Jan, 2011 Prayer Letter

Greetings praying saints,

Here it is finally 2011, a new beginning. Every fiftieth year among the Israelites was known as the year of liberty, or the year of jubilee. The Hebrew word for “jubilee” means “to be jubilant” or “to exult or praise.” The jubilee year was a great leveler in Israelite society. It gave the poor and unfortunate a second chance. It also demonstrated God’s concern for the justice and fairness among His people. During this year any Israelite who had sold himself into slavery to a fellow Israelite to pay off a debt was released from his indebtedness and set free. Land that had been lost from a family since the last jubilee to pay a debt had to be returned to the original owners. May this year of 2011 be a year of jubilee or a year to renew and start fresh a lasting relationship with our Lord.

In our ministry across America we have seen a lot of fruit to our labor. After spending time with family for the holidays, we had opportunities to pick up more support. We had a wonderful privilege to work the food bank ministry of East Mesa Baptist Church of Mesa, AZ. There we seen over three hundred Adults and children receive turkeys and all the trimmings for Christmas dinners. For the children, each received a toy of their choosing. As a result of this labor, we calculated thirty-five souls received Christ as their Lord and Savior! Though there may have been gifts handed out and gifts received but the most important gift was the gift of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Christ shed His innocent blood on Calvary’s hill so we all can have the remission of our sin. Oh the precious blood of Christ, what a gift!

Please continue to pray as we line up meetings and raise support for the mission field. God has been very good about meeting our needs because of the fervent prayers of His saints.

Serving in His name,

Stephen P Kennedy, PS 46:10

November 1, 2010

Greetings Praying Friends,

Once again the Lord has brought to us another wonderful month. We have seen a mighty providing hand as the Lord gives us provision. We have traveled all summer through most of the New England states and some along the east coast. This November we have officially been full time on deputation for one year. In the past year we have traveled twenty-eight states, driven thirty-four thousand miles, and have visited nearly two

hundred churches. We have seen God’s wonderful grace and His provision in providing every need in our behalf. Deputation in the last year has increased our faith, prayer life, and our relationship with the Lord. Deputation has also strengthened our family and personal relationship with each other. Seeing God’s goodness on deputation makes me want to see how much more He will provide while we are serving Him on the mission field.

In our last letter we ask for everyone to help with providing a travel trailer for us to travel with more ease. Once again I can proclaim another answered prayer. The Lord

has provided for us a 25 foot 2004 Jay Feather. The travel trailer sleeps eight people and has all the accessories as a small size apartment. We are very thankful for the prayers and sacrifice of the saints in our behalf. Once again, seeing how well the Lord provides on deputation, I can’t wait to see how well He will provide on the mission field. Please continue praying in our behalf as we continue traveling and visiting churches to gain more support. This winter we will be traveling back west into Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

Please pray for traveling mercies and good health on the road. One of t

he attacks of Satan to God’s people is toward the health and well being.

Serving in Christ’s name,

Stephen, Angel, Taylor, and Caoimhe Kennedy

St. Patrick - Baptist

For centuries Roman Catholicism has laid to the supposition that Patrick of Ireland was a Roman Priest. However, over 100 years ago W.A. Jarell, much respected author and church historian, put into print what had been known by Baptists since the very beginning, that Patrick was not a Catholic Priest, but rather a Baptist Missionary. It is because of this much neglected fact that we put into print this material so that this present generation may know the truth and great heritage of this early Baptist Missionary to Ireland. So zealous were these historians of the 1800s and so spirited was their conviction to this that one wrote, "Rome's most audacious theft was when she seize bodily the Apostle Peter and mad him the putative head and founder of her system; but next to that brazen act stands her effrontery when she annexed the great missionary preacher of Ireland and enrolled him among her saints" (A short history of the Baptists {1907}, Henry C. Vedder, pg 71-72).

Most church historians agree that Patrick, originally named Succat (or Succathus) Patricus, was born sometime between the years 360 AD and 387 AD, probably near what is now Dumbarton, Scotland. It's also generally accepted by those knowledgeable of the subject that he lived to a well advanced ago, some placing him at over 100 years old at the time of his death.

Cathcart, the dean among the Baptist apologist, suggests that Patrick is not his name, but rather a title of honor meaning noble and illustrious and bestowed upon him by his grateful admirers (The Baptist Encyclopedia {1881}, by William Cathcart pg 886). His writings reveal that his father, Calpurnius, was a deacon in a Baptist church (we know that there were Baptist churches in British Isles as far back as AD 63, (History of the Welsh Baptist (1770) by J. Davis, pg 14), having apparently been converted to Christ while on a business trip to Rome as he also served as a Roman civil officer. In spite of being reared in a godly home and taught the ways of the Scriptures, Cathcart also states that the young Patrick was "....wild and wicked until his sixteenth year...." when while working on his father's farm, he and several others were seized and carried away captive by a band of pirates to Ireland, where he was sold into slavery to a petty cash Irish clan chieftain, For over five years he suffered the atrocities of slavery. Later, however he would recount that it was during this most dark period of his life that he, himself, was converted to Christ remembering the Christian training he had received from his godly father while but a child. Regarding this, W.A. Jarrel wrote over one hundred years ago,"....the truth which saved him when a youthful slave in pagan Ireland was taught him in godly home of his father" (Baptist Church Perpetuity or History {1894} W.A. Jarrel, pg 472).

Prayer Letter

September 1, 2010

Greetings praying friends,

We praise the Lord for another good month serving Him. In the past two months we have traveled through eight states and have been in more than thirty churches and meetings. Our support level has been at a standstill for the summer months. Summertime is a difficult time to raise support in relation that summer is a time for church families and pastors are busy with holidays, vacation bible schools, and camps. Although it may have been difficult, we have had no problems with helping in these ministries. Deputation isn’t what a missionary can get out of the church; it’s what the church can get out of the missionary. The Lord is very clear in His Word that a minister of the gospel of Christ is to be a servant to those in need.

Just recently we had the opportunity to help with missionary Stephen Brock, whom serves in Salem, MA, with his first church service. He has labored very hard for the last three months by knocking on 9,000 doors in the greater Salem area. As a result, the first service had in attendance nineteen people which resulted in two souls receiving Christ as their Savior. Salem has a reputation as being the witchcraft capital of the world. There are many witchcraft, Satan supporting, and demonic shops that specialize in magic potions and devil worshiping. Every year for Halloween downtown Salem is flooded with devil worshipers and a large group called “Satan’s Army” from all over the world. Halloween isn’t just a time for children to dress up and receive candy from neighbors. It’s a time that Satan shows his face every year in Salem, MA and worldwide. All this is happening right under our noses in America.

Also, we are still in need for donations for the travel trailer. We have a travel trailer waiting for us in Elkton, VA by some very good honest Christians. We have had a good response from the previous letter and are very thankful for those sacrifices. We are praying to have the travel trailer by the end of September. If anyone feels led to help, there is an account setup for us at our mission board (address at bottom). All donations through mission board are tax deductable.

Thank you all for your continue prayers and support in the effects of seeing the gospel reach the people of Ireland and now presently the people in America.

In Christ’s name,

Stephen, Angel, Taylor, & Caoimhe Kennedy

July 4th, 2010

We praise the Lord for another great celebration of our great country here in America. God has truly blessed this nation over the last two hundred years. There has never been a nation in world history that has done so much for the cause of Christ and the gospel. America is the only country that goes to war for the purpose of peace not to conquer land or people.

We have been in Franklin, PA for the holidays and I can honestly say that this town is a picture of America. It's a small town with small town values. Everyone know you and waves to say hello on the streets. Here is a 20 minute video of one of the best fireworks display I have seen in a long time. I hope you enjoy it.

July, 2010

Greetings to all,

Praise the Lord for another wonderful two months He has brought our way. We have covered five states and have been in thirty churches and meetings. We have increased our support by bringing in four new supporting churches.

For the month of June we attended the annual missions school for Prayer Baptist Missions Intl held by Gateway Baptist Church of Boiling Springs, SC. There was a great turn out for the school with good preaching and teaching in preparation to better serve the Lord on the mission field.

For the summer months we will be spending much of our time in the New England states. We will be covering much of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York. Your prayers for safety and may the Lord open the hearts and minds of the people for the cause of world wide missions are coveted. Also, we are in need of a travel trailer to pull behind our van. This travel trailer needs to be no more than 7,000 lbs in weight and road worthy. We are needing this trailer so we can cover more states and cities for the purpose of raising support quicker.

We praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy in providing our every need. Please keep us in your prayers that God will have His way and will in our deputation journey.

May Prayer Letter

May, 2010

Greetings to all,

I pray all is well in your dwelling in which you are reading this letter. Much has been happening with the Kennedy family in the last five months. As we had said in previous letters, the Lord saw fit for us to go into full-time deputation and continue our journey to the western parts of the United States. During this wonderful journey, we have seen our support increase dramatically (25%). Some, whom have been through similar journeys, told us when we get to the 50% mark then we are a the top of the hill and the rest is down hill from there. I pray that the hill is a steep one to go down. It seemed like a steep one going up and now we pray it’s steep going down. Deputation is some parts have been heartache but all in all it has been a wonderful blessing to see the God of this universe work in our behalf. He has sent people in our way to whom have showed us great mercies and blessings. There has not been one time where we have ever felt the Lord wasn’t there. He promised us in this Word, to those that are saved, that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We praise Him for that!

We are now in the process of working with Northwest Baptist Church in Londonderry, N. Ireland, pastored by Travis Snode, in getting our Visas. Travis is working on sponsoring us while we are in the country. It’s a long and tedious process so your prayers are in much need through this process. It will take time and money to see this through. POLITICS!

Angel and the kids are doing well. The kids are now working on finishing the school year out with their home schooling. Last week they just finished the achievement test with the ACE curriculum.

We praise the Lord for an answered prayer. In previous letters we had mentioned we were in need of a cargo trailer to pull behind our van. This trailer would make it easier and less crowded for our travels. Praise the Lord He provide us a trailer through my Uncle Dwayne in El Reno, OK. God provide the money through His people and God provide the person and trailer that we needed. God is good!

Please continue in prayer as we prepare for the mission field. Our goal, I’m confident the Lord will see us through, is to be on the field or making final departures in January of next year. Greater is he that hath believed but not have seen. That’s faith-promise.

Serving in Christ’s name,

Stephen, Angel, Taylor, and Caoimhe Kennedy