Hey Friends,
We have just updated all our social media accounts for Stadia. I’d love to have you join me on Facebook and Twitter. Just look up Stadia and become a Fan or follower. Thanks.
Marcus Bigelow
President
Stadia: New Church Strategies
Office: 916-626-3090
Cell: 707-718-3730
Email: mbigelow@stadia.cc
Facebook: Facebook | Marcus Bigelow
To all you Bootcamp planters,
Here’s the recipes from last night.
Yummy Hash Brown Casserole
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
2 T. dried onions
1 (15 oz.) shredded hash browns
4 T. butter melted
Cornflakes to cover- (about 2 cups) crushed
In a large bowl mix the sour cream, cheese, soup and onions together. Use your muscles and mix the hash browns and the creamy mixture together until well blended. Press mixture into a casserole dish or 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix the melted butter and the cornflakes and spread over the top of the potatoes and bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees until heated through and bubbly (45 minutes).
Easy Chicken Marinade
Mix together equal parts of olive oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice. For 10 chicken breasts, we used 1/2 cup of each making 1 1/2 cups of marinade. Pour over partially thawed chicken 1 hour before cooking. (Using a gallon size Ziploc bag is the easiest way to marinade and clean up is a breeze.) Caution: If you marinate longer than an hour, the lemon juice will begin to cook the chicken.
Preheat grill on high. Put chicken on and close the lid. Turn down to med. low and leave for 8-10 minutes depending on the size of chicken. Flip and close lid again for 8- 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Barry Smith just hit it out of the park as he talked about how God has carried him on his journey. Now Dennis Murphy is laying it down about prayer. Tammy and Donna, you should be proud of your men. They are great men of God.
Marcus Bigelow
President
Stadia: New Church Strategies
Office: 916-626-3090
Cell: 707-718-3730
Email: mbigelow@stadia.cc
Facebook: Facebook | Marcus Bigelow
Just listening to Barry Smith tell his awesome story of how God has worked in his life and church plant. What a dude!
Marcus Bigelow
President
Stadia: New Church Strategies
Office: 916-626-3090
Cell: 707-718-3730
Email: mbigelow@stadia.cc
Facebook: Facebook | Marcus Bigelow
I’m in a bootcamp this morning with 10 couples who are planting churches around the US. What a great thing! I’m old enough to be the father of all of them. There is hope for the next generation.
Marcus Bigelow
President
Stadia: New Church Strategies
Office: 916-626-3090
Cell: 707-718-3730
Email: mbigelow@stadia.cc
Facebook: Facebook | Marcus Bigelow
Verve, our new plant in Las Vegas, opened on Sunday and Monday. With the irrepressible Vince Antonucci at the helm you know it’s going to be great. Check out his blog at http://www.vinceantonucci.com/.
Marcus Bigelow
President
Stadia: New Church Strategies
Office: 916-626-3090
Cell: 707-718-3730
Email: mbigelow@stadia.cc
Facebook: Facebook | Marcus Bigelow
My son-in-law, Jonathan, along with a group of believers from the churches in Santiago went south to help those devastated by the earthquake. Here is his eyewitness report of their encounters.
Marcos smiled, he smiled and applauded. He applauded as he moved closer to me. He was in the arms of his mother and father as he talked with me. Marcos was like an infant, a twenty-something year old infant. He suffers from cerebral palsy. His house was very near the sea and the means, that which came in as a great tide, took them to a tiny hill far away from the sea. Their home is now four sticks with a blanket as a roof. There are no walls, everything in their lives can now be seen by anyone. They had not received help for an entire week. The group I went with gave them water, but they were the last people to receive it. It was what was left of a 20 liter container that we had already given out to their new neighbors, people who, like them, were forced by fear to the height of a hill. The only things we had left had already been given out, and I was left with nothing but a tiny water bottle I had filled in the morning to drink throughout the day. I had forgotten that I had it. I remembered it when the others in my group told me this family received only leftovers. When I gave the bottle to them, this adult child smiled. He smiled and applauded. The water was put in a cup and the child drank it. I spoke with the family and Marcos smiled while I talked to him. The day before, another group of people, in another place, applauded when they found out we had arrived from Santiago. When they received their food, they laughed with relief, for it was another day they would be able to nourish themselves in those places which, because being dangerous areas, no help was arriving without the accompaniment of the armed forces. We arrived to their area without any accompaniment to other places where no help had yet arrived, places where, one of the welcomes was given by a man who was sharpening his machete on the pavement. I explained to him that we had brought help to one of the local churches so that they could distribute it. I said goodbye to the man with the machete with a hug and smiles. People applauding and smiling when we gave water and food. Isn't this what people do when they receive good news--applaud and smile? These are the images I have in my mind. I don't want them to get erased. I hope they never disappear. I hope not to remember them as a type of monument to goodness, but I hope to recreate these actions again and again in my life. I hope that we can all do this. I hope that together we have the privilege of being received with smiles and applause when the good news--love--arrives in the form of water and food. This is the least we can do. With love,
Jonathan
Dear Friends and Family.
This is day 5, since the big quake.
I share with you a few details and my heart.
The days we are living seem unreal. My heart breaks thinking of those who still have not contacted loved ones, are still missing, who have lost everything, who are waiting for food, basic supplies like toilet paper, diapers, something to drink. The roads are horrible, and the city of Concepcion is living under curfew for all but six hours a day, under military control. We are struggling to know what to do and how to help.
There is a team of men who are preparing to travel south, with supply packs to help families in need, and look for missing persons. They are not sure yet if they can travel into Concepcion or not, because of closures and law enforcement. The desperation has led to looting, rioting, robbery, and it is heartbreaking. People are having to defend what is left of their homes, fighting with whatever makeshift weapons they can use for defense.
And I was able to do our laundry today. I ate lunch today. I went to the wholesale store across the street from where I'm now living, to help buy rice, pasta, toilet paper, matches, etc. I cleaned a bathroom here at the house. I call on the name of Jesus to bring peace and provide relief for those who are suffering.
Some good news. Our neighbors, whose first floor apartment appeared in the previous pictures I sent, were able to get almost everything out of their apartment. Fernanda and Felipe were married in Nov, just starting out. Jonathan and I had talked this morning, and I had told him I was thinking of suggesting this couple to those of you who had asked me how you could help us personally. I had explained we didn't really need anything at this point, but didn't want to not provide another option. This morning, I prayed about suggesting Fernanda and Felipe to some of you who asked. And God reminds me that he is so BIG. Before we can even ask, he surprises us sometimes. I am grateful for a glimmer of goodness as today, I have been very sad about what is happening in the south. When I stop and think about it,
sadness creeps in.
Please pray for the potential team that is preparing to travel down.
We should know more by later this evening, but they will need special permission from the authorities to be out on the streets out of curfew. And we are not sure it is possible for them to even arrive there.
One friend of ours, a dentist who lives in Concepcion and served for almost a year in the Women's Center in the Middle East, finally made contact with us by text message. We are grateful. she is Ok, but says that in Concepcion, everything has been horrible. She asks for prayer for those who are suffering and the conditions there.
There are many families that are still missing or unheard from.
I will write more as soon as the decision is made about the team's travel. And anything new that presents itself.
Thanks for being with us. We need you.
Anna (with Jonathan) and our team here.
Dear Friends and Family.
I regret it has taken this long to write. Today I was able to get my computer out of our office.
Thank you for being in prayer for our country, and the affected areas.
I'll skip the details of the quake, as you´ve already seen them on CNN.
Some people have seen Jonathan on CNN, as there were reporters at our building on Saturday morning, as it was one of the worst hit buildings in maipu. A few friends recognized him.
If you would like to read my previous updates, you can see them on my dad's blog at marcusbigelow.posterous.com and it will keep me from writing all over again.
If you haven't heard other news, please read the blog before continuing for our personal family information.
We are "finished" with our apartment, gratefully having been able to retrieve all of our things, furnishings, etc. We are amazed. Thanks for praying for us.
Please keep praying for our country. Further south, there is so much damage, and many lives have been lost. You have seen it on the news. They do obviously try to show the worst parts, and there are many without homes and without anything.
Our mission is working to communicate how we can help, through our churches in the south, and the affected families in those regions. One of our pastors here in the Santiago region is now without a house. Many people are still missing in the south, and many thousands still without roof, or water and electricity. The government is reacting, and there will be a lot of repairs. People are still waiting to hear of family members.
In a few hours, we, as a mission, will have something up on our website, where you can see how to donate funds to relief efforts. You can see that at www.iamweb.org, please keep checking back.
Many of you have written and we appreciate your prayers and thoughts and questions. I will try to update you as the days go by.
Jonathan and I are now looking for a new place to rent, and we are amazed at how little we will need to replace. We got everything out fo the apartment, except some dishes and small items that broke. We simply need to decide in what part of town would be best, what are our options, etc. Please don't worry about our financial needs, just continue to be faithful to the monthly commitments you have already made. God will continue to provide as he always has. I will be sure to let you know if we need anything else. Please, instead, if you would like to make a one-time gift, consider the Relief Effort Fund.
We thank God for the loving family that has taken us in and the roof over our head, and the showers we took this morning.
With love and gratefulness to all of you for your faithful support.
Anna (and Jonathan)
IMG_1171.JPG Our neighbors' first floor unit. They were unable to go back in, as we were able to.
IMG_1177.JPG The tower most affected in our building.
IMG_1181.JPG How we found our office this morning. They say the building will be back to normal function on Wednesday. (I am not so sure yet about that.)
IMG_1184.JPG
