Dear Friends,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from the northern panhandle of the State of Idaho. Our God has been faithful to us here in so many ways that it is difficult to know where to begin. Your ongoing partnership with the Pine family in not only the ministry of PMU administration, but also in our new roles as home missionaries to North Idaho, continues to bless us immeasurably.

The transition and move from New York to Idaho has been harder than we imagined it might be, especially from the standpoint of “keeping all the balls in the air.”  My wife, Karen, who has now been placed into the position of Office Manager full-time, has done an amazing job in ensuring that our records, mailing information, publications, and banking have all been taken care of in good order, as well as assisting our treasurer, Eric Lasch, with appropriate notifications to various government agencies as required. I’ve given my attention to the physical aspects of the move in great measure — setting up the offices by remodeling the space (with a lot of help from our folks here at the mission!) and getting all of our books, files, furnishings, etc., where they need to be, updating computers, making sure all equipment is functioning properly, and overseeing Karen’s work. The two of us are also happy to be sharing some of the load with Dr. Kevin Backus, our new International Field Director, and much correspondence goes back and forth between New York and Idaho. The work of writing and editing our publications is ongoing, of course, as is a significant amount of correspondence with missionaries, potential church planters, and ministry partners like you. Right now Karen and I are both heavily involved in assisting in the planning for our upcoming summer Team Timothy ministries to Edmonton and Cambodia. Those plans are coming along well. I’m also looking ahead to a visit in late April to Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California, where I’ll preach in chapel and represent PMU and the Bible Presbyterian Church, and then take a side trip over to Arizona to meet with a church planting contact there.

Interwoven with the ministry of PMU is the joyous work of serving as a home missionary here in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Working in cooperation with the Northwest Presbytery, we’ve been able to establish a mission here that is off to a good start by the grace of God. Our Lord has drawn together a wonderful group of committed believers with a vision for living and declaring the gospel in the region. We’ve had many opportunities to get involved in the life of the community, and we’re expanding our testimony through the use of the internet as well. I just recently received an inquiry about the church from a family across the country who may be moving to the area and found us on the web, which is very exciting to think about.

There are additional opportunities to expand the work of the Kingdom in neighboring 
communities, too, and it remains to be seen what the Lord has in store for us there. Right now, the regular work of preaching, counseling, hospitality, and pastoral care is keeping my life full and immensely satisfying. We are looking ahead to establishing our charter membership role in April, and taking other necessary steps in the process of becoming a particular church in the Presbytery. God has given us good unity, especially in a mutual desire for His Word. We have much for which to praise Him!

We would covet your prayers for several needs that face us in our two-pronged ministry:

• Support for PMU’s General Fund is under budgeted levels. This is the workhorse account that keeps the office running, including our Office Manager’s salary.
• My own support comes from two sources — giving toward my personal account and the Church Planting Fund. We have reduced my hours and budgeted salary to reflect my divided ministry attentions, but giving is still needed to keep my account current and the Church Planting Fund healthy. There are other potential church planting efforts down the road that may need those funds!
• Our mission here in Bonners Ferry, Providence BPC, needs a permanent location by the end of March. We’ve got a few options, and are looking to the Lord to guide where He would have us to set up a permanent public testimony.
• A couple of our mission families are in need of employment. Unemployment rates here are in the neighborhood of 13% or so, but we are trusting the Lord to provide.
• Please pray that the Lord would give wisdom in what to preach, what to teach, what activities to engage in, and in the general labors required from an organizing pastor.
• Pray for the onward progress of the mission, and especially for a vigorous gospel witness and souls saved and added to the kingdom by God’s grace.
• I am the Director for our Team Timothy Cambodia. Please pray for the financial needs of the team, and that God will prepare us all to be faithful servants.  I’d also ask you to join the team in praying for a fruitful harvest.

Thanks very much for your prayers and support of our ministry. I love being a missionary! And I love seeing the Lord do great things among us, both in PMU and in Providence BPC. May God richly bless you in the corner of the vineyard to which He has called you.

Yours for the testimony of Jesus,

Len Pine