2026 JANUARY Newsletter

 Ministry Update:             

In November and December I preached for First Baptist Church of Valley City as they are looking for a pastor. Also, I preached at Liberty Baptist Church in Elyria as their pastor and his wife had their anniversary. We went to a supporter of ours, First Baptist Church of Garden City, Michigan and preached there. Their pastor was celebrating his birthday and has been at the church there for 37 years. During some of the Christmas festivities, we were invited to Old Paths for their church Christmas party where they gave us a Big Thank You and some gifts for pastoring them. They are some special people and it is evident that God is at work there. There have been Salvations and folks joining. We enjoyed a meal and some fun Christmas games together. Old Path is seeing new membership and people growing. A faithful man there that we love and have been praying for received Christ as his Savior. We thank the Lord!!! Some plant, some water, but God gives the increase. Pastor Caley is doing a great job and it’s encouraging to see the Lord working. Some more special people in the Bucyrus area is the Wert family. We took Pastor Wert and his wife out to eat. He will be celebrating 50 years at his church this coming November. We enjoyed being at our home church, Broadview Heights Baptist Church for the Christmas Eve service and also for the New Year’s Eve Service. In 2025, we were in several churches helping, encouraging, and stirring them in the work of God. Many of those churches were repeated visits, filling the pulpits where there is no pastor, or where the pastor has been out of town or had a medical need. We have also helped with visitation and special events Blitzes. Thank You All for faithfully Supporting us in Caring for the Churches! “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”  - II Cor 11:28

First Baptist, Valley City

Old Paths, Christmas 

Old Paths, Christmas 

Most of our supporters have made note of our Church and Address change in sending support to us, but if you have not, it is: 

Broadview Heights Baptist Church, 9850 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, OH 44147. Checks should be made out to: Broadview Heights Baptist Church with “Matthew Siekbert” designated on the memo line.

 Ghana News / Family Update / Prayer Requests: 

We heard from Prince and his family as they sent their Christmas greetings. It is hard to believe how grown up their kids are already. Matthew is going to be 8 years old, Jackie is 3, and Rose Mary is 8 months old. My wife Jackie and I are planning a trip there in June of 2026. We are working out the exact dates and schedules. The round-trip tickets alone will be about $5,000, plus additional expenses for a rental car, gas, food, and hotel. Will you please pray and consider helping us with our trip to Ghana W Africa. It will be the first part of June. We are excited to see our church family there and be an encouragement to them preaching and serving. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026! We were able to spend Christmas with our children. Joseph was in from Tennessee. On Christmas Night after the festivities and all the good food, Joseph woke us up at 1:00 AM saying, “Mom, I think it’s my appendix”. We woke up and got dressed and headed to the emergency room. It was his appendix. They were able to get him into surgery by 9:00 AM and we were home by 12:00 PM. We are thankful he was in Ohio when it happened. He also stayed another week with us as he recovered.

Prince and Linda, Jackie, Matthew and RoseMary

Joseph

  

  The Starre’s and The Heart Ministry:

When I think of Bro Brian and Diana Starre and The Heart Ministry, I think of Proverbs 21:5a, “The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;…”. We are Grateful to them and their ministry. We are very much an extension of them and their ministry outreach. They have a top-notch ministry, the Heart Ministry of 26 years. Their ministry is described as: Helping, Encouraging, and Refreshing Together, and that is their Heart also. They are a model in ministry activity that is successful. Along with their activities in ministry, they have diligently developed through years of experience at least 74 different Bible Courses that are free, of no charge on the world-wide web at: https://www.kjvhearthelps.com/

Bro. Starre and Bro. Siekbert 

Bits Of Bread: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” 

Yielding to God’s Word will make a difference in your life, God’s Word improves one and makes one wise.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Matthew J. Siekbert

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

2025 November Newsletter

 Ministry Update: 

Within the last six months we have gotten to know the Newman family, he pastors at Hinckley Ridge Baptist Church. At the end of September, I preached for Pastor Newman at Hinckley Ridge. A few years before this Pastor Newman and his family got to know a man from Ghana, Martin. The connection was made with the Pastor’s daughter who went to the school Martin’s wife taught at. Martin, who grew up in our church plant in Ghana W. Africa moved to the States about 6 years ago, got married, and now has 2 small kids. Making it somewhat special for Jackie and myself, Martin and his family came and visited with us at Hinckley Ridge Baptist Church that Sunday that I preached. We prayed with him, met his family, and reconnect after the services with some food and fellowship. We helped Mission Baptist Temple in Stow, Ohio on October 10th. We had great weather and a few other churches came to help out also in some canvassing. A few weeks prior to this canvassing I was there at Mission to share an update of the ministry. October 19th I preached for Ashland Baptist Church in Ashland, Ohio. We had a great day of services with them. October 25th we helped Calvary Baptist Church in Akron visit for their special “Family and Friends Day”. We have visited many other churches being in 21 churches these last two months. I had the privilege to preach at our home and sending church, Broadview Heights Baptist Church, on October 26th. We gave an update at a supporting church in West Virginia at the beginning of November. Please be in prayer for us as we travel, I update, teach and preach. As we are helping, encouraging, and stirring up those “…that have obtained like precious faith…”- II Pt 1:1b 

Martin and family

Pastor Newman’s girls singing 

Old Paths, Ghana News / Prayer Request, Family Update: 

Old Paths Baptist Church in Bucyrus, Ohio had someone join the church in September. Family news: Our daughter Naomi and her husband Joe, are expecting a baby due in April. This is also our first grandbaby. Naomi is having a little boy. Please keep her in your prayers. Please continue to pray for my sister-in-law Debbie Siekbert, after her cancer surgery and radiation treatment. Also, pray for us in continued support and as we are scheduling to be in some of our supporting churches with updates, new churches, and churches we are helping fulfill the Great Commission, teaching and preaching in. I know of 3 churches looking for a pastor: First Baptist Church of Valley City; Loudonville Baptist Temple; and Maranatha Baptist Church of Hayesville. I have contact information if you are interested.

NOTING ADDRESS CHANGE: 

Please start sending your support for us to Broadview Heights Baptist Church Since June our new sending church has been Broadview Heights Baptist Church, the mailing address is: Broadview Heights Baptist Church, 9850 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, OH 44147. Checks should be made out to: Broadview Heights Baptist Church with “Matthew Siekbert” designated on the memo line. Chippewa Lake Baptist Church will be forwarding the support they receive for us through this period until the transition is complete. They would like to close out the banking account designated for our ministry by the end of the year. We look forward to your continued support for the ministry God has led us to do. The Lord is doing a work! God bless you for your faithful prayers and financial support!

Bits Of Bread:

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; - II Peter 1:12-13

                                                                                                                                                                           Matthew J. Siekbert

                                                                                                                                                                    

Have a Great Thanksgiving!!! And a Merry Christmas!!! 

2025 September Newsletter

 Ministry Update: 

We hope you had a good summer. I can’t believe Fall is upon us. I love this time of year and the color of the leaves changing. We didn’t have this season, nor winter season in Ghana W. Africa. I have been able to Fill the pulpits of a few Pastors and their churches when they needed. I am so thankful to be used in this way. Faith Baptist, Pastor Barta, asked me to fill in for him on a Sunday Evening. We had a good service and enjoyed Pastor’s birthday with cake and ice cream. Pastor Workman is helping a church in Homerville Ohio, and asked me to fill-in while he and his wife went out West for a vacation. I was there for the last 4 Sunday mornings. We finished our last Sunday with a Pot-luck following the morning service. We also went on visitation for this church a couple of times. Encouraging the church in Valley City, Ohio, as they go forward with the Lord as they are currently without a Pastor. Our many visitations found us visiting for Homerville, Calvary in Akron, visiting for their VBS outreach. A couple of teen girls joined us from another church and we stopped for lunch afterwards. Broadview Heights Baptist was at the Cuyahoga County Fair in August, for the Hope for America Crusade happening in September. We took a turn at their booth on a Wednesday inviting folks to the Hope for America Crusade (HFAC). We also went door knocking in Berea Ohio, for the HFAC earlier this month. We also passed out 6 Appreciation Boxes to local Police/Fire Stations in North Royalton and Strongsville inviting them to the HFAC. Each box was filled with individual invitations with a little candy taped to them. It was well received. HFAC will be honoring first responders on Wednesday evening of the Crusade. Many local churches did this as well inviting their local departments. We met several people from Africa and Pakistan as we knocked on doors for Crusade Baptist in Akron. We were able to talk with them and invite them to church just around the corner. We are not done with visiting this complex so we will be back to finish up. We passed out 180 tracts just in this complex alone. 

Old Paths, Ghana News / Prayer Request, Family Update: 

Pastor Prince in Ghana, had his mother Mary’s funeral September 13th. Mary had a good testimony for the Lord. Prince is a result of his mother’s and father’s faithfulness being in church. Prince along with my wife and Mary all had birthdays around the week of the funeral. Jackie always celebrated the three of their birthdays being so close. Old Paths Baptist, held their VBS the end of July. We attended the first day of VBS, it was encouraging to see the VBS happenings. Jackie and Mrs. Caley (Pastor’s wife at Old Paths) went to a lady’s fellowship the beginning of September at Maranatha Bible Baptist, in Shelby Ohio. Mrs. Matthewson had another great lady’s fellowship. Family update: Our kids came over to celebrate Jackie’s 50th birthday. Jackie requested taco’s and all the fixing’ with a time at home and family. 

Prince’s Mom, Mary

Evan, Mary, Linda and Prince (Prince’s parents)

VBS at Old Paths

Ladies Fellowship at Maranatha

Game time (Mrs. Caley)

PLEASE NOTE ADDRESS CHANGE: As was mentioned in our last newsletter, our new sending church is Broadview Heights Baptist Church. The mailing address for all future support is Broadview Heights Baptist Church, 9850 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, OH 44147. Checks should be made out to Broadview Heights Baptist Church with “Matthew Siekbert” designated on the memo line.  Chippewa Lake Baptist Church will be forwarding the support they receive for us through this period until the transition is complete. We look forward to your continued support for the ministry God has led us to do. The Lord is doing a work! Thank you for your help and patience in this transition. God bless you for your faithful prayers and financial support!

Bits Of Bread: “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God,

that I may declare all thy works. - Psalm 73:28                                                                                                                                                                           Matthew J. Siekbert

                                                                                                          

July 2025 Newsletter

 CLII - July Newsletter 2025

Ministry Update: We have been in 36 churches since our transition into our new ministry of local church helps and encouragement, Heart for the Local Church. We’ve gotten to meet the pastors of these local churches and have begun to reach out to be an encouragement to them. The need for this supportive ministry is great. Just in this short period of time I have filled in for five pastors who needed someone to take their Sunday or Mid-Week services. One of the pastors, his wife, and family had an out-of-town wedding for one of their kids; another pastor I filled in for had a medical need to take care of; one pastor’s mother was actively passing away; another pastor and his family had just lost one of their kids to death; and another pastor and his wife went away on vacation. We all have needs, weights, and burdens and we can all use help carrying them. We all have differing circumstances, we all have differing abilities, but we all have gifts to use and show Christ and His love! The Apostle Paul gave of what he had spiritually to give, and he compelled others to give what he lacked out of what they had. Your supply can be someone

else’s help! The Apostle Paul didn’t go to burden, but sought for an equality! – II Cor. 8:11-14. Paul was addressing supplying for a need, especially for the saints to the saints/brethren. I have presented the ministry to five churches and have been called up to briefly share our ministry while just dropping in for nine other services. I taught Sunday School for one pastor we visited. Jackie has played the flute a couple of times and has also taught Sunday School for the kids. We helped to canvas for a church’s

“Community Celebration Day” for their Life Month in June (a day those in the community were invited to come hear the gospel, and have food and outdoor activities on the church property). They had a good turnout. We have passed out hundreds of tracts for six churches in areas nearby. We also attended Broadview Heights Baptist Church’s VBS. It was a fun week! Jackie and I have been visiting along-side Brian and Diana Starre twice a month. Jackie and Diana have visited shut-ins and widows. They also visited an elderly couple whose sister was dying, and were able to pray with them. Their visits included meeting at Dairy Queen for a cool treat with some widows who live in the area. And you can’t forget donuts; bringing a family of 13 donuts is very exciting to the recipients! Jackie and I also had a meeting with a supporting church of ours in Greenville, PA. They were having a Missions Sunday, as one of their young ladies in the church was taking a mission’s trip to Guyana, South America. I preached all day on Sunday and also at a nursing home service. We had a wonderful time with them, as always. People have gotten saved and others have been stirred about doing God’s will! During our travels our car has needed some attention, so a mechanic from Chippewa Lake Baptist church helped us get it repaired so we could keep moving, THANK YOU!

Old Paths, Ghana News / Prayer Request, Family Update: We received some good news from Pastor Caley of Old Paths Baptist Church in Bucyrus. Their church did the Crawford County Fair in Bucyrus last week and saw 123 professions during their fair week. Also, their church and another church took us on for support, praise the Lord! Pastor Prince’s mom Mary died in May; her funeral will be held in September. Please pray for the family. Prince and his wife Linda named their baby Rosemary, after both Linda’s mother, Rose and Prince’s mother, Mary. (For those who are new to us and our newsletter, Pastor Prince is the pastor of Cornerstone Biblical Baptist Church, a church we planted as missionaries while in Ghana, W. Africa). Our son Nehemiah has been a camp counsellor this summer at the Bill Rice Ranch, which was part of his Bible College training this year. He will be coming home in the early part of August.

PLEASE NOTE ADDRESS CHANGE: As was mentioned in our last newsletter, our new sending church is Broadview Heights Baptist Church. The mailing address for all future support is Broadview Heights Baptist Church, 9850 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, OH 44147. Checks should be made out to Broadview Heights Baptist Church with “Matthew Siekbert” designated on the memo line. Chippewa Lake Baptist Church will be forwarding the support they receive for us through this period until the transition is complete. We look forward to your continued support for the ministry God has led us to do. We will need time for adjustment and development, but the Lord is already at work! Thank you for your help and patience in this transition. God bless you for your faithful prayers and financial support!

        Bits Of Bread: “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:2

       Matthew J. Siekbert

2025 May Newsletter

March, Finishing Missions Month at OPBC:                                                                                             In March we had our Missions Month at Old Paths Baptist Church. The Theme of our Missions Month was “Our Need and Our Fruitfulness”.  During this month many things took place: 1) On March 1st, Olivia, a teenager of a family that started coming in October 2023 received Christ as her Savior. This Teenager is the reason that Gary and Regina first contacted me at OPBC and started coming. As mentioned in March’s Newsletter the Lord has done many great things that transformed this family. (Read March’s Newsletter if you missed it!, it is a testimony of God’s Goodness and Greatness!!!); 2) During our Missions Month, We had Brother Brian Starre and his wife, Diane Starre come to OPBC to do an Outreach and Inreach session. They are missionaries helping Encourage and Strengthen churches. When I think of Brother and Sister Starre and the “HEART MINISTRY” that they have started I think of the first part of Proverbs 21:5, “The thoughts of the Diligent tend only to plenteousness;…”.They  spent the morning with us, teaching us about Outreach and In-Reach into our community, then we had a delicious potluck lunch the church folks brought in. It was a good time of Edifying the church, with fellowship, and Food! The Starre’s Ministry reaches worldwide with free online materials that can help individuals and churches in their growth with the Lord at: https://www.kjvhearthelps.com/; 3) After our morning services on March 30th I had the privilege of Baptizing Olivia, the teen the received Christ on March 1st; 4. On the first Sunday of January at OPBC was our Vision Sunday and I presented our theme for the year, which is, “Going Forward with Christ The Lord” using that theme, our theme verse for the Year in Matthew 26:46, “Rise, Let Us Be Going”and It’s provoking thoughts. One of those plans were the bringing in of a new pastor, so in the evening of March 30th I had an Installation Service for their new pastor, Pastor Chris Caley. Pastor Chris Caley and his wife Natalie have six children, their oldest married in September 2024. They are a fine family that went to Massillon for Bible School. They are excited in doing a work for God at OPBC. In April we transferred church accounts, emails, and other needed information concerning OPBC, and we were able to go visiting with the new Pastor and the church for their Easter 

Bro. Starre

 Mrs. Starre with the ladies

APRIL and MAY, Furthering Ministry Outreach:

There are 2 Letters attached along with this Newsletter: 1^st, a Letter from Pastor Royalty of Broadview Heights Baptist Church which our ministry is now under, where Bro Brian and Diana Starre are members with the HEART Ministry; 2^nd, a Description Letter of our ministry, “HEART For The LOCAL CHURCH”. We are thankful for your continual support in every ministry move the Lord has led us in, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT CHRIST and HIS CHURCH, whether in SERVING the small CHURCH at Chippewa Lake as an assistant pastor, later going to CHURCH PLANT as their 1^stsending missionary, then returning to PASTOR the struggling Old Paths Baptist CHURCH of a pastor dying of cancer; to Now, this new work, as an extension associated with the HEART Ministry, “HEART For The LOCAL CHURCH”. A ministry in short as the Apostle Paul said, “…the Care Of All The Churches”- II Corinthians 11:28. This ministry is a helps ministry. It is designed to Help, Encourage, and Strengthen churches, pastors and their families. It is to assist with church re-starts and new-starts where needed, and to help each church carry out the Great Commission. There are many churches that need help. There are at least 60 smaller independent Baptist churches within an hour of our location in Medina. As missionaries we will be focusing our ministry on Northeast, Mid-Ohio and Beyond. We have had some churches take us on already with other pastors and speakers saying that they will spread the word of our ministry “HEART For The LOCAL CHURCH”. The Lord has been working on me about furthering our ministry for quite some time. Every time the Lord moves us in a ministry direction He has given me a Bible Passage/Verse and a Replacement for ministry opportunities He has afforded me to be involved with. The Mailing address for all future support is: Broadview Heights Baptist Church, 9850 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights, OH 44147. Checks are to be written out to Broadview Heights Baptist Church with a Note in the Memo that the Supportis for Matthew Siekbert/ or “HEART For The LOCAL CHURCH”. Chippewa Lake  Baptist Church will be forwarding the support they receive for us through this transitional period until all is clear. We will be in contact with our Supporters. We look forward to your continuing with us as God has always worked through you and the ministries He has had for us to do. We need time and room for adjustment and development, but the Lord is already at work. Thank you for your help and patience in this transition. God Bless you and your Faithful prayers and financial Support!!!!

Family News, Ghana News, Needs, and Prayer Request:

At the end of April we went to Bill Rice Ranch for their Bible college graduation. Our son, Joseph graduated with a 4 year degree; Our son, Nehemiah finished with a one year certificate. Joseph will be staying down in Murfreesboro; and Nehemiah has gone back to Bill Rice to be a camp counsellor for this summer. In Ghana, Pastor Prince and Linda Tackie had a baby girl on May 2^nd. He sent me a picture of the baby on WhatsApp saying, “Be The First Ones To Know and See”their baby girl, Rosemary Tostos Tackie. Pastor Prince’s Mother, Mary Tackie passed away Saturday, May 17^th; also, today, June 3^rdPastor Koasi called me about needing some help renewing rent on their Bible Study Room in Anaji, the need is $500. Please Pray for our boys, our Pastor’s in Ghana, and the Launching, Developing, and Support of our Furthered Outreaching Ministry, “HEART for The LOCAL CHURCH” 

 

Rosemary 

Joseph 4 year

Nehemiah 1 year

Bits Of Bread:  My Prayer and Plea is the Lord Establishing our Work for His Glory: “And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” – Psalm 90:17       

Matthew J Siekbert