Happy Birthday Jesus !

  25 of our camp members attended the Birthday for Jesus tri-camp celebration in Daleville last evening.  It was truly an inspirational event.  The fellowship with our Brothers and Sisters was both heart-warming and spiritually uplifting. The evening  was truly special. All of the wonderful aspects of it made it so. The catered food included a traditional turkey and ham dinner with all the trimmings (including cranberry sauce . . . yum,) the spectacular music was provided by Dr. Jacobs (which resulted in all of us singing along to some "down-home" Christmas carols,) and a special presentation was given by Ronnie Sheldon about a recent scripture distribution and Gideon camp formation trip to the Congo.  During the report on the Congo trip, I was struck by the commitment of that outreach.  The country is about the size of Montana and has about four million inhabitants living mostly in two large cities. The Congo has an average per capita income of just $4,500, and suffers from high cost of living and low wages. However over 1.6 million scriptures have been distributed in that country by the hands of just a few workers.  This is one of those countries that can't afford to purchase their own scriptures and depends almost entirely on Gideons and Auxiliary in more affluent countries to provide scriptures to them.  It reminded me in the strongest manner possible, that we as Gideons and Auxiliary play a varied and important role in the witness mission given to us by our Lord and Savior to spread His word to the ends of the world.  Those Gideons and Auxiliary in the Congo, and the many other countries around the world like the Congo, step up and form camps, distribute Bibles and Scriptures, and witness to the lost even though they will never have the financial base for that mission.  Their work is the extension of the determined efforts of Gideons and Auxiliary world-wide to bring Jesus to a lost world.  It reminded me just how important keeping our dues current is to someone crying out for a copy of God's Word.  What each of us does makes a difference.  Souls are saved to Christ every second because someone prayed, someone gave, someone went, and someone placed a copy of God's word exactly where God wanted it.  Our Camp had a Faith Fund goal of $2500.00 last evening; we exceeded that goal.  If you were unable to attend and contribute last evening, I pray that this letter will once again remind you of how important you are and the eternal difference you make as a Gideon/Auxiliary.  You can always contribute to the Faith Fund mission and outreach by making your contributions directly to our camp treasurer at P. O. Box 291 Ozark AL 36361.  Remember the 100 day countdown to the convention on March 8, started on 28 November.  God bless the work of this ministry, and God bless each of you.  Gene

December President's letter

Merry Christmas from the Dale County Gideon Camp. For December's message from the President CLICK HERE. 

Carolyn Nelson

Dale County Auxiliary,I know you have been praying for Carolyn Nelson.

Please continue to pray for Carolyn as it is my understanding that she came home from the hospital yesterday(Friday).

Serving HIM with you, Margie 

Sad news

Our dear brother Wallis Grissett, member of the Dale Co. Gideons has passed away. 

Preacher's Appreciation Banquet

Thursday evening, October 10th was our annual Preacher's Appreciation Banquet. Around 70 individuals enjoyed an evening of music and testimonies. The food was great and if you missed it, we prayed for  you!! Thank you to all the speakers, Gideons and Auxilliary members. A special thanks go out to Art for planning a great event.

News from Carolyn

Carolyn Nelson is home as of Wednesday. Her kidneys have returned to 60%. She has had a stroke but not having too many continuing problems from that. Prayers are still in order for her continued path to a full recovery! Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes.

Prayers please

Carolyn Nelson is in Flowers Hospital with Stroke symptems. Please pray for her and her family.

August Camp Letter

  Greetings to all of our Dale County Gideon Camp members.  I pray this letter finds each of you secure in the love of our Lord and Savior and looking forward to this month’s camp meeting at the Quality Inn on Thursday, August 8, at 6:30 p.m.   This month the men and women of our camp have one of their two separate meetings scheduled for this year.  Our program, “A Closed Door/An Open Heart” is intended to remind Gideons of the importance of building relationships. We are directed to build relationships with pastors and to provide insight from the point of view of the pastor.  We are encouraged to believe that even if a pastor says “no” to a meeting, it doesn’t always mean he will not be open to a meeting at another time. 
  As we move into the month of August, we move into the third month of this Gideon year.  Activities are well underway for our PAB scheduled for our Camp meeting in October at Ozark First United Methodist Church.  Please be active in getting your pastor to put this event on their calendar and to make plans to attend.  We also need to be working to secure church services for this year.  It’s very important that we get out now and secure the services and not wait too long into the year.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone at our meeting this Thursday.  Being in your presence strengthens my spiritual commitment and keeps me focused on our wonderful Gideon/Auxiliary mission.  Please call me if you need a ride to and from the meeting. Gene

From the desk of the President

 Many wonderful things are happening in the service of our Risen Lord and Savior because of you.  Our ministry continues to expand with the addition of country 196 and with continued increases in virtually every aspect of our Gideon ministry.  Last Saturday, the 20th of July, was an uplifting example of the dedication of our members.  As you know, our area Faith Fund Rally was held at the Daleville Convention Center at 8 a.m. and hosted by the Wiregrass Camp.  Our speaker was from Kenya, and his presentation was moving and heart-warming.  He will be in our country for two weeks and is currently attending the International Gideon Convention in Orlando, Florida.  Our Faith Fund Goal for Area S4 was set at $10,000.  Area S4 consists of 8 camps.  Of the camps present at the rally, $11,700 was donated for the purchase of scriptures. Praise the Lord!  This was especially meaningful to our speaker from Kenya, who depends greatly on the contributions for scriptures that allow the camps in his country to distribute literally millions of Bibles and scriptures to the lost.  It’s not too late to contribute to our camp Faith Fund goal of $3000.00.  Just send your contribution to our treasurer, Gary Walker at:  P.O. Box 291 Ozark, AL 36361.  On behalf of all those whose lives will be eternally touched by your dedication as a Gideon/Auxiliary, thank you.

One last thing in this email.  Please continue to be in prayer for the International Convention.  The convention started today.  Currently, over 4000 Gideons/Auxiliary have registered and over 90 countries are represented.  The special thing about this convention for all of us who are unable to attend is that we get to listen in.  There will be 12 live broadcasts from the convention starting this evening, 7:05 Eastern time and the last one on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. EST.  What a great opportunity to be a part of the convention and to hear some of the best speakers around.  The speakers at the conventions that I have attended have always inspired me in my service to our Lord, and I was always better for having heard their message.  A complete listing of the times is on the Connection.  If you have any trouble accessing the times and need some one-on-one assistance to get connected, please contact me. 

Our next Cabinet meeting is August 3, and our next Camp meeting is Thursday August 8, please mark your calendars now.  For our Auxiliary members, please remember that your monthly prayer time will be at 9 a.m. August 3.  God bless each of you, and thank you for being a Gideon/Auxiliary.

Camp Elections

Last evening we had our monthly Camp meeting, and as we do every year, we elected and installed the officers who will oversee the various parts of our Gideon ministry.  The current Camp officers are as follows:
President - Gene Nelson, VP - Art Warren, - Secretary - Don Turner, Treasurer - Gary Walker, Chaplain - Sonny Railey, Church Ministry - Steve Price, Bible Card - Frank Phillips, Faith Fund - Jerry Lucas, Scripture Distribution - Ed Woodham, Membership - Emmett Bolton, Camp Webmaster - James Lisenby. 
The newly elected Auxiliary officers are as follows:
 President - Lynn Price, VP - Martha Phillips, Sec/Tresurer - Gail Barkett, Chaplain - Margie McCall, Scripture Coordinator - Elaine Woodham and Bible Card Liaison - Gail Barkett/Margie McCall.  Our Area Coordinator, Fred Hollon, conducted the elections and installations.  I know I speak for all the members of our camp when I say "thank you" to the members of our camp who were able and willing to take on the responsibilities of their various offices.  In addition to our elections, the 30 Gideons and Auxiliary members present enjoyed a great meal prepared by Fannie's of Ozark, warm Christian fellowship and several prayer opportunities.  If you are interested in assisting in any of these Camp areas, please contact the person elected or appointed to that position and let them know you are wanting to help. We have a Camp of "doers" because of your personal dedication to this ministry.

Up-coming events include our regular Saturday morning prayer time (7 to 7:30 a.m. at the Quality Inn) Auxiliary prayer time at the same location (1 June at 9 a.m.) The International Day of Prayer is scheduled for 8 June in Daleville. Some scripture distributions are being organized by Ed Woodham and assisted by Larry Baker and our next Camp meeting is on 13 June.  Cabinet members, please remember that our next meeting will be on Saturday 1 June due to the International Day of Prayer scheduled for 8 June.  In the meantime, please continue inviting your Pastor to our Pastor Appreciation Banquet on 10 October 2013, 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church Family Life Center.  We will send out our usual invitations in August and make follow-up phone calls, but if you could get your Pastor to put this event on his or her calendar now, it would be most helpful.

As always, I am personally thankful for the work that each of you do as part of our Camp.  Your very membership as a Gideon/Auxiliary member speaks spiritual volumes to those around you.  Thank you for all that you do every day for our Lord. Thank you for being a Gideon

May Letter

This Month’s Camp Meeting will be this Thursday, May 9th, at 6:30 PM, at the Quality Inn in Ozark.
To All Our Camp Members,	Greetings Auxiliary Sisters,
The Dale County Gideon Camp will enjoy its monthly fellowship at the Quality Inn Ozark Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 PM.  This month marks the close of this Gideon year, and will be focused on our Camp elections.  Our Camp elections are more than just filling officer positions with appropriate leaders.  They should be a powerful time of reflection and planning.  Through elections, our camp acknowledges and embraces the possibilities…and commitments…of another year dedicated to reaching men, women, boys, and girls for Christ, through prayer, personal witnessing, and the distribution of God’s Word.  Personally, elections are a time when I actively reflect on all those who have gone before us.  Those members who stepped up and formed this Camp into a reality…those members who through the years remained steadfast in their Gideon mission…those members who remained active through their dues, and who often through the living of their quiet and Christian lives offer the best example for those seeking our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I pray that each member of our Camp will continue the great legacy set in place for us in our walk as Gideons and Auxiliary, and throughout this coming year we will be collectively dedicated to leading the lost to an eternal life with Christ through the distribution of his Word.  Please call if you need assistance getting to and from the meeting.  I hope to see you Thursday.  Thank you for being a Gideon/Auxiliary.    Gene	Ladies, It has been a great year for our Camp, our State Gideon Ministry and each of us by being a part of this ministry.  As Gene mentioned, this is our last month for the 2012-2013 year.  Let’s pray for our members we have lost, our husbands, Gideons and Auxiliary who have committed their lives to help win the lost to our Lord and Savior. Gene and I look forward to seeing each of you this Thursday evening for fellowship, great food and our installation of officers for our upcoming year 2013-2014. “All things work together for good to them that love God.”  Romans 8:28 Love, Lynn

A report on the April 11th meeting

Last evening our Dale County Gideon Camp enjoyed another uplifting monthly meeting.  Following reports from several of our chairpersons, a scripture reading and prayer from our chaplain, Don Turner; the 29 Gideon and Auxiliary members present enjoyed some fellowship time and a fine meal prepared by our caterer.  

  Auxiliary President, Lynn Price, gave a report on recent Auxiliary activities. Both scripture and Bible distributions went well.  During her report, a call went out to all of our Auxiliary members to set aside 9 a.m. on the morning of our cabinet meeting, for a time of Auxiliary prayer.  The cabinet meeting is always the Saturday before our monthly Camp meeting.  For the month of May that date will be May 4.  Please put that date and time on your calendars and join the Auxiliary as they gather to pray for our ministry. Prayer will be for our continued, collective determination to place a copy of God's word for the salvation of every girl, boy, man and woman seeking an eternal life after the trials of this temporal world.  You are truly needed during this monthly prayer time.

The program, "Pulling Together" took the subject content of each of the previous six programs from this year's Camp meetings and wove them into one wonderful "wrap-up" program for our Gideon year.  I believe everyone there was spiritually lifted and encouraged by the program and the time of sharing and prayer following the formal program.  Next month we will have elections and some special information that you will not want to miss.  Thank you for all you do in our community, your neighborhood and your church. Thank you for being a Gideon.
Gene

An update from our President , Gene

Greetings to all Dale County Gideon and Auxiliary members.  Several items have come up that I feel you might like to know about.  On February 11 of this year, the country of Nauru became the 195th country in which a Gideon ministry is organized.  This mostly protestant country, of about 10,000, is situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and is about six kilometers long and four kilometers wide. Nauru was a German colony until 1968 when it gained independence. This wonderful Gideon ministry is unstoppable. Nauru continues to grow and prosper in it's singular mission of distributing God's word to a lost and needful world.  

 Our Cabinet meeting is this Saturday, the 6th, and our monthly Camp meeting will be Thursday the 11th.  The Camp meeting will be a program (the last formal program for this Gideon year) on pulling together. This is something I believe our camp does extremely well.  We are moving forward on our church services, but we all need to be active in securing as many services as possible prior to the end of May.  If you are interested in becoming, or re-qualifying, to become a church speaker; Steve Price has set up some training and a qualifying time in May.  Please be in prayer about this. Speaking is essential to getting the work of the Gideon ministry to our fellow Christians, and your service in this area would be a definite plus. This would help all Camps around our area in seeking speakers throughout the year.  The month of May will be our time of elections and we will be winding down this Gideon year.

I look forward to seeing each of you in the near future.  Please know that the meal at our Camp meeting is not the main event. Our fellowship with each other is the most important part of our mission.  If dietary restrictions prevent you from joining, you may spend that time in fellowship with the others or you may come a little later (around 7) in the evening.  If transportation in the evening is what prevents you from attending, please contact me. I will arrange for a ride to and from the meeting. We can make it a regular thing.  

I am thankful for all those who have gone before us in this ministry. Now it's our turn to keep it moving for all those coming behind us.  Thank each of you for stepping forward and being a Gideon/Auxiliary member.  Gene

A message from Gene

I pray this email finds everyone doing well and prospering in God's service.  I thought I had better send an email before you started thinking I had gone AWOL ( Absent Without Leave...Army term).  I am currently in Owens Crossroads, Alabama (by Huntsville) assisting my son following his rotator cuff surgery.  I know many of you have been in prayer for him concerning this surgery, and our prayers have been answered in such a way that his recovery is remarkable.  Although the damage to his shoulder was almost to the point to where surgery would not have been restorative, he has bounced back by being able to sleep good, experiencing tolerable pain, and other than some throat irritation from tubes during surgery, has had a great recovery.  Unfortunately, I will be in Huntsville at least until the 25th of March, and then on the 28th of March will take my parents to Benton, Arkansas for my mother's 92nd birthday.  What all that means is that in addition to being absent from our last Camp meeting (I will get the food situation taken care of), I will miss our Saturday morning prayer sessions through 30 March...I really look forward to the Saturday morning prayer time.  
I would like to thank all those who participated in the Camp meeting on the 14th...and thanks again to all who were able to attend.  Our Camp enjoys many successes, but I think the greatest success we collectively enjoy is our combined dedication to the Gideon Ministry and our service to our Risen Lord.  Our Church Ministry is on the move with 14 new services, and our other programs continue to flourish.  Our next cabinet meeting will be 8 AM April 6, 2013, and our next Camp meeting will be 6:30 PM April 11, 2016.  Our April Camp meeting will conclude this year's DVD lesson series with "Pulling Together".  Our May meeting will be elections, and then we're off again for another exciting and rewarding Gideon year.  Please keep the International Convention in Orlando on your front burner, and let's all of us be active in our personal witnessing and PWT distributions.  
Remember...there is no one so bad they can not be saved...and there is no one so good that they do not need to be saved.  May we always stay humbled in His service.  Thank you for being a Gideon/Auxiliary.   Gene

A report from Gene

  Last evening, at the Quality Inn, we had our monthly Camp Meeting.  As advertised it was a great time of food, fellowship, instruction in the Gideon Ministry and prayer.  After Howard and Jan retired, following our Christmas Tri-Camp meeting,Chaplain Don Turner; took on the mission of finding another caterer and he found us a good one in Mr. Wayne North.  Please come next month if you missed it, and join us in a very good meal.  
Our program was about the Gideon International Convention and the many blessings received by attending the convention.  In addition to the remarks in the program, several of our members told us of their personal experiences.  In every case the experience was worth the trip to the convention.  The International Convention is in Orlando this year from July 23 to 28.  Our State convention is fast approaching.  The convention is in Florence, AL March 8 to 10 with the blitz on the 7th.  Please check "the connection" for registration information.  Over the past several years Carolyn and I have always been very proud of the number of members from our camp who attend the convention and we always have a great time.  If you have never been and need some additional information, please contact another member or me for assistance. 
  There are a few items that are of great and immediate importance. Every member can positively impact each of these issues.  First is the issue of dues.  Please ensure that your dues, both Gideon and Auxiliary, are paid up to date.  This year the end date for dues is March 31.  After that date, your membership will be suspended.  Be assured that even if you cannot be as active as you would like, there are still many ways that you can contribute.  If paying your membership dues is all you can do, you should know that, that membership touches lives all around the world and leads people to Jesus Christ. $40.00 a year works out to under 11 cents a day.  I can't think of a better way to spend that 11 cents.  Please don't step back from the Gideon Ministry. It feeds a world of lost and spiritually hungry people who are counting on you.
  The February meeting is our Annual Membership Dinner.  Gary Walker is working hard on this, but he needs our help to make it a success.  Please invite any professional and/or business people, involved in a local Church that you know will make a good Gideon, to the meeting.  If you know someone and are not able to make direct contact, give Gary the information and he will handle it.  We must all be active in this.  
Remember, the 100 day countdown is over around the end of February.  Make your donations to our treasurer, and I will offer our Camp donation at the State Convention in March.
I will do my best to keep you all informed, Please contact me if you have any item you feel would be of interest to our members.  Thank you for being a Gideon.  Gene

January Gideon Newsletter