As we are now well into the summer season, I pray this newsletter finds everyone enjoying the warmer weather and longer days. I am a big believer in using this season to enjoy vacation time with family and friends and to take time to appreciate God’s wonderful creation of nature around us. However, a vacation from normal routine should not be a vacation from our daily service and worship of our Lord. If you are not traveling, I want to encourage each of you to stay faithful to our church in attendance, giving and serving, as the summer is our #1 season for outreach and activity to our community. Please be sure to stay plugged into Golf Road Baptist Church so you do not miss the opportunities God will give us to impact people’s lives!

     The month of August will be designated “Prayer Focus” month. All of my messages and teaching times will be focused on the purpose and call for us to be faithful people of prayer. We will take time out of our services to practice prayer for one another, our church, and our community. We will focus our prayer as individuals and families on seven key issues:
  1. For God to empower our Pastor, staff and Deacons to lead with love and boldness.

 2. For each member to find their place of ministry in our church to serve the Lord.

 3. God’s blessings on our Men’s Fraternity that starts back up in September.

 4. God’s continued use of our women’s ministry that also starts back up in September.

 5. For the Lord to bless our new Awana ministry that begins in September and to grow our ministry to youth. 

 6. For each member to be a faithful giver/tither to enable us to grow in our ministry efforts. 

 7. God’s direction to our church in how to best reach our community for Christ.

The goal of this month of prayer will be for each person to understand they are individually accountable to God for their life and choices and then to learn how to get “in-tune” with God’s will.  

Please check the attached church calendar to see when all these events and activities begin. Have a great summer and may we all continue to grow in our love and service for the Lord.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Gary Houdek


                             Student News From David
Dear Friends,

 As we move through the sultry Summer months and then into the Fall, I want to make you aware of some exciting things happening in our children’s and student ministries. First, of all this Summer is a wonderful time to reach out to teenagers in your family and community. This Summer, Crossroads (aka…our student ministry), will be having a number of casual times for teenagers from our church and the community to spend time together; at The Vine (our Thursday night Bible study), at a baseball game, a concert or just going swimming or heading to a park. If you have a teenager, encourage them to check out Crossroads and get involved. 

          The Children’s ministry will be equally busy over the Summer months. With the conclusion of VBS, we are setting our sights on two exciting upcoming ministries heading into late Summer and early Fall. First, during August 4-8, we will be partnering with Child Evangelism Fellowship to host a mini-sports camp. This week will provide us with a chance to do valuable follow-up with some of our kids from VBS and help give us a running a start as we move into our Fall ministry season. Then in mid-September, we will start our AWANA program on Wednesday nights. AWANA is a great way to both disciple children who are in the church and reach out to those who are unsaved. Please consider inviting children from your neighborhood to be a part of both these exciting ministries.

            Finally, I want to personally invite you to become involved in either our children’s ministry or our student ministry. The children’s ministry will be looking to expand its worker base and we need each member of the church to be involved in helping Golf Road Baptist Church become a place where families can be ministered to effectively. There are needs on both Sunday morning and on Wednesday night. The student ministry (grades 7-12) is always in need of adults who are willing to pour themselves into teenagers. So if you have a heart for reaching either children or youth, please contact me. I would love to discuss your being involved in ministry here at Golf Road Baptist Church.   Thank your for all your encouragement and support. 

In Him,

David Hall