Summer Update
Grace Covenant Reformed Baptist Church – Update
Grace Covenant Reformed Baptist Church is now in its fifth month. In this short time, we’ve experienced both great joy and deep sorrow: we celebrated a beautiful wedding and also mourned the loss of a beloved congregant who has gone to be with the LORD.
Much of my time has been devoted to training up men for eldership and fostering fellowship in our own Southern version of the "fire pit gathering," inspired by our brothers in Washington. The church has a strong core of families who gather faithfully each week to worship. As expected in these early stages, attendance can fluctuate. Some Sundays, we run out of coffee and communion—and on other weeks, I find myself drinking plenty of leftovers after the service!
The week following Father’s Day, all my children will be in town. We’re eagerly anticipating this rare opportunity to be together again as a family, now including spouses, significant others, and grandchildren. I’m especially looking forward to seeing our pews a bit fuller on June 22nd when we bring the whole crew to church!
My parents visited in April and stayed into May, parking their RV on our property—a visit we always treasure. During their time here, Dad helped me clear fence lines in preparation for our perimeter fencing. That project is nearly complete, and we’re hoping to bring livestock to the farm soon. In preparation, we welcomed Zoe, a Great Pyrenees puppy, into the family. She’ll serve as our livestock guardian dog and is already making herself at home.
In ministry news, I recently had the opportunity to speak at the Tontitown city council meeting in support of a motion to begin their meetings with prayer. Though I was nervous, I felt compelled to add my voice in favor, and I’m pleased to report that the motion passed. In May, I was honored to return and lead the council in prayer as they began this new tradition. It was a valuable experience and gave me a better understanding of our local government and officials.
We’ve had an unusually rainy spring, with a few storms causing damage to the farm. While we’re hopeful that summer will bring a reprieve from the storms, we’re also bracing for what could be a hot season ahead.
Carmen and Beau have now been with us for a year and a half, but they’ll soon be moving into their own home in Siloam Springs. It’s been such a blessing to have them here. Over the past year, Kristen has homeschooled Beau, and he’s made remarkable progress—he’s reading well beyond his age! I often joke that when I was in kindergarten, I was still learning shapes and colors, while Beau’s already leaping ahead. He’s had an excellent teacher.
It’s been a little while since I last sent an update. We continue to faithfully follow the path the Lord has set before us—both as a family and as a church. We are so grateful for your continued love, prayers, and support. Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward.
In Christ,
Bart Hodgson