Why We’re Here
September 19, 2023
Hello friends & family!
It’s already been 3 months since our last update & so much has happened, there’s no hope of even beginning to relay all the wonderful challenges of these past few months, so we’re going to take a page from the Apostle John’s playbook in John 20:30-31.
We’re going to share below what the Spirit is revealing to us to be important highlights & have faith the Spirit will use them to point you to Jesus, which is our purpose on Earth while we wait & watch for the blessed hope & glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Amen?!
HIGHLIGHT #1: From Shannon’s Heart
We just started our 11-week fall Bible study for women on the Attributes of God. The opening sentence of our study states, “How we view God impacts how we view everything, and our struggles and sin are rooted in a wrong view of God.” I am so encouraged that 23 women have committed to prayerfully studying God’s Word together so we can encourage each other in the faith, as we each seek to know Him more intimately and align our hearts to His, delighting in Him. On alternating weeks, we are devoting our time together to meditating on Scriptures that reveal God’s attributes, responding to His Word through prayer, and worshiping together in song.
Our LEGO VBS summer program was so much fun to create and present! We plan to experiment with some different LEGO events this school year. Please pray for clear direction as we plan and for God to use our efforts to draw many to Himself.
HIGHLIGHT #2: From John’s Heart
Hello! A lot has happened this summer. The park grand opening was very fun, and I got to see all my friends! I also was able to help with VBS which was fun, and last month I got to go to the VM Staff Conference in Broadalbin, New York. I saw a few friends I haven’t seen in a while, and made some new friends too! I also got to see a rainbow on the way home, so that was fun!
HIGHLIGHT #3: Tom H. & the Power of the Gospel
Over a year ago, the church needed some roofing work done on both the church building & the parsonage. The roofing crew’s supervisor, Tom, lives in the area & has had what he calls a “rough time” over the past year or two. While not interested in church or God initially, as I got to know him, he asked if he could keep in touch. He’s called & sent texts when he’s needed someone to talk to, & even let me pray for him, but this past Sunday he came to church. The sermon included a clear Gospel presentation & hope for the heartbroken. He came in late, but I saw him from the pulpit. As soon as the service was over, I went to talk with Tom. He said he couldn’t talk just then (he was tearing up), but wanted to call me later. Please pray with me that the Lord will save Tom’s soul, giving him a new heart to live for Him, as passages from Ezekiel 36, 2 Corinthians 5, and many others describe.
HIGHLIGHT #4: The L. family & the Opportunity to Serve
A family that’s been a regular part of our church for nearly two years, but has been a part of this community for nearly 20 years, learned that a sudden & unforeseen job transfer was taking them to Kansas! Then, less than month before the move, an unusually heavy rainfall flooded their basement which had never flooded before. Our church family came together to do all we could to help, which included John & me getting to drive one of the family’s vehicles to Kansas & fly home, which allowed John to spend a final stretch of quality time with his good friend.
They were stunned we offered, but as with all such opportunities to be kind, we got to point to the goodness of the Lord, telling this precious family that we believe our job is to freely give to others what we’ve freely received from the Lord, as He said in Matthew 10:8. They agreed to praise the Lord with us & give Him the credit for all the good. Please pray & trust with us the Lord will lead, fill, & keep this precious family in His Psalm 16:11 way.
And we REALLY do believe that. It’s our JOB here in New Hampshire or wherever we are to freely give what we’ve freely received from Jesus, whether that’s grace & patience & mercy & forgiveness in our ACTIONS or SPEAKING clear Gospel presentations. Amazingly, check out that passage in Matthew 10. Jesus wasn’t talking just to pastors or missionaries, but dozens of disciples, just like you.
There’s zero possibility for our family to be able to do what we do in this place in this situation in the way the Lord has made the way to do it without Him providing strength from His Spirit through intercessory prayer & the sacrificially cheerful gifts of money that we use to buy everything from gasoline to toothpaste—just things we need to live, just like you. When you pray & give that’s one way you can freely give what you’ve freely received from Jesus that goes directly to support His Kingdom work here in this dark spiritual corner of our country where there are statistically fewer professing Christians than anywhere else in the United States.
A quick sidenote: Did you know deodorant & toothpaste are in the Bible? Look with me at 2 Corinthians 6:2-11:
…now is “the day of salvation”—
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.
Now, that highlighted part just tickled us a little while back, so we thought we’d share that grin with you, but the grin fades as we read the rest with a sober mind. It’s both difficult to read that list of what servants of God must do & encouraging to read that list.
Encouraging how? Sometimes it’s enough to know you’re not alone. And those eternal friends who find the grace to come alongside us by praying & giving, well, you become Scott family treasures that we lift up by name at least once a week, but often more as the Lord brings you to mind.
4 More Bullet Point Highlights
• The 42 LEGO items Shannon listed on Amazon that were meant to make VBS special & memorable were ALL purchased in less than a week’s time, making the planning MUCH easier & enjoyable knowing those needs had been met. Thank YOU!!
• Our church was able to lead a community-wide prayer effort here that lasted more than 2 weeks for a woman from our town who had been kidnapped in Haiti. Praise God she was recovered safely!
• Dave was invited to spend several hours witnessing to Tony, who is a life-long devout Roman Catholic, but interested in understanding what the differences between Protestants & Catholics. Please pray Tony will come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ alone.
• Dave has been meeting with both the Police Chief & the School Principal to begin considering how the town, school, & church can all come together to help & bless our community members other than the Thanksgiving Food Baskets & Angel Tree Gifts efforts we have been mutually pursuing these past 2+ years since our family arrived in town. These are relationships that are VITAL to the ministry here as literally all that’s in town is our church, the municipal services, the elementary school, & a lumberyard. Praise God He’s making a way forward for His Kingdom to not only exist here, but to THRIVE!
As I mentioned, there are MANY other praises & needs to share, but hopefully this is enough to move you to freely worship God with us for all He’s doing in, around, & through our family here in New England as He’s freely given us the power of His Spirit for such a time as this.
Our financial report is that we are currently receiving 84% of our monthly need, provided through individuals, families, & one supporting church (VXVchurch.com). We couldn’t be MORE thank-FULL for the kindness you show us that only the Lord Himself can repay. We trust He will!
How you can help & bless us:
• Pray as we’ve asked above & however the Lord leads you to pray for us. We trust the Spirit in you!
• Give once or monthly or yearly or however is most convenient for you by clicking here.
• Send Dave or Shannon an email or a text at the addresses/numbers in the email attached to this newsletter or send us a friend request or message on Facebook & just check in. We’d LOVE to hear from you how the Lord’s working in, around, & though you & know how to pray for you.
• Introduce us to someone on staff at your church we might talk to about coming to speak, or just visit, & explore how your church & our family might help & bless each other as we reach more souls for Christ TOGETHER.
Living for Him with you,
Pastor Dave for Shannon & John Scott
Colossians 2:5-7
MiddletonGospelChapel.org
ScottFamilyJourney.org
VillageMissions.org
September 23 - ADDENDUM
Six days ago, we sent out our Fall 2023 Scott Family Missionary Update. Highlight #4 was about getting to help & bless a stressed family needing to move 1,600 miles in a very short amount of time. Two days ago, we received this letter. We wanted to share it with you, to encourage you right along with us, as the Lord uses you to pray & send & make possible the Scott Family’s ministry of presence & cheerful sacrifice in the Acts 4:12 Name of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for blessing the LaPlantes, the Scott’s, & MANY others!
Forwarded Note from the LaPlante family:
23 September 2023
To the Believers of Middleton Gospel Chapel,
Our entire family would like to express our greatest appreciation of being who you are in Christ. You have given us renewed appreciation and hope of what it means to seek Jesus in all things.
In previous years, we have experienced a fair degree of turmoil within and among believers. This has had an impact on us that we are continuing to work through.
You as believers are much more than a local church, but believers who seek the truth in Christ, willing to sacrifice personal comfort to provide that truth to others. You are a group of believers, not concerned about growth of numbers but hearts of people.
You have ingrained a life changing experience in Dakota [our John’s 14 year old friend & Claude’s son], praise God. As Dakota describes the church, “It is a group of friends getting together, not a congregation. The Pastor explains the Bible, not giving a sermon. Pastor Scott is the best Pastor I have ever known.”
As for Pastor Dave Scott, I cannot describe the positive impact he and his family has had on us and I would dare say many others. My family and I are still in disbelief that a pastor would drive, literally, half-way across the country to help a family move. We have never seen or experienced that in our lives. We are extremely grateful.
Pastor Scott has an absolute God-given ability to link and explain the various books and verses of the Bible, applying the principles with arrow-tip precision to daily life.
We have so enjoyed the Bible studies, but especially the one-on-one and small group conversations by the fire pit, their living room or anywhere else when Pastor Scott would share truths of the Bible. “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13).
I find that my words lack the depth of our gratitude and fortunate blessings, though it was short, that we have for Pastor Scott, his family, and the believers of MGC.
Thank you, Pastor Scott, Shannon, John, and all the believers for letting us share being a part of your lives. If God wills, we may see you all again.
Blessings,
Claude LaPlante & Family
Living for Jesus,
Pastor Dave for Shannon & John Scott
Colossians 2:5-7
MiddletonGospelChapel.org
ScottFamilyJourney.org
VillageMissions.org
Scott Family Missionary Journey
Phone: 603-473-7042
Email: TeachingSomethingGood@gmail.com