Monthly Archives: December 2016

This post is so that we can be faithful to our supporters who are asking us “how do we give to you and your ministry”?

We want to post many things, but we will post this one and let it settle for a day or so in order for us to make sure we are communicating clearly. We have waited to get all the paperwork and processing done before we tell people it is a “go” and well, it is finally done! We are officially signed up with Central Missionary Clearinghouse CMC.

So now churches and individuals can click HERE to give to us online, you can also set up automatic withdrawals just like what we had with NTM.

This is the process to begin giving online:

1. Click the LINK or go to this web address and follow the steps, http://www.cmcmissions.org/donate
2. Click CLICK & GIVE in the middle of the screen
3. Sign up for an account on the page that opens.
4. Go to your email. Open the email that you are sent and follow the instructions in it.
5. Once you have entered the “Click & Give” site with your new login you can choose to make a donation.
6. Click on the second icon from the left (looks like a check with a pen on it).
7. Then select whether you wish to give using your credit card or through your bank account. (Please realize that if you use your credit card about 3% of the entire donation will be deducted each time you donate by your credit card company. However, if you set up the gift through your bank the transaction fee will be a flat $1 no matter the donation.)
8. You will need to fill in your information with either one you choose. You can set up recurring donations with bank account or credit card at this time.
9. If you have chosen the bank account route then you have 3 tabs that each need to be filled in. Remember that your routing number is on the far left and your account number is next to it on any check that you have.
10. In the second box labeled ”Giving Details” – select “Stokes, Seth” from the drop down box on the left (labeled select amount) If the memo field does not show, then click the pen/notepad icon.
11. Input the amount you would like to give.
12. If you would like to make this a recurring donation you will need to click on the box labeled “Setup Recurring Gift”.
13. Click Submit. Click terms and agreements and confirm one more time, then you are all done!
14. You will be taken to a page that gives you all the details of your gift. This is a printable page if you would like to print it to keep. This is not a “tax deductible” receipt. An email confirmation will also be sent to you automatically. You will receive a “tax deductible” receipt directly from CMC once the gift has been processed by them.

To give via mail follow this procedure, copy and paste the section that applies to you into a word document, print it out, and fill it out:

INDIVIDUAL DONOR:

CENTRAL MISSIONARY CLEARINGHOUSE

PO BOX 219228     HOUSTON TX 77218-9228

Please fill out this form with your first contribution only. You will receive a receipt along with a pre-addressed return envelope for any future gifts. Please tear off the bottom of that receipt and return with any future gift.

DONOR’S NAME______________________________________________________________

ADDRESS_________________________________________PHONE_(_____)_____________

CITY________________________________________ STATE________ZIP_______________

NAME OF MISSIONARY_____SETH STOKES_____________________________________

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: _____________________________________________________

PLEASE READ: Contributions to CMC are qualified for Federal income tax deduction as allowed by law. All deductible contributions, whether designated or not, are under the control of CMC. We are committed to honor all designations, and if any designation is unacceptable, the donation will be returned. You must make your check payable to Central Missionary Clearinghouse (or simply CMC) to qualify for a tax deduction. Please do not write the name of your missionary on your check. It is illegal to claim a tax deduction for a gift made payable to an individual.

CHURCH DONOR:

CENTRAL MISSIONARY CLEARINGHOUSE

PO BOX 219228       HOUSTON TX 77218-9228

Please fill out this form with your first contribution for your missionary. When you are receipted for this gift, you will receive a duplicate receipt and pre-addressed return envelope to use with any future contribution. Please make your check payable to Central Missionary Clearinghouse (or CMC). Thank You.

CHURCH NAME___________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS___________________________________________PHONE_(_____)________________

CITY__________________________________________STATE___________ZIP_______________

PASTOR’S NAME__________________________________________________________________

NAME OF MISSIONARY____ SETH STOKES________________________________________

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:__________________________________________________________

We hope that was clear, if you have any questions please email us, or call us at (412) 639-6047. We appreciate your partnership and want to make sure this is an easy process for you all. If you would like us to mail this process to you via mail we can do that for you, please just contact us and we will assist you.

Thank you for your partnership and help in this process, your feet to the unreached, Seth and Nicole Stokes.

We started our tour with driving down the Pennsylvania Parkway with snow beginning to fall; a speeding pickup truck swerved and passed us on the right. Shortly thereafter the truck’s tailgate came flying open and their brand new washer and dryer he must have just purchased from a Black-Friday sale came tumbling at us, just missing us by less than 10 feet! The first thing we said was, “we wish we got that on video!” We continued through the snowstorm but by the time we arrived in New York the snow changed to sunshine and crisp winter air. And that is how our trip began, bad weather, a flying washer, and dodging the typical deer from time to time. We are going on our 4^th and final night of driving through the night tonight to get to our morning meeting. We are a little tired, but know we have another 12 days until we get to rest over the holidays. We had a birthday and a family hardship come up during this tour, but God has been gracious reminding us that HE is with us in every step of our journey.

Speaking at Our Home Church

We want to encourage YOU all, churches and individuals, that God has been gracious to us as we transitioned countries and organizations; in regards to our monthly support we have not seen anyone withdraw their partnership from our ministry yet, we have seen over half of our support team in person already and everyone has been super encouraging and said “we are partnering with you”. What a total blessing!!!! We have seen people lose support for lesser reasons, we are so thankful for our AMAZING support team! Thank YOU!

Enjoying the Cooler Weather

Speaking of support, this week or next we should be able to finalize the transition of our organization for all of you who are interested in “where to give”. We apologize for the delay, but we had some hiccups and understanding we have had many transitions. Once we know, we will make it known publicly.

Speaking of transitions and our start up costs/needs list, we have had many inquiries. We barely made it public and have seen about 20% of our needs come in already. With 4 churches already asking specifically about it and telling us they will help and partner with us, along with some individuals. God is too good and is blessing us tremendously. Yet another affirmation from our Lord that we are exactly where He wants us to be.

Great Friends! A Dear Pastor and His Wife

To be honest this tour has been quite tiring, but it has been such a blessing to us! We love seeing you all, our support team is amazing and we love getting to see all of your faces, giving you hugs, and then saying thank-you for YOUR faithfulness to our ministry and to us personally. It is crazy that it has been two years already, and Lord willing we will see all of you again in 3-4 years. God has greatly encouraged us on this trip, blessing us beyond measure and more quickly than imagined. We are so humbled to be called YOUR feet, we want to say thank you for your partnership to reaching the unreached in Vanuatu.

YOUR feet to the unreached, Seth and Nicole Stokes

Our Family Through Adoption

This update is especially for all of our financial supporters. There have been at least 3 reasons why we have put off this email: 1. We have been waiting on others for paperwork. 2. We knew you all would be receiving letters from NTM this week and 3. We don’t like talking about finances.

Where do I send my support to you?! We have been getting this email and question a lot the past couple days, and we are going to answer that again, right here and right now. As you all know by now, our partnership with NTM has officially ended as the last day of this month; that means they will no longer receive any finances for us, and you should have received a letter from them in the past week. We have been in the process of signing up with CMC but are waiting for the paperwork to be finished; it is not done yet so we are waiting on that. It will offer the same services as NTM, with electronic capabilities, online giving, and much more, along with integrity for our finances which we are glad to have. That being said, the best thing to do for this transition time is to send a check to our home church, the address is:

Harvest Baptist Church

224 Harvest Lane

Natrona Heights PA, 15221

Put the Harvest Baptist Church for the name of the check, and then put our name in the memo section, and then add a note specifying that this amount is for us as a “double protection.” We should be done soon with the CMC organization and paperwork, but just in case for December, this is how you can donate to our ministry.

Another thing people have been asking a lot is about our “needs.” We have served for two years on the field, and we have not shared a needs list nor have we made a project to give to, but with next year being the largest financial burden on us with all the start-up costs: 1. Vehicle 2. House 3. Solar system and 4. Shipping. We put together a needs list and compiled all the quotes from shopping around. If you are interested in participating in that part of our ministry and all of our start-up costs, please just email us: stokingthefires@gmail.com.

Part of our Adoption Ceremony

Okay! We got that out of the way. If you have any questions, please just ask away. We love and appreciate you all, thank you for bearing with us through this process.

**Make sure to read our previous blog (https://stokingthefires.wordpress.com/2016/11/30/exciting-news/)  and watch our ministry update video (https://youtu.be/-EE3W4hRXvI).

Your feet to the unreached, Seth and Nicole Stokes