From August 9-19, 2007, a group from First Baptist of Boulder visited Japan to share fellowship and fun with our Kanto Gakuin Sister-Church located near Yokohama. The group attended the KGC Sunday morning services on August 12, followed by a church-wide lunch and a presentation by Missions & Outreach Team member Kerry Hassler of the local, national, and international missions and outreach activities of FBC/Boulder. The following week, the visiting group enjoyed seeing sights in the Yokohama and Kamakura areas before going on a 2-day retreat to an outdoor camp near Lake Hakone with 15 KGC congregation members. There we were led in fellowship by Pastor Matsuda and ABC-IM Yokohama missionary Dwight Davidson. After returning to Yokohama on Friday, the FBC/Boulder group enjoyed additional activities with their homehosts. On Sunday, August 19, Kerry Hassler presented aspen leaf gifts made by FBC/Boulder kids and adults to the KGC Sunday School children and staff. For the Sunday morning service, FBC/Boulder member Emily Moyer sang a duet with Machiko Matsuda, a solo of "Amazing Grace" in Japanese, and other worship songs with the KGC choir. It was sad for the group to depart for Colorado immediately following the service. The FBC/Boulder group felt blessed by the opportunity to have such a wonderful visit with our Kanto Gakuin Church brothers and sisters in Christ!

From June 11-15, First Baptist of Boulder held Vacation Bible School for preschool through 6th grade kids. These youth learned about God's love and the message of peace, hope, and faith carried to us by his Son Jesus by singing, making crafts, and having fun!

THe annual First Baptist of Boulder "James Park Trek" was held on Sunday afternoon March 25, 2007, under clear blue skies in the mountains west of Boulder. The conditions were perfect to snowshow up the 2.1 mile trail from the Peak-to-Peak Highway to the James Park lodge. The group enjoyed having lunch at the lodge and being in the natural beauty that surrounded them before returning to Boulder later in the day.

On Friday/Saturday March 30/31 and Monday April 2, 2007, volunteers from First Baptist of Boulder completed various outdoor improvement work-items at Boulder's Whittier International School for this year's church Spring Break Missions & Outreach activity. These improvements included covering the north playground with new wood-chips, preparation of flower pots for flower-planting, and the painting of the school's "Peace Garden" benches, "four-square" lines on the playground, and six exterior doors. Church volunteers will plant $150 of flowers in the school's Peace Garden and other flower beds around the school in early May. In addition, $800 of 2007 Spring Break Missions & Outreach church funds were donated to Whittier's Historian's Fund for the school's 125th anniversary celebration in October and for other school historical projects.

M&O Team Leader Kerry Hassler represented FBC/Boulder at the Kanto Gakuin Church's 60th Anniversary services and celebrations held on Sunday, October 15 in Yokohama, Japan. Prior to their Sunday morning service, Kerry distributed 54 "congratulatory bookmarks" made by our Sunday School kids to KG Church Sunday School kids, with the "extras" going to Pastors Matsuda, the Hara family, and other KG Church friends. In return, Kerry received "Japanese doll bookmarks" made by KG Church for our church kids. At 4:00 p.m. on this same Sunday, Kerry gave a 10-minute slide presentation to over 150 attending the KG Church's 60th Anniversary Reception about our previous 2003-2005 friendship-church activities.