Randy and Susan Callaway, Leadership Team for Finding FOCUS Ministries. We look forward to serving your church. Give us a call at 260 387 7949 or email susan@findingfocusministries.com
Monday, January 15, 2007
Finding FOCUS Ministries is off to a great start with bookings from Oklahoma to Pennsylvania through the months of December-February! FFM’s Board of Directors and the leadership team, Randy and Susan Callaway, want to thank you for your prayers and financial support that has launched this new ministry. Your prayers support us as we seek the heart and perfect plan of God. Your financial support has helped fund the cost of mailings and printing.
The Incredible Journey!
As a way of praising God for what He has done we are presenting the timeline of accomplishments of this new ministry:
September 2
After prayer and the advice of counselors the idea of a ministry to help churches focus on what God intended for His church to be was birthed.
September 4
“Home for Sale by Owner” sign was put in the Callaway’s yard. The equity from the sale would be used to begin Finding FOCUS Ministries.
September 5
Home SOLD! Steve and Gloria Carberry, members of a small Bible study group we had started in our home, just weeks earlier, came to purchase our home. They also made a donation to the new ministry to help with our relocation!
September 6
Dan Kellerby, Susan’s brother and professional web site designer, agreed to donate and design a web site domain for FFM. Good friend and professional accountant, Jim Thomas gave us advice with whom to call in Indiana, our home base of operation, for setting up the new ministry with
integrity as a non-profit. Karin Witmer, an accountant in Ft Wayne was called and an appointment was made.
September 11
Web site is active with email addresses ready to be used.
September 15-17
Garage sale helped the Callaways downsize to fit into a two bedroom apartment that would house the new office for FFM. The Mustang was even sold! Have you ever sold a car at a garage sale? God did that for us, too! Vernon and Evelyn Kellerby, Susan’s parents, came from Oklahoma to help with the big liquidation sale.
September 20
Karin Witmer, the accountant extraordinaire who has handled accounts for missionaries and other
non-profits around the world, met with us for over two hours with advice and information. She helped us through all the mounds of paperwork needed to set up FFM as a non-profit. Her son, the attorney, helped us with registering with the State of Indiana as a non-profit organization by helping us write our Articles of Incorporation, By-laws, setting up the Board of Directors, and other legalities. He sent us out with “homework” to accomplish so he could do his job with expedience.
September 25
We completed our “homework” and sent all to the attorney. Meanwhile we work to pack, complete relocation details and everything else that goes with a move. Friends dropped over from time to time to wish us well and offer donations to the new ministry! WOW!
September 29
Moving day! Many friends from Decatur came over to help us load the truck. We closed on the house, loaded the truck with all that was left from our sales and then slept on the floor that night before starting out early the next morning for our apartment in Ft Wayne, IN.
The attorney called to say that on that same day Finding FOCUS Ministries, Inc. was on file with
the State of Indiana!
A laptop computer is donated to FFM by Matt Baldwin. Woohoo!
September 30
We move all our “worldly goods” into my son’s garage because our apartment wouldn’t be ready
until the next Saturday. Our son confirms that Randy can start to work with him at his company
Monday morning. God provided a job for Randy until we can financially build the ministry!
October 2
We stay at our daughter’s home, (Carrie and Nathan Dennison), until we can get into our apartment. I work with mailing lists and contacts, setting up the first board meeting and finalizing paperwork for the accountant while Randy learns how to test soil and concrete at large construction sites.
October 7
Randy and the rest of our family move our belongings into our apartment while I make a trip back to Decatur to speak for a Women’s Rally at Decatur Second Church of God. I drive back that night to boxes and more boxes.
October 16
First Board of Directors meeting - Articles of Incorporation, By-laws and other business approved while prayers offered seeking God’s best plan for launching the new ministry.
October 17
Treasurer, Tom Craig, sets up a bank account with Wells Fargo Bank for FFM.
October 26
First mailing for FFM is sent to friends, family, peers in ministry, and others.
October 31
We had a final meeting with the accountant.
November 2
We hold our first official meeting of the Board of Directors for the purpose of vision casting and goal setting for FFM.
November 8
Second mailing with more details about the services of FFM was sent.
November 14
Support letter is mailed to family and friends asking for 300 men and women to commit to giving
$15 a month and/or offer 15 minutes a day of prayer to God for His guidance of FFM.
November 25
First booking is secured with Hopewell Church of God to take place January 27, 2007. We will
present two seminars.
Second booking is secured with First Christian Church in Quinton, OK. We will present children’s
ministries seminars and model a lesson with their kids.
November 28
Third booking is secured with Fairview Church of God, IN.
December 4
We begin a new small group Bible study at the apartment complex for December discovering Christmas through the lives of those who lived it.
December 12
Quickbooks, a financial reporting computer program for non-profits, was donated to FFM from
Silver Lake Church of God! Praise God…again!
December 19
Fourth booking is secured with Central Manor Church of God, PA. We are booked for the entire weekend. We begin Friday evening with training small group leaders; Saturday training leaders in a council retreat setting; Saturday evening speaking at a couples’ banquet; and Sunday evening training leaders and greeters on how important first impressions are with outsiders.
December 31
We speak and present FFM to Fairview Church of God, IN. Everyone was very receptive to the vision and focus.
The rest of December was spent networking and preparing promotional materials. A new brochure was designed and printed.
January 6
We traveled to Oklahoma and presented a children’s ministry seminar and modeled a lesson to “real kids” from ages 1-12. The kids sold the ministry idea with their enthusiasm. Here are some of the kids’ comments: “Can we do this again?” “Are you coming tomorrow? (Sunday)” “Can we sing those songs again?” The adults went straight to the pastor to ask, “When do we start this new way of teaching?” “We have to do this!”
At this writing we are preparing a new mailing to a broader audience beyond the Churches of God and other friends. We still desire your prayers and support. Please let us know if you are praying. We want to send you a reminder to pray in the form of a magnet. Post it on the fridge…we all go there sooner or later! There is strength and power when God’s people pray! We cannot focus without God’s direction.
We are now planning for our next “gig” at Hopewell Church of God, OH where we will present the Nurturing Nursery and Children’s Ministry That Grows God’s Church. We look forward to being with the people of Central Manor Church of God shortly after our time in Ohio.
Continue to pray for:
The Incredible Journey!
As a way of praising God for what He has done we are presenting the timeline of accomplishments of this new ministry:
September 2
After prayer and the advice of counselors the idea of a ministry to help churches focus on what God intended for His church to be was birthed.
September 4
“Home for Sale by Owner” sign was put in the Callaway’s yard. The equity from the sale would be used to begin Finding FOCUS Ministries.
September 5
Home SOLD! Steve and Gloria Carberry, members of a small Bible study group we had started in our home, just weeks earlier, came to purchase our home. They also made a donation to the new ministry to help with our relocation!
September 6
Dan Kellerby, Susan’s brother and professional web site designer, agreed to donate and design a web site domain for FFM. Good friend and professional accountant, Jim Thomas gave us advice with whom to call in Indiana, our home base of operation, for setting up the new ministry with
integrity as a non-profit. Karin Witmer, an accountant in Ft Wayne was called and an appointment was made.
September 11
Web site is active with email addresses ready to be used.
September 15-17
Garage sale helped the Callaways downsize to fit into a two bedroom apartment that would house the new office for FFM. The Mustang was even sold! Have you ever sold a car at a garage sale? God did that for us, too! Vernon and Evelyn Kellerby, Susan’s parents, came from Oklahoma to help with the big liquidation sale.
September 20
Karin Witmer, the accountant extraordinaire who has handled accounts for missionaries and other
non-profits around the world, met with us for over two hours with advice and information. She helped us through all the mounds of paperwork needed to set up FFM as a non-profit. Her son, the attorney, helped us with registering with the State of Indiana as a non-profit organization by helping us write our Articles of Incorporation, By-laws, setting up the Board of Directors, and other legalities. He sent us out with “homework” to accomplish so he could do his job with expedience.
September 25
We completed our “homework” and sent all to the attorney. Meanwhile we work to pack, complete relocation details and everything else that goes with a move. Friends dropped over from time to time to wish us well and offer donations to the new ministry! WOW!
September 29
Moving day! Many friends from Decatur came over to help us load the truck. We closed on the house, loaded the truck with all that was left from our sales and then slept on the floor that night before starting out early the next morning for our apartment in Ft Wayne, IN.
The attorney called to say that on that same day Finding FOCUS Ministries, Inc. was on file with
the State of Indiana!
A laptop computer is donated to FFM by Matt Baldwin. Woohoo!
September 30
We move all our “worldly goods” into my son’s garage because our apartment wouldn’t be ready
until the next Saturday. Our son confirms that Randy can start to work with him at his company
Monday morning. God provided a job for Randy until we can financially build the ministry!
October 2
We stay at our daughter’s home, (Carrie and Nathan Dennison), until we can get into our apartment. I work with mailing lists and contacts, setting up the first board meeting and finalizing paperwork for the accountant while Randy learns how to test soil and concrete at large construction sites.
October 7
Randy and the rest of our family move our belongings into our apartment while I make a trip back to Decatur to speak for a Women’s Rally at Decatur Second Church of God. I drive back that night to boxes and more boxes.
October 16
First Board of Directors meeting - Articles of Incorporation, By-laws and other business approved while prayers offered seeking God’s best plan for launching the new ministry.
October 17
Treasurer, Tom Craig, sets up a bank account with Wells Fargo Bank for FFM.
October 26
First mailing for FFM is sent to friends, family, peers in ministry, and others.
October 31
We had a final meeting with the accountant.
November 2
We hold our first official meeting of the Board of Directors for the purpose of vision casting and goal setting for FFM.
November 8
Second mailing with more details about the services of FFM was sent.
November 14
Support letter is mailed to family and friends asking for 300 men and women to commit to giving
$15 a month and/or offer 15 minutes a day of prayer to God for His guidance of FFM.
November 25
First booking is secured with Hopewell Church of God to take place January 27, 2007. We will
present two seminars.
Second booking is secured with First Christian Church in Quinton, OK. We will present children’s
ministries seminars and model a lesson with their kids.
November 28
Third booking is secured with Fairview Church of God, IN.
December 4
We begin a new small group Bible study at the apartment complex for December discovering Christmas through the lives of those who lived it.
December 12
Quickbooks, a financial reporting computer program for non-profits, was donated to FFM from
Silver Lake Church of God! Praise God…again!
December 19
Fourth booking is secured with Central Manor Church of God, PA. We are booked for the entire weekend. We begin Friday evening with training small group leaders; Saturday training leaders in a council retreat setting; Saturday evening speaking at a couples’ banquet; and Sunday evening training leaders and greeters on how important first impressions are with outsiders.
December 31
We speak and present FFM to Fairview Church of God, IN. Everyone was very receptive to the vision and focus.
The rest of December was spent networking and preparing promotional materials. A new brochure was designed and printed.
January 6
We traveled to Oklahoma and presented a children’s ministry seminar and modeled a lesson to “real kids” from ages 1-12. The kids sold the ministry idea with their enthusiasm. Here are some of the kids’ comments: “Can we do this again?” “Are you coming tomorrow? (Sunday)” “Can we sing those songs again?” The adults went straight to the pastor to ask, “When do we start this new way of teaching?” “We have to do this!”
At this writing we are preparing a new mailing to a broader audience beyond the Churches of God and other friends. We still desire your prayers and support. Please let us know if you are praying. We want to send you a reminder to pray in the form of a magnet. Post it on the fridge…we all go there sooner or later! There is strength and power when God’s people pray! We cannot focus without God’s direction.
We are now planning for our next “gig” at Hopewell Church of God, OH where we will present the Nurturing Nursery and Children’s Ministry That Grows God’s Church. We look forward to being with the people of Central Manor Church of God shortly after our time in Ohio.
Continue to pray for:
- God’s design for Finding FOCUS Ministries as our territory enlarges.
- God’s strength as the power of His Holy Spirit fills us and guides us.
- Churches in the United States to have a desire to FOCUS on His best plan.
- More partners to join us in prayer and financial support.
Praise God for:
- People who pray.
- People who are giving time, talents and personal funds to this new vision.
- Churches who want to make a difference!
A million blessings,
Randy and Susan Callaway
Leadership Team, Finding FOCUS Ministries
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