Merry Christmas!

The Schrepfers
4281 S. Old Glenn Hwy.
Palmer, AK 99645
Phone: 907-746-9054
E-mail: [email protected]
Wow! What a difference 6 years can make! That’s how long
it’s been since we’ve written a Christmas letter. In 2008 we
SARA, NA
TALY, KA
had enjoyed our first year with our firstborn, and then welAT THE A TIE, AND MATTHEW
LASKA PIPE
LINE
comed our first daughter into the family. Since then, we have added
two more beautiful daughters to the family, undergone 5 surgeries, moved 3 times, and
lived in 3 states. God has been good!
We enjoyed 7 years of ministry with Rebekah’s folks in Kansas City. We saw the Lord’s blessings
through many joys and victories. That time also was marked with some physical struggles. Matthew made some trips to Mayo Clinic as he continued his treatment for his cleft palate and lip. He
underwent a full lip and nose revision surgery in 2012. Aron had his
right ankle fixed in August of 2012, a total revision of his original ankle injury surgery (2001). This time, the surgeon shortened all of his
ligaments, cleaned out his severe arthritis, and relieved some nerve
damage. The second surgery laid him up for 3 1/2 months just before
we moved. Praise the Lord that all of the surgeries were successful!
In December 2012, we packed up our belongings and said goodbye to
many friends and loved ones in Kansas City because the Lord had
moved us on from that ministry. So we began our trek northwest. We
landed in Eureka, MT to help Aron’s folks out with the church plant,
Valley Baptist Church, while we waited on the Lord for direction. That
was a good year of rest since Aron still needed some healing for his
ankle. However, in May of 2013, a deer hit him while on his motorcycle on a curvy mountain highway by Lake Koocanusa. Aron was able to keep his bike up, but he did suffer a broken left tibia
plateau. Surgery was again needed, which again laid him up for another 3 1/2 months. Aron was
on his back for 7 out of 12 months that year.
God is always good. Being out of work for so long left us wondering what God was doing in our
lives. Aron could not work while being laid up, but he was able to write letters and make phone
calls. Toward the end of his recovery, he was able to
fill pulpit a few times among the fellowshipping
churches in Montana. Also during that time, we were
able to actively seek full-time
pastoral openings. When the
time was right, God led us to
be in contact with Pioneer
Peak Baptist Church in the
Butte area of Palmer, AK.
(PioneerPeakBaptist.org)
KO
E MIGHTY YU
LUNCH AT TH
N RIVER
OUR NEW HOME IN THE
PARSONAGE AT THE BASE OF
PIONEER PEAK
3,911 MILES AND 69 HOURS FROM
KANSAS CITY TO EUREKA, MT TO
PALMER, AK.
Aron and Rebekah have had many dreams of going to Alaska because it was Aron’s childhood
home. Ministry there we knew could be a good fit for us, but we wanted to be sure it was the Lord’s
timing and the Lord’s will. After being contacted by several churches seeking a pastor, we came in
contact with the people of Pioneer Peak Baptist. We sought to find out if this was indeed what the
Lord would have for us. In September of 2013, Aron candidated at the church, then he and Rebekah
flew back to Eureka for Aron’s ordination immediately following. On September 25, 2013 (our
anniversary) we found out that the church had voted unanimously to call Aron as their pastor.
Praise the Lord for His clear direction!
We quickly made preparations to send our belongings via barge to our new home and to make the
long 2,316-mile and 45-hour journey across the Al-Can Highway before winter set in too much.
We did it in four long days. What a beautiful trip! We were welcomed by our new church family,
and we are enjoying our first year in beautiful Palmer, AK. Our days are filled with church ministry
and getting to know these good folks. The kids have many new friends and we look forward to
many years developing relationships, teaching and preaching the Word, and reaching out to the
community.
Matthew is 7 years old and in 2nd grade. He continually impresses us with his compassionate heart
and desire to do the right thing. He is looking forward to being baptized on the first Sunday of
January! His favorite past time is playing with Legos and reading Calvin & Hobbes. Swimming
and piano lessons seem to come easily for him, and he gets to tag along with daddy while fishing
and duck hunting with his “brother” Buck (our black lab).
Katie is 6 years old and in 1st grade. She has an outgoing and care-free spirit who can always see
the good side of every situation. She accepted Christ as her Savior last year and is learning what
baptism is all about. Swim lessons and piano lessons are new favorite past-times. She doesn’t care
what toys she’s playing with as long as she can share the joy with a friend or sibling.
Nataly is 4 and enjoying preschool. She has a beautiful quiet disposition. As Grandma Shrader
says, “Quiet waters run deep,” and this is certainly true of Nataly. She is amazingly detailed and
focused for a 4 year old, so Rebekah is hoping she has a quilting buddy in the making.
Sara “Beara” is our 3 year old, no-so-little baby of the bunch. She is happy and strong. Better not
get in her way as she keeps up with her siblings! After all, she’s only 11 1/2 months behind them.
Next year she begins preschool and hopefully will be able to avoid being the “destroyer of worlds”.
Rebekah has continued to enjoy and improve her quilting and was
so happy to learn that the church ladies enjoy quilting and crafting
even more than she does. Her favorite part of the ministry is the
Ladies’ Bible Study which she leads every week in the Fall and
Spring. She was blessed to be able to speak at three Ladies’ events
in the state this year, and she continues to blog at MostlySensible.com. The children get a lot of Rebekah’s time with
homeschooling, Wednesday Kids’ Program, VBS, and other endeavors. Most of all, she enjoys being Aron’s sweetheart, friend,
secretary, and helpmeet.
Aron is in his element back in his home state of
Alaska serving the Lord in full-time ministry. Having been in the state for a year now, he can get instate hunting permits and he’s taking full advantage
of that! This year, two minor surgeries that finished off past injuries have helped
him get back to his old self with less daily pain than he’s had in 12 years. Aron
has enjoyed showing Rebekah and the kids all of his old stomping grounds and
helping the family settle into the Alaska life. His favorite past-time is still studying God’s Word and preaching it.
Blessed beyond measure!
Our greatest blessing is the gift of salvation through Jesus
Christ whose birth we celebrate at Christmas time. He is our
example Who emptied Himself to the form of a servant in
order to pay the ransom of sin for us. We are so blessed to
serve Him in whatever way He desires of us.
God bless all of you! Please keep in touch!
Merry Christmas!
Aron & Rebekah
Matthew, Katie, Nataly, Sara
Schrepfer