2022 Year-In-Review

NEW DIMENSIONS EVANGELISM A YEAR-IN-REVIEW

Hello, Prayer Partner!

I am excited to bring you NDE’s 2022 Year In Review! This little ministry stood ready as our world continued to heal this past year.

Ready as we returned to school & church outreaches, sharing Christ!

Ready as we continued to create online resources for those who lead children.

2022 saw live programs in twelve states. Truly coast to coast—from school outreaches in New York to church events in Washington; Thousands of kids and families were reached live; we connected through our digital content to many others.

Linking Ring Cover Story

We are honored to have you standing with us as we do this most important work.

Sharing His Wonder,

January

I started 2022 with a great honor! I was featured in The Linking Ring Magazine, the largest art of magic related publication in the world for members of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.This was a meaningful moment, as my mentors, Fetaque Sanders, William Preston, & Felix Snipes, had also been on the cover.

(You can read the entire story using the QR code at the end of this update.)This month, I continued my local event, Mind, Myth, & Magic, here in Mount Dora. It has been a unique way to connect with small groups in my local community. The responses from the intimate audiences have been just wonderful.

February

In February, we began to return to school outreach events after a very quiet two years. I was back at SS Dixon Primary School in Pace, Florida, this month. We had a tremendous turnout for our family night! In the middle of the month, my son Nate and I headed to Kentucky to participate in New Missions Laugh All Night Comedy Festival. Two nights of fun and laughter raised awareness and support for work in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. You can see highlights by scanning the QR code at the end of this newsletter.

M arch

March found me Sharing Wonder again with the great folks of Shindler Drive Baptist in Jacksonville. They are reaching the people in their community through sports and connecting them back to the church. It was great to be with them for the second year in a row. Then it was a return to Aiken, South Carolina, after two years for another school outreach. Again, the family night was, as last month, completely filled with families reaching for hope. And we delivered! Lots of laughs, smiles, and encouraging messages based on the Gospel!

APril

In April, we had another return school outreach in the Florida panhandle. And, just like the previous two, huge crowds responded to our family night invitation. My local event here in Mount Dora drew two small but packed audiences. This local event is opening doors to other unique opportunities, too. The owner of the LA-Z-BOY stores in Orlando had seen my show several months ago and invited me to come and speak to all his sales employees about the power of using stories. So on an early April morning, I headed to South Orlando to connect & encourage the sales teams of his four Greater Orlando stores. It was a fun morning!

Stories are powerful

May

The month of May seemed to arrive quickly! First Baptist, Leesburg, asked me to come and Share Wonder with their team of teachers. Then it was down to Southeast Florida to be back with Citrus Cove Elementary. The last time I was with them was in January 2020.

It was a great day with four daytime shows and then a standing-room-only family night event. I don't often get to the other side of the U.S., but this month we had another Laugh All Night event near Seattle, Washington. It was a joy to be with Evergreen Community Church raising awareness for the children of Haiti.

Evergreen Church

Still in May...

It was a quick trip out and back! I couldn't be gone long, as this was the month our family had been preparing for since last summer.

My Abigail, our second oldest, married her high-school sweetheart, Mr. Chazz Napper, on Father’s first look May 27th, just down the road in Maitland.

It was, if I do say so myself, a beautiful wedding. Their college pastor came from Jackson, MS, and conducted the ceremony.

One hundred of our family & friends gathered for this precious time together.

May 27th

June

The month of June had me close to home for the most part. With my position as Family Pastor of FBC, Mount Dora, I directed the first VBS our church had done since 2019. It went very well! The following week it was off to take children to Kids' Camp. For the first time in thirty Upward Basketball Event years, I attended camp—not as the camp pastor but as a chaperone!

Let's say the former has more perks! This month also began our Senior Pastor, Dr. Thomas Jamieson's planned sabbatical.So, I took on more roles for our church during these weeks. I did have time for a quick trip to Wichita, Kansas, to be with First Church of the Nazarene to close out their VBS. Then, back home for just 24 hours, I jumped back on a plane and headed to Abilene, Texas, to be with Wylie Baptist Church for an evening of Wonder! Finally, I got back just in time to see my two youngest off to camp in Georgia. This month of ministry was a marked change for me.

July

July found me close to home. Covid hit our house again, and another of my engagements had to be canceled.

This is always frustrating—but thanks to Steve, he could head to Pennsylvania and cover the event for me. I was also asked to fill in at WonderWorks in Orlando. Again, the first time in more than two years. It was great to see the world returning to Central Florida. There were lots of U.K. visitors during my limited dates there. I managed to pop up to Nashville for two events: One in Brentwood and the other in Lebanon.

Large summer crowds at these events again felt like things were back to normal. Returning to Florida, I closed out the month with events in Leesburg and a fun evening Sharing Wonder at New Hope Baptist in Parrish, Florida.

August

August is a great month to escape Florida! And the mountains are always a great choice! So, I was delighted that I had been asked to come to the Poconos in Pennsylvania. I was speaking at The Together Family Conference at a resort in Mount Scott & Rachel Pocono, PA. Rachel and I made the trip. Getting there was a challenge, thanks to the new normal of travel craziness. But we made it! The event was super; I loved encouraging families—many of them in ministry.

But we were back home in just over 48 hours. So, I didn't soak in the cool air as much as I wanted—or needed!

September

Back home, for the month, I was excited about a unique opportunity I was asked to help with on September 2nd...

Several months ago, a man and his wife attended my local event here in Mount Dora.

They reached out a few weeks later and asked if I would help entertain for an evening fundraiser hosted at their home for a project called The Lotus House. Lotus House is an inpatient rehab center for children under 18. It is a muchneeded, indeed a vital place— but scarce. So a group of likeminded (several Christ followers) people has built this facility in Orlando. I am proud that I helped raise $8,000 that evening for this crucial life-changing ministry. This was a blessed way to begin the month. I was to hit a milestone this month!

Turning 50th on the 12th of the month—so on the 10th, we planned a large celebration for friends and family.

It was a fun-tastic celebration!

ay 50th Birthd

More than 200 attended this grand celebration!

(Watch the highlight video by scanning the QR code at the end of this update.)

It was here that I officially launched my book! I have been working on this project for five years! If you haven't gotten a copy yet—I encourage you to! I believe it will be a blessing! (Again, scan the QR code at the end of this update to learn Scott & lifelong friends, Tim & Steve more.)

I had the opportunity to fill in at WonderWorks, which was helpful because hurricane Ian was forming in the Atlantic and was about to interrupt most Floridian's lives. Although we hunkered down for about 24 hours, most in our community never lost power, including us. Ian did cancel two school outreaches and planned a corporate event, and because I couldn't get out of the state, I missed a es fic of E D N of t scheduled fundraising lo g in Park event for a girls' shelter in after Hurricane Ian East Tennessee. While those events take planning and preparation, and it is frustrating, there's no comparison to losing a life, a home, or a property. One of the many lessons from 2020 is learning to be flexible & resilient.

OCtober

As the winds from Ian died down in Florida, I followed them toward Charleston. My return after two years to Orange Grove Charter was fantastic. Thankfully, Ian just skirted Charleston, so our programs were still on. More than 800 packed into the cafeteria for our Family Night event. So great! Back in Central Florida, I shared a night of Comedy & Fun with my friend, Pastor Peter Migner, at DeLand Church of the Nazarene. Then, I returned to another long-standing school partner—The Gulf Stream School in Gulf Stream, Florida. It is always a treat to be with them! Then I was with Lake Mary Elementary, with a standing-room-only crowd during our evening family event.

Orange Grove Charter

Another big & important release this month was our online course for Kid Ministry leaders, Sharing Jesus with Children, launched. We began working on this in the fall of 2019—we've never stopped working on it— we did what we could and with what we had. The online course is up and running and free to children's workers, leaders, and pastors. Scan the QR code at the end of this update to learn more about this excellent resource, and be sure to share it with Kid Ministry leaders you may know!

November

The beginning of November found me returning to Daytona Beach, hosting an event at the News Journal Center. And, here in Mount Dora, with my local event. Then, it was back to Homestead, Florida, to return to Rainbow Christian School after a three-year absence. Again, A fun Family we had two Night! standing-room-only family night events. I've been Sharing Wonder with them for more than fifteen years! Finally, the middle of the month found me reconnecting with a long-time ministry friend, Scott Chevalier. He runs the Powerhouse Youth Project, a mentoring program for high schoolers. I was honored to speak to this group of motivated students and parents, celebrating their completion of the program's first phase. Then, it was back to Deland Church with Pastor Peter to Share Christ through entertainment—and giving out Turkeys to families in need. It was a fun night!

December

December moved in quickly! I had another school outreach that was postponed from Hurricane Ian in September—in North Port, Florida.

Then, it was a treat to be with First Baptist Winter Garden's annual Widow's Banquet. It was a blessing for me to bring laughs into their lives for an evening!

My local show, Mind, Myth & Magic, wrapped up the year with two soldout performances. Again, that has been a delight!

Lots of laughs at Mind, Myth & Magic

The week of Christmas, I was invited back to WonderWorks to perform at all the matinee shows—it is always a pleasure to meet so many people from around the world in this small venue.

To view videos referred to in this review, visit : scotthumston.com/year-inreview-2022/ OR Scan the QR code.

As 2022 comes to an end, here are some important moments & fantastic events that I was blessed to be a part of these past 12 months.

The older I become, the more aware I am of what is the most important work. Surveys consistently tell us that more than 80 percent of Christ’s followers decide to follow Him before the age of 13. Presenting the Gospel to children is the most important work. I am thankful to all who give time and love to children’s ministry at churches, camps, VBS, and more.

Updates

This past year I was blessed to team up with great leaders all across the country to do just that. What a joy to see kids respond to the invitation to follow Jesus.

I shared the Gospel with thousands of kids this past year and experienced terrific responses. From presenting a unique Easter program at a church in San Francisco to camps in Texas and Pennsylvania. And VBS programs in Indianapolis and Shelbyville (Tennessee), school programs in New York, Festivals in Florida, and a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration at Westgate Chapel in Seattle. What a joy this year has been.

As you read this, please know that you are also a part of this most important work. Your contributions to New Dimensions support our mission to tell the story of God to the next generation.

Thank you for all you have given with prayers and financial support. Together we are doing the most important work.

May God bless you, and may we see a great harvest in 2023.

To donate or learn more, please visit: scotthumston.com

PO BOX 283 - MOUNT DORA, FL 32756

NEW DIMENSIONS EVANGELISM