Midwestern Tour, Part II
July 26th, 2010Sunday AM, May 23: Arrived in Manhattan….Kansas, that is. We ate at an Italian type buffet with Pastor Steve Henderson, his family, and another couple from the church. Sunday morning was busy and full, but we felt that the Lord used the music today.
Sunday PM, May 23: It was a bit of a drive this afternoon to get to the Heritage Baptist Church in Lawrence, KS. Folks here were real kind and we tried to rest a bit before the service tonight. We did quite a bit of singing during the service, and then sang during the ice cream social the church was having. Not many could hear us, but we did the best we could without a P.A. system. This church has grown quite a bit, and they are building a new auditorium. The work seems to be going forward and that is a blessing to see.
We were able to rest on Monday, catch up on our business work a bit, and spend some time in fellowship with some of the single ladies here at the church.
Tuesday, May 25: For seventeen years, our family was a part of the Deer Park Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. We practically grew up in that church, and actually lived in the basment for a while when we did not have a bus. Pastor Tommy Trammel was always gracious to us, and he still is to this day. Ohio is still home to us in a lot of ways.
Pastor Trammel’s grandson, Jon Mark Trammel, is now pastoring in Glenwood, Missouri. It was through Pastor Trammel, Sr., that we made the contact with Bro. Jon Mark. What a blessing to meet the Jon Mark Trammel family and to watch the Trammel and Marshall families meet after so many years…and see how the Lord has kept us still serving Him! We had so much fun meeting the sweet people of Friendship Baptist Church. Our hostess for the night was so very kind. Meeting people like this along the way has been one of the sweetest things about traveling.
Wednesday-Thursday, May 26-27: We headed on to Rockford, IL, and the Great Berean Baptist Church. Pastor Melvin Swanson and Berean have always been such a help to our family over the years. It was a bit nostalgic tonight to sing one more time together here. The good people of Berean are like family to us and we have shared a whole bunch of awesome memories with them–at Camp Berean and at the church.
We sang Wednesday along with a tour group from Golden State Baptist College who were in for the evening. Pastor Mark had us sing at the end and it was hard not to keep from shedding tears. We were able to spend some time with the teens on Thursday evening. Matt & Julie (our younger brother and his family) came to the Youth Activity as well. (We grabbed some time with them during the day as we could.) Matt sang with us some and preached tonight, as well. We tried to slip in a few moments to watch some old footage from Camp Berean videos. Wow. The skits were really…dumb, and the hairstyles and clothes were horrendous! What those campers had to put up with from the Marshall Family…they ought to receive rewards in Heaven.
Friday, May 28: We stopped in Toledo today to spend some time with Jon & Jess (our other brother and family). It was a long drive, but we made it and enjoyed some more family time.
Saturday-Monday, May 29-31: Dad and Mom joined us at this, our last meeting together for who knows how long! We sang Saturday evening at the Church at Troy in Garrettsville, Ohio. Pastor James Beatty and his church family always have a great Memorial Day Weekend meeting and we have been a part for several years now. Dad preached Saturday evening and did an excellent job. We sang again on Sunday, alternately between Dad and Mom doing duets, the Sisters doing some, and then a few family numbers. The church here always has a Graduation service on Sunday followed by a delicious meal. On Monday they have morning services, a meal, and then a time of relaxation.
We finished up on Monday, packed up the two Subarus, and headed for home. We had had a full schedule, but the Lord had protected and provided. If you prayed for us, we thank you, and may the Lord bless you for it! The Marshall Sisters tours have come to an end (at least for the forseeable future!) but we pray that God will continue to bring fruit from our travels. Continue to pray for us as we serve Him elsewhere.
Midwestern Tour, Part I
July 26th, 2010Here are the highlights from our last Tour in the month of May. Forgive us for the delay in posting about it.
Thursday, May 13…
We left a few days early for our trip to Rolla, Missouri. The car was once again jammed full with instruments, luggage, and other necessities. Dad took a picture of us right before leaving. We looked like we had been through the mill already, but that’s just part of the process. We made it to Louisville, KY, that night–where we had already planned to stop and tried to locate a suitable hotel. The rates we checked out were outrageous, so we kept on going. Just when we thought we’d reached the end of the proverbial rope, we found a decent place to lay our heads just across the river into Indiana. Definitely had to be of God, because the three of us were about done!
Saturday-Sunday AM, May 15-16: We finally arrived at our destination on Friday, May 14. Landmark Baptist Church was gearing up for their Ladies Meeting. It was going to be more like workshops, where various classes on home management, sewing, and cooking, child rearing, and more were offered. We were told that one of the ladies who was to have a session that weekend was unable to come and so we were asked to take her place.
On Saturday, the Workshops began. Our session was called “Harmony in the Home” and we shared what we have learned over the years, along with some of the worksheets we had given out at the Mini-Music Seminar we had had in PA the December before. It was a unique meeting, but one that encouraged lost ones in the area to come. We enjoyed getting to know the ladies of Landmark. We stayed with a family from the church and were able to rest after our long trip.
We sang for services on Sunday morning at Landmark. Pastor Darren Myers asked us to sing “Heaven”, a song that he wrote and we recorded on the CD, “I’d Do It All Again”. We attempted to sing it sans our sister, Sharon. The Myers family made a delicious meal for us at their home after services, and we then hit the trail again.
Sunday PM, May 16: We arrived at the Victory Baptist Temple this PM, a bit weary and worn. The church family was very welcoming and helped us to get set up. Pastor Elmo Parker and the members of Victory were such a joy to be with tonight. It’s not every time that we are at a new church that we feel a special kinship to the people and the pastor. The service was one of great refreshment.
During the testimony time, one man mentioned that he knew our family from years ago and used to listen to the song sung by Dad and three of our sisters, “Did You Think to Pray?”. He said he knew that Dad lived what he was singing. When he heard that we were coming to Victory, he was curious to know if we had changed at all over the years. Was our stand on music still the same? He attested to the fact that it was and that he was encouraged by seeing us once again. It is testimonies like these that show us God is still working even when we don’t see the fruit for years.
Pastor Parker and his family were such a blessing to us. We had a wonderful time with them after the services, and then again on Monday when they had us over for dinner. We had never heard of their church before, but they are an amazing family doing an amazing work for God in a small town in Missouri.
Tuesday, May 18: The next four days were absolute insanity as we had services every night. Tonight we were at the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Emporia, KS. We had some time before the services to eat with Pastor James Scott and most of his family. The church is meeting in a former nursing home. There was a good crowd tonight, including quite a few visitors.
Wednesday, May 19: It was time to move on to Cherryvale, KS. The First Baptist Church is without a pastor at this time, but the members were very receptive. Bro. Tim Holloway was in charge tonight. We sang for about 40 minutes or so and then there was a time of refreshments.
After the service, several couples in the church led us over to our accommodations for the evening: an old hotel near the railroad. We waited for a while for a train that was slowed almost to a complete stop in front of us. Here in Cherryvale, the railroad goes right through the center of town, and the Leatherock Hotel (where we were to stay) sits right next to the tracks and used to house passengers on their way to various Kansas stops. However, this night we sat on one side of the tracks with the Leatherock on the other side of the tracks–there was no sign of the train leaving anytime soon. Lightning flashed all around us as we waited for ten…fifteen…minutes. Finally, Bro. Holloway took us another way around the train and we made it to our rooms. The Leatherock was a pretty neat little place to stay.
Thursday, May 20: Pastor Richard Haley and the Riverside Baptist Church was our next stop this week. We were able to spend a little bit of time in fellowship with the pastor and his family at their home prior to the service. Then it was another wonderful night of ministering, fellowship, and refreshments.
Friday, May 21: We made good time getting to Dodge City, KS today. This was our furthest point West, and we actually were in the West at this stop! It was a very warm day, but we arrived at Bible Baptist Church in fair condition. Pastor Albert Schrock and family were so much fun to be with. We have known Mrs. Schrock for many years as she used to attend the Cleveland Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. We enjoyed sharing memories with her. We also squeezed in a little bit of time down the street a ways, just scouting out a bit of the West in Dodge City before the service.
The service tonight went very well and we sang for a good bit. We fellowshipped with the Schrocks for some time afterwards. Not many make their way out this far, and so we hoped to be a spiritual uplift while we were here.
The next day we took the oldest Schrock, Gracie, with us to see Front Street and tour a bit of Boot Hill and more. It was fun to pretend we were really a bunch of old cowhands for a little while. And my, it’s windy here in Dodge City! We reluctantly packed up to leave for the next meeting.
To Be Continued…
California Tour
July 19th, 2010April 2, 2010…
Our flights to California went smoothly. We even had a layover in Chicago and were able to spend some time with our brother, Matt, his wife, Julie, and their three cute little boys: Timmy, Zach, and Caden. We were so happy to be able to grab a few minutes of time with them while we could.
We arrived late and met Pastor Bill Rench and his wife at the airport. They were bringing our wheels for our stay in California. They allowed us to borrow a church vehicle–the Ole’ Jeep. We prayed for sanity as we drove on to San Diego, arriving late at our place of rest for the next few weeks. Rachel Fisher, a friend from days of yore, allowed us to stay at her apartment for awhile. We stepped right into some fellowship tonight, and didn’t get to bed until about 2 or 3am West Virginia time. Whew…reminds us of the days long ago when we used to travel with the bus all over California, all ten kids in tow. Lots of time spent fellowshipping…
During our stay with Rachel, we were able to take some time to relax and sight-see and just pretend that we really were on vacation. San Diego is a beautiful area and offers many things to do and see, of which several we partook. We were so thankful that Rachel was kind enough to let us take over her place for a short while.
Sunday, April 4: After some trepidation, we did make it to Gardena (a suburb of L.A.) on Saturday. The Jeep held up and we experienced minor difficulties in L.A. traffic. (I remember people doing 80-90 mph around us as our caravan–a bus, van, and motorhome–tried to keep up years ago!) Easter Sunday was a great day as we ministered to the Bible Baptist Church. Pastor Scott Kirkland and family took us to eat at Marie Callendar’s for lunch and then we went back to our hotel for a nap. Joanna and I awoke to an earthquake this afternoon…during which Monica soundly slept. It was quite the experience. Even though we have been to CA numerous times, I had never felt a quake and so was rather interested to find out that the rocking of the bed and slight dizzy feeling when I tried to walk afterwards was actually an earthquake! Certainly had something to write home about now.
Wednesday, April 7: We have heard about the Bible Baptist Church in National City. We actually met up with several people in North Carolina and Florida who have gone to Pastor Larry Obero’s church in the San Diego area. We were excited to be there ourselves tonight. The choir music was a blessing, the preaching was uplifting, and we were thankful to be able to minister here this evening. We went to eat afterwards with Pastor Obero and his wife and another missionary couple.
Thursday, April 8: We were able to squeeze in a few extra meetings this month during our stay in California, and tonight we were at the Lighthouse Baptist Church in San Diego. Pastor Doug Fisher was unable to be here due to a previously scheduled meeting. We missed seeing him, but it was nice to see the Lighthouse family again. Time has marched on, but they are still going strong for the Lord.
Sunday, April 11: Pastor Bill Rench is an incredible man. He once helped us get into the churches in California, and he has never let us forget it…but we never could. We really are indebted to him, as our ministry seems to have been expanded in that great state and we always enjoy coming here. We were once again with Pastor Rench and Calvary Baptist in Temecula. The church has grown and with it, their buildings. It is amazing to watch a church go on for the Lord and expand both spiritually and physically. We had a great time with the Renches, reliving old memories and making some new ones.
Thursday, April 15: It’s not been that long ago that we were at Mountain View Baptist in Hesperia. We sang on a Thursday evening and there was a good spirit. Pastor Ron Webb took good care of us during our stay here. Their church even allowed us to stay several nights instead of one at a nice hotel. We were able to catch up on much needed sleep, get some work done, and recuperate from some sickness. (Of course, that was me…seems the colds never leave me alone.) They even gave us some gift cards to several restaurants…the Starbucks card really made our day!
Sunday, April 18: We made it in Saturday afternoon to Bakersfield after stopping at West Coast Baptist College to take a tour. (Lots of changes there…the last time we sang at Lancaster Baptist was in 1998, and the new auditorium wasn’t even built.) Clemencia Limon was the lady that we were to stay with this weekend. She and her husband were great hosts. We had fun trying on all the hats that Clemencia has collected. What a gracious lady.
We sang all day at Faith Baptist today. The church is meeting in a tent, but the spirit is still strong and they responded well. Pastor Joe Grande and Family had us over to their house for dinner and a nap. They are a great family and have a servant’s heart.
Wednesday, April 21: Another meeting that was added to our agenda this month was a mid-week service at the West Coast Baptist Church in Vista. This church is near Camp Pendleton and so they have an active ministry to the military, as well as many other ministries. We had a great service and enjoyed fellowshipping with members afterwards. There are some sweet people here.
Thursday-Friday, April 22-23: We were privileged to be at the Ladies Meeting at Faith Baptist Church in Wildomar these two days. It was not our first time to be at Faith, but it was the first time for us to meet Mrs. Jack Schaap. Before services started Thursday evening, we met in a conference room with Pastor and Mrs. Bruce Goddard and the other ladies who were speaking this week to go over the schedule.
Pastor Goddard mentioned that someone had asked him to name a few things that had influenced his church the most. He said one of the influences that helped shape the church was our family coming years ago and singing. The music had set the tone for their young church as they were starting out. I sat in the conference room and could only be in awe at what the Lord had allowed us to do over these many years. It wasn’t anything to do with us, but only the fact that He had lead us and kept us in His will.
What a precious time we had at the meeting this week! We sang here and there for different sessions. The second afternoon we were able to sing for the teen girls and encourage them to stay true to the Lord. We also spent some time with a group of them at the California Pizza Kitchen. The pizza was great and memories were made.
Sunday, April 25: We were almost shaking in our boots today as we mounted the platform at the great North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, California. Almost. Everyone kept asking us beforehand if we were nervous about being on the internet live and all. Nah…why should we be? It’s not like we haven’t been live before. Yet, we still were a tad nervous today. (What an understatement…) Pastor Jack Trieber was ever so kind to us and made us feel right at home. We sang all day and enjoyed some time of fellowship at Outback with some of the staff ladies. We had a great time at North Valley and were blessed to be able to minister there. You can listen to our rather shaky performances at North Valley’s website. Just click on the date of the service–April 25.
On our way back home, our schedule allowed us to stop to see a few friends–Sarah Roy and Malinda Benefield–in Morgan Hill at the Shadow Mountain Baptist Church. They took us to San Fran for our flights home. Our hotel in San Fran the night before flying home was quite unsavory, but we put a chair in front of the door, prayed, and fell asleep. And yes, we did make it back to West Virginia safe and sound. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to sing and serve in California during the month of April.
Rockford, IL
May 4th, 2010 Wednesday, May 26, 2010Pastor Melvin Swanson Berean Baptist Church5626 Safford Rd.Rockford, IL 61101815.962.4661The Marshall Sisters will be singing in the Evening Service.
Lawrence, KS
May 4th, 2010 Sunday Evening, May 23, 2010Pastor Scott HanksHeritage Baptist Church1781 E. 800 Rd.Lawrence, KS 66049785.887.2200The Marshall Sisters will be singing in the Evening Service.
Dodge City, KS
May 4th, 2010 Friday, May 21, 2010Pastor Albert SchrockBible Baptist Church1411 Central AveDodge City, KS 67801620.225.5703The Marshall Sisters will be singing in the Evening Service.
Hutchinson, KS
May 4th, 2010 Thursday, May 20, 2010Pastor Richard HaleyRiverside Baptist Church114 E. 8th AveHutchinson, KS 67501620.662.4126The Marshall Sisters will be singing in the Evening Service.
Emporia, KS
May 4th, 2010 Tuesday, May 18, 2010Pastor James ScottCornerstone Baptist Church315 S. Commercial St.Emporia, KS 66801620.343.6061The Marshall Sisters will be singing in the Evening Service.
Kegley, WV
May 4th, 2010 Saturday & Sunday Morning, May 8 & 9, 2010Pastor Rick SetserKegley Baptist ChurchHC 68, Box 100Bluestone Rd.Kegley, WV 24731304.425.6776 The Marshall Sisters will be singing at the Ladies Banquet on Saturday and in the Sunday Morning Services.37 Grandkids and Counting
April 14th, 2010The Pete Montoro Family welcomed a new addition to their already large, active family. Jason Samuel Montoro arrived in the afternoon on April 5, 2010, a whopping 10 lbs., 14 oz. His arrival evened out the ratio of boys to girls in the Montoro Clan. They now have six sons and six daughters.
The Montoros have been serving in Astoria, Queens (Long Island City), since the fall of 1992. Pastor Pete Montoro and his wife, Julia (the oldest Marshall child), have been faithful to the Lord since the inception of Open Door Bible Baptist Church. They have seen their ministry grow and now have a Spanish church that meets in the church basement, as well as Portugese and Russian Bible studies.
Bro. and Mrs. John Marshall thank the Lord for the newest addition to the extended family.