We are well and safe and very grateful that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever—no matter how chaotic the world might seem.
Many thanks to all who have continued to pray for us, who carry on Aspects ministries, and who send financial support even when there seems to be good reasons not to do these things. Thank you so much for continuing to labor in the Lord and to co-labor with us!
Please know that our materials are still available as usual here on our website. Woody is processing orders, and we are here to answer questions as needed. Even though we are in some transitions (see below), ICGS is alive and well, and the Mousers still seek to serve you through this ministry and in other ways as the Lord leads.
Encouraging Words
God has provided a man very fluent in both English and Spanish to be an editor and reader for the Spanish translation of Seven Principles of Sexuality that is underway. This is a specific answer to prayer.
An enterprising Aspects facilitator has taken the social-distancing era as an opportunity for online ministry. She is leading a refresher course on the Five Aspects and has 11 students.
Barbara has a refresher student online for the Seasons of God course as well.
We get good questions from you about Bible, application, and ministry--enough to keep us busy. We are glad to know you are out there and working.
News
Late last year Bill decided to retire from his ministry as priest at St. Athanasius Anglican Church. We were in the midst of moving our ICGS offices home and seeking a new resident for the chapel when the corona virus struck. So we have had a double layer of transition and change going on in recent weeks and months.
Barbara’s home office
Woody’s home office
Bill’s home office
Nevertheless, these transitions are going well. Woody has moved her office home which actually facilitates her work, and we are expanding our home offices to include a few more administrative duties. We will be keeping the chapel for the foreseeable future, and are praying fervently for God’s best use of it. We did not field a spring conference this year because of our transitions. As it turns out, it was for the best since it would have been cancelled anyway because of the virus. We are not opposed to doing conference work, but in the future it will have to be with the help of others.
Barbara has been somewhat bad in taking the quarantine as an excuse to throw off admin work and do nothing but write on projects she likes (e.g., God through the New Testament). But she sees the need to repent of that and keep up on daily work. Moving the office home is a great time for sifting files. It is quite an experience to go through 50 years of Bible teaching materials and 30 years of ICGS history! She is not done yet, but has made significant progress.
Prayer Requests
We’re sure you are praying fervently for our nation, the church, the lost, and the sick. We will not elaborate on those much needed petitions here.
Pray that we would wisely follow the Lord through the transitions of Bill’s partial retirement and the virus crisis.
Pray that we establish ourselves as older believers in the relationships and works that will most serve Christ. Our goal is to Consolidate and Entrust—our stuff, our teaching, and our lives.
Grace and peace,
Bill and Barbara
P.S. A Practical Matter
Please remember that charges for our materials will show up on your credit card bills under International Council for Gender Studies, not Five Aspects. When customers disallow our charges because they don’t recognize the name, it causes us multiple difficulties. Thank you!