This month has been filled with exciting developments, trips, new opportunities and new friends made.

Patty and I had the opportunity to attend the Benson Grove Baptist Camp Meeting in Benson, NC last week, meeting over two dozen pastors, missionaries and Gospel singers. We were very well received for our first time attending.

Our friends Neil and Nancy Olenick from our home church (New Life Baptist in White Marsh, MD) arranged for us to attend and it was a blessing. Many visited our booth and took prayer cards and other information on Military Evangelism. We were blessed to sell many copies of my Revelation commentary as well. We pray that the meeting will result in more meetings and expanding our partner base.

We have also been doing lots of work on the exterior of the Center this month. The area in back is cleaned, new grass seed is sprouting, and the hammock will be in this week.

This will provide our Marines with a nice shaded area to relax on the weekends. New Area lighting has been installed, all LED to create cost savings, and we believe this will enhance the security of the Center in the nighttime. Power washing of the sidewalks and brick has been completed as well. I plan to start painting the exterior this fall when the temperatures get back down to Northeast, Mid-Atlantic temperature range I’m used to!

Many have responded to the fund drive to help with renovations at the Center. So far about 10% of the need shared last month has come in! As the money arrives we will be getting the projects done. I’ve already measured and started getting prices for Kitchen cabinets and a new dining room table. If you were interested in participating in the Renovation Fund Drive there is still time, since there is no expiration date to making God’s Ministry look and work its best!

Great contacts have been established on base, including a new chaplain at Camp Lejeune, who visited a Tuesday night Fellowship Dinner. He and I hit it off and plan to meet regularly to see how we can assist each other. Please pray for an opportunity to meet with Marines awaiting assignment at Camp Johnson. There are some schools there that finish their training well before their orders for new assignments come in for the new marines. Many of them must stay in their barracks all day with nothing to do. Of course this is causing them to go a little stir crazy. The Chaplain at Camp Johnson has a plan to get them out of their barracks one or two days a week for a two hour fellowship time. He has enlisted my help in providing activities and a listening ear for these men and women. I think it will be a wonderful opportunity to establish relationships that may lead to new regulars at the Center.

Throughout May and the first few weeks of June we had a new Marine visit nearly every week. All of these were the result of our regulars sharing the ministry with friends on Base and inviting them. I guess that means the best way to get folks into church works on the Mission field as well!

The Bible Studies are being well received. We are studying Proverbs on Tuesday Nights and Romans on Friday nights. Wisdom and Doctrine are turning out to be a good combination.

Our internet ministry is going well also. The Podcast is increasing listeners every week, and they are from around the world. The Blog saw a spike of around 700% the first week of June after my eulogy to my friend Pastor Clay Moorman went viral. Over 900 individual people visited the blog and the Center Facebook page that week. And Praise the Lord, one of my key ventures when I began has started showing fruit. Our first internet gifts were received via PayPal this month!

Finally, if you haven’t heard, our podcast “Field Notes with Dave Mason” has been picked up by jdfoxxradio.com as their Sunday Morning Religious programming. You can listen online through this link or download their app on the Apple store or Google Play. Field notes plays at 8:00 and 10:00 Sunday Mornings, Easter Standard Time.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support. We couldn’t do what we do without you!

‘Till Jesus Returns,