The Son & the Sand
December 2006
Choosing Teams
When I was in elementary school, my favorite game at recess was kickball. Even though kickball was my favorite game, there was one aspect of the activity that I was not too crazy about… choosing teams. I was never picked first, and I was never picked last. My skills in kickball rested in the realm of mediocrity.
In junior high and high school, I switched from kickball to basketball. Again I was not the first to be picked, nor the last, but I was on the team. In some games, such as football or baseball, I might have even been given the task of being the “referee.” That was heartbreaking. Being given the “referee” status was often used to appease the kid that didn’t get chosen at all. I share all these team choosing memories to introduce an idea about our ongoing ministry efforts on Alabama’s gulf coast… “the snowbird ministry team.”
What is the Snowbird Ministry Team?
The team is a group of people that are committed to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Gulf Coast visitors and residents in partnership with the Gulf Area Resort Ministries. Much of our work is concentrated in various campgrounds, condominium complexes, and other vacation hot spots in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The team uses creative and relational ministry strategies to share the Gospel message. Through resort worship services, chaplaincy efforts, various special ministry events, prayer walking, beach evangelism, and random acts of kindness our team is used by God to make a life changing difference in the lives of those we come in contact with.
Who is Currently on the Snowbird Ministry Team?
The team is led by Jeff Ford (your resort missionary). Thea is also on the team; she provides great encouragement and direction for the resort ministry year round. The planners of our various ministry strategies are made up of several individuals on the resort ministries committee. The 2006 members include: Mitch Nelson, Jerry Hart, Gertie Sterns, Lisa Langley, Salam Shorrosh, and Kelly Tibbs. In 2007 the team will add a few new members: Brandon Moore, Jason Smith, and Jeff Eliott.
Beyond the planning, much of the ministry action is provided by Mission Service Corp missionary couples: Butch and Vi Riek (visit the following website for great information regarding the Riek’s adventures: www.rieksretreat.com) and Gene and Ruby Buttrey. Butch and Vi live much of their lives on the road traveling to various ministry sites. They call Alabaster, AL home. Gene and Ruby also spend much of their time traveling and working with ministries like ours. Gene and Ruby call Nashville, TN home.
Our team also incorporates individuals such as Betty Glasscock and Bill and Shirley Crews. The combined efforts of the resort committee, MSC missionaries, and other volunteers such as Betty, Bill, and Shirley enable the Baldwin Baptist snowbird ministry team to be more effective in their efforts of spreading the Gospel message.
Here is some additional thoughts from one of our team members (Vi) from the Riek’s website: Butch and I retired early in our lives due to physical reasons and after a first mission trip with our little country church in Titus, AL, we realized that God was opening a new door. After a time of soul searching and much prayer we began seeking his will which led us to preparing our daughter to leave for college, selling our home, most of our material belongings, purchasing a truck and fifth wheel trailer and heading for an assignment in Texas. That was the beginning of our lives with the Mission Service Corps and the North American Mission Board in 1988 and it has continued throughout the years in many assignments and many states. We served on the road for over nine years before returning to Alabama and purchasing a home in Helena, Alabama. We continued to serve with the MSC in different positions while attending Westwood Baptist Church and serving in various positions there. Although our family and church in Alabama are very important to us and difficult to leave behind, God’s call is again for us to follow his plans for us to serve in other areas. Once again, home is on wheels and we will go wherever he leads trusting him to provide as he always has. We have served alongside various ministries in Montana, Texas, Missouri, South Carolina, and Alabama in the past.
Would YOU Like to Join the Snowbird Ministry Team?
We are always interested in adding individuals or groups to our ministry team. If you would like to know more about ways you can partner with the snowbird resort ministry team, give me a call at 251.967.4086. As a prayer partner, you are already a vital part of our team. Thank you for your prayers. If you want to help in other ways, please do not hesitate to contact me. God bless.
One Last Thing
1Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. 2We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God’s throne! (Hebrews 12:1 & 2)
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version of the Holy Bible
Merry Christmas,
Jeff Ford
resort missionary
baldwin baptist association
www.barefootbelievers.com
Gulf Area Resort Ministries is a ministry of the Baldwin Baptist association
( www.baldwinbaptist.com ), and we are partners in ministry with the Alabama State Board of Mission ( www.alsbom.org ) and the North American Mission Board ( www.namb.net ) .
