May 2015

Dear family and friends,

It seems like we started out running in May, and as I am writing this newsletter I am looking back for the first time and realizing just how busy we have been blessed to be. On Saturday, May 2nd, Bethany Baptist Academy held the 4th Annual Eureka Bluegrass Gospel Festival. The festival is always a lot of work, but it is also a lot of fun. We put this festival on as a fundraiser for the school and every year it seems to grow a little bigger. This year we sang along with The Larry Nelson Family, The Calvary Strings, Made by Mercy, The Pilgrim Family, Lost Tyme, Mike Saunders, and others. Our missionaries to Alaska, Brother Frank and Mrs. Gloria Cox came all the way from San Antonio, TX and set up their bounce houses and helped with the carnival games. We also had a great group of kids from Gloryland Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL come and help out. If you missed the festival this year, I hope you will make plans to attend next May.

On Sunday, May 4th, we sang at Locust Hill Baptist Church in Sherman, MS. They were having a special day for their Senior Citizens and we were blessed to be part of it. On Saturday May 9th we were able to sing at French Camp Academy's Annual Pioneer Day. The French Camp Historic District is a neat little place and they had plenty of great Gospel music along with all the other festivities. On Friday, May 15th, Misty, Brianna, Brinly, and Joshua were able to attend the wedding of our friend Mrs.Laura Nelson Gambrell. Brianna and Brinly, along with their cousin Emma, were honored to get to sing during the wedding ceremony. That same weekend we had a youth meeting at our home church. God moved in the preaching and two boys from Alabama were saved! Though the meeting was short, itwas powerful and reminded me of days gone by.

On May 18th thru May 20th, our church held an Open Air Camp Meeting on the Square in Bruce,MS. Each night we had singing and preaching. It rained each day, but it never rained while we were having services! On Sunday, May 24th, we sang at our family memorial service. This service is held each year in the Wells-Mcphail Cemetary in Slate Springs, MS. The Memorial service has been taking place in the cemetery for years. My Papaw said in 83 years he had only missed two memorials, and the reason he missed them was the Army had stationed him in France. He said that was just too far to drive! It is a blessing to take part in the memorial and help pass along some of our families heritage to our kids.

Saturday, May 30th turned out to be an exceptionally busy day. We sang in Calhoun City's “Square Fest” that morning. Then we went over and sang for the folks at the Water Valley Nursing Home. That evening we sang for a nearly packed house at Oakland Baptist Church in Oakland, MS. It was a busy day, but we enjoyed it. On Sunday, May 31st, we sang for the evening service at Shady Grove Baptist Church in Batesville, MS. It was the 1st time we ever sang there, but there were more familiar faces than I can count. For some reason our mixer cut off on us twice during that service. It is only 2 years old so I contacted the manufacture on Monday and they told me it only had 1 year warranty. We decided we should get another mixer to use while we find someone to repair the old one.

God supplied the means to buy the new one the very same day!

It is a joy to be able to do what we are doing, please pray that God will continue to allow us to do so, and give us wisdom to make decisions that would bring glory to Him. Also please pray for our protection on the road as we begin to travel more and more. Coming up this month we will be singing at the Front Porch Pickin' in Sabougla, MS. It is on Saturday, June 6th, at 6pm, and if you love bluegrassmusic and good people you should come on out. On June 13th and 14th we will be singing at First Baptist Church in Hull, TX. On June 16th - 18th we plan to be in Camp Meeting at Victory Baptist Church in Childersburg, AL. Other dates, and any new ones that we book are always posted on our website.

Please pray for us,

The Ellis FamilyJonathan, Misty, Brianna, Caleb, Benjamin, Brinly, and JoshuaSinging for his Glory1 Chronicles 16:9www.ellisfamilybluegrassgospel.com