The Warren Family

Greetings in the Name of the Lord,

     The winter is here, and boy did it freeze-up suddenly, and hard! For almost a month and a half spanning October, November, and December, below zero was the norm rather than the exception. We used a lot of wood during that time to keep the building warm and keep the consumption of fuel oil down. We are very appreciative of our home church, Independent Baptist Church of Anchorage, and the new highly efficient wood stove they purchased, shipped out, and sent 2 men out to help install. We ran it non-stop for four weeks straight, 24/7. The fuel oil stoves keep the house and church from freezing up, but use thousands of dollars of fuel oil, and do not heat the smaller side rooms well in this old, drafty house: if you put a wet rag on the bathroom floor, it will freeze shortly thereafter, and a cup of water left on our bedroom nightstand will freeze by morning when it is below zero outside. Having the woodstove running provides a more even heat throughout the house, in addition to keeping the cost of fuel oil down.

     Deacon Gregg Jacobs and Brother Matt Macdonald, the men who flew out, also helped level the building at one end, which was greatly appreciated. After they did that, they helped cut and move some firewood. They were a huge blessing while they were here. 

     In October, after a service in Pitka’s Point, a teenager came up to me and said he wanted to receive Christ as his Saviour! It was a blessing to hear him pray to God and believe in the Gospel for forgiveness of sins! He has been coming to services over the last 5 years. Pray for Ricco to be baptized as soon as possible, and for his discipleship. This happened about a month after a family in Pitka’s Point started letting us hold services in their house, and it was their firstborn child who was saved! 

     We recently have had a lot of people ask to be baptized, but as it is the middle of winter, unless we can figure out a way to do it inside, we will have to wait until August, when the Andreafski River  warms up to the low 50’s. Please pray for wisdom in this matter. I am considering buying a horse trough and having it flown out, so as to be able to baptize in the winter.

     In December, I was asked to preach a funeral service for Joanne Sleppy, an elderly widow who had ministered with her husband for years on the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, leading many souls to Christ. She was a blessing to our family, whose calls to encourage us and see if we needed anything prayed for will be missed. I had to fly to the village of Bethel for the funeral, and was there for 9 days due to the weather. When I arrived back in Saint Mary’s, I was asked to help with a funeral for a young unsaved man who had passed away while I was gone, and was busy for two days helping pickax a grave in permafrost and rock, and then helping with the funeral.

     A teenager, Joshua Pinnix, the son of John Pinnix, who heads up Remote Alaska Missions, came out and preached for us. We enjoyed his company during his visit.  Job and Bethany Hale, Rebecca’s Sister and Brother in Law, who recently started a church in the Village of Napakiak, also came and visited us the week around Christmas, and Job preached as well. It is encouraging to see young men who serve God!

     We are grateful for all of the offerings, and boxes of supplies and gifts that people have sent over the holidays! They were a big blessing! They were filled with so much we needed, things we had run short or out of: canned goods, dry goods, fresh produce, tools, clothes, ministry supplies. Thank y’all so much!

     We put off our furlough in 2021 due to covid restrictions in Saint Mary’s hindering getting someone to fill the pulpit. We are praying that we will be able to do a furlough in 2022 should everything work out this time. 

In Christ,                                                                                                                                                                                                Israel J. Warren                                                                                                                                                                                    Psalm 34:6

Contact Info:
The Warrens Cell: 907-438-6446 Email: north2sitka@gmail.com Mailing Address: PO Box 143 Saint Mary’s, AK 99658
Sending Church: Ind. Bap. Church of Anchorage, 1801 E. 68th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-562-3004
Support Address: Faith Baptist Church c/o M.A.J.D. (include missionary’s name in note on check) PO Box 329 Cropwell, AL 35054 Phone: 205-365-3165
NOTE: Please send any personal correspondence, such as cards and letters, directly to our PO Box. Thank you!