April 2026 U&I Together: Stories from churches
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.
This month, we focus most of U&I Together with reports and celebrations of special Easter services that took place the first Sunday in April in churches across our two states.
April 2026
Idaho to get 4 ‘look-sees’
Between April and June, the Mississippi (state convention) Mission Board, Georgia (state convention) Mission Board, and two Baptist associations in Florida plan to participate in vision tours organized by Reach Idaho that stretch along the southern quarter of the state.
Reach Idaho is a relatively new ministry in Idaho that focuses on starting churches, strengthening churches, and providing internships and apprenticeships for those interested in Christian ministry.
“We’re seeing a lot of people interested in Idaho,” said Mike Palmer, director of Reach Idaho and pastor of Salmon Valley Baptist Church and Lemhi River Cowboy Church. “God’s laying Idaho on the hearts of a lot of people.”
Sola Gracia hosts NextGen gathering
Sola Gracia Church of Riverton, Utah, where Isaac Garza is pastor, hosted GEN4C on March 28 for teens and young adults. GEN4C is an acronym for “Generation for Christ,” and the “C” that starts with Christ, also includes calling, community, and commission.
“All of those make up GEN4C,” Garza told U&I Together. “This church is second-generation Hispanic but most of them are in their late 20’s and in their 30’s so to close that gap we started this ministry.”
Leaders prayed for 50 attendees for the Saturday event, and attendance grew to 55. It was an evening “of worship, preaching the Word, and then we had fellowship, games and activities, and finished off with food,” Garza said.
Leonardo Lopez pastors Iglesia Bautista Sola Gracia in West Jordan, Utah, which was planted in 2015. Today about 130 mostly Hispanic people gather for Sunday worship; eight people were baptized in 2025. Sola Gracia West Jordan, which focuses on first-generation Hispanics, started Sola Gracia Riverton, which focuses on second and third-generation Hispanics, in 2024. About 30 regularly gather in Riverton for Sunday worship.
Western Preachers’ School set for early May
Salmon Valley Baptist Church again this spring plans to host a workshop for pastors and other church leaders. It’s set for May 1-2 at Salmon Valley Baptist Church, where Mike Palmer is pastor.
“Living where I live, on Sunday morning you’re not going to find a supply preacher on short notice,” Palmer said. “We need to train people. We need to train and raise up people to preach, lead Sunday school and other ministries.
“In the New Testament, the pastors of churches came up from within the church,” Palmer added. “They didn’t have the idea of calling someone from someplace else. It’s a biblical concept: Teach men and women to be able to share the gospel. Teach them how.”
The “schooling” focuses on Bible preparation for preaching or leading a class. It’s several quick lessons in how to study the Bible with more intent, to be equipped to correctly handle the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15.) It’s a study equally applicable to leaders of small groups and Bible studies as it is to pastors. All with an interest in increasing their biblical knowledge are welcome.
Redemption uses Valentine’s Outreach as a means to reach ten new Ogden families
Through funds provided by North American Mission Board evangelism grant, Redemption Church in Ogden built an important bridge into their community. Throughout the event, children participated in gospel-centered activities, crafts, and Bible teaching focused on the love of Christ.
The central message was from the parable of the Lost Sheep, helping children understand that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who pursues and cares for each one personally.
“We emphasized that no one is unseen or forgotten by God — He rejoices when even one is found.” reported Kalyn Wagner, Redemption next gen leader who organized the outreach event.
Easter reports from churches
Editor’s note: UISBC sent an email April 7 to all 192 churches and church-type missions in Utah and Idaho, requesting information for the April U&I Together column. Following are responses from all who emailed their reports by Wednesday evening, April 8. UI Connections went to press April 10. Realizing we didn’t give much time to respond, we might post others that came in after deadline.
As of April 9, 2026, here are our Easter reports from churches
- Stites Baptist Church, Stites, Idaho
Pastor Hilaire Hinds reports: “Stites Baptist Church had 11 in attendance for service and afterward we shared a common meal.” Stites is four hours north of Boise, Idaho. - Midvale Community Baptist Church, Midvale, Idaho
Pastor Christopher Blythe reports: “We had a biscuits and gravy breakfast for the community. Fed about 60 people and it was the first time in many years. Some ate and left. Overall it was a Wonderful turnout! Also had 50+ come for service, which is up from our average 20.” - Resonate Church, Salt Lake City, Utah
Pastor Jonathan Moore reports: “For Easter and Good Friday, we explored the ideas of blessings and curses. On Good Friday, I preached on how Jesus became a curse for us, Galatians 3:13. We nailed sin to a cross and took communion together. The communion included eating a bitter herb to remind us of the bitterness of our sin that nailed Jesus to the cross.
“On Easter, I preached out of Ephesians 1 and explored the idea of the blessings we receive because Jesus resurrected. We took communion together as well. Later that day we had a potluck at my house with our whole church and celebrated the day by spending quality time together as a church.” - Duchesne Christian Church, Duchesne, Utah
Pastor Carl Wimmer reports: “Wow did we have another epic turnout in little Duchesne! We were once again set up out the doors, literally. We propped opened the main doors, so people could hear, and set chairs on the sidewalk. We held communion and ended up serving around 120 people with the Lord’s Supper.
“A new family mentioned they had wanted to come hear about the Resurrection of Jesus from the ‘Pastor who had just died and come back.’ It was humorous, but they loved the service and said they will be back! We also held our annual Resurrection morning breakfast, and served more than 100 people.” - Sand Hollow Baptist Church, Caldwell, Idaho
Pastor’s wife JoEllen Claypool reports: “We had communion and one of our teens got baptized. We always let the fathers baptize their own children so that was special to watch.” - Canyonlands Fellowship Church, Moab, Utah
Pastor Geoff Thomas reports: “We had two outreaches prior to Easter Sunday and multiple services throughout Holy Week. A special thank you to our Women’s Ministry as they commissioned our new Fellowship Hall with their annual Spring Brunch a few Saturdays ago.
“That was followed by the Faith & Business breakfast held on Palm Sunday as we reached out to the business community of Moab, building relationships that helped us understand how we might best serve them. Our hope over time is to see the gospel shape the culture of businesses in Grand County. A total of 10 businesses were represented at the breakfast, and two businesses attended our worship service on Easter Sunday.
As for Holy Week at CFC: a good Bible study about Judas Iscariot on Thursday night as we wrapped up our ‘Twelve Ordinary Men’ Bible study.
“We followed this up through a call to Solemn Assembly on Good Friday where the Lord was faithful leading us: in Communion with Him at The Upper Room, in prayer with Him at the Garden and in grief with him at The Skull. This was a most intimate and Special Service at CFC.
“And of course, Resurrection Sunday with our Donut Day outreach at 10 a.m., when we had numerous first-time visitors followed by a worship service with just over 100 people.
“And what a beautiful demonstration of resurrection through believers’ baptism as a young couple came forward as a testament of new life having come to their home through salvation in Jesus Christ.” - Church of the Valley, Sandy, Utah
Pastor Boyd Bettis reports: “We prayed like crazy as a church before Easter weekend.”
“Our average attendance is 220; we had more than 240 for Easter. Seven people were baptized and a few others made a profession of faith and trust in Jesus.
“We always put together a nice breakfast spread.” - Resonate Church, Boise, Idaho
Pastor Marc Chaney reports: “We had 118 on Easter for our Sunday Gathering! We did an Easter BBQ with more than 50 in attendance and got to fellowship and celebrate the resurrection. - First Baptist Church, Clearwater, Idaho
Pastor Don Starn reports: “The Risen Lord was magnified and exulted on Easter in the building that His church meets at.
“We had Sonrise Service at 6 a.m. with songs and praises. Luke 24:1-9 was the morning scripture from the pulpit. Afterword we had a fellowship breakfast and most all stayed for that.
Then we had our regular Sunday School and Worship, and we still had 27 in attendance.
“All praise to Jesus Christ. Keep us in your prayers. God is working.
“On a side note, the Lord has made it possible that we can purchase the property behind our church building so we have more parking!
“Old relationships are being reconciled and He is the head of our church. Keep the Son in your eyes and keep up the good work. Matt. 28:19.” - Elk City (Idaho) Baptist Church
Pastor Tom Moore reports: “We had an early morning service, not quite sunrise, with 20 in attendance.
“We had a breakfast at 8:30 with around 35 in attendance. Then our regular Easter Communion service with 42 present. This is our normal Resurrection Sunday schedule but with more in attendance than last year.” - Primera Iglesia Bautista and Water’s Edge Fellowship, Burley, Idaho
We met together for a united Good Friday Service on April 3.
Pastors Dave Carver and Lucio Gutierrez each spoke a 15-20 minute message about God’s love, sacrifice, and how we should share about God’s love. Worship teams came together to lead the congregation in worship in English and Spanish. After the message the pastors read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 in Spanish and English before the Lord’s Supper, which they both helped pass out to the congregation. - First Southern Baptist Church, Washington, Utah
Pastor John Shirey reports: “We had one person baptized along with more music to celebrate the resurrected Christ. Our attendance was 256. God is good.” - Pleasant View Baptist Church, White Bird, Idaho
Interim Pastor Jim Hilliard reports: “This Resurrection Day we had 70 (Not bad for an area that boasts 91 as the population of White Bird, Idaho) at the Sonrise service at the White Bird Battlefield Overlook.
“Members said it was the largest crowd they had ever had. The weather was very conducive to having a service. We transported a piano, guitar and streamed the service live on Facebook.
“There was one gentleman who attended who was a neighbor of one of our church members. He was a Sikh!
“Then we went to the church and enjoyed a breakfast that the ladies put together of fruit, casseroles, cinnamon rolls, egg dishes, quiche, orange juice, coffee, juice and tea. The Easter Sunday service came next, including the Lord’s Supper.” - Iglesia Bautista Sola Gracia, West Jordan, Utah
Pastor Leonardo Lopez reports: “Easter Sunday was a great celebration where approximately 90 people prayed, sang, and were encouraged and challenged by His Word to continue forward in our Christian lives, confident that our Savior lives and is among us.
“In addition to all of this, we celebrated the Lord’s Supper, remembering His death, His resurrection, and His second coming. We concluded with two baptisms. A couple who were recently saved obeyed this ordinance last Sunday.
“Our prayers continue to be that God would keep awakening His people in Utah and Idaho to reach unbelievers. May every church be strengthened through His Word and in the power of His Spirit.” - Living Hope Ukrainian Church (pre-plant launch team), Fruit Heights, Utah
Pirates can’t steal the true meaning of Easter for Utah’s Ukrainian children
On Saturday before Easter, Living Hope hosted a special puppet show in Fruit Heights, UT featuring two pirates who try to steal all the chocolate filled Easter eggs from children, but later learn from a little girl that the true meaning of Easter can’t be stolen. It resides in every child who celebrates the resurrection of Jesus as the true meaning of Easter.
The puppet show was follow-up with a message by pastor Oleh and a family Easter egg hunt for the 45 kids and 25 Ukrainian adults present at the event.
Pastor Oleh Kamanov is currently leading a weekly bible study for Ukrainian families in Salt Lake City on Thursday nights. In August 2026, he and his family intend to launch Living Hope Ukrainian Church out of Kings Cross Church in Fruit Heights. Oleh has completed initial NAMB church planting assessment and is gathering support for this new plant.
Feed My Sheep Conference | April 18, 2026
