September 2010

Busy Summer’s End

The month of August started with our annual GTS board meeting in which the board encouraged Steve to continue to do GTS ministry as usual while teaching part time at local colleges. After the meeting Steve and Camille took off for Hershey, PA to their annual family reunion and then a much needed vacation at Ocean Grove, NJ after a summer of moving. While in Ocean Grove they visited Mike and Janice Martin long time friends and GTS helpers. Mike and Steve did a GTS show for the senior community pool/billiard league where they live in Whiting, NJ. God really showed up as some of the men after the show shared how they wanted to return to God and others are being invited to Mike and Janice Martin’s house for follow-up and Bible study. We also introduced the new fellowship game of Bobble Ball on the pool table and the pool league players said that they are excited to begin trying this fun new pool game. The Lillis family returned home and then Steve head for Upstate New York the next day for more GTS pool ministry. That week started with a GTS Show at Hippos House of Billiards in Yorkville, NY sponsored by a local church called Redeemer.tv in Utica, NY. Steve has done many shows at Hippos in the past as the Conte Family who have owned Hippos for three generations have always extended a warm welcome. GTS friend Scott Packard owner of the Mohawk Valley APA was on hand to help and be part of the follow-up as well. After the Hippos GTS Show Steve headed off to the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY for the Joss 9 Ball tour event finale to serve as Chaplain at this pro event. Many relationships have been built up over the past 10 years as GTS has traveled to many Joss 9 Ball tour and Turning Stone events. At the end of the week Steve went to Redeemer Church with Scott Packard and had the privilege of doing a GTS show for the Junior High youth on the church pool table as part of their Sunday School hour. The show was entitled “Nehemiah” as 13 trick shots representing 13 different scenes from the Book of the Bible called Nehemiah were performed.  Plans are now being made to come back to Upstate New York in December of this year to continue doing pool ministry with Redeemer Church and the Mohawk Valley APA. Please pray for the follow-up and the future plans to share Christ through GTS in the Upstate New York region.      

Family Update—Camille and I are finally getting somewhat settled into our new apartment. We received by donation almost all of the computer and office supplies for our GTS office except a laser printer. Hint Hint!! We purchased a second car for private use from our own financial reserves. The other car that was donated to GTS two years ago will be used for GTS ministry only. We are so thankful to the Lord for two new supporters this past month and we still need others to pray and give as the monthly support is what pays our GTS salary. The GTS salary pays for not only most of our monthly income but also provides us with full medical and dental. PTL!!!

Africa GTS Team Update—The picture on the right shows Steve on left and Jason on the right providing new Kenya GTS team members John and Nelson with all the tools they need to do pool ministry in Kenya. John and Nelson are Bible school students at the East Africa School of Theology in Nairobi, Kenya. Pastor Kennedy Salano is a professor at the school and is the pastor of the Kariobangi North KAG Church and is also their spiritual mentor and guide for GTS ministry. There is a Thomas Aaron pool table set-up in his church to be used for GTS ministry. GTS is now helping to support Jason, Nelson, and John. Please prayerfully consider giving a little extra to GTS to help support these GTS workers with their travel and ministry expenses. Thanks. 

Steve and Camille Renewal of Vows and 30th!

In a small and intimate gathering at the Ringwood Baptist Church in Ringwood, NJ, Steve and Camille Lillis celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary with a renewal of vows. The picture on the right was taken months after they were married in 1980. Steve and Camille traveled for 7 years as professional pool players before settling down and having their children Amanda and Sarah who stood in for them at their renewal ceremony on Sunday April 25, 2010. The Ringwood Baptist Church is the home church of daughter Amanda DuMont whose husband Tim serves there as the youth leader. Daughter Sarah will be getting married on May 7th to Kenny Fuehring of Haskell. NJ. The renewal ceremony followed the morning service and took about 15 minutes complete with vows and ring exchanges. Following the ceremony guests were invited downstairs to the church reception hall for lunch and cake. Daughter Amanda DuMont, her mother-in-law Louise, father-in-law John, and sister Sarah handled the set-up of pan Lasagna, salad, Italian bread, horse dives, drinks, and a cake. Special thanks goes to all and especially to the good people of the Ringwood Baptist Church and their Pastor Jack Peters and his wife Dottie. Thanks for all your prayers and support for many years!    

Africa GTS Mission Trip Update!

 What an exciting GTS trip the Lord is planning to Africa. On the first leg of the journey Steve will rendezvous with John Bandstra and David Schuit of the Hawthorne Gospel Church to hold various sport competitions including billiards and GTS shows on islands in Lake Victoria, Tanzania. Then Steve will meet up with teams from various organizations to do a series of GTS shows, teaching clinics, and challenge matches in and around Nairobi, Kenya where that country has selected billiards to launch a “Sport 4 Good” campaign. This is similar to what was done in the USA 100 years ago as pool tables where placed in YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, schools and colleges, and churches to allow young people to enjoy the grand old sport of billiards in positive environments. Steve has been asked to be a spokesperson for the campaign while he networks with local ministries to share the love of Christ in Kenya. We have part of our support for this trip and we still need an additional $2,800 to meet all expenses. Thanks for your prayers and support! Have a blessed Easter!    

Salvation Bracelet Story—One of Steve’s favorite GTS shots is the Salvation Bracelet Shot which he performs and then hands out the bracelets. Thousands have been given out over the past few years and the ladies of Serving Hands at Hawthorne Gospel Church keep GTS well stocked! Well in Phoenix Steve trained an entire Bible study group how to share with the bracelet and then trained a Christian pool player to do the shot.    

International Update!

We recently received permission from African Inland Mission (AIM) to have a Thomas Aaron pool table placed in a shipping container out of Pearl River, NY bound for Mombasa, Kenya with final destination being Nairobi, Kenya. This pool table will be used by Steve and the GTS Team next summer to do a series of Gospel Trick Shot Shows in and around Nairobi as pool is one of the fastest growing sports among young people in that area. The picture to the right has a group of young people participating in a soccer camp run by sports pastor Kennedy Salano of Kenya who Steve met in Phoenix, AZ earlier this year at the Christian Sports and Recreation Ministry Summit. They will be working together next summer sharing Christ using billiards.

Go to www.cbn.com/700club and click on the "Media Center" tab on the left side of homepage. Then when the "Media Center" page opens type in the white textbox area "Steve Lillis". Then click on the "video" button and enjoy the broadcast.

Steve Lillis was featured in a news article written by the Billiard Congress of America in October 2006. Please go to the following link to read more about his life as a pool player, educator, and minister:
http://www.bca-pool.com/industry/membership/06updates/update_v3n19.shtml