Vancouver Update

Here is the latest from the MTG office in Vancouver. What do you think of their definition of hot?

Greetings from Vancouver!
We always tell visitors to be prepared for rain, but this week is sunny and hot! “Hot” here is anything above about 25 degrees Celsius (about 77 F). Schools get out at the end of June, but it feels like summer is pretty much here already. That means we have only 2 seasons before winter and the Olympics/Paralympics! We are working hard to get ready.

General Update
More Than Gold meetings continue to keep us both busy and driving all over the city. Yesterday we were both at the Hospitality Working Group meeting held at the Salvation Army Headquarters, and today Janet attended the Resources Working Group, held at Campus for Christ. Tomorrow, we have the Executive Committee, which includes the leaders of each Working Group plus all of the denominational representatives. There are now 15 denominations participating in More Than Gold, plus several major organizations. It is exciting to be part of the larger Body of Christ – to come together for a common purpose at such a strategic time as this! The overall leader of More Than Gold is emphasizing that we want to be known to the watching world in 2010 for our “radical hospitality” – extending the love and welcome of Jesus to all.
In May, we both participated in 5 evening meetings designed to introduce More Than Gold to even more local churches in various parts of Metro Vancouver. The vision and excitement is spreading. The finances are not keeping pace, so please join us in praying that critical needs will be met. As far as we can tell, this is not due to the recession, but rather local people with the means to give are holding back until they see sufficient “buy-in at the grassroots level” – which IS happening, so please pray that they may see it and be led to give.


Resources
The website (www.morethangold.ca) is still being revamped – the process has been much slower than anticipated – so the online store for ordering the witnessing pins and clothing and literature that we have been telling you about is not yet open. “Any day now…” Baptist churches and mission teams wishing to reserve quantities of pins, pocket guides, jackets, umbrellas, etc. can pre-order them (even an approximate quantity will do for now) by simply sending an email to either of us, and we will make sure you are the first to get your items officially ordered when the online store does open. Janet can email you a draft order form (prices might still be subject to change) upon request.

Hospitality Bags
(Welcome Kits for visitors/Care Kits for people who are homeless)
Kevin has a mission team from Mississippi serving with his church this week. Yesterday, he managed to “borrow” some of them to help us clean up and move furniture at our office to prepare space to store all of those items we are expecting in the mail. We are asking people all across North America to donate items for the bags, including travel-size packs of tissue, hand wipes, band-aids, lotion, etc. Please email or phone Kevin if you have not received the complete list and the suggested timeline for mailing items. Even though we suggested some of them be sent in May, it really is fine for you to send those items as you are able. Our goal is 28,000 bags!
Our estimate for each bag’s cost/value is $10, so if your church or group would find it more convenient to send funds for a certain number of bags, rather than actual items, we would gladly receive those funds. (Checks made out to More Than Gold, please.)
There is currently some talk of preparing special gifts for military personnel who will be brought in to provide security during the Games. More on that when we know more.

Mission Teams
Southern Baptists have been the first to send in mission team applications. We currently have about 150 volunteers who have applied to come. Kevin has taken on the job of receiving and filing forms, entering info into a database, and getting registration fees in to the More Than Gold office. An acceptance/information package will be emailed to each team leader as soon as it is ready. Every time the Mission Teams Working Group thinks we are ready with a document, it seems there is something that needs to be changed, corrected, added, etc. as we try to anticipate questions and answer them. Thank you for your on-going patience!

Please continue to pray for us, for wisdom, strength, energy, good use of resources and time, and anything else the Lord brings to mind (drop us a line and let us know of those items!). Thank you!