Attendance

This two thousand dollars difference left our Northmen Ministries treasury in a precarious position. We are depending on the Father to provide for all needs as we continue to carry on the various ministries we are involved in. This includes of course preparing for next year. Attendance continues to decline for the Northmen due to several factors probably. There is less interest in camping than their used to be. Many are attending camps where the entire family is involved. A change in biblical views in some areas also seems to be a factor. And again their just seems to be so many places a person has to choose from.

We speculate that attendance may level off at a lower level but we must also consider the effect of attendance on our over all cost of promotion and program. We will continue to present the program as we are allowed to do so by property use and by income. God is in charge and if things seem to be ending we will not push “no matter what” to continue the work of the Northmen meeting. Some things do, and should end at times. We believe this to be particularly true in regard to para church organizations.

So for 2007 we press on. Our program is basically in place as you will note. Our finances are hurting. There are those who press us to continue at all cost and there are those who think we are past our time. Much depends on our land use permit and that is a yearly thing. We can not apply until January and then we do not receive final approval until mid-July. So pray with us and come along to next summer’s meeting if you feel it worthy. If not we pray you find inspiration and fellowship elsewhere. God surely has provided a great number of meetings for our inspiration and growth.

Some Changes

Yes we will be making some changes to help with our overall expenses. We will keep a tight reign on our mailing list. We will be cutting down tent size and we will be able to cut the number of Porta Johns we have to rent also. We have always tried to be careful with the basic expenses but there is only so much we can cut out and still meet all requirements and needs.

We are selling our large generator as a brother has purchased a big one which he wants us to use for our meeting. This will save on maintenance cost as well as fuel cost. We are keeping the old truck running rather than seek for a newer modal. It still runs and does the job although the body is falling apart. We will consider cutting out the display tent as we never receive enough donations to pay for it. Our insurance will go down some with smaller attendance and so we can make some adjustments but it still is up to your offerings to cover our basic costs.

How to Contact Us

Phone: 1 (989) 343-0521
Snail Mail: 1695 David Rd., Prescott, MI. 48756
E mail: northwoods@voyager.net

Northmen Ministries

The ministries we are involved in continue on a regular basis. We now have two groups in the Ogemaw Fellowship. One still meets in the area of our property and the other meets in Prescott. We had our first joint meeting October 21 and it was a great time. We will continue to teach in this area. We are teaching both a developing leadership for the groups and people who are lost and seeking spiritual knowledge. Evangelism is our goal, evangelism by groups. We also have Lord’s Day groups meeting at Indian River and Gaylord. We hope to soon begin a new group in the Hubbard Lake area. A Monday night group meets, either at Houghton Lake or in the area north of Harrison. We pray this group will eventually have a house group in the Houghton Lake area. Our group at Tawas has dwindled away although we maintain some contact there.

Northern Michigan Bible Institute offers a study in Hebrews each third Saturday. This is a five hour study time meeting at the Lake City Community Church of Christ. Fifteen to twenty share in this study.

A pressing need with our financial picture being limited is to sell a portion of our property. We have it on the market but so far no takers. If you are aware of someone looking for beautiful hunting property with a ready made lodge let them know about it. It is 70 acres with house, barn, pond and about half and half divided between swamp and cleared land. Deer are plentiful (they drive us nuts). We are asking $260,000. Money from the sale will go primarily to work in Thailand.

We leave November 27 for another Thailand Northmen meeting. More and more we are making the brothers in Thailand take this meeting over completely. This year six of us will be there and help speak but most all the meeting will be under the brothers there. We are anticipating about 100 sharing. It is a time of rich fellowship and growth. We then stay for a couple weeks and teach, fix up things at the compound where Ahtapa and Leah Sinlee have some 60 kids. We go out with them to evangelize and speak and teach and encourage as we can. Please pray for us as we go. If you would like to help with what we do there (not our personal expenses each man covers his own) funds are always needed for those in need, repairs, books, clothes, just general help and assistance. If you have funds for that kind of work send them to us before Nov 25. Make any checks to the Northmen. We will completely account for all funds and report to you when returning home.

For more information on Northmen Thailand please see the Thailand page.

Tapes or CDs of all sessions from last summer and way back to the 70’s are available at nominal cost. Contact: Christian Audio Tapes, 888Corporation, Bridgeport, IL, 62417 or visit www.catapes.com

If you are coming to the Northmen for the first time remember it is primitive camping. We will have information about your camping needs in the next issue. The next issue (June) will also include directions to the campsite.

Feel free to print this paper (see link below for printer friendly version) and get it in the hands of others. Pictures of our speakers can be found on the Current Meeting page.

We will continue to have Junior and Teen sessions for the boys. If you would like to help teach or share let Mike know. Juniors will have afternoon recreation including a bike rally one afternoon. Teen boys will make a canoe trip one afternoon.

You can camp at the site, stay in a motel and drive in, camp at Wilderness Christian or area campsites. Come share the great outdoors and fellowship with God’s men.

FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE NEWSLETTER, CLICK HERE.