First Baptist Church of Eagle Butte
P.O. Box 170, Eagle Butte, SD 57625
(605) 891-1704
Dear Friends,
Greetings to you all, from First Baptist Church of Eagle Butte!
I am super excited to be writing to you all today, as there is so
much great news that has happened over the past few months.
Not the least of which were the Aurora Borealis,
which brilliantly showed themselves about a month ago.
Summer is now upon us, and the formerly-barren prairie has
burst into bloom, with gorgeous green fields on every side.
My wife, Tiffany recently finished a year of teaching, and is
now embarking on a new career as a professional librarian!
I’m so proud of her. 2024 has been shaping up to be a great year so far!
Windswept Academy Does Sports Now!
Our local Christian school, Windswept Academy, has
been developing a solid, accredited, K-12 academic
program for years now. But one thing that has always
eluded them was a sports program. All of that changed
this spring, when the school fielded a team in its first
sport-archery! Our first tournament was on the Pine Ridge
reservation, in the southern part of the state. We did well,
scoring third place out of five teams! But more importantly,
our students showed good sportsmanship and represented
the name of Christ well.
Graduation and Awards
When Windswept reached the end of its academic year,
an awards ceremony was held at the Oglala Lakota
Community College. Children of all grade levels received
awards in every subject. As Windswept Academy’s Lakota
teacher, I had the honor of presenting the awards for
Lakota language. The kindergarteners, meanwhile, enjoyed a
graduation ceremony. The children were delighted. Some
of the high schoolers even took the opportunity to dress up,
so they could take some photos. It was a good time had by all,
and a milestone to the academic accomplishment of all these
young people!
A New Floor, and Old Friends
In the late spring, First Baptist Church played host to some
of our oldest and dearest friends. Hailing from Burkemont
Baptist Church of Morganton, North Carolina, these men
took it as their project to put down flooring in three of the
church’s rooms. One of these was the fellowship hall, which
was very large.Such a project normally would have taken a week.
But through teamwork, skill and enthusiasm, these men
managed to do all three rooms in only three days! Since they
had some spare time, they also installed a lock on the door of
a local woman, who was finding it difficult to latch. They
were even kind enough to move all the furniture back where
it was supposed to be! I am so grateful to each of them for
donating their time and energy. And I am grateful to Burkemont
Baptist Church, for sending these great helpers!
Revival Services!
Sometimes, good things take extensive preparation and
patience. And sometimes, the Lord just chooses to bless
you. I have recently experienced one of these occasions,
to my delight. This spring, I received a phone call saying
that Blue Baptist Church of Connerville, Oklahoma was
looking for a place in Eagle Butte to hold a tent revival. I
had had limited contact with this church before, but some
friends of mine vouched for them, so I told them they could
set their tent in our parking lot. I was ever so glad to have
said yes! Blue Baptist Church was run by good people,
who did a great job. They hosted a revival meeting in our
parking lot, every night, for four nights. On one of those
nights, two people prayed to accept Jesus! I am grateful
to Blue Baptist Church for all the good work they have
done here, and I look forward to working with them in
the future!
Vacation Bible School!
Calvary Baptist Church of Sparta, Illinois has long had
a relationship with First Baptist Church and Windswept
Academy. Two weeks ago, they drove to Eagle Butte for
a week of hard work. They collaborated to put on a
beautiful Vacation Bible School at our church, which
enjoyed steadily increasing attendance as the week went
by. The children played games, did crafts, sang songs,
and learned Bible lessons. It was truly a privilege to have
a part in it! Following that Vacation Bible School, our Sunday
School attendance increased. So the children’s lives were
affected in a meaningful way.
Wishing to have an even greater impact, Calvary Baptist
Church took on two large projects. They attached a metal
roof to a teacher’s house at Windswept Academy, and put
an awning over the front door of another teacher’s house.
They were both very grateful to our friends from Sparta,
and so am I!
So perhaps you are wondering how you can become
a partner with us in our ministry here in Eagle Butte?
If so, we welcome your help, since we treasure any
assistance from the body of Christ. Here is what we
need the most:
Prayer. It may be true that our church is getting along
well at the moment, and that God is doing great things
here. But it is precisely when a church is being used
by God that Satan does all in his power to destroy it.
So please pray, my brothers and sisters. Pray that
our leadership will keep their hearts pure and humble,
and that we will live at peace with each other. Pray that
we will be protected from the power of the enemy, and
that God’s Holy Spirit will shine through in our lives.
Pray that the Lakotas in the community will come to
know the Lord, and that the commitment they make will
be real and lasting.
E-mail addresses. For those of you who have e-mail
addresses, please send them to me. That way, these
newsletters can be forwarded to everyone in your church
who wants one! Just send your name and email address
to me at benfarrar777@hotmail.com, and I’ll make sure
you receive this newsletter as often as it comes out.
Financial Assistance. Our church is fortunate to have
members who are generous in their giving. But some of
our most generous members still have very little that
they can give. We have long been blessed with assistance
from outside churches and individuals, and we work hard
to use those gifts wisely and well.
If any one of you wishes to bless the church with a financial
gift, you may send it to:
First Baptist Church of Eagle Butte
P.O. Box 170
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
If you wish to give a donation in memory of another person,
or in that person’s honor, we will recognize the person you
designate in our newsletter.
May God bless you all, and draw you closer to Himself each and every day.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Ben Farrar
Pastor
First Baptist Church of Eagle Butte
