Ted & Marlene Sutherland Update 8/26/26
We have a lot of catching up to do with you. There has been so much going on... In case you haven't received our newsletter in the past... We began praying about this ministry a couple of years ago when Ned first introduced it to us. In 2025 God seemed to be directing us to get involved with Barnabas Enrichment Ministries. Being used by God to minister to pastors and missionaries, their families and their churches has been a burden on our hearts. God "solidified" this decision by allowing us to be voted by the ministry as appointees at the January, 2026, Barnabas Enrichment Ministries Annual Meeting.
In February we were on our "first" trip, sharing our ministry with friends and family in Arizona. A couple saw the '95 Buick Regal that we were driving. God impressed on them that doing this ministry, traveling nation-wide, we were in need of a reliable vehicle. They drove us to the car lot, allowed us to choose the vehicle of choice (with some direction from them, because as most of you know, we are not great at choosing vehicles!!) We left the lot that day with our brand new 2026 beautiful blue Chevy Traverse with only 91 miles on it. We serve an amazing, loving and caring God!! We have "affectionately" named it our Barna-Bus (Barny).
Our next trip was in May as we drove to the mid-west. One of our grandsons was graduating; we were able to be in that service. Then Ted preached at Northern Plains Baptist Church (Pastor Neil Hannahs), and shared the ministry in South Dakota and Fellowship Baptist Church (Pastor Ed Hannahs) in Iowa. Every meeting whether in church or over a cup of coffee was truly a blessing to us.
We knew that God wanted us to do this ministry full time. Ted was still the pastor at Calvary Baptist in Golden. We felt the responsibility to have things taken care of with our church before we could leave. Looking back, God had His hand on all of it, even when we didn't realize it. Following God's leading over the months, Calvary voted to call a new pastor, Robert Sanders, actually merging three church groups together as one. We praise the Lord for answering this need.
We are now on our next "assignment" – ministering to the people in Orem, UT. We will be at Grace Baptist Church (Pastor Daniel Long) for four Sundays while the pastor is away.
On the way to Orem we stopped in Moab, UT, spending time with Pastor Cole Howe and his wife, Cindy. We met a number of their folk at Moab Baptist Church. Thursday morning we enjoyed a trip to The Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point – our 50th anniversary trip. Cole also took us on a tour of the area on Thursday afternoon. It was fun to hear the history of Moab and see the beauty all around the area. God's artwork is amazing and we never get tired of viewing it!
Ted is making phone calls, appointments, and meeting with pastors in Orem and the surrounding areas while we are here. It is our prayer that we can be a blessing to everyone as we meet with them and pray for them.
Our next stop will be in Iowa where Pastor Ed Hannahs has helped us with names of churches and pastors. So far our schedule has us at Fellowship Baptist Church in Marshalltown, Calvary Baptist Church in Union, and First Baptist Church in Eldora for Sunday services in September.
In the month of November we will be at the Barnabas Enrichment Ministries Fall Meeting in Kokomo, IN. We are praying that God will lead us to more pastors and churches with whom we can meet, minister, and be a blessing.