Allison, Faye and Brian made it back safe and sound from Europe on December 13, 2006. The tour was amazing! They all had a wonderful time. The crowds in Ireland and Scotland were great; big in numbers and big in heart. They love Gospel Music in these countries and the response was indicative of that fact.

If you missed reading about the concerts and day-to-day adventures from the trip, you can read all about them at Brian’s blog. There's also a photo gallery of the trip for you to view. We thank you for your prayers for Allison, Faye and Brian as they traveled.

Allison Durham Speer Ministries elected a board of directors when it received 501(c)3 status in 2005. In the past, we have held board meetings by phone because two of the members lived out of town, one in Maryland and one in Arkansas. But on January 2, 2007, God permitted all of the board members to be together in Nashville. So what did we do? We got together and ate! We thank this wonderful team for their prayers, support, and godly advice.

Top row from left to right: Brian Speer, Pastor Johnny Minick, Smyrna, TN, Bill Fullenwider, Magnolia, AR, Kathi Mathis (Allison's scheduling coordinator) Chapel Hill, TN, Allison. Bottom Row: Pastor Tom Gue, Mt. Airy, MD, Rebecca Irwin, Smyrna, TN.

In December, we introduced you to Larry Sims, the man in the photo on the right. Larry has been serving his country in Kuwait and many of you have contacted him by email. We just received great news from Larry; he's coming home! His replacement unit will be arriving in Kuwait on January 18, and he'll be home shortly thereafter. Thank you for your prayers for Larry's safety. Please continue to pray for our president and the serious decisions he is facing concerning all of our precious men and women who are serving in our armed forces.