“…Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh“ (Luke 21:28). This has been our theme verse for the year of 2010. It has been a great joy to serve the Lord together in His family as each day brings us closer to our “redemption“.
There is no question in that this has been one of the greatest years of our ministry at First Baptist Church. The fellowship and spirit in our church has never been sweeter than what we have experienced this past year. Our overall attendance numbers have been down, but I am not at all discouraged about that. God will give the increase as His people continue to grow in grace and walk in one accord with Him.
Special meetings this year included a revival meeting with Evangelist Rodney Stewart in February; King James Bible Conference with Evangelist Ted Alexander in April; Bible school with Evangelist Jim Walker and family in June; and our missions conference with Wendell Runion in October. Our Tuesday’s in August preaching services were a great blessing as well as the many missionaries who visited during the year.
We had a great Spring Sunday School Campaign with the theme of bearing fruit that remains. On June 13we had our Anniversary Sunday to celebrate three anniversaries: Our Church’s 150th, Pastor’s 20th, Pastor & Carol’s 30th wedding anniversary. We are humbled by the goodness of our God and his dear people as we serve Him together.
The Lord blessed greatly in our finances this year, and we were able to take care of some much needed improvements. The kitchen was rewired and had an exhaust fan installed. Retaining walls were built around the perimeter of the newer building. We were able to get the newer bus repaired and painted (this Sunday it ran the route for the first time). We are planning on some other major building improvements for this coming spring. We plan on taking on a number of new missionaries this year also.
Looking forward to the year 2011, we are asking God to teach us to pray. There is much to be done for the kingdom of God in Amboy, but there is nothing we can do until we have prayed. I am thrilled to think what God will  do this year with a praying people

Love,
Pastor Rocky Fritz
(Jer. 33:3)