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February 2026 U&I Together: Stories from churches

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We started U&I Together in UI Connections to provide a place where churches can promote upcoming events or celebrate what God has been doing in and through our churches. Send your submissions to State Missionary Jason McNair at jmcnair@uisbc.org. 

February 2026

Food and stockings

Dick Frear, a mobile heavy equipment mechanic, pastors Priest River Baptist Church, about 60 miles south of the Canadian border. This church in a town of about 1,900 people typically has 15 people in attendance for Sunday morning worship services. This congregation has provided a weekly food-and-more pantry, coordinated by Vicky Huffman, for the last 16 years.

During these 16 years, they have also provided parents with a Christmas Stocking project, held the Tuesday before Christmas, to select clothing, toys, and stocking stuffers for their youngsters through age 19. Last year, 45 youngsters benefited; the most ever: 135 kids.

New prospects in West Haven

Jeff Winters, who pastors Sojourn Church in West Haven, west of I-15 and Ogden, reports at the church’s Christmas Eve service, with the help of an evangelism grant from UISBC and NAMB, “We were able to connect with one new family (family of four), and reconnect with eight individuals who are without a church home.

“Since the event we have been able to have several follow-up conversations and have extended invitations to a young professional outreach for February,” the pastor continued. “We were able to plant seeds through gospel-oriented gifts to families and individuals who attended the candlelight service.” Church members participated in 13 gospel conversations that night, Winters added.

For preachers only

The Salt Lake School of Theology has arranged with The Charles Simeon Trust for a Workshop on Biblical Exposition April 22-24 at Gospel Grace Church in Salt Lake City. This event is to encourage and equip pastors in the skills needed to more effectively read, understand, and proclaim the Word of God. Cost is $139 until March 16. After that, $159. Register at SimeonTrust.org.

The 3-day event is to include practical instruction, small group practice, and persuasive preaching. Workshops consist of three things: Instructional Sessions (plenary sessions on principles of exposition), Expositions (times of preaching/teaching from the Bible), and Small Groups (where participants present their work). The most important aspect of a Workshop is the time in Small Groups, and so it is essential that each person arrives prepared for these sessions.

FBC Provo to host We Believe Conference

FBC Provo Pastor Brendon Scoggin invites everyone to a conference of sound teaching, singing, prayer, and fellowship. The event is titled We Believe Conference, an annual event where they focus on one theme for an entire day of teaching. This year, the theme is Christology. This year’s event is set for March 27, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. Visit their website for more information.

A conference for pastors and ministry leaders that seeks to encourage and train in sound doctrine is coming to Provo, Utah, March 27, 2026.

New building in neighboring city

On March 1, three-year-old Kings Cross Church plans to move into its own building at 796 S. Mountain Road in Fruit Heights, Utah, a Davis County town of about 6,100 between Salt Lake City and Ogden. Austin Glenn is pastor of the church. King’s Cross was planted in March 2023 by Church at the Cross in Grapevine, Texas. The plant had previously met at a school in Farmington, Utah, where they have experienced growth and community engagement. King’s Cross’ vision statement is, “Creating safe spaces to encounter Jesus.”

Adding languages

First Southern Baptist in Washington, far southern Utah, started a Mandarin Chinese congregation about five months ago. It meets Saturday afternoons at the church. A Brazilian/Portuguese congregation is expected to start soon, led by the father of a member, a pastor who recently moved to the area. First Southern also has opened its doors to an unaffiliated congregation. John Shirey is pastor of First Southern.

120 attend SLST event

What does the New Testament book of Hebrews say about who Jesus is? New Testament scholar, Daniel Stevens, Ph.D., developed his answer to this question over three hours Jan. 30 at Gospel Grace Church in Salt Lake City. It was an event sponsored by the Salt Lake School of Theology. About 120 people attended what was called a colloquium, an “academic conference.” A full report is slated for the March issue of UI Connections.

“We consider an SLST colloquium to be a success when it equips Christians in Utah to know the Bible better, to grow in their love for God, and to equip them to be faithful followers of Christ in their everyday life,” event coordinator, Chris Hile, told UI Connections. “We believe that was the case this weekend, and we hope that these colloquia continue to provide opportunities for everyday Christians to grow in their understanding of the Bible and theology.”

Two events are set to come to Canyons Church this Spring

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January 2026 U&I Together: Stories from churches

, , , , , , ,

We started U&I in UI Connections to give a place where churches can promote upcoming events or celebrate what God has been doing in and through our churches. Send your submissions to State Missionary Jason McNair at jmcnair@uisbc.org. 

January 2026

Annual Sportsman's Banquet in Hyrum, UT 

Emmanuel Baptist in Hyrum, Utah, hosted its annual sportsman’s banquet with help from a UISBC evangelism grant: “This was one of our best years yet. Brother Gavin Roberts shared a powerful gospel message. We had the best attendance yet, even though this is even during the county fair and rodeo. We are building relationships with many of these people as quite a few have come nearly every year. This was our sixth event. We are so thankful for your [evangelism grant] help!” Pastor Dan Woody reports 160 attended; the church anticipated 120.

South Fork in Rigby, ID takes the gospel to the community through sports camp

Mega Sports Camp at South Fork Outdoorsmen Church in Rigby, Idaho, received financial support from a UISBC evangelism grant, reported Sherri Haynes:

“Mega Sports Camp happens over a four-day period, July 14-17, ending with a family dinner on the last day. So it’s not simple numbers. We had 96 kids registered, our highest day of attendance was 78 and our lowest was 72. The gospel message was shared every day, but very specifically on the last day of camp.

“The gospel message was also shared at the dinner on Thursday night in which many families were in attendance. While there are no solid numbers on salvations, we do know every single one of those people heard the salvation message. As most of our camp attendees are active LDS or former LDS, we know we will not see many salvations. But we will continue to plant the seed and give them a place to go if they ever decide to give their lives to Christ.

“We do dinners Monday through Wednesday during Maga Sports Camp as a church body. At Wednesday night’s dinner, one of the young adults brought her friend who is LDS. Pastor Scott Plath and another pastor here from Tennessee were able to sit with her and answer a lot of questions and share the gospel with her. We continue to pray for her salvation.

“Another great thing we saw during the week was our teenagers stepping up and serving these kiddos at sports camp in a way we have never seen before. Seven teenage boys ages 12-17 showed up every day ready to serve in whatever way they were asked, and they were excited to do so.”

Good News Club helps Canyons Church in Cottonwood Heights, UT reach their community

Evangelism grant recipient Canyons Church in Cottonwood Heights, a Salt Lake City suburb, hosts a Child Evangelism Fellowship monthly Good News Club for the 200-plus children living at the Midvale Road Home Shelter, reports Sonya Tharrington. “Because of the shelter’s funding, we cannot teach Jesus at the shelter, so we bus them to Canyons. This club meets on the second Monday of each month from 4 to 7 p.m. We play games, sing songs, learn a memory verse, Bible lesson, crafts, and feed them dinner before returning them to the shelter. Last month, 45 children attended, 19 made professions of faith, and 16 children requested Bibles.

“I cannot describe the joy on the bus ride back to the shelter as children read out loud from their Bibles and then watching them march back into a government-run shelter that will not allow Jesus to be preached, but now some of them were indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and 16 were literally carrying the sword of the Spirit in hand,” the leader reported. “Last week, a parent approached me and asked what we had done to her daughter, Skye because she was calmer, kinder, and they are now reading her Bible every day.”

“The children are all so hungry for the Word and have had many wonderful, thoughtful, meaningful questions. We invited the children and their families to our Fall Festival and asked them to invite their friends. Our Fall Festival attendance was in the hundreds, with many attendees commenting that they had heard about the event from families who attend the Good News Club. Praise God!”

Reaching the Next Generation

Sola Gracia Church in Salt Lake City, where Issac Garza is pastor, hosted a Gen4C Christmas event Dec. 19 that 40 people attended from five churches.

“Though we had less people than expected, and even less than our first gathering, we had four new churches represented, which means the word is spreading,” the pastor wrote. “We unfortunately had various people reported sick. But praise God I preached the Word, the Gospel was preached and connections were made with this second-generation population.”

Garza reported two gospel conversations took place.

Joy in the Journey - Ogden Women's Event

Redemption Church in Ogden, where Bobby Wood is pastor, hosted a “Joy in the Journey” women’s event November 7th that 106 attended, reported Janna Savage.

“We walked through the book of Philippians with our speaker, Christy Galkin,” Savage wrote. “This conference was a time of renewal for many, but also evangelistic as the Gospel was presented explicitly. We had a beautiful time worshipping together in music, prayer, and in study of the God’s Word. There were also some unbelievers who were in attendance who heard the true Gospel. We are praying those seeds that were sown will flourish!”

Savage reported 11 gospel conversations took place.

Collegiate ministry uses Tabling Ministry to open doors to conversations

Aaron Marshall directs the Ratio Christi chapter at Utah Valley University. He wrote in December about the “Tabling ministry” Ratio Christi does at UVU.

“This Fall we continued our tabling evangelism at UVU four days a week,” Marshall wrote. “Each day we would have at least two staff members at the table along with at least one student. We had two whiteboards set up with questions for the day. Each question would usually pertain to whatever we were talking about at the meeting that week.

“These conversations were especially good this semester. I would say that every day we had at least one really good conversation with a non-Christian. We had a lot of students that would come by very consistently to give their input on the questions we would pose and get into a conversation on the topic. We are now known all over the UVU campus for our tabling evangelism and we have built a good reputation for having respectful conversations with people we disagree with.

“In fact a student from the Ethics Center on campus talked to me a few weeks ago about leading a session at a symposium they are having next semester on having good conversations with people you disagree with.  Please keep praying for our evangelism ministry on campus.”

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December 2025 U&I Together: Stories from churches

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A new column starts this month in UI Connections! This is where churches can tell what God is doing with and through their churches. Send your submissions to State Missionary Jason McNair at jmcnair@uisbc.org. 

December 2025

“Hope for America” livestream beamed across packed Utah and Idaho churches

Twenty churches live-streamed the Nov. 16 Harvest Crusade at Utah Valley University. Redemption Church in Ogden drew 125 to its location. Six made professions of faith. Risen Life Church in Salt Lake City drew 180 to its location. Six people made professions of faith and two rededicated their lives to Jesus. ValleyLight Church in West Valley City saw one person make a profession of faith. Central Valley Baptist in Meridian saw 50 attendees. Canyonlands Fellowship in Moab saw 55 attendees. Emmanuel Baptist in Hyrum saw 25 attendees.

“We had only 13 attend,” reported Pastor Perry Causey of Sevier Valley Baptist in Richfield “All church members though we advertised two weeks on the sign outside the church. No rededications, but all stayed for the whole crusade and really enjoyed it. We did have the names of two people from Manti for us to follow up on, and we have made contact with them. It was a great crusade!”

Jim Panagoplos, pastor of The Gathering Place in Roy, Utah, reported 44 attended their livestream. “We had two first-time decisions for Christ and one decision to rededicate their life,” Panagoplos said. “Folks were very impressed with the crusade.”

Trunk or Treat Outreach Event

Redemption Ogden: “We’re excited to share that this year’s Trunk or Treat was an incredible success! Despite the forecast, we were blessed with clear skies and an amazing turnout of more than 800 people from our community,” reported Kalyn Wagner. “More than 60 volunteers served throughout the evening, creating a welcoming and joyful atmosphere for families. Our dedicated connections team was intentional about engaging with guests, initiating gospel conversations, and helping people connect with Redemption Church and local community resources. We’re deeply grateful for UISBC’s [evangelism grant] support in making this outreach possible. Your partnership helped us plant seeds of hope and share the love of Christ with many who may have been hearing it for the first time.”

Resonate Church at Boise State equips student leaders

Resonate fall retreat: “Our Fall Retreat was a powerful catalyst for building momentum and helping students find their place in our community,” reported Mac Chaney. “This year, about 25 percent of our attendees were college freshmen from Boise State University, a huge increase from last year and a direct answer to prayer. During the retreat, two students expressed a desire to be baptized, and many others encountered God in meaningful and personal ways. Everyone heard the gospel preached in our sessions as we talked about the balance of a healthy spiritual life.

“Since returning, students who attended have stepped up to serve in our Sunday gatherings, lead in small groups, and participate in outreach events. We’re deeply grateful for your generous [evangelism grant] support, which makes it possible for us to host this retreat and continue reaching college students with the gospel.”

Redemption Ogden reaches out to Weber State students

Redemption Ogden’s Fall Preview Service for incoming college students received help from a UISBC evangelism grant. “A lot of the success came on promoting this event on campus,” reported Adam Baccam. “Since 801 College is new, a lot of people stopped to have conversations and wanted more info. Tabling prior helped connect college staff with students and getting the contacts is more helpful for the big fall launch.”

Annual Greek-Giving reaches out to fraternity and sorority

Table Rock Church in Boise used a UISBC evangelism grant for a Thanksgiving dinner, reported Sam Bibb.

“Greek Giving is an annual event hosted by Table Rock Church for college students involved in fraternities and sororities at Boise State University. It’s a free Thanksgiving-style meal where we extend hospitality, share a gospel-centered devotional, and invite students to consider the generosity of God. Students are also encouraged to bring a canned food item, which we donate to the campus food pantry.”

About 200 students attended the event at the University’s Stueckle Sky Center. The full turkey-and-trimmings dinner included a fun mixer to help students meet new people, 15-minute devotional including the leader’s testimony and clear gospel presentation, reflective time of prayer, and a panel of seven students answering faith-based questions and sharing their stories.  

“At the end, everyone filled out a survey for event feedback and had the option to indicate if they wanted to meet with a staff member or student leader to talk more about faith,” Bibb said. “Thirty-two students voluntarily checked a box indicating they wanted to meet with a staff member or student leader to talk further about their faith. Our team has already begun following up with each of them.”