December 2015 Newsletter
Merry Christmas everyone! While we always like a little colder weather and
even some snow on Christmas, this 60 degree day and the 1-2 inches of rain
and three flood related alerts could have been over a foot of snow had the
temps been 30 degrees lower. Oh my!
Normally, we travel to see our kids and grandkids and family over Christmas.
This year we stayed put here in Lynch and the kids have come to us. Emma,
our youngest, and her dog Harlan (rescued here in Harlan) were here five days
before Christmas. Cherith and husband Chris and grands Caleb and Joshua
and their dog Dixie are here now and will leave on the 27th. It has been a good
time of family, fellowship and celebrating the birth of our Savior!
Depending on the weather, we may venture somewhere for a few days to
celebrate the New Year… just the two of us.   
The pantry, other than donating food to other ministries (120 whole chickens,
bread and dairy and a chest freezer to Maytown), has been quiet in December.
The local and annual Empty Stocking Fund event provides food boxes and
presents for kids of all ages (600 families). We donate our December ministry
food money to them to supplement their needs. Lis volunteers a week in
December to register locals for this large giveaway.
December saw dear friends Joe and Darlene, from South Carolina, once again,
come and stay in our Red Door House for a few days while completely
equipping the new Little House addition with bedroom and bathroom items.
Thanks to them we are now open for teams of up to 8 to stay in the Little
House while here to serve. Just this time last year they did the same thing for
the Red Door House…meeting our final needs with that mission house. Thank
you so much!
An amazing donation of mostly Italian foods, fresh veggies and fruit and
sausages and meatballs from the Conlan family in Cincinnati will provide a
wonderful diverse Italian meal for the Club 180 after-school kids when they
come back after their Christmas break. I may have to help Lis cook that meal!
The donation from Food City has helped us to fully stock the pantry in
preparation for our January 20 & 21 giveaway. It was our largest order in
several years since, in November, we gave away everything (other than
chicken) on hand. God’s provision, as it all is, never ceases to amaze us as we
live by faith and pray.
Lis’ love for Christmas and the kids and, once again, God’s provision,
allowed her to not only cook for the kids, but to make dough Christmas
ornaments and decorate Christmas cookies with them.
We were blessed this Christmas season with a gift from close friends Mike
and Cindy in Louisville and attended the Mercy Me and Louisville Orchestra
Christmas Show with them in Louisville. It was tremendous!
Lis and Angie had an Open House at Club 180 and offered their wares, Lis’
jams and jellies and Angie’s custom made jewelry.
Seth, a young man from Cumberland, has helped us complete a lot of exterior
work on…or should I say “under”…the Little House addition. Installation of a
vapor barrier, digging around the perimeter to gain access under the house,
under-pinning the addition and spreading gravel have greatly diminished the
project list while preparing the house for ol’ man winter. We hope to finish
those projects this coming week before freezing temps jeopardize the water
lines.
Dear friend Linda returned in December and stayed both in our Little House
and our own home while here. Her Agape mission house was loaded with a
team here helping with the Empty Stocking Fund giveaway…as were both of
our houses! The team staying in our houses was Airline Baptist Church in
Georgia who was here with Club 180 Ministry and also helping with the
Empty Stocking Fund giveaway. This team was 50 – 60 strong and committed
to serving our Lord by serving his people. They attended our Sunday worship
service and then cooked turkey dinners and provided Christmas for several
families at Club 180. So cool and obedient!
Many of the local missionary ladies had a Christmas cookie exchange hosted
by Angie at Club 180. Lis reports that it was a great time of fellowship and
encouragement for all.
We all watched and celebrated our newest local celebrity Jordan Smith, from
Harlan, win The Voice competition last week on TV. Lis and Emma even
attended the homecoming parade for him in Harlan. Watching the show and
this man’s testimony each and every week was so much fun!
Last, but not least, we attended the Cumberland Pentecostal Church’s
Christmas drama on the 20th. It was good to see some friends we have not
seen lately while celebrating Christmas with them.
Happy Birthday to Lis’ sister Debby Akerman on the 24th!
Happy Birthday to Jesus…our savior…today!
Let me close as I opened this newsletter….. Merry Christmas to all from Lis
and I as we close out yet another year. May 2016 be an amazing year for all of
us. Let’s all make it our business this coming year to tell many about our
amazing God, his son Jesus and eternal life. Spread The Word ! Happy New
Year!
Prayer requests:
- The lost in our communities.
- Our church plant (River’s Edge Fellowship) at Club 180.
- The completion of our projects in 2016.
- God’s provision for us, our ministry and our communities.
- Fitz’s tooth extraction.
- The unemployed in our communities.
- Unspoken request – family.
- Our town, our state, our country and our world!
- Gloria and family.
- A “not too white” Winter ahead.
- Some help at the pantry in January (21 & 22).
Praise reports:
- God’s provision.
- Our ministry partners and their prayers and support.
- The teams who have committed already to serving with us in 2016.
- Schlichte’s, Conlan’s, Airline Baptist Church, Linda A.
- The Advocates Class at FBC Cumming!!!!!   
Projects Prayer Requests: See the shrinking Projects and the Red Door
House Project pages on our website:
www.loavesandfishesmin.org/Project-Page.html
www.loavesandfishesmin.org/RedDoorMinistryHouseProject.html
Thank you so much for your prayers, your love and your support. We’d
love to hear from you. Call or email us anytime. Please come visit and
stay in the Little House or Red Door House and work with us and/or the
other ministries as God leads you! You’ll be a blessing to others and to
us… and we believe God will bless you for it. Also, let us know how we
can be praying for you and for yours.
Check out our website for information about our ministry. Check out the
Loaves and Fishes Facebook page as well.
In His Service and Love!
John (Fitz) and Melissa (Lis) Fitzwater
Directors - Loaves and Fishes Ministry
262 Liberty St. PO Box 944 Lynch, KY 40855
Cell Phones: (606) 733 - 5512 (Lis) (606) 733 - 5513 (Fitz)
Email: fitzandlis@gmail.com
Web: www.loavesandfishesmin.org
“Don’t be afraid!” he (the angel) said. “I bring you good news
that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke 2:10