Once again I'd like to apologize for running a few days late with the newsletter. I realize this has been something of a trend lately, but I'll try and do better, promise! Actually, this is the second time I've composed this newsletter. I was almost done with it the first time when my machine decided to clear its cache, and I lost it. Oh well, c'est la vie!

I would like to thank everyone who has been visiting the Church Bulletin Board and posting regularly. For those who don't know it yet, I've been posting a new graphic on the bulletin board every day for visitors to grab and use in their own Christian web sites, church newsletters, etc., like the one on the left, which I posted there last week. I recently purchased a Christian graphics disk with thousands of Christian graphics, and many that I post will be from there. I also post graphics I've scanned, and even graphics that other members have sent to me. I'd also like to encourage all members to post graphics on our bulletin board for other members to use. I think this would be a great use of our bulletin board, and by all of us sharing we can make it a great resource for Christians on the internet.

Brother Lance Micklus has also asked me to let everyone know that the Teddy Bear Monastery is coming along and should be finished soon. The Teddy Bear Monastery is a children's outreach ministry on the internet, led by two teddy bears, Theodore and Tilly-Bear, who have a great love for Jesus, and a simple message for the children of the world, which is that "Jesus Loves You." In the picture to the right you see Theodore as he studies his bible and prepares a sermon for the other teddy bears he and Tilly-Bear minister to. You can visit the Teddy Bear Monastery by clicking on the banner at the bottom of this page. There you'll find out all about these wonderful bears and how Our Lord is using them to spread the Good News to the children of the world via the internet.

I would also like to thank everyone who has sent in positive comments about the "Life In The 90's" cartoons I've been posting on the bulletin board. These are cartoon drawings from the public domain that I've added my own text to. I don't draw the cartoons myself, since I have no artistic talent, but I do sometimes modify them a little bit. At any rate, it's been great fun, and I've really enjoyed doing it, and have especially enjoyed your positive comments. I will probably be adding more to the bulletin board in the future. If you haven't seen these yet, they are posted on the bbs, so be sure and check them out. See what you miss when you don't visit the bulletin board regularly?

I am very, very pleased to announce that Augusta Street Ministries is now officially registered as a Non-Profit Charity Organization. For those not familiar with us, Augusta Street Ministries collects used bibles, blankets and clothing, and redistributes them along with sack lunches and Christian tracts directly to the homeless in the Augusta area, where I live. You can find out more about Augusta Street Ministries by clicking on the link above or the banner near the bottom of this page. We are growing very fast, and now minister to 60-100 homeless men, women and children every week. If you'd like to help support this homeless ministry, your donation will be tax-deductable, and every bit of it will go to helping spread the Good News to the homeless in this area. Simply make your check or money order out to Augusta Street Ministries and mail them to Augusta Street Ministries, 2541 Peach Orchard Rd. #123, Augusta, GA 30906. Your donations are tax-deductable, go to a great cause, and will be greatly appreciated. (And, yes, that's me in the pic!)

I know some of you haven't gotten the word yet, so I'll mention again that our weekly chat sessions have been suspended through the month of August. With so many folks in the States being on vacation or doing other summertime activities, participation had dropped to a point where it just wasn't feasible to keep having the sessions for now. Of course, members in other time zones around the world have always had a difficult time joining our sessions in their allotted time, which is completely understandable. Fear not, however, as I do plan to start having the weekly chat sessions again starting in September, and hopefully we'll have a renewed level of active participation, and will be able to keep having the sessions thereafter. In the meantime, the bulletin board remains open for threaded discussions which you can all take part in regardless of your own schedules or time zones.

Again I'd like to invite everyone who's interested in pursuing advanced biblical studies to visit The First International Church Of The Web School Of Biblical Studies where you'll find many free lessons and other study materials, and even an inexpensive method of earning your Ph.D in Biblical Studies.

Finally, I would like to ask everyone to keep the membership of this church in your prayers, especially Purple Plum, who is undergoing chemo-therapy, and Brother Clarence, who is suffering from illness, and Sister Margaret, who recently lost the use of one of her hands due to severe nerve damage, as well as other members who are ill, injured, or undergoing difficulties in their marriages or other trials. Let us continue to lift up one another in prayer, as instructed by Our Lord. Please know that you all remain in my prayers at all times, and that I do care for each of you. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter, and God bless you.

I love you,
Brother Dave