FCC Hudson Blog

April 2026 FCC Global Mission Prayer Update

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:05:49 GMT

April 17, 2026

April 2026 FCC Global Mission Prayer Update

Mission Focus Moment: Sarah Jane (SJ) Holsteen

Sarah Jane (SJ) Holsteen resides in Lille, France, with her husband, Sam, where she serves with the International Association for Refugees (IAFR). IAFR is a Christian mission organization designed to operate within humanitarian spaces. SJ’s team helps refugees and asylum seekers survive and recover from forced displacement. Refugees and asylum seekers travel from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, seeking safety and belonging after fleeing from war, torture, and persecution in their homeland. They come to Lille, vulnerable and rejected. IAFR hosts a church-sponsored Refugee Welcome Center to assist refugees through holistic Gospel witness, practical assistance, relationship-building, and hope. IAFR offers French classes, Bible studies, and other weekly gatherings for asylum seekers. They also support their asylum-seeking friends by accompanying them to their government interviews and helping meet some of their needs .

How can you pray for SJ and IAF R ?

Housing and Asylum Solutions for their frien ds
Wisdom and creativity in navigating administration questions for the French Association IAFR works through in Lille
Asylum-seeking neighbors, church partners, and volunteers would all know Jesus’ love and grace that welcomes all without distinctio

Our Global Mission Partne r s

Steve and Nopaluck Cable –– Santisuk English School, Bangkok, Thaila nd

The Cables’ ministry is thriving; however, they need more workers. Pray for more short-term missionaries to come forward and sign up to serve at one of their Bangkok locations this year.

John and Ana Lindstrom – Wycliffe Bible Translators, Papua New Guinea

Pray for several multi-language projects that John is overseeing- for the publishing of the Buang New Testament, and the completion of New Testament books in Musim, Kapin, and Yamap.

Justin and Joelle Goldberg- Wycliffe Bible Translators, Ethiopia

The translating team has been finishing the translation of Romans and has started drafting for 1 Corinthians. Pray that God’s Spirit would move as they work to translate accurately, naturally, and clearly

Ryan and Leah – Aisa

Pray that their ministry will continue to bear fruit as they share their faith and disciple others

John and Terri Nanda – Serve India & All Nations House (UWRF)

John and Terri recently returned from India. Pray that John would be able to continue to work through administrative paperwork for Serve India while at home in the United States

Z.S.&A.S. – Twin Cities

Z&A are celebrating 10 years of ministry. Pray for Z as he enters into a new role as an elder at their local church

Grace Aasness-CRU, University of Minnesota

Pray for seeds to be planted for college students to be open to the gospel, and that Grace would raise the support needed for this new ministry opportunity

Joey Olson- CRU Intern, North Dakota State University & MN State University, Moorhead

Joey and his team recently returned from a mission trip in Puebla, Mexico. Pray that the students' desire to share the word of God would continue to flourish

Josh Stream- Casas Por Cristo, El Paso, Texas

Pray for continued encouragement and confidence as Josh works with teams on upcoming building projects in Mexico.

2026 OBBA Charitable Giving Tax Advantage

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:40:29 GMT

2026 OBBA Charitable Giving Tax Advantage

We are deeply thankful for your generosity and the heart you have for the church and the St. Croix Valley. Your giving is a meaningful part of what God is doing here, and we don’t take that lightly!

We wanted to share an encouraging update as you think about your giving this year (2026). As of January 1, 2026, a new tax provision allows those who do not itemize deductions to still receive a tax benefit for charitable giving. Individual taxpayers may deduct up to $1,000, and married couples filing jointly up to $2,000, for gifts made directly to qualified charities like ours.

This includes contributions made by check, online, or other similar methods of giving. (Gifts made through donor-advised funds or supporting organizations are not eligible for this particular deduction.) Please visit fcchudson.com/give for ways to give to Faith Community.

We also want to share a practical note regarding mailed gifts. The United States Postal Service has updated how first-class mail is postmarked, now processing it through regional centers rather than local post offices. Because of this, the postmark may not always reflect the date a gift was mailed. If you plan to give by mail—especially near the end of the year—we encourage you to send it a little earlier or consider another giving method.

Thank you again for your faithful partnership in the ministry. Your generosity is making an eternal impact.

Ashley Hines

Finance Manager & HR Administrator

Faith Community Church

---------------------------------------

2026 Giving Update (Quick Summary)

As of January 1, 2026, those who do not itemize deductions may still receive a tax benefit for charitable giving:

Up to $1,000 (individuals)
Up to $2,000 (married filing jointly)

Eligible gifts: check, online, or similar direct donations
Not eligible: donor-advised funds or supporting organizations

Give at: fcchudson.com/give

Mailing a gift?
USPS postmarks may not reflect the mailing date due to regional processing.

Send gifts early , or
Consider giving online or by another method

Why it matters: You can maximize both your giving impact and your 2026 tax benefit.

Weather Update for March 15, 2026

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:02:41 GMT

Weather Update for March 15, 2026

Because of the predicted weather, all services on Sunday, March 15 will be online only .

Join us at 9 AM or 11 AM at fcchudson.com/live . There will be no in-person services.

During each service, you’ll hear a few words from our Teaching Pastor, Tim Prince. We’ll also share one of our favorite messages we believe is relevant for this time as we begin our new teaching series, “This is My Name Forever.”

While we’d love to gather in person, everyone’s safety is our top priority.

We hope you’ll join us online !

- Faith Community Church

Posted: 3/14/2026, 7:16PM CT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 11

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 10

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 9

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 8

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 7

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 6

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

FCC Global Mission Prayer Update

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 5

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 4

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 3

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 2

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 1

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 4

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 3 | The Grind

Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 2 | D-Day at Abana’s Hope

Tue, 13 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 1

Sun, 11 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 8

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 7

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 6

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 5

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 4

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

January 13, 2025 Uganda Trip #13 | Post 4 Today we got to work. With about 40 trainees, we met at 8 am in the Pastoral Training Center. After a few worship songs, prayer and announcements, we broke up into three groups: two three-hour lessons on the nature of epistles using the book of Ephesians. Today we worked on analyzing the author’s (Paul) argument in Ephesians 2:1-10. It took a while, but the trainees seemed to understand the process which can be transferred to any other epistle. We are helping equip them with tools for the week and beyond. My group of eleven (three are missing today) are meeting in the elementary school library. Every time I teach, I work with the same guys, so we are getting to know each other well. Things got a bit warm as the temp hit 98 degrees today yesterday the forecast for Friday was a high of 107!!! It is cooling off to a “comfortable” 100 degrees… Things are cooling down nicely, so I don’t think there will be any sweating in my sleep tonight. I’m going to cut this short because I am very tired. The picture is taking place during my class. it is fun to see them growing together. Larry Szyman Pastoral Associate

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 3

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 2

Sat, 11 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 1

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 8- Drive-Through Eating

Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 7-The Other Side of Training

Sun, 19 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 6 - Pickleball Hits Gulu!

Fri, 17 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 5 - The Hope Moving on Africans

Wed, 15 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 4 - Here We Go!

Tue, 14 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 2 - Traveling Across Country

Sat, 11 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Having arrived Wednesday evening, we stayed in a guest house and sought to get some sleep. The idea was to get up for a 6:30 Thursday breakfast and to hit the road for the 6-7 hour trip across country. Our driver’s name is Rodgers (no relation to Aaron, though I’m sure he wishes he was) who I misunderstood to be Ridges and called him that until the last three hours of his time with us. He is a young man with big glasses, he spoke in a very gentle manner and was often hard to understand.

We had Tim Prince sit in the front seat next to Rodgers so that he could experience the differences and some of the thrill/fear of driving in Uganda. Gar (who had previously experienced serving in Senegal, sat in the second row with Mike Evans. Mike can get car sick and we wanted Gar to see better. Stu and I brought up the rear.

One of the highlights of working with the people of Abaana’s Hope, the organization here on the ground, is how easy they have made it for us. We have had excellent drivers who were not only skilled, but knew their way around and paid all the bills. They, in turn, would hand them over to Abaana’s Hope, who would send us one bill to cover our expenses. They have been incredible to work with.

Turns out Rodgers didn’t know exactly where he was going. Having made this cross-country trip a number of times, we have a general sense of where we are going. Rodgers was slow and tentative in his approach. When we asked questions, his answers were so soft that Mr. Prince had to interpret (Rodgers spoke English). When we would request a bathroom break (like in the States, gas stations are the normal stopping place), he seemed to acknowledge the request and would drive by a couple more before stopping, only to have us sprint to the toilets.

There was a general uneasiness with the uncertainty with which he drove. We were to drive to Murchison Falls National Park, find our lodging there, rest a few hours and go on a Safari. We usually do this for someone who is coming to Africa for the first time. We asked Rodgers how much time till we arrived and it sounded like we would get there around 2 pm, seven hours after departure. We could get a couple of hours rest before our 4 pm safari.

It was fun narrating for Tim and Gar what was going on in the Entebbe area as we took off. The roads in this area have improved so much in the ten years we have been making our way to Uganda. We made pit stops, had a bite to eat and hit the road. 2 pm came and we knew we were a way out from our destination. He said we would get to Murchison in an hour. When we arrived and paid our fee at 3 pm, he told us it would be 1.5 hours till we got to the lodge we were staying at (the timing for the safari wasn’t looking good). This is a huge National Park! As we made our way toward the lodge we started seeing signs which were not all that clear. You could sense our driver’s uncertainty, but he never verbalized any concern. Being in a different culture, it’s not always clear if you should ask/question someone in this case.

I failed to mention that at the four-hour mark in our driving we started to have a challenge. It was in the upper 80’s and sunny, with six people and a lot of luggage (we brought eye exam equipment and 200+ pairs of glasses). It was cozy, but not obnoxiously so. We had decent air conditioning so the drive was fairly comfortable, until HEAT started coming up under our feet. We mentioned the concern to Rodgers, who pushed a few buttons up front, but no improvement…it was getting warm. Our upper bodies felt fine, while our feet were hot. The rest of our trip was marked by this discomfort.

We were already 8 hours into the 6-7 hour trip when he came to a sign (I’ll admit not a very clear one) for our lodge. As he chose to go on a dirt road, leaving the pavement, I said something like “Hey Ridges (remember I had misunderstood his name-and he never corrected us-not in this culture), are you sure your headed the right way?” He looked back at me, but did not respond otherwise. He kept driving. My uncertainty and frustration were rising with the temperature on my feet. As we continued down this path, the roads got a little dicey. We would slip on occasion from the recent rain falls and I was getting a bit anxious. I later discerned my emotion as anger because we had an apparently substandard driver, who couldn’t figure out the controls on his nice Toyota van (neither could we), and was apparently driving us down a safari road (in my opinion) rather than getting us to the lodge which we were now about two hours late getting to.

About ten minutes into this new road, I asked the question again and Rodgers just kept driving, occasionally slipping on this dirt road which seemed to be growing increasingly rustic as we went. Ten minutes later, we slid to a stop and I said “Ridges, I think we need to turn around!” He relented and we slipped and slid our way back over the dirt road, until we arrived at the black top and went the way the rest of us thought we should got and fifteen minutes later made it to the lodge at 5 pm, completing our 6-7 hour trip in a mere ten hours!

Fortunately, we were the only ones doing the sunset safari, so our patient driver was waiting. I was really looking forward to Tim and Gar seeing this, but I was less than excited to another 2-3 hours in a vehicle-even if we would see exotic animals. First world problems in a third world country.

Larry Szyman

Campus and Community Pastor

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 3 - The Doctor Will See You Now

Sat, 11 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Having Gar Christenson with us on this trip has been helpful and an absolute gift. He has been fun to get to know and a great storyteller. He has reminded me of the wonder of the people all around us on the trip. In some ways, I have gotten used to the amazing things going on all around us. A new set of eyes is always instructive. The official reason he is here is to offer eye exams (He’s Dr. Christenson, my eye doc), glasses, medicine and a few procedures for the pastors we serve, and the staff that serve at the compound here. Health care, on a number of levels, is hard to come by here. Many simply do without. Today he started giving exams and has already put smiles on some faces as they donned their new glasses. He has been engaging with all he meets, especially the kids. His faith, servanthood and good nature have been on full display and making this trip better regularly.

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 1

Fri, 10 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

May 10, 2024 Uganda Trip 12 | Post 1 I’m really looking forward to this trip for a number of reasons. In addition to Mike Evans, Stu Dix, and myself (the normal crew) making this trip, we have TWO NEWBIES- Tim Prince and Gar Christenson. Tim is having his first overseas experience and I have been recruiting him for a number of years in the hope he could see what is taking place and what good, cross-cultural partnerships look like. I want him to see how God is equipping his people in Uganda, South Sudan, and Congo to start and strengthen churches. Gar (formal name Garth) is an optometrist (mine as a matter of fact) and attends FCC with his wife and daughter. I noticed in previous visits that a number of the trainees that we work with hold their Bibles very close or far away in order to read the text. Gar will be giving exams to the pastors in the two cohorts that will meet here and other employees and family members. We come bearing 200+ pairs of glasses with varying degrees of strength and should be able to meet the needs of the vast majority of corrective needs. He will also be able to provide medication for those with more mild eye infections and simple procedures. I’m so glad they are coming. We are seven hours ahead of Hudson time-wise. Our plane is currently sitting on the tarmac in Kigali, Rwanda. Shortly people will be joining us and we will fly around an hour to our final airport in Entebbe, Uganda. In my sixteen hours in the air, I’ve probably slept three. Feeling pretty good right now, but I know that can change in a hurry. Larry Szyman Campus and Community Pastor

Uganda Trip #11

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Almost Home | Uganda Trip #11

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

January 17, 2024 Almost Home | Uganda Trip #11 (January 12) I’m sitting with Stu and Mike in the Amsterdam airport during our six-hour layover here. I’m anxious to land at MSP at 4 pm on Saturday, see Carol, get cleaned up, try to stay up till 9 pm. I hope I get a good night’s sleep before gathering with you all at FCC on Sunday morning. I anticipate dosing in and out of consciousness on Sunday, watching football playoffs. We ended our classes this week well. Our students were engaged and worked hard at grasping how to handle the interpretation and communication of Old Testament Narrative and Law. I found our work on the law most helpful as we sought to see the law in light of God’s character and how Christ fulfilled the law before we move on to application. Application…that is often the struggle. I notice it in my small group when we go through the FCC sermon and conversation guide. We find it easy to make observations, but how does it apply today, or to put it another way, “So what?”. Most of the troubles we have in the church is not failing to know the Bible, it has to do with failing to appropriately apply the Bible.   There are some really incredible leaders that we are working with who are sharing leadership with us, and they seem prepared to take over our function. Then it will be all theirs, as it should be. As a matter of fact, we have identified two men that we think could be sent to other countries. The goal of an enduring movement of gospel-centered, Bible-saturated, African lead churches seems within reach. I look forward to our next trip in May. I also look forward to being back at FCC soon! Larry Szyman Pastor for Missional Life

Counting the Days and the Beautiful Body | Uganda Trip #11

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In The Classroom At Last | Uganda Trip #11

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

January 9, 2024 In The Classroom At Last | Uganda Trip #11 Today we started our five days in the classroom. I was fairly concerned about my capacities as my jet lag has been really bad this trip. Last night I probably got 2 ½ hours of sleep, and I was afraid my body was going to decide it was tired when I was teaching, and I’d be incoherent. Thankfully, that was not the case and my energy level was solid. Our subject matter for this round is Understanding and Communicating the genres of narrative and law in the Scripture, using Genesis and Exodus. It is good to be reunited with the cohort, and my learning group in particular. It will be fun to see that even though they are quite familiar with the stories (narratives) in Genesis, how that knowledge can deepen as we give them tools for greater understanding and application. Our vision is to establish an abiding network of Gospel-Centered, Bible-Saturated, African-led churches. This means the leaders in my group (from Uganda, South Sudan, and the Congo) need to be equipped not only to understand but multiply leaders. This means sharing the teaching duties with what we call Lead Trainers, those who took the courses in a previous cohort and set themselves apart. Vincent (pictured) did a really solid job. Stu Dix suggested I take his phone, record him teaching, send him home to view it, and do a self-evaluation. Tomorrow we will go over his evaluation and I will give him mine. The temp was 102 today. The rest of the week looks a bit better, with highs topping out at 96. Whenever we are in our quarters, we each have a fan on us. It’s been cooling off enough at night that I haven’t sweat myself to sleep–yet. It’s an honor to work with these eager leaders. Pray that I get some sleep, please! Larry Szyman Pastor for Missional Life

Watch Out! | Uganda Trip #11

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The Adjumani District | Uganda Trip #11

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Today’s thoughts will come from yesterday (Thursday, Jan 4). At 9 am, Mike Evans and a few local guys headed to a town called Kitgum (a 45-minute drive), while Stu Dix and I headed to the Adjumani district (one hour and 45 minutes), an area currently hosting 440,000 displaced people in 18 settlements (or neighborhoods). When we think of a refugee, we think of a person passing through on their way to a preferred place. The average length of stay for a refugee is close to 20 years! Churches are needed in this environment. Is it possible that a Gospel-Inspired Life can be experienced in this setting? Our pastors say “yes”!

A number of the pastors we are working with serve in Adjumani. We met with three such men - Joseph, Francis, and Godfrey - for lunch and to visit their churches. Joseph is Ugandan and has lived in the Adjumani district his entire life. Francis and Godfrey are both South Sudanese and fled to Uganda in the last decade. Francis and Godfrey have planted churches among the displaced of Adjumani, with most of their parishioners being South Sudanese people who have fled their homeland due to war and persecution. They hope to return home someday but aren’t confident it will be any time soon.

I was reminded of where I was throughout the day. First of all, lunch took over an hour to get to our tables. This gave us time to talk about life and ministry. It was strange as this group was not as talkative as I’m used to. They all have excellent English. I’m sorry to report some of them are as wrapped up with their phones as Americans. Secondly, when we were leaving the restaurant, one guy asked us to stay put as he ran a five-minute errand that became 45 minutes. We then visited the sights of each of their churches. The people meet weekly in facilities that are far from complete (see picture of Godfrey in his church), but they belong to God and each other and are finding that sufficient. Stu said a prayer for each pastor and church and we headed home.

It was a long day, with a lot of time in the car. We got home at 7:45 pm. The first 1/3 of the road back home was as good as any in our area–I may have caught a nap. The other 2/3-not so much. There were a few potholes that were six feet wide by three feet across and two feet deep-would put ours to shame. They do not blame the thaw/heat cycle for their potholes.

The temps are in the low 90s and the a/c unit in the car did a nice job of cooling us off. It is cooling off to the 60s at night, making things quite comfortable. The forecast is looking better as well, the forecasted highs of 105 for next week are down to 101–I feel cooler already!

Larry Szyman

Pastor for Missional Life

Not Plane Old Travel | Uganda Trip #11

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #7

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #6

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #5

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #4

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #3

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #2

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #1

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Apologetics | Giving the Mind what the Heart May Need

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Airports and Air Time | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #7

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Travel Time, Long Time | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #6

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Last night was disappointing…As I mentioned in our last post, Delta changed our flight path back, due to Uganda’s recent history with Ebola (I already had COVID on a previous trip, how bad could Ebola be?). We were told the CDC required that we be routed through one of five airports in the US, and Delta chose Atlanta for us. This would result in us landing seven hours (a layover in Amsterdam airport) later than we originally planned.

By the way, when it is 6-7 hours to cross the country to the airport, you look for ways to consolidate trips. This meant that Mike, Stu and I jumped in a van at 6:30 this morning to drive to appointments Missionary Dave Hagins and his daughters needed to make in Kampala. With the early take-off, and our flights being later, we would land at MSP 49 hours after jumping in the van! I have been struggling with my attitude.

One of the great phrases trainees will learn over the next three years is that “God is sovereign, wise and good.” God reminded me that was true for me in this situation, not just in the classroom - time I paid attention to my own teaching. Travel is one of the challenges of this gig, especially at the end. I remembered this was a small price for the great privilege, and laid down for 3 hours of sleep! God is sovereign, wise and good…repeat, repeat….

We had an uneventful trip into Kampala, appointments were made and we had lunch. When the five of us were on our way to Entebbe, Dave got a ticket! The cop said that he had been clocked at 78 in a 40 km zone. She walked away to get some documentation and Dave said “she’s looking for a bribe”. She came back and mentioned that he was looking at a fine-he acknowledged that he was speeding and apologized. She walked away and a colleague came up to the door. Dave said, “I was speeding, I apologize”. The colleague said, “perhaps you could show some appreciation”-which is code for “give her some cash”. Dave confessed his speed again. The original cop came back and told Dave he was facing 200,000 Ugandan Schillings, approximately $55. Crickets…Dave said he would pay the fine. He was reluctantly handed the ticket.

We then made it to a hotel that Dave and his girls were staying that night about two miles from the airport. We had about seven hours to kill before we needed to get back to the airport. We sat down (by beautiful Lake Entebbe-see pic). I opened my Delta app and was surprised to see that the trip I had no longer was going through Atlanta, arriving seven hours later. I told Mike and Stu and they jumped on their apps and discovered the same. Dave jumped on the internet and said that at 2 am today the Biden administration removed the Ebola rerouting restriction. So we’re back to the original plan. God is sovereign, wise and good.

Signing the Dotted Line | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #5

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Classroom Joy | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #4

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Taster Event Begins | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #3

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Preparations and Settling In | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #2

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Off We Go | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #1

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Power of Partnerships – Final Post: Trip #9

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Out of Africa?: Trip #9

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Meet Junior: Trip #9

Sun, 29 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Heading Home: Trip #9

Thu, 26 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Graduation Day: Trip #9

Sat, 21 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

When All Hail Breaks Loose: Trip #9

Fri, 20 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Ugandan Hope and Help: Trip #9

Fri, 20 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

May 20, 2022 Ugandan Hope and Help: Trip #9 Friday, May 20th Meet Jonathan (see the picture). Mike and I met Jonathan at the lodge we stayed at between finishing our teaching and heading back for graduation. Born to American parents in Brazil, they currently reside in Lakeland (not THE Lakeland, the one in FL). He has seen a lot in his life. He works in the oil and gas industry and mentioned that huge reserves had been found very close by. We have become very aware in our relationship with this country that a significant part of infrastructure improvements come through the nation of China-with strings attached (not that they are the only country that does so). There is a huge hydroelectric plant on the Nile that we pass on our every trip here that were the result of Chinese leadership and money. My concern is that a dependence is being created that will result in anti-freedom challenges in this country I have come to love. I assumed somehow this move was somehow another example of Chinese influence. When I asked Jonathan, he answered “No” quickly and loudly. His role in the company is to train Ugandans to do the work related to the gas and oil discovery. His goal is 80% of the workers to be Ugandans in three years, including his job. To be sure, his company is going to make some money. Their hope is that in the long run the Ugandan economy and this region will flourish as they secure and deliver needed resources for their people and nearby nations. This common grace of businesses moving in to help local economies in the long run is a gift. Jonathan spoke of their commitment to sustainability, both for the environment and the people of Uganda. I simply wanted to pass along this hopeful story to you. Every trip we meet some interesting folk-there is more to come! Larry Szyman Pastor for Missional Life

When You Can’t Find AAA: Trip #9

Thu, 19 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

All Done?: Trip #9

Wed, 18 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

The Iffymobile: Trip #9

Sun, 15 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Time to Teach: Trip #9

Fri, 13 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Cross Country: Trip #9

Wed, 11 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Cast of Characters and a Surprise: Trip #9

Tue, 10 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Home, Sweet, Frozen Home and Cherished Partnerships (Friday): Trip #7

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

The Waiting Game (Wednesday): Trip #7

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

First World Suffering (Monday): Trip #7

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Stuck in Entebbe (Sunday afternoon): Trip #7

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Studying Hard! (Thursday): Trip #7

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

A Tale of Two Days (Tuesday) : Trip #7

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Report from Gulu (Sunday): Trip #7

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Settled Down and Ready To Go (Friday): Trip #7

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

MSP to Amsterdam (Wednesday): Trip #7

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

January 6, 2022 MSP to Amsterdam (Wednesday): Trip #7 Thankfully, our getting off the ground at MSP was not all that difficult, although the paperwork was fairly extensive, including: Passport Negative COVID test. We took the test a 9 am for our 1 pm departure from MSP. Thankfully they came back negative (and only $200!). E-Visa to Uganda (for those who remember my last trip, we made sure we had this before getting to the airport. A pre-registration for a COVID test to be taken upon arrival in Uganda. We had an incredible agent named Montreal who helped us get checked in and made sure we had all our ducks in a row before heading through security. The team for this trip includes Josh Montague, who serves with Training Leaders International (TLI), Stu Dix, interim pastor at FCC New Richmond (and veteran Uganda traveler) and myself. The three of us were together once before in Uganda and Stu and I tortured Josh by singing every chorus over twenty years old that we could think of (turns out we remembered a lot). For the last five trips we have been working on understanding and communicating different genres of Scripture. This trip we are looking at prophetic writings focusing on Isaiah. I look forward to growing with the friends we have developed over the last few years. One thing I am not looking forward to is the weather. The forecast high for next Wednesday is 107! Escaping the “dry heat” will not be easy as we won’t have access to air conditioning. Could be the beginning of a weight loss program for me! Stay tuned… Larry Szyman Pastor for Missional Life

There’s More Than 1 Way to Feed the Hungry

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

That’s a Wrap…for Eight Weeks: Trip #6

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

November 12, 2021 That’s a Wrap…for Eight Weeks: Trip #6 I am home and had my first night’s sleep on a night we turned the clocks back (hurray!). One of the many things I am grateful for is that I like what I am doing. I love going to Uganda and I love coming home. I had an extra good reason for coming home, because when I came back home not only was Carol home, but our oldest and his family. The picture that accompanies this post, is one of our Lead Trainers, Pastor Bosco, teaching the last session from Ephesians and prepping the group for when we return in January. We will move onto the genre of prophecy, using the book of Isaiah. This is the end game of the ten trips that will have been taken by St. Croix Valley Lead Team pastors and Training Leaders International. Africans developing Africans. We are praying and laboring toward an abiding network of Gospel Centered, Bible Saturated, African led churches! Our Lead Trainers are showing signs they can move this initiative forward. Our materials are helpful for developing pastors that can understand and communicate God’s word faithfully. Thank you for making this all possible. For the people who cover for me on Sundays when I am absent, for the prayers being offered before, during and after trips and the generosity that has funded these trips to Africa. I am very aware of the privileged position I get to play in this part of the process of making disciples far away. My body is tired, yet I am already looking forward to eight weeks from Tuesday, when I get to make my way back, God willing. With only three trips left, I can see a graduation in May in which leaders will be unleashed to start and strengthen churches in northern Uganda and South Sudan. Such a worthy cause as we follow a worthy Christ! Larry Szyman Pastor for Missional Life

Cross Country: Trip #6

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Our Most Active Day: Trip #6

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

In a Groove: Trip #6

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

At Last…Teaching! : Trip 6

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Over the River to Gulu We Go!: Trip 6

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Another Day in Entebbe: Trip 6

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Arrival at Entebbe Airport: Trip 6

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Larry Minus his Luggage: Trip 6

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

And the Journey Begins: Trip 6

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

The Power of Partnership – Part 1 – Gulu Trip #5 – Post #5

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

My Life in Danger – Gulu Trip #5 – Post #4

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

September 16, 2021 My Life in Danger – Gulu Trip – Post #4 For those of you who have been reading my posts, you will know the first night I had a dream (nightmare) about bees and wounded my head fleeing my bunkbed in the process. My most recent brush with the dangerous parts of the animal kingdom was while walking a path (very narrow) with brush all around me. On this walk I saw a snake about 12 feet in front of me at the edge of the path. I froze, having heard a few things about African snakes (can you say poisonous!). It seemed to slip back into the weeds and I proceeded, only to see it move again. I took a step back and when I did, I saw a kid (as in baby goat) near the snake. It turns out that the snake was actually a rope tied to the kid-and when it moved, so did the snake (rope). I think my trauma from the bee attack go the better of me. As I am now seated in the Entebbe airport ready to come home (about 25 hours from now), so I don’t expect any more animal stories. Larry Szyman Pastor for Missional Life

The Power of Partnership – Part 2 – Gulu Trip – Post #6

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

God’s Presence in Times of Lament – Gulu Trip #5 – Post #3

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Preparing a New Cohort for Ugnadans, by Ugandans – Gulu Trip #5 – Post #2

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Dream or Nightmare? Either Way, It Hurts! Gulu Trip #5 – Post #1

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

September 2, 2021 Dream or Nightmare? Either Way, It Hurts! Gulu Trip – Post #1 Just another trip to Uganda. This trip makes it about an even dozen. I’m pretty used to it all. Waiting in line, two eight hour trips-one to Amsterdam, one to Entebbe. By all standards this trip was quite boring till a half hour ago. It’s not unusual to be up at strange hours on one of these trips as my body adjusts. Eleven days here will give my body enough time to adjust in order to turn around and get back to Hudson and adjust all over again. Tonight I had a first… We (Mike Evans, Stu Dix and yours truly) each have a bedroom that was designed for groups coming to visit. Each of our rooms contain 4 bunk beds and a fan and a private bath (not so private when eight people use the room!) I went to bed at 9:30pm local time (1:30pm in Hudson) and I had slept an hour and a half when I realized that under my bunk bed and contained by the netting that protects me from malaria were about a dozen bees or wasps (I didn’t spend much time trying to tell the difference!). I popped up out of bed and pushed the netting away only to experience pain followed by an adrenaline rush. I hit my beautiful bald dome on the exposed wooden frame from the mattress overhead! The good news, the critters weren’t real. The bad news, head wounds bleed a bit! The blood seems to have stopped and all I have is this pic taken with my iPad and a couple of dirty napkins I took from the kitchen. Dreams that are remembered are very rare for me, unlike Carol, my creative wife. This one will stay lodged for a while. Hopefully, when I go back to bed (I think I’ll study awhile so I’m good and groggy) I’ll simply sleep. I look forward to filling you in on the trip as things unfold. The bunk bed won. Larry Szyman Pastor for Missional Life

FCC Hudson Blog

April 2026 FCC Global Mission Prayer Update

﻿ April 2026 FCC Global Mission Prayer Update ﻿

Mission Focus Moment: Sarah Jane (SJ) Holsteen

How can you pray for SJ and IAF R ?

Our Global Mission Partne r s

2026 OBBA Charitable Giving Tax Advantage

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Weather Update for March 15, 2026

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Uganda Trip #15 | Post 11

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 10

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 9

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 8

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 7

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 6

FCC Global Mission Prayer Update

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 5

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 4

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 3

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 2

Uganda Trip #15 | Post 1

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 4

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 3 | The Grind

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 2 | D-Day at Abana’s Hope

Uganda Trip #14 | Post 1

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 8

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 7

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 6

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 5

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 4

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 3

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 2

Uganda Trip #13 | Post 1

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 8- Drive-Through Eating

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 7-The Other Side of Training

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 6 - Pickleball Hits Gulu!

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 5 - The Hope Moving on Africans

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 4 - Here We Go!

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 2 - Traveling Across Country

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 3 - The Doctor Will See You Now

Uganda Trip #12 | Post 1

Uganda Trip #11

Almost Home | Uganda Trip #11

Counting the Days and the Beautiful Body | Uganda Trip #11

In The Classroom At Last | Uganda Trip #11

Watch Out! | Uganda Trip #11

The Adjumani District | Uganda Trip #11

Larry Szyman

Pastor for Missional Life

Not Plane Old Travel | Uganda Trip #11

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #7

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #6

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #5

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #4

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #3

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #2

A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #1

Apologetics | Giving the Mind what the Heart May Need

Airports and Air Time | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #7

Travel Time, Long Time | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #6

Signing the Dotted Line | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #5

Classroom Joy | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #4

The Taster Event Begins | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #3

Preparations and Settling In | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #2

Off We Go | A New Mission Trip #10 Post #1

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Out of Africa?: Trip #9

Meet Junior: Trip #9

Heading Home: Trip #9

Graduation Day: Trip #9

When All Hail Breaks Loose: Trip #9

Ugandan Hope and Help: Trip #9

When You Can’t Find AAA: Trip #9

All Done?: Trip #9

The Iffymobile: Trip #9

Time to Teach: Trip #9

Cross Country: Trip #9

Cast of Characters and a Surprise: Trip #9

Home, Sweet, Frozen Home and Cherished Partnerships (Friday): Trip #7

April 2026 FCC Global Mission Prayer Update