Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

We hope this update finds all of you doing well.  Things here in the North Country have been very busy, but very good!  As you all know from our last post, Hannah Rae was born July 11th, 2009.  She is such a sweet baby girl.  Noah is adjusting well to his new sister.  He is a great big brother!  Unfortunately, Hannah has colic, so that has been very exhausting to say the least.  Please be in prayer for her, that we can all get past this condition and she will be feeling much better.

As many of you already know, we had to make an unexpected trip to Georgia in early August.  Lloyd Southwick, Keith’s stepfather was in the hospital in very serious condition.  Thankfully, he is doing better now.  Please continue to pray for him.  We enjoyed our trip and were able to spend time with both of our families.  It was a nice break from all of the busyness!!

As for ministry happenings, LCBF members Matt and Jackie Carniglia have recently started a youth ministry in their home.  They had been praying about it for several months and they have obediently answered God’s call on their lives.  They started off with 2 teenagers, and had 8 in their home last week!  Praise God!

We are also in the process of finalizing the Constitution process.  The Constitution and By-Laws were unanimously voted upon by Lake Placid Baptist Church (LCBF is a mission church of LPBC).  Keith is also organizing financial teams, trustees, ministry leaders, elders, and deacons.  Now all we need is our own place to worship!

Other things coming up include our yearly Labor Day Parade outreach.  We will be handing out free school supplies, Bibles, and coats for people in the community.  Please pray that God will open up many doors to share the Gospel at this event!

Other upcoming outreach events you can begin praying for include a Fall Festival in October along with our annual Halloween Outreach.  We will again be handing out Gospel tracts and candy to hundreds of kids in this area.  We will also be hosting our annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner.  Last year was a huge success, and we hope to have even more people attend and hear the Gospel this year.

As for our family, we are preparing to leave for Georgia at the end of next week.  Keith will be speaking in four churches while we are down.  Please pray for our safe travel, and for patience!  Traveling with 2 kids under 2 is interesting to say the least!  Also please pray for God’s protection regarding our health.  As you all know, flu season is here, and we are a little worried about flying with the kids during this time.  We are looking forward to seeing so many of you in just a couple of weeks!  For your information, here are the churches Keith will be speaking in if you would like to come:

Sunday, September 13th–Colbert Baptist Church, Colbert, GA (Morning Service), Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Commerce, GA (Evening Service)

Sunday, September 20th–Webbs Creek Baptist Church, Homer, GA (Morning Service), Maysville Baptist Church, Maysville, GA (Evening Service)

Other prayer requests we have include:

1.  Constitution process and structuring church leadership

2.  We are still seeking a building of our own or land to build on.

3.  Church ministry leaders-Children’s ministry, Women’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Community Outreach, etc.–We are in the process of getting all of these leaders established and we hope to see these ministries flourish.

4.  Currently two men from the church are praying about eldership.  Please pray for wisdom in their decisions.

5.  Finances-At the end of 2009, we will be losing more financial support.  God has already begun replacing some of what we will lose (He is so faithful!).  Thank you to all of you who contribute not only with finances, but with your prayers and encouragement as well.

We also have some ministry needs if you would like to help:

1.  School supplies (pencils, pens, paper, crayons, scissors, rulers, folders, etc.) to give out to children we come in contact with who cannot afford them.  School starts here after Labor Day.

2.  Youth Bible Study/Discipleship Materials and Bibles

Thank you all again for being a part of the ministry here.  We love you and look forward to seeing you soon!

Keith, Carrie, Noah, and Hannah Savage

Hello Everyone,
Please be in prayer for Lloyd Southwick. He is the step-father of Keith. He was taken to the ER last night in Athens, GA. He was hemorrhaging severely. He is now more stable and they are doing tests along with a blood transfusion. Please be in prayer for his healing, the doctors wisdom and Keith’s mom. Thank you all.

We have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Hannah Rae, and she has finally made her appearance!  Carrie began experiencing contractions about 5:30 Saturday morning, July 11th.  Around noon, it was time to call the hospital and verify that it was time to come in.   We left for the hospital about 1:30pm and were admitted at 2:20pm.  Hannah wasted no time once arriving at the hospital!  She was born at 4:25pm, weighing 7 pounds 13.5 ounces and she was 20 1/2 inches long.  She is settling in very well.

Noah is doing good also.  He doesn’t quite know what to think about his new little sister.  One word that we will be working on with him is “gentle!”  He doesn’t seem to understand that concept just yet!  Please pray for his adjustment to this new addition to the family.  

Here are some pictures of our newest addition!

We have been praying for months that God would do an amazing work here through the Colbert Mission Team and He did!  What an awesome time of ministry, fun, and fellowship.  The mission team was a huge blessing to our community and to us as a family.  

Colbert Team Minus Blake

 

 

On Sunday, the team joined us for our worship service and Pastor Brad Wilson gave an incredible message from the book of Psalms.  Our church family then hosted a “Meet and Greet” lunch down at Port Henry Beach and had an awesome time of fellowship.  Keith also baptized three of our church members in Lake Champlain!  God continues to rescue His people.  He is so amazing!  We celebrate the new lives of Michael “Mickey” Badger, Tammy Shaw, and Jim French!  

Meet and Greet Lunch

 

Mickey Badger

 

Tammy Shaw

Jim French

 

 

 

 

Sunday evening the ladies from the team attended Carrie’s baby shower while the men braved the rainy weather and attempted to have a Campfire Fellowship at one of our church member’s homes.  Everyone had a great time, and Carrie was truly blessed by the love and support offered by the ladies at LCBF and Colbert Baptist Church.

Monday morning the team was ready to work!  The men got to work building an ice shanty that will be used for ministry and evangelism this winter.  It’s an 8-holer so there will be plenty of room for everyone!  The ladies got to work stuffing and delivering 500 information packets to be passed out in the community.  The bags included church information, free car wash tickets, movie night tickets, and a CD of the message Keith preached for Easter.  

Floor of the Ice Shanty

Information Packets

 

 

Tuesday consisted of more work on the ice shanty and delivering information packets.  The ladies also started putting together Teacher Appreciation packets which consisted of baked goods and a thank-you card.  

 

Working Hard on the Shanty

 

The Crew

 

 

 

On Wednesday, the team had a free day and traveled to Lake Placid to tour some sites and shop.  That evening was spent resting and preparing for another busy day.

Some of the team in Lake Placid

 

On Thursday, the men continued work on the ice shanty, and they also tore down a church member’s porch.  It was caving in and was unsafe.  The ladies delivered the goodie bags to the teachers which were well-received.  Several team members also set out to work at Port Henry Beach.  They cleaned up the area and did a great job!  That evening many of the team members attended Bible Study taught by Keith.

Finishing Up

 

Friday morning, the team went and toured Fort Ticonderoga.  That afternoon the men cut and split wood for people who will need it to heat their homes this winter.  

Stacks of wood

 

 

Saturday was packed full of ministry.  In the morning, the team held a free car wash.  It was a fun time and great chance to serve the community and share the Gospel.  That afternoon, everyone prepared for Movie Night at Port Henry Beach.  However, due to rain, that event had to be cancelled.  We are hoping to reschedule sometime this summer.  Saturday night was also a sad time of goodbyes as the team prepared to head to the airport Sunday morning.  

Car Wash

 

 

Thank you so much Colbert Baptist for what an amazing impact you had on the community here.  You were also a huge blessing to our family, and we look forward to seeing all of you again in the near future!  You can view more pictures at the church’s website at http://www.lcbible.org.

Dear Prayer Partners,  

Spring has finally arrived in the Adirondacks.  We were beginning to wonder if winter would ever end!  This past month has been full of evangelism, and we are happy to share with you what God is doing here.

The church family continues to grow steadily with visitors nearly every week.  We are still moving closer to the process of constituting.  Keith has a meeting this Friday to work out more details.  Please continue to pray for wisdom and guidance during this process.

As far as evangelism goes, the church hosted a training called “Share Jesus Without Fear.”  We had a great turnout with many people from other churches as well.  They were all excited to learn how to share their faith easily with others.

Also, Keith had a very unique opportunity to share the Gospel with about 300 people all at the same time.  As many of you know, we have been praying for Wade Daniel Carniglia, the son of Matt and Jackie, who was diagnosed with the fatal neurological condition called anencephaly.  Wade was born at 3:47pm on Tuesday, April 14th.  He lived for a little over 9 hours.  Wade went to be with Jesus at 1:05am on Wednesday, April 15th, 2009.  Wade’s Memorial Service was held on Sunday, April 26th.  There were approximately 300 people in attendance; MANY who have never heard the Gospel. It was a very sweet service and time of celebration of Wade’s life and the impact he has had on so many people.  You can listen to the service by going to http://www.lcbible.org.  Then click on the Podcast link at the top right hand corner of the page.  It’s listed under “Carniglia Memorial.”

Although this was also a sad time, it is amazing to see how God has used this little boy to spread the Gospel.  Here is a poem that one of Jackie’s doctors wrote after coming to pronounce him at the hospital:

Quality of Mercy
by Dr. Jack Mayer

Wade Daniel was born without a brain
but a strong heart that finally stopped at 1:05am
I am called to pronounce him in the labor and delivery room
where Wade Daniel’s father is stretched out on a lounge chair
holding his breathless baby
Wade Daniel’s mother, a new mother again, smiles at me,
beatific, sweet, as if she holds a secret.
Wade Daniel’s father says, without tears,
“We thought he’d only live a few minutes,”
He looks at the wall clock.  “Ten hours.  He’s like an old man.”
Wade Daniel’s chest is stone silent.
Outside the hospital a half moon hangs low in the east,
the heavy air sweet with spring.
We’re all better for Wade Daniel having been here.

Jackie and Matt were able to share the “secret” with so many people through Wade.  We will miss him, but we praise God for how many souls that will be saved because of him!  Please continue to pray for the Carniglia family; for continued peace and comfort during this time of loss.

Some other things you can pray with us for include:

1) About 17 people from Colbert Baptist Church in Colbert, Georgia will be coming up in just a little over a month on a mission trip.  Please pray for their safety and the ministry that will take place while they are here.  The trip dates are June 6th-14th.

2) For the continued good health of our baby girl who is due to arrive mid-July.  

3) For the continuance of the spreading of the Gospel and for continued discipleship of new believers.

4) We are still praying about purchasing land or a building for a place to meet permanently. The building we mentioned in the last newsletter does not seem to meet our needs and would be very costly to repair.  


Thank you to everyone who supports us through prayer and finances.  You have been an amazing asset to the ministry here, and we cannot express our appreciation enough for all that you do.

Dear Prayer Partners,  

We apologize for the delay in sending the prayer newsletter.  The past two months have flown by, and God continues to amaze us by what He is doing in this area.

The church family is growing steadily with visitors nearly every week.  We now have about 60 regular attenders, and we just printed off our first directory!  How exciting!  We are moving closer to the process of constituting!  Hopefully everything will be in order by the end of the year.  Keith is working diligently with some of the men in the church to establish the constitution and by-laws.  Please pray for wisdom and guidance during this process. 

February and March were bitter cold, but that didn’t stop the ministry and outreach here.  As mentioned in our last newsletter, we had our second Regional Prayer Event on February 20th.  About 100 people from several churches participated in this event.  It was a great time of Christians in this area coming together to beg God to continue to touch hearts and lives here.  

We were scheduled to have the ice fishing outreach on February 28th. However, we had to cancel because the ice was getting thin and very slippery and many of the fisherman had already moved their shanties off of the ice.  This was disappointing but we had to think of everyone’s safety.

In March, Keith had the opportunity to share about the ministry here at a Global Missions Conference at First Baptist Church of Social Circle in Social Circle, Georgia.  He enjoyed the time there and was excited to share what God is doing in the Adirondacks.  He also had the opportunity to share with Northside Baptist Church in Liverpool, New York.  Needless to say, it has been a busy month!

Some other things you can pray with us for include:

1) About 17 people from Colbert Baptist Church in Colbert, Georgia will be coming up in June on a mission trip.  Please pray for their safety and the ministry that will take place while they are here.

2) For the continued good health of Baby #2 who is due to arrive mid-July.  For those who don’t know already, we are having a little girl.

3) For the continuance of the spreading of the Gospel and for continued discipleship of new believers.

4) Continued prayer for our good friends, Matt and Jackie Carniglia.  As mentioned in the last newsletter, Wade Daniel’s due date was March 23rd.  He has not arrived yet and we are still praying for healing for this precious baby.  If healing is not God’s will, please pray for their comfort and peace and that God be glorified no matter what.

5) We are still praying about purchasing land or a building for a place to meet permanently. We are looking at a building in town that has potential, but we are being cautious and waiting to see if this is what God wants for the church.

6) Continued prayer and financial support for the ministry here.

Dear Prayer Partners,  

Another cold month has gone by in the Adirondacks.  We have had many nights in the negative teens and twenties, and we’ve had an abundance of snow.  Needless to say, we are anxiously awaiting spring!

It has once again been amazing to see how God is moving in this area.  In the month of January, we had 5 baptisms, and we’ve had several more families join our fellowship.  

This month brings many ministry opportunities and outcries to God to move in this area.  On February 20th, we are hosting our second Regional Prayer Event with other local churches.  This is a special time for Christians in this area to come together and beg God to continue to touch hearts and lives here.  The last prayer event was a huge success, so we are excited to see what God has in store for this one.

Another ministry opportunity will be on February 28th.  Once again, we will be serving the ice fisherman soup, coffee, and cookies.  The ice is really good this year, and there are many more fisherman than last year.  We are hoping to be able to share the Good News with many of them.

Please be in prayer with us for these ministry opportunities!

Other prayer requests include:

1) Carrie is leaving February 22nd for Lynchburg, VA to take one of her final intensive courses in order to obtain her degree in Professional Counseling.  She is NOT looking forward to leaving her husband and baby boy for a week!  Please pray for safety and comfort, as well as for Keith not to go crazy while she’s gone!

2) For the continued good health of Baby #2 who is due to arrive mid-July.

3) For the continuance of the spreading of the Gospel and for continued discipleship of new believers.

4) For our good friends, Matt and Jackie Carniglia.  They are pregnant with their 3rd child, a son already named Wade Daniel.  His due date is March 23rd.  They found out a couple of months ago that he has anencephaly, a neurological disorder where the brain doesn’t develop in utero.  Wade will either die in the womb, in the birth canal, or he may survive for a few minutes or possibly a few days after being born.  We are praying that God would perform a miracle and heal this little boy, but if that isn’t His will, please pray for their comfort and peace and that God be glorified no matter what.

5) We are still praying about purchasing land or a building for a place to meet permanently. Land is extremely expensive and hard to come by here.

6) Continued prayer and financial support for the ministry here.