Richie & Missy Orrick
Our Call to Wales:
In December 2000, my wife and I moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. We began attending Park Street Baptist Church. After about six months, we felt led to get more involved. We volunteered to serve in the church’s visitation program. On September 29, 2001, while out making my very first visit with my pastor, Dennis Jennings, I was gloriously saved!
Growing up in West Virgina, Missy attended a Methodist Church. At a young age she was sprinkled and grew up believing in Jesus. However, it wasn’t until she started attending Park Street Baptist Church in St Peterburg, Florida in 2001 that Missy became assured of her salvation and was scripturally baptized. Missy is forever thankful for a church that clearly presented the Gospel.
We soon surrendered to be missionaries after being impacted by a missions trip to the United Kingdom, a missions conference, and guest missionary speakers. In the summer of 2002, we moved to Springfield, Missouri and enrolled at Baptist Bible College. In 2004 God made it possible for us to go on our second missions trip to the U.K. After graduating from BBC in May of 2005, we were brought on staff as Missionary Interns at Cherry Street Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri, under Senior Pastor Ken Gillming. In 2008 we were approved as BBFI Career Missionaries to the country of Wales. While serving in Wales, we worked alongside two veteran missionary families, serving in numerous areas of ministry. We were blessed to see many people come to Christ.
In 2012 we sensed God directing us back to the United States. Though we could not fully understand all that God was doing, we knew He wanted us to return home. After a time of intense prayer and counsel, we followed God’s lead. Once we returned, we were asked to be on staff at our Sending Church, Cherry Street Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Dennis Jennings. While on staff at CSBC, God allowed us to be involved in a multitude of ministries where we have leanred so much about leadership and administration. During our time there, God also made it clear that He still had plans for us to be missionaires and He wanted us to return to Wales. It’s our goal to take all that we learned from our first opportunity to serve in Wales as well as all God has taught us during these past four years at CSBC and return to the country God has called us to.
Our Country
Where Are We Going?
- Post-Christian Country of Wales
- Over 3 million people
- Churches are closing at an alarming rate
- 77% of the population claim no religion at all
- Islam is the fastest growing religion
What Is Our Vision?
- Win the Welsh to Christ
- Baptize and disciple believers
- Train nationals to start self-governing, self-supporting, self-propagating, independent, local Baptist churches
What Is Our Plan?
- Engage national pastors and Welsh churches
- Assess areas in urgent need
- Prayerfully consider location to start out ministry
- Revive closing churches and plant new churches
Letter Update:
As we shut the door on 2024 and look to thrive in 2025; we want to begin this letter with an attitude of gratitude as we celebrate the goodness of God
To begin the month, we loaded up the church minibus and a minivan and headed over an hour and a half southeast for a youth night with another Baptist church in Wolverhampton, England. It was a late night to say the least, but the food, the fun, and most importantly the fellowship, made the long journey very much worth it all.
To help overcome the late night, the very next morning a group of over 20 from our church visited a local care home for some Christmas caroling. While visiting, the residents and the staff expressed their appreciation for the financial gift our church gave, which made it possible for all 64 residents to receive a gift for Christmas. (Pictured is a 1 year old boy from our church next to a resident in the care home who was 101)
And as if that weren’t enough, that evening we once again loaded up the church minibus and a minivan and the ladies of our church headed up the coast of Wales to another Baptist church for a Ladies Christmas Tea.
Moving ahead to Christmas Sunday, we were absolutely thrilled this year to have our first Christmas Choir! The service was wonderful as we opened with our children’s nativity choir and then our church choir to follow. The attendance was the best we have ever had for a Christmas Sunday with over 100! The Gospel was clearly shared following the singing and we would ask that you please pray for Kevin and his wife, Leanne, to be saved.
Another blessing this past month was the response we had to our annual Christmas Eve candlelight service. The seats were full and a lady named Jess from the bank came for the very first time with her family. We have been inviting her for years! Please pray for them as well.
To make the month even more amazing, our daughter, Bella, celebrated her 17th Birthday!
Along with all these abundant blessings, we closed out the year with a baptism service. It was encouraging to see a man named David, who we led to the Lord back in August, decide to follow the Lord in baptism.
As we close out this letter, we want to express our absolute appreciation to all those who sent us a special Christmas gift this past month. It truly was and is a blessing to our family. We also want to say thank you so very much for your faithful partnership. It is only through your prayers, financial giving, and the glorious grace of Almighty God that we were blessed to witness over 30 receive Christ as Saviour and 13 baptized throughout all of our ministries in 2024! Praise the Lord!
Happy New Year!
Richie, Missy, Briton, and Isabella
If you would like to stay updated with the Orrick family or feel led to give to help them on their journey, you can give your donations to Hickory Ridge Baptist Church. You can also stay connected with the Orrick family through their website. Click the button below.