Winter 2018

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:16-17)

The "him" identified in verse 13 of this chapter is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. It is evident that by Him all things were created. By His power and authority kings and kingdoms rise and fall. It is by Him we are sustained and continue to exist. Unfortunately, the truth of these verses is often forgotten in the push to promote the greatness of human achievement and the ingenuity of man. As believers, we must always give honor and glory to the One who created us and sustains our world.

Ministry News

Good things have been happening in the teen ministry. Our average attendance had been running around 20 on Thursdays, but over the past month or so we have had over 25. In early December, we had the privilege of taking the teen choir to two churches to sing. Dave participated in the choir as well and played guitar for two of the songs. Ruth was also planning to sing, but one of the teen girls became very ill and needed attention since we were too far away to return home. A total of 15 teens participated, and they performed beautifully. During the afternoon, we took them to the Christmas market in the city, and many went ice skating for the first time!

Also in early December, Dave was invited to bring some of the teens to a hear a member of the Romanian parliament speak. At 27, he was one of the youngest members ever elected. It was good for the young people to hear his testimony, not only of how the Lord led him into politics, but also about serving in parliament as a born again Christian.

Christmas Programs

On the Wednesday before Christmas, Ruth and the ladies on our team coordinated a short drama of the Christmas story, with the children and teens playing the characters. Afterwards Luke brought a short message, and each of the children received a gift bag. Ruth takes special care to ensure that each child’s bag has items that are suited for them. This takes extra time in preparing the packets, but we know the children are appreciative. On Christmas Eve, the teens sang in the service. See the choir singing "Ce minunat Imparat" (What a Wonderful King).

Attendance was strong as we had many parents come. Since then we have seen several of the mothers come back. Pray that they continue to come each Sunday at 2PM. With the new year, we are taking a short break from choir before resuming practices in February. Potter's Club is continuing on Tuesday afternoons. We'll share more about this ministry in our next update.

Give God honor and glory in everything this new year!

Dave, Ruth, Celeste, and Amber

Well Water Restored

You may recall the well project from last year where we worked with the mayor's office to dig a new well in the Roma community in Luncsoara. We were disappointed to learn that the well had fallen into disrepair and that someone had completely removed the hand pump in an attempt to repair it. In late November when Luke and Dave were visiting in the community, they saw the state of the well. People were actually climbing down into the service pit to fill their buckets with water directly from the supply line. This was dangerous as the pit is nearly six feet deep, and it had 18 inches of water in the bottom. Dave contacted the man who helped us dig the well last year and arranged for him to come help. The repairs were made and the pit securred. We decided to use readily available parts so they can be easily replaced in the future. Pray that the well can continue to be used especially during the winter months.