opportunities of the past year. They will be in our prayers and we wish them the very best that God has for them.

Jason, Dustin and I are extremely committed to many more years of ministry through RESCUE. God has shown us time and time again that He is willing to use us if we make ourselves available. What a journey this ministry has had, and through it all Christ has emerged victorious! The sense that I have felt among those in and around RESCUE is that if we are faithful to God and stay committed to Him, we have nothing to fret about.

Jason says, "Only one year ago, I was the only one left of the former group. I am so thankful for what God has done this year. He brought new pieces of the puzzle together, and showed us that He plans for RESCUE to continue for many more years. This rebuilding has not come without trials, but the trials have strengthened our faith, and we refuse to let the setbacks discourage us. Through God's blessings, the three of us, along with all the others who work so hard to make this ministry work, look forward to what God is going to do in 2006."