Casting a Wider Net

Dear Pastors, Churches, Family and Friends,

It has been a long time since I have updated you on our work in Flagstaff. This was not due to forgetfulness or being too busy, instead it was me hoping for something good to report. Something that would show we were making progress in starting a church in Flagstaff. Unfortunately this still is not the case. In reality we have hit a roadblock moving our work forward.

We came to Flagstaff knowing we would have to find employment in Flagstaff in order to meet our own expenses and use the support money for the work of the church. After a year of looking and scores of application and dozens of interviews we still are unable to find jobs. I have quit asking why. Jobs we both have applied for are being advertized again in the local paper and on the internet. Sure doesn’t do much for you confidence. We will not work on Sunday and have not applied at businesses that sell or distribute alcohol but that still left us with many choices, at least that’s what we thought.

LeeOra has worked a few days each month during the winter housecleaning but that job is no longer available. I was working as a property inspector for 1 or 2 day a week but that job fizzled when it starting costing more for gas that it was paying. We continue to apply and continue to pray but are at a critical point in our finances and our ability to live in Flagstaff.  At present we are running about $250 a month short of our living expenses. Our supporting church, family and some friends have stepped up as needed, often without knowing we had a need.

Please understand I am not asking for increased giving or a special offering through this letter. One of the reasons I have delayed in writing was so that I would not give that impression. I am writing to say we are at a critical decision point in our hopes for a work here in Flagstaff. I have spoken to my Pastor Bro. Larry Jones and sought his prayers and guidance in our next move.

After speaking with Bro. Larry we decided to cast a “wider net.” While hoping to stay in the Flagstaff area we will also begin looking at the possibility of finding work in another town in the region. If we are to stay here we simply must have jobs. It is not proper that the money you all so faithfully send is being used just to support us. When we chose Flagstaff as the place where we believed God was leading us, we had jobs, a building and a place to live already set up for us. Those things were lost when our employer was not willing to accommodate or understand our need to travel on deputation. We were told to choose our jobs or deputation, we chose deputation. This decision added a cost of around $2000 dollars to the expenses of the ministry here and necessitated the need for us to work at least part time. That necessity hasn’t changed and cannot be met until we find employment.

In the meantime we continue to try and minister out of our home though it is not in a location or presentable enough to be adequate for anything more than Bible studies. We are presently having studies with a single mother on Sunday nights and have concluded our studies with a self-proclaimed atheist. We hope to continue other studies with the atheist man in the near future. I would ask your prayers for both these individuals as they are very dear to us.

I also worked the Tea Party booth at the Coconino County Fair both because I enjoy conservative politics but more importantly to make contacts. Everyone I got a chance to talk with was told I and LeeOra were church planters in the area to start a new Baptist Church. The booth was busy and I got to speak to many people, several of which I was able to share our vision with as well as Tea Party literature.

We were greatly blessed with a gift of a 1998 Ford Explorer from one or our supporting families. The Explorer will be a great blessing in Flagstaff with its snow and rural dirt and mountain road. This family has supported us since we started deputation and continue to be a great blessing to us personally and to the work. We hope to have the money to register and insure the Explorer before the snow begins to fall.

Please pray sincerely for an improvement in our job situation and for open eyes as we look for an open door in the region around us. Baptist churches are in short supply all throughout the southwest and our heart is still longing to see God work through us to meet that need. Thank you for all you’ve done and for your patience. We never take for granted God working through you all to meet our needs. Each passing day brings us a renewed appreciation for all you are doing. May God richly bless and repay you in ways that far exceed money.

Your servants in Flagstaff, Az.

 Kris and LeeOra Minefee