Encounter friends,

As we come to the end of 2019, I am grateful and filled with joy for each of you because of your love, prayers, and support of Encounter. We moved to Kentucky a little over a year ago and having had the opportunity to be closer to our children, we are blessed beyond measure. Three years ago, God opened up a door for the ministry of Encounter to launch. He gave us a vision to help broken and hurting people discover the free, devoted life to Jesus Christ.

I prayed that our ministry would be ordained by God as a unique and different kind of ministry, unlike any other ministry. Then God gave us the name of Encounter where HOPE can be found. Then God revealed to us Encounter’s four pillars of discipleship, recovery, evangelism and community. Shortly afterwards, He gave us Encounter’s 12 Anchors of Hope, our 12-week study curriculum and teaching plan. My wife, Carolynn, and I spent a good part of 2017 writing and finalizing the 12 Anchors of Hope curriculum. It truly was a labor of love as we experienced the breath and Word of God. The 12 Anchors of Hope were given to us from God and we look forward to sharing this curriculum and ministry with the world.

God clearly revealed to us that the Holy Spirit was the key to any healing and transformation that happens to a person. He showed us how to provide a pathway to put people in a position where they can have daily encounters with the Holy Spirit where He can reveal and heal all root issues that keep them stuck. He gave us a pathway and ministry to help people get discipled and grow in their faith.

We have run Encounter in California and now in Kentucky. We have churches that will start Encounter in 2020. We will have a new video teaching series on the 12 Anchors of Hope Bible Study. We will open up an office in KY and build a team of people to help get Encounter implemented in as many churches and organizations as possible. We will build an online social media platform to host Encounter to the multitudes.

As we come to the end of another year we can declare once again that God is faithful. We have huge goals for 2020, and beyond. Our curriculum needs to be published, packaged, and promoted for churches and organizations. We need to raise a million dollars in 2020 to reach the goals that God has mandated for us. We have an immediate need to raise $100,000 before the end of this year and we know that God can do it! God has provided for us and sustained us in miraculous ways. Would you please pray about making a “year-end” donation to help us reach our goals and move forward in 2020?

I recently was the keynote speaker for a recovery ministry in KY for their annual banquet. I asked the following question to those in attendance, “How much is a soul worth?” For every day that Encounter exists, we are dedicated to souls who need Jesus and freedom from their brokenness and hurts. We will never stop reaching out and helping broken and hurting people overcome life’s adversities so they can discover the free devoted life to Jesus Christ. We will never stop being a resource to other organizations and ministries that need our help. We will never stop helping communities with the most powerful and viable solution to break and tear down strongholds and free people from the chains they are bound to. We will never stop advancing Encounter because “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19

We are grateful for each and every one of you who support the mission of Encounter in so many different ways. We could never be where we are today, nor hope to reach our God-sized goals for 2020, without the help and support of wonderful and faithful friends like you.

Giving to Encounter is easy: Go online to www.thehopeencounter.org and click on “give,” and it will direct you to give securely via pushpay, or mail a check to Encounter at PO Box 23631 Lexington KY 40523-3631. You have until December 31st to make your end donation for it to count for 2019. Thank you for all your prayers, faithfulness, and giving to Encounter.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! May this Christmas Season and the coming year be filled with God’s peace, joy, power, love and wisdom for you and your family. We pray that you will have life changing encounters with the living God as you live a free and devoted life to Him.

Be Blessed and Encouraged

Bill & Carolynn Rieser