Category: Staff Changes

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From the Principal’s Desk:

It has been a gift from the Lord to have all repeat teachers this year. Expectations are already known. Consistency is a major need in children’s lives.  But our God, who never changes, walks with us through changes that we face. Please pray for the need of new early childhood teachers for next year. We have been so happy with Tiffany teaching kindergarten but we are thrilled that the Lord is giving her and JR a baby due in June. If you know of someone the Lord might send to teach at Immanuel Mission, please connect me with them. A teaching degree would be ideal but we can work with someone who has a heart for children’s ministry.          —Miss Denny

                       dennyanne@gmail.com

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The Book of Proverbs teaches us, “Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.”  That is a summary of our life. Occasionally, we all are able to get together for a meal, to stop our day-to-day life and enjoy being together. When you see us all together, we are a large group: 25 Staff +28 kids +7 loved ones (+a couple more on the way) for a grand total of 60 who love, live, and serve together. In such a large group, you will see such a variety of gifts, callings, and ministries. Yet, we are all striving together with the same mind, same purpose, and same message. Yes, there are times of strife as the enemy loves to divide and cause us to struggle against flesh and blood rather than principalities. But we serve a risen Savior, Jesus Christ who is far above all and who is the head of the body. Thank you so much for your continued prayers for the work and the workers here at Immanuel Mission.   
 

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Come teach at Immanuel Mission!

Immanuel Mission School is a very special environment to teach in! It’s a small school with supportive staff, little class sizes, flexibility, and an overall emphasis on relationship building. I believe this creates many opportunities for good conversations to be had and fun memories to be made. The highlight of my time teaching here was last school year when I led a week of specials every quarter with the 6th-8th grade girls. Being the first grade teacher I really didn’t have much to teach Jr. Highers. So it was a very easy-going and simple time of doing little crafts, baking treats, getting to know each other, and joking around together. But I had a great time and, as far as I know, the students had a great time as well. I think there are few places where others would be willing to fill in and do my job for me so I could leave and go have fun with another class.                                           —Brynne Springs

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2024-2025 Staff

The Lee family, Susan Price and Lorena Herbert were unable to make it to the staff picture, but the newest Skillen made it!
 

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God has been with us for 100 years!

Then: Immanuel Mission is located on the Navajo Nation in the northeast corner of Arizona.  It began in 1924 when Clara Holcomb and her parents came to bring the Gospel to the Navajo people. After unhappy experiences with government boarding schools, parents asked the missionaries to teach their children. So in the late 40’s they began a small boarding school for primary students. In the 70’s the dorms burned down and the mission staff decided to purchase buses instead of boarding.  In the 80’s a high school was added and there were times with up to 125 students.  Due to a reduction in students and teachers, in 2018 we dropped the high school to once again focus on K-8th grade and a year later added a pre-K.

Now: I love to say that the school is a tool for evangelism. Our primary goal is to reach our neighbors with the message of salvation and new life in Christ. In addition to the school, we have other ministries such as a vibrant church, open shop, sewing class, Mom’s group, and home Bible studies. In the summer, church groups from all over the US come to do work projects and VBS in the community.

Needs: We have a pressing need for a bus mechanic/maintenance person. We will need a 5th/6th grade teacher and a Kindergarten teacher. Pray with us that the Lord who has provided for 100 years will continue to provide.

To paraphrase the Macedonian, “Come over to Arizona and help us!”                                             

Anne Denny, Principal

dennyanne@gmail.com

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God with the Kindergarten

Recently the mission invited a videographer to visit. As she questioned me about my experience as a teacher, my mind and heart were flooded with 11 years of memories—some which made me grin and others that brought me tears. Since the interview I have given more thought to the privilege of reaching children with the Gospel.  The Lord has brought so many children into my life, I’ve lost count, although we were childless. Each child has reached my heart, and I loved them as if they were my own. Watching them grow up gave me such joy as a grandparent would enjoy.

Now into my 12th year in Kindergarten, the Lord continues to give me great joy in joining Him in His work among these young children.   I also have been sensing the Lord’s nudging to prepare the way for a younger godly teacher who will carry on teaching with the same  passion to reach children for Jesus Christ – to receive Him as their Savior and learn to walk in His ways. Truly the Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.

Pray with us for the Lord to send such a servant to Immanuel Mission.  And soon! This will be my last year teaching Kindergarten. I am thrilled with the opportunities the Lord has already given to spend time in ladies Bible study here at IM and continuing outreach with the precious message of the Gospel to the Navajo.  

    In His service, Susan Price

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Hello from the Van Essen family

We moved from Greenwood, Nebraska to Immanuel Mission in mid-July. I, Matt, am teaching grades 3 & 4 at Immanuel Mission School. My wife, Sarah, also spends considerable time in the classroom teaching 4th grade math and helping with reading groups. Our eight youngest children are also here with us and keep us quite busy. Our high school students, Linia (18), Nehemiah (16), and Miriam (15) are all homeschooling with Sarah as their main teacher. They are seldom bored as they participate in bus and van cleaning, work projects of all kinds, basketball, guitar, piano, bicycle repair, babysitting, and Navajo language learning. Jeremiah (13), Sammy (12), Joel (10), Micah (8), and Cassia (5) are all in classrooms at the school. Thank you for praying for us as we settle into life here at the mission and as we begin to meet people through Immanuel Navajo Chapel and the ministry of the school. It is a joy to be a part of what the Lord is doing here at Immanuel Mission.
 

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Farewell from Ruth Bloom:

I am moving to Kansas the first weekend of November. My son Rex and his wife bought a home 15 miles south of Topeka. One of the selling points of the property was a small home for me. I am excited to go and live closer to my children and grandchildren. My new address is

Ruth Bloom
11473 S. Jordan Rd.
Wakarusa, KS 66546

I have turned my jobs over to others here at the Mission and I guess I am now retired. It is a nice feeling. I am packing and downsizing my things. Three of my sons and maybe a grandson will come and move me back to Kansas. Losing my husband and Mother in little more than a year is hard, but the Lord is so good and is meeting my needs and carrying me along. He uses my family and friends to comfort and support. Ruth Bloom


From the editor:
If you would like to continue to support Ruth financially and want a tax deductible receipt, you may send donations designated for Ruth Bloom to

Christian Worker’s Fellowship Fund
PO Box 12347
Kansas City, KS 66112

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Defining Wonderful

“Teaching is hard work all day, everyday.  You will fall in love with the children here.  The devil knows the individual and personal ways that he can discourage you and he will use them.”

These emphatic words spoken by John Bloom during the first days at Immanuel Mission proved to be right on every count.  Looking back after almost three years of teaching both first and second grade, I consider this experience to be a gift from my Heavenly Father.  So much was new and somewhat strange at first.  How would I make my involvement with these people come to fruition?  And what eventually made my time here so good?

God taught me so much…how He delights in meeting physical, emotional and spiritual needs in remote settings.  Magnificent sunsets and sunrises…a lovely little apartment, multitudes of various footprints in the thick Mission dust…the ins and outs of relating to others.  Comprehending more of the Navajo culture has been a challenge.  But struggling to make lesson plans clear enough for young hearers to grasp, hearing, “Oh, I get it!”, and becoming aware of the children sensing some of the greatness of God, I have felt a deep satisfaction in being here at the Mission.  A love has indeed developed for the people here.

Growing and Worshiping with the saints through Sunday morning meetings, small groups in Mission homes and prayer and singing times on Tuesday nights has brought great joy.  Even when a rubbing of each other the wrong way occurs, God in His great grace has a way of making all things right.  I have seen personal and group application of Christ’s  death and resurrection in lives here as well.  “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” Without His life working through us we have nothing at all. Easy?Absolutely not! Worthwhile? You bet!

Growing and Worshiping with the saints through Sunday morning meetings, small groups in Mission homes and prayer and singing times on Tuesday nights has brought great joy.  Even when a rubbing of each other the wrong way occurs, God in His great grace has a way of making all things right.  I have seen personal and group application of Christ’s  death and resurrection in lives here as well.  “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” Without His life working through us we have nothing at all. Easy?Absolutely not! Worthwhile? You bet!

“Wonderful – cause of  astonishment  or surprise,  aroused  by  something      extraordinary, feeling curiosity or doubt.” Yes! All of this and more have taken place in my heart and life as I have had the  privilege   of   serving  Jesus   here   at  Immanuel Mission.  Humility encountered… joys  accepted…loving fellowship imparted. 

I believe  that  the  Lord is  calling me elsewhere now.  But in many ways, I will miss Immanuel Mission.  This place and the people here will always hold a special place in my heart. Come visit.  See this setting for yourself.  Consider lending a year of so of your life to this or another Mission/work of the Lord.  Get to know God  even  more  in  this  wonderful kind of way.

Ginny Brown