BILLINGS, Mont. – For Freshwater Church in Jefferson City, mission trips are a family affair.
The congregation took 32 people – representing families with ages ranging from 4 to 65 – on a mission trip to partner with three churches in Montana. From June 23 to July 1, the Missouri Baptists worked alongside believers from Big Sky Country to serve the community and point people to Jesus.
They broke into two teams, one serving in Billings in center of the state, and another serving in Joliet a little further west. Both churches made connections with Freshwater during a vision trip to Montana last fall. The Missouri Baptist Convention has had a partnership with the Montana convention since the fall of 2020.
First up was Valley Baptist Church east of Billings, where Freshwater helped in that congregation’s wood cutting ministry. It’s not a typical ministry for Missourians, but Robert Strong, Freshwater’s pastor, said it’s a vital need for many in that community.
“It’s a poorer neighborhood, and many people live in trailer homes without heat,” he said. “I would not want to live there during the Montana winters.”
Valley Baptist Church cuts wood and gives it away for wood burning stoves during the colder months. Last year, the church gave away 45 truckloads of wood. With Freshwater’s help, they cut 54 truckloads of wood during that week alone.
“Our goal was to cut all the wood they needed so they could focus on the ministry part and share the gospel,” Strong said.
Freshwater also worked with Valley Baptist’s children’s and youth programs and painted the interior of the church building.
Next was Refuge Church in Joliet, Mont. Freshwater helped the two-and-a-half-year-old church plant run a Vacation Bible School and refurbished ministry space. The final night, they helped host a family block event for the community.
“It was great to see families serving together,” Strong said. “The hope was that parents would spend as much time as possible empowering their kids to serve and lead as they served and led. Our kids did a lot of the leading during the Vacation Bible School and teaching the Bible studies. We did have a single issue with the kids the entire week; they served well.”