adios...

To my Belle Chasse family,

If you weren't here Sunday I'm sorry you didn't hear this from me personally. I suppose this is the next closest thing.


Thank you. Over the past two years, you have invited me into your homes and lives. You have trusted me with your teenagers as well as your not-teenagers. And you have put up with all of my Clemson antics.

Thank you. You have shown me love like no other church. I feel like I am one of you. Mr. Gary calls me his grandson. Kirby calls me his brother. Many of you call me friend.

It is however time for me to move on. God has called, and I have accepted a position with the North American Mission Board in which I will be ministering to college students at the University of New Orleans, as well as around the city and state.

Effective August 15, 2008, I will no longer be serving as your Interim Youth Pastor. However, I will still be your grandson, brother, and friend. I ask that you pray for me as I move into this new ministry, that you pray the students at UNO will be receptive to God’s love, and pray for the student here in Belle Chasse. These young men and women are the leaders of the future, and I hope you are looking forward to seeing what God will do through them, today, tomorrow and years down the road.

Randy Copeland

Broken Ground in concert this Sunday, July 27, 2008

REMINDER!! Broken Ground from Euliss, TX will be performing live at FBC Belle Chasse this Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 6:00 pm.

whew...one more day, and new challenges

one more day (plus today)

today is thursday, and tomorrow is our last day in des moines. we've been busy working with children from age 4 to high school. we're teaching Bible studies, doing crafts, making music, and playing games. much fun is being had by all. i'm in charge of the 7-12 grade group, and they bring their own intricacies to our group. the guys mostly want to play basketball and the girls mostly want to sit around and chat. funny thing, tho, all our 7-12 graders love doing crafts, and they listen very well in Bible study time.

new challenges for rando

my biggest challenge this week has been writing Bible study material from scratch. when i first contemplated this action, i was a bit freaked out. but God is with me and has surprised me again by giving me the words i needed to communicate his truth to the kids in my group.

please continue to pray for me and the group from metairie bc as we wrap up our ministry here and begin the long drive home to new orleans. i'd love to hear from you all - please feel free to post comments on the blog.

love to you all,

rando

everybody loves surprises, right?

this is a picture of the gateway arch in st. louis, missouri. pretty cool, huh?

i've spent a lot of time in a bus, and i've spent a lot of time in a van - all with a bunch of youth and adults i'd never met before saturday. beginning tomorrow morning i get to spend a lot of time with a bunch of kids i've never met, and who need Jesus a whole lot.

i know some of you are wondering why i'm in iowa working with another church. i'll tell you: one of the coolest things i've been a part of as a youth minister is being a part of a group of youth ministers who help each other out. in this case, i'm helping out by being a chaperone on a mission trip to des moines, iowa. whodda thunk it?

certainly not me. but that's just one small reason i serve my God - i never know what he's got planned for me. i haven't figured him out, and the minute i mistakenly think i have, he proves me wrong. does this happen to you? does God still surprise you? or have you mistakenly told yourself you have God figured out and that there are no more surprises?

anywho...i'm sitting here working on this blog and pondering my Bible story for tomorrow, and i'm wondering, "God, how can you surprise me tomorrow?"

surprise!

rando

mobile blogging

hi.

--

Randy Copeland

Interim Youth Pastor

First Baptist Church            office: 504.394.1707

8828 Hwy 23                     cell: 504.232.5579

Belle Chasse, LA 70037      email: padrerandy@gmail.com

"Yes, Lord, in the paths of your truths we wait; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." Isaiah 26:8

iowa

as some of you know, i'm headed for iowa.

why iowa, exactly? good question.

my friend nikki is the interim youth minister at metairie baptist church. when one of her chaperones became unavailable, she contacted me monday about helping chaperone her group's mission trip. we'll be working at an inner city mission in des moines, iowa.

that's really about all i know.

would you pray for me/us? if so, here are a couple of ways to pray:
1. that we have safe travel
2. that the people we minister to see God, and not us
3. that i am able to build a rapport with the folks from mbc
4. that nikki is able to focus on the things she needs to focus on and that i and the other adults provide her the proper support

thanks for your support. i'll try to keep you updated as the week goes on.

keep focused,

rando

free book

are you interested in missions or interested in seeing how God is working through missionaries in asia? gospel for asia is offering the book revolution in world missions free of charge to anyone who wants to be challenged to have a heart for the lost.

i've requested my copy and i look forward to digging into it. for those out there who think this might be a scam - if it is, i will know shortly. if it isn't, then what have you to lose? at least go check out the gospel for asia website - www.gfa.org.


click the link to sign up for your free book

https://www.gfa.org/freebook?motiv=WA87-FGA1&cm_mmc_o=dyBEf7zfw%25204wpbzCjC8w_C-pMwyfblbETCjCHFzbkCjCPv

blessings,

rando

aunt linda, prayer request

aunt linda

update on my aunt: she's doing really well. she's been home now for almost a month. two weeks ago, she was able to travel from charleston, sc to atlanta, ga to visit my cousin. this of course also meant she got to see two of her grandchildren whom she hadn't see since before march. rehab continues, and she is getting her strength back gradually. she can really talk very well and carry on conversations, too. thanks again for all your prayers.

prayer request

my friends stephanie and paul live in the tacoma, wa area. i've know stephanie since summer of 1998 when i was working as a summer missionary in charleston, west virginia. stephanie and paul are the proud parents of a 9 month old baby girl named Isabel. last week Izzie was diagnosed with kawasaki disease. i don't know much about it, but i know steph, paul , and isabel need all the prayers they can get.

i know that you have prayed for my aunt; now i ask you to pray for these strangers you don't know and probably never will. pray that God will comfort them and wrap his loving arms around them during this difficult time. thanks.

keep focused

rando

camp

hello all,

we arrived at camp a little before 4:00 pm on monday. the abc staff and clear ministries staff are great. we got our rooms with no problems.

God is already working in the lives of our youth, so please be praying for us this week. some of these students have never before experienced a youth camp.

i'll try to keep you posted. feel free to post comments on the blog giving your encouragement to the youth and i'll pass along your words.

God bless,

rando

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