Seasons Greetings from BooBuddy Productions!
Thank you for taking the time to review our year-end bulletin. You can read a message from Kay and myself down below. If you feel called to support our minsitry, there’s a form at the bottom of the page to make a donation and become a member of BooBuddy Prodctions. From our family to yours, we pray that you have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. We are looking forward to seeing what God’s Will is for us in the future. He is So Good!
His, therefore, yours…
Craig Garber
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. We sincerely pray that this letter finds everyone healthy and enjoying their days. We wanted to give an update on our family and the ministry of BooBuddy Productions.
January 2023 started the first year of retirement for Craig. His time with Morton Fire Department as a paramedic was rewarding, but sometimes you have to listen to your body. We had prayed for the determination of going full time for BooBuddy Productions and this was it. The summer arrived all too quickly and, on the way, our beautiful granddaughters turned one and five. We were glad to be able to head to Fort Campbell to celebrate. The next event was Rebekah's 21st birthday, which she spent in Alabama with some of her best friends. They had a great time, and it is hard to believe she is officially an adult. For her birthday, I got COVID for the second time and was grateful to get through it smoothly. As summer arrived, we kept busy. With Doug working on projects and trying to navigate what God is asking from him, it's been a good challenge to face!
Adam spent several months in Fort Sill, OK training for the army, so we were lucky to have Hadassah, McKenna and Estella here at home for almost three weeks. They visited family and friends and gave us precious time before they moved. Adam came home in August to put a few things in storage and took their dog to friends. Sarge will be cared for by them until the kids return from South Korea. You read correctly, on September 1st they headed to South Korea for two years. After the shock, we are excited to see what they learn. They already have had many adventures and experiences. We are so thankful for FaceTime.
We passed a significant date this year as it has been 10 years since we lost our son Jacob. We miss him and my folks terribly, especially when the big milestones come. And we are ending this year with a huge one. We met a very special young man this spring after he started dating Rebekah. On December 16th, we found out Rebekah will be changing her last name to Hauter. Jacob Hauter will become our son-in-law in the fall of 2024, and we are extremely happy! God blessed her and us all with a Godly young man who is so kind to her. She will be joining an amazing family who have welcomed all of us with open arms.
We start the year 2024 with me getting a new left knee, so yay! Pray for us as we navigate many happy changes this year. We are so looking forward to the New year. Many blessings to you all and let us know how we can pray for you.
-Kay Garber
Happy Holidays to All Our Friends and Family.
As Kay has mentioned in her opening letter we wanted to share our excitement for our daughter Rebekah. We are so blessed that the good Lord has brought Jacob Hauter into her life and ours as well. 2024 has a lot in store for our family and BooBuddy Productions. God is so good.
Most of our partners, friends and family are all aware that January 1st, 2023 started a new season in our lives. As of December 31st, 2022, I retired from my full time job as a fire department paramedic with Morton Fire Department. The timing was right because I had been questioning when would be the right time to pursue BooBuddy Productions as a full-time ministry. In asking our good friend Pastor John King, “How will I know it's time to retire?” He responded while looking over the top of his glasses, “Oh, you'll know”, and he was so right.
Unfortunately, chronic atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter has played havoc on my heart. Initially, I started with a rapid heart rate and within a short amount of time my heart was too slow. I received a pacemaker just a year before my retirement, a year later my body found it was too difficult to do the everyday task of a paramedic. With God’s help, my strength will return and I will be able to proceed with His new calling for this season of our lives.
2023 Recap
So Much to Share...
2023 has proved to be interesting. Prior to the beginning of the year we started working with general manager Peter Russell of Peoria’s NBC affiliate WEEK-TV25 and the ABC local station WHOI-TV. The goal was and still is, to produce a 30 minute program that would air once a month early on Sunday mornings. Our hopes are to produce a program that will encourage people to get back into church. Statistics continue to show that the average church in the United States has 65 people or less attending on any given Sunday. Many pastors report that their attendance is still one third of what it was prior to Covid in 2020. So, with that in mind, how do we do that and what should we call the program?
A new wrap for Iris
Most of our members know our mobile production truck is a converted ambulance that we lovingly named Iris. We were blessed this spring to update the wrap on Iris with some new graphics that encourage conversation and allow us to share how God moves daily in our life. We want to publicly thank Rob Parn from Elite Signs here in Morton for providing unbeatable graphics at an excellent price that our ministry could afford.
Revival in Kentucky
While watching the superbowl last February the leader of our impact group shared how revival had broken out at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. Personally, I had never heard of Asbury University and didn’t think much more about it until later in the week. Word was growing and the news was spreading about the event. The following Thursday evening a good friend from high school contacted me to share the excitement that was taking place in the small town of Wilmore. Within 24 hours I found myself in Lexington, Kentucky looking through doors that the good Lord had opened. It’s amazing when God leads us, things just happen. There is so much to tell about the Asbury University Revival and I’m really anxious to share it.
Returning from Kentucky
While returning from Kentucky I had been praying that the good Lord would help me come up with a name for our Sunday morning program. He always comes through with the best timing. Continuing the drive home I received a phone call from our friend Peter Russell who shared the news that the expense for 30 minutes on Sunday mornings was within reach and at a price that we could afford. Being a Christian, Peter has been encouraging. He suggested that I use a name that would tell the viewer what the program was about in simple terms when they heard the name. I felt encouraged to utilize “Churches, Tents, and Chapels”. Knowing God can be found anywhere, I feel that these are places that are considered God’s house of worship. The Lord can always be found when we are there to seek and worship Him. My goal was to try to get the program started by early spring in 2023 and it just wasn’t going to happen. I’m a firm believer that if it doesn’t look professional, it’s not ready for the viewer. Our goal is to ensure that it sheds a good light on the ministry for the Lord. The program is still in the works and being produced and polished to help glorify Him.
This past year...
This past year...
Work has continued with War Room Ministries which is a local parachurch ministry. Over the summer and fall I have worked to complete an informational video for their promotions and their website. My hopes are that the video will be completed by the end of January 2024.
We received the opportunity to help Rock Church celebrate their 25th anniversary by providing extra cameras and I participated with their production team to stream their event over the internet. Pastor Chuck Tate has also agreed to allow us to share about Rock Church in the first episode of “Churches, Tents, and Chapels”. Our hopes are to provide their church with an informational video as well for their webpage.
Pastor Matthew Eckart of Kingdom Pursuit Ministries held a tent meeting revival at Expo Gardens in Peoria during the month of June. Their caravan of passionate Christians comes from the Akron, Indiana area and serves throughout the country. I was allowed to acquire some great footage from their ministry during their revival and doing so inspired me to help share His message. How the Lord provided us this opportunity was an answer to prayer as well. I was invited to travel with their ministry so, please pray for God’s guidance and discernment. Extra equipment will be needed to help fulfill the need.
Riverside Community Church has always been a great blessing to our family. Pastor John King and Pastor Michael Ritchason have been so encouraging and we feel that the Holy Spirit is constantly moving in this ministry. Both Pastor Michael and Pastor John provided interviews for us and my hopes are to share with others about the work at Riverside Community Church. This church is working hard to serve Peoria and their love for their community shows by the work that they do.
The Pregnancy Resource Center of Tazewell County requested our assistance during their fall banquet. I had the honor of helping manage their sound and video presented during their banquet. This is something that we don’t typically do but, when we feel the Lord encourage us to step up and serve we should do so. It was a great blessing to see all the work that this ministry does for young mothers throughout the country.
Evangelist Tom McGuire of Tom McGuire Ministries located in Texas requested that I record one of his services at New Hope Fellowship Church in Farmington, Illinois. With the Lord’s help the video will be used on their website and social media to help encourage more revival services for their ministry.
Over the last couple of months I have been working with the Lord’s Table Church of God in Bartonville, Illinois. Our hopes are to help improve their current video system. By consulting with their volunteers we want to help them reach their goals for streaming their services. Many churches just need guidance in improving their current system in an ever changing world of technology.
We have these projects to complete and several others waiting to start.
Who is this Craig guy?
Those who have been following us on Facebook and social media are aware that I recently had a brief amount of time to tell about our video ministry on WPEO Radio. Unfortunately, the time provided did not allow me to share about the spiritual change in my life. Immediately after the program I received a text message from one of our small group leaders. His text has encouraged me to share more in this bulletin. Kirk knew about our ministry and recognized my voice over the radio but he didn’t realize I was utilizing my first, rather than my middle name. So my hopes are to help reduce the confusion.
Over the last couple of years I have been feeling encouraged to make the move even more definite. Those who have known me most of my life are more familiar with me using my middle name which is Douglas or Doug for short. When I was young my parents elected to call me by my middle name rather than my first.
At this stage of my life, there is no time like the present to make this change. Over the last several years I have made it my life's mission to become a follower of Jesus Christ and help share His word. I pray that hopefully, those who know me have seen a change in me as well. When Jesus hand-picked His disciples, He made it a distinct point to call upon Simon and his brother Andrew. Jesus changed the name of his disciple Simon to Peter. There was a significant change in Peter and it was well documented. The Bible tells us how Peter played an important part in sharing God's word.
My hopes are to share God's word to the masses as well with the gift of technology that He provides us today. So, rather than continue utilizing my middle name. I find that it's time to start using my first name Craig, to help signify the change in me. What I find fascinating is the name Peter is said to be derived from the Greek version, which translates to stone or rock. What I also find fascinating is the name Craig comes from the Scottish, Gaelic, and Welsh origins, which means rock as well. So, what better time to share the change in me. I hope and pray that I am not the same person I was 10 years ago. Better yet, as each day passes, I hope and pray that I am a better person than I was yesterday, or the day before.
Partner with us in 2024.
Before we continue we want to help support you, our partners in ministry. If you have a prayer request no matter how small, please feel free to share it with us by sending an email to info@boobuddyproductions.org. Unspoken requests are just as important so please feel free to let us know. We will add you to our prayer list and lift up your request and or praise to our God as we are instructed to do.
In closing please remember the work that we do as a ministry is provided free of charge to those we serve. I strongly feel if a ministry or church has less than 65 or even 100 people attending on any given Sunday, they likely don’t have the means to support their own production needs. Missionaries are included in that group as well. We want to help them serve. Please pray with us that we can help share God’s word by producing our own projects or by helping other ministries with their production goals. Pray with us that we will continue to help serve and be a blessing to all who we meet.
It is necessary to increase the numbers of our membership. Doing so will help take care of our own expenses and upkeep of equipment which in today’s world of technology changes on a daily basis. So please partner with us in sharing and telling all who will listen about the work of BooBuddy Productions, nfp. If you are not one of our partnering members and would like to learn more about this ministry, please feel free to contact us by dropping us an email at: info@boobuddyproductions.org.
If you would like to partner with us and become a member of BooBuddy Productions please feel free to safely donate electronically at www.boobuddyproductions.org. If you would prefer to join us by writing a check. Fee free to make your check payable to BooBuddy Productions, nfp and mail it to: BooBuddy Productions, P.O. Box 500, Morton, IL 61550. This ministry is a 501(c)(3) Christian charitable organization. So thank you for taking the time to review our year-end bulletin. From our family to yours we pray that you have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. We are looking forward to seeing what God’s Will is for us in the future. He is So Good!