Gathering in South Jersey

After spending more than a month in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, NJ, the Henrys have purchased a home in Mantua Township, Sewell NJ and moved in on August 3.

The boxes are mostly unpacked, furniture has been rearranged several times, and most of Phil's tools have been put to use.

Now, as temperatures begin to drop, their home on Ravenswood Way is starting to feel like home.

Of particular interest has been the back deck. A friend of the Henrys, Peter Donato, did a great service in powerwashing all three of the decks surfaces; Phil's mother helped to stain it, and his step-dad provided a housewarming gift of a Barbeque Grill and Fire Pit.

On the inside of the house, Phil's handyman gifts have been put to full use as he's tried to reconnect light switches, change faucets, install railings, repair doors, and mount pictures and various other things on the wall.

Now, both Polly and Phil have substantial work spaces from which to manage their home and the work of the new church. As Phil is working out of the house currently, there is a debate between Polly and Phil about who is the administrative assistant of whom.

"Honey will you please get me a cup of coffee?" "Dear, will you please get ME a cup of coffee?"

Also, significantly, the front of the house (which was entirely obscured by more than a dozen trees and an equal amount of huge overgrown shrubs and saplings) has been "reintroduced" to the street thanks to the help of a local tree trimming outfit, Wible's Tree Trimming out of Pitman, NJ.

The Henry's have already hosted several meals for friends and family who have visited, including one of their neighbors, and have had overnight house guests as well.

They are even receiving regular mail in their mail box and have subscribed to the local and also the Philadelphia newspaper.

With so many things returning to "normal" it is clear that God has done a near-miraculous thing: moving the Henrys from Arizona to Tucson in one summer, all in time for school to start.

Please give thanks to God for this provision of His grace and pray that the Fall will find plans being laid for the new church to begin sometime in 2010.