Baker Bill Rosa 2005 Mexico

8/11/2019 Baker Bill Rosa 2005 Mexico

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The new work which is now known as La Iglesia en Brazos de Cristo Arms of Jesus Christian Church) began in January. 2001 with th e mergerexisting congregations in Eagle Pass. Texas. They were originally knownIglesia Cristiana en Siesta Acres and La Iglesia de Cristo Las Brisas. At thethe merger, both congregations were small and struggling. The initial atte

was approximately 50.As a result of the merger,

location was required. Tcongregation began

office, worship and claspace on the campus ofBiblico. h e initial c s h

ava ilable a ft er the mergerapproximately 10,000.00.meeting in rented facilities

minimum of advertising a nd e xp osu re in the community, we have seen cogrowth and are now averaging 110 to 120 in our worship attendance. By Jan2005, the cash assets had grown to over 60,000.00.

In January of 2005, we began a unique bi-lingual program. We now be

worship time at 10:00 AM with an English session. The English program bega few songs and includes a message. This transit ions into a bi-lingual worshpraise service at 11:00 AM. The main worship service has a praise teamdesigned to reach the multi-cultural c it iz ens o f Eagle Pass. During this servobserve the Lord s Supper in a bi-lingual/bi-cultural setting. T he S pa nis h prnormally begins between 11:45and 12:00. During the Englishpreaching service, we have aSpanish S unda y school. Duringthe Spanish preaching, we have

an English Sunday schoola va i l ab l e .

Thomas Gary is presentlyserving as an Elder and SeniorMinister. He is responsible for thetotal program and the Spanishworship. ll Baker is doing thepreaching for the English Service.


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We need your help We need your prayers as we step forward in faith to fulfill thGod has given us for this property. We are soliciting short ternn missionary groups t

s in site cleaning and development. Special financial help is also required. Theongregation is making a major commitment to build as God provides. Our resourmited. We will be working on a cash basis for development. It is also our desire to

h e entire property free and clear by February 17, 2006.

f you would like to assist us in any manner,f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n i s i n c l u d e d

on the back panel of this brochure

Th e Iglesia En Brazos de Cristo hasurchased a 7.44 acre tract of land. We areeginning to developing th e property. Theice of 120,000.00 was reasonable. The

pportunities are endless Our initial goal forevelopment is 240,000.00. The seller hasanted us a six month NO INTEREST notee still owe 90,000.00. ll payments made

ntil August 17 will be directly ag ain st th einciple. The seller has agreed to renew th el a n c e for s ix m on th s a t interest . If w e

an me et our goal of 240,000.00 in the nextmonths we will be debt free and have

nds available for construction of a facilitycommodateing 500 We would eventuallyke to develop a Christian School/ Day Care,

Assisted Living facility and a Sportsomplex. All of these improvements will beed to extend the Gospel to the region

o u n d us

T o h e l p u s o r f o r m o r ei n fo rma t ion p l e a s e s e e t h e

b a c k p a n e l o f t h i s b r o c h u r e

\ncl\oH\gh^^ aV

This proper tyh a s a c c e s s t o

tw o m a j o rthoroughfaresi

w i t h o u t t h eexpense of

frontage.


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This project is worthy of youl prayer,physical and financial support If youwould like to know more concern inghow God is moving through Laglesia En Brazos de Cristo, pleaseeel free to contact us We want youo have a realistic picture of our workn d o u r n e e d s

Here are just a few ways In whichyou can help us meet the challengeswe feel God has placed before us:

Organize a work teamShare this project with your

hurch, missions committee orSunday School class.

Share with u s f in anci al ly. Unles sotherwise noted, all funds receivedoward this project will be equally

divided between property purchaseand property development. Byollowing this pattern, we w be

paying of the property and developingt simultaneously.

Invite s o m e o n e from La Iglesia Enr a z o s d e Cris to to s h a r e o u r v i s ion

with your congregation.

Please direct your reques ts to:

Tom GaryNCR 4, B ox 19- A

Eagle Pass, TX 78852P h o n e : 8 3 0 7 7 3 3 6 0 7

o r

Bil l B a k e rP O B o x 2 64 1

Eagle Pass , TX 78853P h o n e 8 3 0 7 5 2 1 6 3 9

E-mail: [email protected](REV 4-14-2005)

o n tM o v e

D e C r i s t o


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F r e s h F r o m t h e B a k e r s O v e nB i l l and Rosa Baker

2 5 6 4 E i d s o n R o a dP O B o x 2 5 4 1 Mail)

E a g l e P a s s T X 7 8 8 5 3 2 5 4 1

H o m e : 830 7 5 2 1 6 3 9 C e l l : 830 7 7 6 2 0 2 0e-mail: bbaker6 gstx.rr.com

Serv ing C h r i s t O n t h e M e x i c a nB o r d e r

E a g l e P a s s Te x a s

What H a p p e n e d to You?I was asked some time ago, Were you ill Baker? The ton e of th e

question set me back a bit. But, I was Bill Baker and I am still Bill Baker. Ithink the questioner really meant to ask , were you ill Baker, th e Director ofSpanish American Evangelism in El Paso? Then th e next appropriatequestion followed, What happened to you? and Where are yo u now?

It has been twelve years since serving as th e Director of SAE. Ou r familyhas under gone major changes. In August of 1993, Rosa, Barbie, Frances,Caleb and I moved to Gering, Nebraska. illy was in California.)

After 20 years on th e mission field, it was t ime for a furlough We served with CeChurch of Christ in Gering. I was also very active in several projects in Mexico, includingdevelopment of an orphanage in Chihuahua, Mexico. Barbie graduated from High Scan d left for Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO. In January 1995, Frances, Caleb, Rand I relocated to Del Rio, TX. Ou r family worshiped with First Christian Church in DelI s e r v e d a s interim minis ter with Del R io Chris t ian C h u r c h for a b o u t 9 m o n t h s a n d w e w e

active in n ew church development in Mexico. Tw o churchesestablished in Acuna and another in Z ar ag os a. We also builc o n c r e t e b l o c k h o u s e s in A c u n a .

Frances graduated from High School and went to Cincinnati BCollege. Caleb developed a deep love for Mexico an d enrol leJohnson Bible College.

Presently, illy an d Laurel have four children. illy is servingMinister of Creative Arts with First Christian Church in HuntingBeach, CA. Barbie and her husband, T.J. Waters are serving withLexington Church of Christ in Lexington, Ohio. They have two child

April , 2


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What H ap pe ne d to You? Cont.T.J. is Senior minister and Scott, Frances 'husband is serving as Associate with thesame congregation. Frances and Scotthave one child. Caleb is planning to bemarried to Kelly Holesapple on May 15 in

Knoxville, TN. Kelly w graduate with a BAjus t before the wedding. She is schedule toreceive her Masters Degree in ElementaryEducation in May of 2006. At that same timeCaleb should be getting his BA as well. BothKelly and Caleb are preparing to come tot h e M e x i c a n Borde r a n d a s s i s t in t h e w o r kh e r e .

More C h a n g e s . . .Because of several problems beyond

our control on the mission field, R osa and Im a de t h e dec is ion in 2000 to s e e k a loca tedministry and cease living on missionarysupport.

I began a weekend ministry with FirstChristian in Wellington, TX in November,2000. Wellington is in the Texas Panhandle.For eight months, I filled the pulpit two ort h r e e t imes a m o n t h . W e m o v e d toWellington in July, 2001 and served untilJuly 2004.

Back to Eagle P a s s . . .B e c a u s e o f t h e condi t ion of R o s a s

foster parents, Harland and Frances Cary,we made the decision to return to EaglePass after 25 years away. We movedwithout an income or the promise ofmissionary support. The primary purpose ofo u r m o v e w a s to b e a b l e a l low R o s a to give-back to the couple wh o gave her somuch in her younger years.

At the tim e o f the move, w e had no ideaw he re th e Lord might lead us . Prior to themove, Rosa had been spending two weeksou t of every month with th e Cary's. InFebruary, 2005, Harland Cary celebrated thecompletion of 69 years in th e preachingministry. Both Harland and Frances now

spend the majority of their time in a whTheir spirits are no t diminished and tha r e b o t h ac t ive .

Housing Situat ion. . .One of our first concerns was a pla

We had been provided (on a temporary

place for only $200.00 per monthincluded. Even a t that rate, w e foundspending at least 500.00 a month morei n c o m e . T h e r e w a s n o t e v e n r o o m fgrand piano.

In March, we were able to get intsuitable place. The rent is now $60month, plus utilities. We are trustingcontinue to provide for our needs.

Ministry. . .Our second major concern wasminister. The church situation in Eagle

unique. Several mission churches hestablished here over t he y ea rs bu t mosh a v e n o t b e e n a b l e t o c o m e in t h e i

w a n t e d t o b e a b l e t o m a k e a d i f fe re n c e

Several churches courted us and encouto help them out. One even offeredsalary.

W e decided to work with the conwhich appeared to have th e most potentLord's Kingdom, long term. We are nowwith Rosa's foster brother, Tom Cary. Tcongregation was formed four years agmerger of two small, struggling churcc h u r c h is l o c a t e d in r e n t e d facil i t ies o n

Street and is trying to re-locate.developed a name which willfit t he B ra zlocation and also se rve well when w e La Iglesia En Brazos de Cristo or Ino f J e s u s C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h .

Iglesia En Brazos De CrisW e have been serving without sworking secularly on a part time basis fon i n e m o n th s . T h is h a s a l l o w e d R o s a toCary's in their fading years.

I have often joked I would preach evdidn't pay me I have no w proven that


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be true. This church has great potential for th eork of the Lord in this region Today we have apanish speaking congregation with an Englishmphasis. In one more generation, it may

come an English congregation with a Spanishmphasis.

The at tendance is averaging about 120 in them bi ne d se rv ic es . We have two separateeaching times with a combined bi-lingual

orship/praise and communion service betweenem. We have had as many as 50 for thenglish portion of the program. We are averagingout 35 right now. My vision for thisngregation is that it might become a regionalnter for outreach and evangelism serving bothdes of th e border. W e have recently purchasedmost eight acres of ground and are beginning

develop the property.i nanc i a l N e e d s . . .

The church is not paying a salary. Ourmbined part-time incomes have no t been

ufficient to meet our needs. We are askingod s people to team with us to help p rovide arong foundation for this ne w project. Once it isrmly established, we hope to be able to assiste building up of other local congregations as

e l l .

Wi t hG o d s

Suldancea n d

y ou r h elp ,t h i s

d r e a m

a n b e c o m e

a

reality

aD e C r i s t o

A Biographical SketchBi l l B a k e r

Born, Scottsbluff, NE, May 26, 1950Married Rosa Alejandro - August 14,1 9 7 0

BA - Platte Valley Bible College,Scottsbluff, NE

Children; illy Baker, 32; BarbieWaters, 29 : Frances Williams, 25 ; CaleB ak er, 2 2.Ministry Positions:

Publicity Director, Colegio Biblico, EaglePass , TX 1973-79

Director, Spanish AmericanEvangelism, El Paso, TX 1980-93

Elder and Spanish Minister, LoganHeights Christian Church, El Paso, TX1 9 8 5 9 3

Director, Mision Amistad, 1995-2001Minister, First Christian Church,

Wellington, TX 2001-04Minister, Iglesia En Brazos de Cristo,

Eagle Pass, TX 2004-Present

I fim fjroperty has theadvantage ofaccess to ^

two m jor ro ds without 5the expense of frontage ^

I

F u t u r e H o m e

Ig lesia En

B r a z o s


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Living by Fai th . . .When you talk about living by faith, how

do you show it? Is the dep th of your faithbased on your bank account or thematerial possess ions you own? WhenJesus talked about living by faith, he said

some interesting things Do no t s tore upfor yourselves treasures on earth. . . and do not worry about tomorrow, fortomorow will worry about itself. Each dayhas enough trouble of its own. Hesummed up his philosophy of life in withthese words But seek first his kingdomand h is r ig ht eo us ne ss and all thesethings will be giventoyou as well.

o s n d I h v e n e v e r le t f i n n c e s

alone dictate a move in ministry. In fac t,many times when we followed the leadingof the Lord, on a purely economic basiswe did exactly the wrong thing

There are those who would say thatabout our returning to Eagle P as s. We lefta good ministry which paid a salary Whichw as w a s sufficient to m e e t o u r nee d s . Q

Our purpose for movingwas to allow [J|Rosa theopportunitytogivebackto those jjjwho gave he r so much so many years mago. There is no salary. No constant 3income. Yet weare comfortable knowing g OGod is not slack concerning His promise. C UJ

God will continue to mee t our n e e d s and c ^ His Kingdom will be strengthened ~ 5 ^

We ask for your prayers and should the - Lord touch your heart to help us ^ u ^financially we would continue to be ^ oothankful and grateful to you and to our re

God who willsupply all of our needs. M x ^ aythe ordRichlybless, KS iS

fBiil and fRe^a fBakm 11 qBilland Rosa Baker S o re 0

a a. UJ ^

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Baker Bill Rosa 2005 Mexico