Blessed New Year

Copy and paste this link into your web browser for a wonderful New Year blessing.

http://www.mamarocks.com/new_year_blessing.htm

Merry Christmas from Ozolnieki, Latvia

There were two Christmas services in Ozolnieki. As we expected Christmas Eve was very lovely. There were many more people as never before with more than 70 people and many children attending the service. As is the Latvian tradition, there was a good Christmas meal following the service.

The second service was held the next day, on December 25^th, The First Christmas Day. Expectations were for just a few people, but we were happy to have more than 20 people for the service.

Perhaps I am not precise in English but in Latvia we celebrate Christmas Eve, The First Christmas Day, The Second Christmas Day and The Third Christmas Day.

In Christ,

Rev. Uldis Fandejevs

Ozolnieki, Latvia

Packing for Ukraine

Each year the Thoughts of Faith (ToF) Gift of Life (GoL) program sends material aid to Ukraine. The aid is gathered at the ToF Oregon, Wisconsin office/warehouse. Volunteers sort and pack the aid to be shipped in a 40-foot container to Ukraine. The material aid is distributed to the needy in Ukraine through the congregations of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church and the five GoL Pro-Life Counseling Centers throughout Ukraine. Volunteers were in the office today sorting and packing infant and children's clothing and quilts made by members of St. Paul's congregation in Algoma, Wisconsin. Material aid can be dropped off at our office in Oregon or shipped to Thoughts of Faith, 280 W. Netherwood Road, Oregon, WI 53575. For more information call the ToF office toll-free at 877-892-4718.

Kekava Congregation 2008, Kekava, Latvia

Kekava is about 15 kilometers from Riga, Latvia. The congregation purchased a parcel of land and built its own church and its dedication was in August 2001. The president of the congregation provided the following information that shows the activities for the congregation for 2008.

Merry Christmas

New Pro-Life Counselor in Sevastopol, Ukraine

Elena Ivanovna Kovalenko has been recently hired as a counselor to work in the Gift of Life’s pro-life center in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine. Elena (Helen) is married and has two sons, 25 and 29 years old. Helen is originally from Russia and from 1973-1978 she studied at State Kuban University (Russia) and graduated as a teacher of geography. Then she married and moved to Sevastopol. From 1994 to 1996 Helen has been studying psychology at Sevastopol Institute of Post-Diploma Education. She has great life and work experience.

Helen has been living in Sevastopol for 30 years, likes this city very much and desires to help its citizens. She first worked as an educator at one of Sevastopol’s kindergartens. Then she worked as a psychologist at the Center of Social Services for Youth where she worked with young people, mostly teenagers. Later Helen moved to work at the Sevastopol Shelter for Children. She has been working there as a practical psychologist for the last ten years. Because of this great work experience Helen seems to know much about the difficulties of modern life. The issues of AIDS, HIV infections, abortions, and family problems are not new for her.

The new GoL counselor has a great experience of her own. Moreover, Helen spent several weeks in Ternopil for orientation in the Gift of Life program pro-life work and began Lutheran instruction by Pastor Oleh Yukhymenko. Helen has now started to work as the pro-life counselor in Sevastopol life-center.

Children's Christmas Service in Plzen, Czech Republic

Every year the children who attend Martin Luther School in Plzen, Czech Republic, present special music and Bible recitations during our Christmas services at St. Paul's Congregation. Two children's services were held on Sunday, December 14. At the 10 AM service, the children in Grades 3-6 participated. In the 5 PM service, the children in Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 sang the special carols they had prepared. The services were very well attended with a total attendance for the 2 services of about 400 people.

In some ways, our children's services in Plzen are similar to children's Christmas services in the US. Through their songs and recitations, the children present the wonderful message of Christ's birth to their parents and the members of their churches. But there is one major and significant difference. Most of our Czech school children do not have believing parents or grandparents. So when they sing their songs and recite the verses they have memorized, they have the wonderful opportunity to witness to their own parents. Pray for the Lord to richly bless the message of salvation that our children have shared with their parents and other family members.

First Church Service in Rochlov, Czech Republic Since 1944

The Czech Mission conducted its first worship service in the village of Rochlov on December 14. Even though this was our first "exploratory-type" service, God richly blessed this new beginning: 40 people attended the first service - enough to fill the pews, leaving standing room only. Vicar Petr Krakora conducted this Advent/Christmas service, focusing the attention of the people on the real meaning of Jesus' birth. There is no church of any kind in the village. But there is a small chapel located inside what was once the private villa (built in the early 1700's) of a noble Czech family.

Rochlov is a few miles west of our western-most mission congregation, St. Peter's in Tlucna. Through a friend, Vicar Krakora learned about the existence of the chapel. A Czech company bought the villa and the surrounding buildings and has been restoring them as a historical site. Further contact with the new owner led to an invitation for our mission to use the chapel for public worship services. During the long years of Communism, the villa was reduced to little more than a shell of a building, but because it was used for storage, it survived. To the best of our knowledge, the last time an actual worship service was held in Rochlov was probably 1944, shortly before the end of WW II. How thankful we are to God for this opportunity to share God's saving Gospel message in an area where it has not been shared in many, many long years. The next service in Rochlov will be at 10 PM on Christmas Eve.

Pastor Mark Grubbs, Plzen, Czech Republic

Are You Looking for an Exciting Summer?

Become a Volunteer for the 2009 VBS Program in Ukraine

Thoughts of Faith (ToF) Lutheran Mission Society, a church-related organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, has for more than 10 years partnered with the Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC) to plan and carry out an extensive Vacation Bible School (VBS) program. In keeping with the “Great Commission,” the goal of the VBS program is to spread the saving Gospel message to unbelievers throughout Ukraine. Volunteers are needed to carry out this important program. The 2009 Ukraine VBS program is scheduled for June 30 to July 14, 2009. For more information contact the Thoughts of Faith office at 800-892-4718 or by e-mail to pamtof@att.net.

Street Evangelism in Kyiv, Ukraine

It was an unusually warm day the last Sunday in November. Only a few days ago it was cold and snowing. We did not expect such warm weather. But we appreciated God providing such a warm day. Sometimes people worry about how they will do Evangelism. They worry about not being good speakers, they worry about not having enough tools... and sometimes they even worry about the weather. But the Lord always tells us "Do not worry." Well, we also worried whether we chose a proper time for evangelism on that Sunday. We were not sure whether we would be able to stand in the cold weather. But the weather was brilliant. And there were many people coming to us and asking for literature. We talked to them and invited to church. And we were happy God warmed a cold day and reassured us once again of His mighty power and great love.

Now we are sure that even in the coldest winter day God will help us and warm us! We also pray that in this advent time that God warms our hearts with the sure message of the Nativity. We thank God for the opportunity to share the Gospel with the Ukrainian people!

We also thank all the brothers and sisters in the US for their generous support that helps us preach the Word in Ukraine! May God bless all of you! Slava Isusu Krystu!

Pastor Yuriy Fizer
Nativity Lutheran Church
Kyiv, Ukraine

Thoughts of Faith Develops a Blog

Dear Friends:

We are developing a blog so we can provide current news about the missions we work with and support in Central Europe including Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Latvia. We wish you all a Merry Christmas.