Monthly Update
Thursday, June 26th, '08
Dear Friends_
So much has happened since my last letter… I don’t know where to begin. The “I’ve hatched” excitement has carried me from one ministry opportunity to the next. God is clearly leading me forward in this ministry, and there are surprises at almost every turn. It began with hatching from Incubator. Next we re-established the TBWAF Ministry Advisory Board. June 1st was our first meeting and it was an encouraging and exciting time. I don’t usually use the words ‘exciting’ and ‘meeting’ together in the same sentence, but this was an exception! The collective intelligence and insight from the 5 hand-picked Christian leaders was overwhelming. The ideas and possibilities flowed freely as we discussed the potential and future of the ministry. I felt as if I had taken a drink from a fire-hose, but the action plan we developed is a good one and we are eating the elephant a bite at a time. One of the new developments includes more progress on my web site ( www.tedbwilson.com). Please check it out and let me know what you think.
I attended the NW District Missionary Church conference in Albany, Oregon as a delegate, served on the credentials committee and helped lead worship… joining the Dever-Conner worship team two nights and leading the group before God’s throne on the final morning. I helped a local church with an evangelistic recording project that they distribute through their Vacation Bible Camp. Several of their leadership kids and adult leaders came to my studio and recorded verses and readings along with a Gospel presentation and I mixed it all together with their music. We ended up with a powerful, high-quality tool to share the love of Jesus with many kids in the community. I’ve also been busy in my studio with several other projects for friends and their ministries. I am also working on my new recording project… although my progress is slow.
My concert ministry has been good, and varied. I’ve sung for some interesting small venues and the Lord has show up in powerful ways. This past weekend, I shared my testimony with a men’s group from a church in Washougal, WA and I served as a white-water rafting guide down the Deschutes River in central OR. I have several concerts, workshops and special ministry opportunities lined up in the future days. I will serve as a rafting guide for ETV youth camp in central OR again in July. Most of the family will be there to attend or help too. The Wilson family has another ministry together opportunity as we are directing our local church’s VBS in mid August. I am also preparing for an outdoor concert for Open House Ministries in Vancouver in late July. I have a trip to Kansas City planned in September. I love the variety.
Thank you for your continued support! Your continued prayer and financial support is most critical to the success of this ministry. The Lord has provided a great supplemental job with benefits… a huge answer to prayer!
Please continue to pray for:
- wisdom, direction and strength as we continue in God’s strength…
- increased opportunities to share His message through music and story.
Friday May 2nd, '08
Dear Friends_
I’ve hatched! I am now a “Graduate Affiliate” of Incubator Creative Group. Praise the Lord!
I‘ve completed Incubator’s training program for building and maintaining a viable music ministry. This six year program with Incubator included spiritual formation and instruction in building a ministry support system, booking, business and legal stuff, programming and performance training, vocal technique training, relationship building and much more. I have earned a “Master’s Degree” in music ministry!
I am grateful for my time spent with Incubator. We decided to not renew our contract on good terms leaving the door open for future interaction as God leads. I will miss my management relationship with Incubator… there is a degree of comfort in having someone else ‘call the shots’… but it’s time to spread my little wings and fly. There is much to do. I will re-establish the Ted B Wilson and Friends Board of Directors… that has been intentionally dormant while I was under management contract with Incubator for direction and accountability. This ministry will continue on as God leads us! Check out my new web site (still under construction)… great new stuff!
We just returned from a wonderful weekend in the Chicago area with some wonderful ministry time in my old stomping grounds at Village Church of Gurnee. We also held two small team-building events… one at VCG and one in the Angola, IN area. PTL… we have some new Vision Team members as a result. I am booking concerts and workshop dates for the Fall and I have some openings. I am free to fly on my own and would love to come to your neck of the woods.
Thank you for your continued support! Your continued prayer and financial support is most critical during this time of transition. Our current recession has taken a toll on my ministry support base. Please continue to pray for:
- wisdom, direction and strength for the re-building process…
- guidance as we re-establish the TBWAF Ministry Board…
- increased opportunities to share His message around the region and beyond.
Thank you again for your continued support.
Serving Christ With You,
Friday March 14th, '08
Dear Friends…
Before first light I dropped down into a deep valley in search of game. The elevation change was 1500 feet… way down. The way through thick veils of alders, walls of jack firs and barriers of blackberry bramble followed elk trails that meandered in no obvious hurry. Often the trail didn't go where I wanted but a switch to another revealed that deer and elk would go through stuff a man cannot. I was in my glory, but after hours of descent sans success, it was time to return. Judging by the sun, I should have turned back earlier. Looking back across the valley a thought hit me… "I'm a long, long way from where I want to be." I saw a parallel with my spiritual journey. I have come a long way, but have far to go. I'm tired and weary… I wish I was back at camp right now… there is no short-cut, no transporter beam, and the way home was a step-by-step struggle across the valley then up the mountain. I didn't have the heart or strength to go on, so I lay down on a soft patch of moss for a short nap in the sun. Re-energized, I rose to struggle my way back across the valley, wound my way through the underbrush around obstacles and ascended the mountainside back to camp where my patient partner had lunch waiting for me. Realizing the distance between where we are and where we want to be can cause despair or it can be joyfully embraced as an opportunity to seek strength outside our own and continue the upward path in His power toward our awaiting refreshment, rest and reward. (See James 1:3)
I am enjoying my new adventure in songwriting… it's like the floodgates have opened. A friend told me to have a notebook beside my bed, because she was praying that the Lord would overwhelm me with ideas and words. Consequently, I'm up once or twice a night jotting down ideas and lyrics to catch them before they flit away. I'm still a long way from where I want to be with these, but I'm excited about the new songs emerging and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you soon. There are new developments in upgrading my website to make it a useful tool for communicating with you more often… more on this later. I'm writing and re-tooling and travel has slowed in these winter months, but spring is coming and with it more ministry abroad.
Thank you for your continued support. We are building this ministry to serve the Kingdom for a long time to come and this will only happen through your prayer and giving ministry that released me to go where God sends. Please continue to pray for:
- wisdom, direction and strength for the journey
- more creativity and new songs that will convey His message planted in me
- increased opportunities to share His message around the region and beyond
Thank you again for your continued support. You are key in this ongoing music ministry..
Serving Christ with you,
