Greetings to all,

Before covering updates on the four congregations, I wish to lead with Vic Kubik’s https://www.facebook.com/vkubik2

month-long travels to Africa http://v2.travelark.org/travel-blog/victorkubik/25 (see the pictures near the end of this

letter) and George de Campos’ report on the Portuguese work (and the exciting news of Brazil and Angola in particular).

Earlier in the month, Mr. de Campos posted to Facebook: “Congratulations to Nayara Issac (maiden name: Souza) for her

baptism today. It's lovely to see the emotion and happiness when another child of God submits her will and life to God,

is redeemed, and is begotten again, now by our Heavenly Father”: https://www.facebook.com/jorge.decampos.3

Also, I hope you can read and pray about the rapid growth of the church in Haiti and the need for us to have more

manpower in the Caribbean. Here is a picture from Mr. & Mrs. Smith’s visit https://www.facebook.com/maryandchuck.

It shows the congregation’s construction of a new church hall. Additional information (including the pictures enclosed at

the end of this letter) willl soon be posted at https://ucghaiti.blogspot.com/.

Such reporting reminds us that we are a worldwide church with a worldwide mission. So often we spiritually grow to the

extent that we pray to successfully participate and complete that commission, which we often entitle “the Work.”

Of course, we locally want to draw off of the same power source of God’s Holy Spirit in order to parallel the efforts of

those mentioned above. We know there is much we can accomplish right where we are. This is being reflected in the 4

congregations for which I update as follows:

Tallahassee

As you are aware, we have held 3 public seminar presentations at the prestigious downtown Tallahassee library near 3

major college campuses. We have averaged 15 in attendance. It has been a galvanizing experience to have these

presentations, because it has raised the morale of the brethren and is a beautiful result of their commitment to a great

spiritual purpose greater than themselves. I see spiritual synergy at work here, just as I described in last week’s pastor

letter. When I see people working together for maximum impact on this project, I see the whole as being greater than

the sum of its parts.

It is exciting to know that this effort has put our name out to the public though paid ads in the college campus

newspapers, campus radio ads, and poster board signs on bulletin boards throughout the campuses, plus the

distribution of more than 300 fliers placed in the hands of students who would walk by Kevin and Hope who sat at a

table in front of the student union, engaging people in conversation.

We are extremely happy that the next presentation will be on Wednesday afternoon, April 24, ON the campus of

Tallahassee Community College (TCC). Traditionally, it has been extremely hard to sponsor any type of religious

organization on a college campus. But because several of our members know key college administrators and have

themselves worked there in the past, we were finally able to use their influence to establish a beachhead on campus at

TTC. We still have a shot at getting on the Florida State University (FSU) campus. This is important because most of these

students live on campus 24 hours a day; and even to walk over to the close downtown 3-story library building is for them

like meandering over to a cliff and falling off into unknown territory. Moreover, we are adding Facebook and Instagram

to the mediums by which we are endeavoring to connect with the students.

Due to these adjustments, we hope to definitely pull a larger audience. One thing that we have discovered is that many

students have inner anxieties and fears. Many do not have the self-confidence to decide for themselves what to do.

Consequently, they sometimes tend to think as a group. If all of the group wants to go do something, they all will go; if

one or two want to stay behind, they all will stay behind. This is why cultivating name recognition is so important. It is

unrealistic that many who have never heard of the church will attend a seminar after just one invitation. But when they

see the name repeatedly being publicized on radio, in print, on fliers, and on poster signs 4 months in a row, we break

down barriers. Just prior to the last presentation, I was glad for the feedback from a student who emailed, “I was very

interested in your topic and wanted to come but had to remain in my dorm to prepare for the next day’s exam. Will you

have anything in the future at TCC?” I am happy to respond that the answer to that question is “yes!”

So we are trying to line up many ducks in a row here. This is a unique opportunity. Even though we are working as if the

endeavor depends all on us, we need to pray as if it all depends on God … which, of course, it does.

Ocala

We were recently able to enjoy the fantastic opportunity of sharing several days with Mark Welch, head of Ministerial

and Member Services. Not only did he do a Q&A/bible study with brethren in Tampa and St. Pete (where he also spoke

for Sabbath services), he conducted a bible study at our church hall in Marion Oaks, Ocala. There were 18 of us, which

was an excellent turnout. There was much discussion about Passover and of the value of repenting of our past mistakes

and sins. Other discussions included the examination of doctrinal understandings; interacting with non-member

relatives; manpower needs; and the value of living in harmony with each other.

We are delighted to announce the baptism of Mrs. Willa in Lake City today! As she will tell you, it was a long time

coming—and she is so happy about it! God has added some very precious people to His flock in Ocala in recent months,

and it is an inspiration to other members who have been around for decades and maintain their first love. Thanks to

John Flink, the Ocala brethren will be able to watch the Cincinnati GCE Sabbath Service live. We may have to change the

chair configuration of the room to display the streaming video on the side wall; but the video webcast will be in real

time, beginning at 2 PM on May 5th.

Vero Beach

As we reported earlier, one of our very helpful deacons, Bill Wilson, is being exported to Trinidad/Tobago to conduct the

Passover there for some 35–40 brethren. He will remain there to speak on the 1st Day of Unleavened Bread. It will be a

wonderful and different opportunity for him to serve other brethren. Closer to home, I was delighted that Jonathan

Hendricks, Bill Lofthus, and Bill Wilson were able to make the four-hour round trip last Monday to Ocala to get to meet

and spend some quality time with Mark Welch. Mark has been very interested to meet as much of the membership and

leadership as he can. Obviously, with our gathering taking place on Monday (a workday), he could not possibly meet

everybody; but he was pleased to interface with those who came.

On the east side of Florida, there is a central clearing house—sponsored by the Florida Department of Corrections—

where most prisoners are first processed and are then sent out to the other Florida state prisons. It so happens that the

first prisoner whom I counseled with some 6 years ago and later baptized is permanently stationed there now and has

won grace and favor in the sight of the head chaplain. As a result, he will have the ability to prominently display our

literature and all booklets in the Chapel library once they are received. Also, he has arranged—and I have accepted the

opportunity—to conduct a monthly Bible Study there with a total of 7 inmates. Georgia and Ivan have also been

approved to come. This has the potential to grow. As explained in previous letters, we know that not everybody in

prison properly understands the Bible or will ever one day darken the entrance to one of God’s congregations in this life.

However, we have a core of committed, baptized people who will eventually be released and who will be in a position to

resume past businesses and return to past homes and families. More on that at another time.

We have included a few pictures of a recent work project at Carol-Lynne’s home. The people in the pictures would

emphatically exclaim that they DID NOT volunteer their time to get written up in an article, but I think it is important to

acknowledge that we are a family and do well to continue to think as a family and help each other as we are able. Work

projects like this underscore that fact.

Ft. Myers

It was a pleasure to be with the Ft. Myers

brethren last Sabbath and speak about

the theme of last week’s pastor letter on

Spiritual Synergy. The primary thrust of

last week’s sermon there should

demonstrate to us that when we humble

ourselves, God can do great things with

us. In his sermons in Tampa Bay, Mark

Welch made the point of stating that

“Humility + Integrity = Unity.” There’s no

telling how well we can do God’s work

with this mindset.

It was a delight to welcome Noreen & Ron Pinta (shown below) who have come over from the Orlando congregation

because they have moved permanently to Naples. In Ft. Myers, we absolutely love our year-round residents.

We also are equally fond of our snowbirds. Certain ones will be making their way back north this coming week. That

includes Willie Nelson, John Wayne, and Elvis—AKA Mel McQueary, who does a remarkable impersonation of all three.

A major need right now is to locate a new place for church services. It has been great to be at Nova University, but they

are going to be booked to capacity with students next semester and do not have available classroom space to rent out.

Our last time there will be May 5th. Once again, we will walk by faith and not necessarily walk by sight. God knows the

needs of His people and will be willing to provide for us the basic necessity of a hall for services. For my part, after

Passover weekend, I will need to explore various hall possibilities in the Ft. Myers area.

This week, my family visited one of our baptized members prison. He had been falsely accused of a crime he did not

commit. What’s more, his mother is stranded in the capital city of Venezuela. It has been a dreadful experience for her

to deal with at her age. Thankfully, her son now has less than a year to get out. It is a testament to his character that his

highest physical priority is to help her.

Finally, I wanted to have an update from the Ft. Myers area on WKDW, where we continue to broadcast recorded

sermons of our speakers on Sunday morning from 10–11 AM. We should soon get some statistical analysis of any

listeners hearing WKDW on the internet. I hope that this will come in by next week. Of course, as is the case with

Tallahassee college students and the prison ministries, it takes time to build a viable audience.

At any rate, it appears that Passover plans and Holy Day activity have come together for each congregation. My family

will be in Vero Beach for Passover and the 1st Day of Unleavened Bread. Mike Fike will conduct Passover in Ft. Myers;

Dale Yates will do the same in Ocala; and Jonathan Hendricks will handle Passover and the First Day of UB in Tallahassee.

I am indebted to them and others for their speaking.

Lastly, it’s time to select a Feast site to attend! There may be a satellite FOT site in Tampa.

Best wishes for an enlightening Sabbath. BV

Mr. Kubik’s photo of Josephine and Tabo; and the Talaca family; in Lusaka, Zambia:

Pictures of Mr. Smith’s trip to Haiti: