July AMC Bulletin

July started with a bit of God’s handiwork, a little flurry of the Northern Lights. I was trying to go to sleep and couldn’t figure out why it was so bright outside. These events never get old. I also enjoy the weekly Bible studies. I have three that are happening apart from Wednesday night. They involve new converts, encouraging local members who have health issues that prevent them from attending in person, and an online study that is a mix of members and non-members. I have also been given a list of names of former members in Salmon to contact. I have started that process. Please pray that it goes well and people will return to their first love.

The 4th of July celebrations in Salmon are fun. They celebrate it here with Salmon River Days. It took place from July 2nd to July 5th, 2026. The annual community celebration featured a kickoff concert, a downtown parade on July 3rd, fireworks on the 4th, craft fairs, and family activities along the river. The church participated in the parade. We threw candy at children and handed out canvas bags to parents with the church info printed on them. It’s a good way to get your name out there in a small town. Cara and I got to watch the fireworks from the back patio of one of the members’ homes. It was up high with a great vantage point overlooking the valley.

Another way to get the church name out there is through signage and the Adopt-a-Highway program. The church cleans up a section of HWY 93 North twice a year. Everyone puts on the orange hazard vests and grabs a couple of large industrial orange trash bags. We walk both sides of the road for about two miles, picking up trash and litter. There is a church sign on the side of the road, and the church name is on the Adopt-a-Highway sign.

After the 4th, I got to help out at the Ivydale Bible Camp in Idaho City, ID. This was the camp that I grew up going to. My family has a lot of history working at, attending, teaching, and directing this camp from its beginning in the 50s. Three years ago, my son interned with the camp, and this year it was my turn to help out as a counselor at Teen Week hosted by the Linder Road church of Christ in Meridian, ID. There were 140 teens from all over the Northwest singing praises to God, hearing great lessons, enjoying Christian fellowship, and spiritually recharging. It was fun for me because I had spent so much time there in my youth; I was having flashbacks all week. Not to mention all the people that I went to church and camp with are now staff; it was like a family reunion.

I mentioned in our last report the dangers of forest fires. There are many across Southwestern Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. It is filling the valley here in Salmon with smoke. Everyone here says this is common for this time of year and not as bad as it has been in the past. In the picture below, you would normally see mountains, but that isn’t the case now with all the smoke.

Looking Forward

We would like you to join us in thanking God for the support we were able to raise for the work. We are still looking for places to work in 2027. If you know of a place, please reach out to us or pass our information along.