Our rich heritage witnessed powerful preachers and bold missionaries venture where no one had walked before in order to share the Gospel message. Souls were saved, churches were established, and thus began our history.

On Monday night, October 25, for the 227th time, some 229 members representing 31 of our 32 congregations made their way to Beaverdam Baptist Church and shared for a few brief hours the joys and excitement of the great things God has done over the course of the past year.

In the early years of Strawberry, thousands of believers would travel by horse and wagon to spend as many as four days listening to a series of preachers expound the word of God while taking care of business and dealing with all manner of needs and difficulties that the local churches struggled with. There existed a true spirit of unity and concern among the various fellowships with many sharing out of their "abundance" with those who needed an encouraging touch.

Our experience in 2003 grows out of this spiritual ancestry. Our methods are different, our crowds are smaller, and the meetings are much abbreviated in comparison, but our mission and purpose are one and the same. We join together to seek out the lost that they might know the Savior. We work to strengthen those of our fellowship, and we enjoy the unique message that sets our hearts afire from those who preach and make alive the word of God.

God used all of us to make it a special night. The reports of our many active groups highlighted the efforts of 2003 as we joined God in what He is accomplishing in our midst. Mission trips, disaster relief, youth and children's ministries, church planting, and local outreach ministries in our own communities made for exciting reports. Beautiful and stirring music accompanied by the tender language of the deaf blessed our hearts. The presentation by Mt. Hermon Church in memory of their pastor and our co-laborer, Seaburn Daniel, was touching. To knit the entire celebration of worship together the "Re:Creations" were the perfect complement to the night. What a powerful way to underscore God's truth! I felt as if we were in a renewal emphasis, and it almost seemed appropriate to invite everyone back the next night to continue our "camp meeting." Thank you to everyone who participated in a most memorable evening!

We've once again heard the promise and understood the call. "When the Holy Spirit comes upon us we will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, even to the ends of the earth," and no one can hold back the power of God or thwart His will, for only He is God!