A Christmas Memory

I found this post on the MAF blog to be meaningful.  I hope you enjoy it too.

AGM Thinking

I bought a bunch of chickens!  What a cool thing to get in your stocking at Christmas, right?  Honestly, I wish there were more farm animals in the AGM this year, as I know my youngsters like to get those.  But, have you looked through the catalog?  I love to go through and see all the things that our church is involved with, and the huge variety of items available.  It's even online here, though, I have to admit that the online version is no where near as pretty.  :-)

Do take a few minutes to browse through the creative choices for giving.  The team that puts the catalogue together did a super job of putting together some fun packages, plus, they have it all sorted by price, or place, or type of ministry supported!  It's cool, man, real cool. 

I'm off to roll out some Spekulaasjes (Dutch gingerbread cookies) now.   God rest you, merry gentleones!

Jubilee Reach Christmas Outreach

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Dear Friends, As we head into this Christmas season with the news dominated by state budget cuts, worldwide economic uncertainty, and civil unrest, I wanted to share with you one of the many stories of hope that we are seeing through Club Jubilee presence in the Bellevue Middle Schools through Jubilee REACH. Help us to SPREAD THE WORD by forwarding this onto friends and family. (click here to play video) In the midst of soccer practice at Tillicum, a Title-One Bellevue middle school, Coach Jeff heard his phone ring. Accustomed to ignoring his phone during practice, there was something that compelled him to answer this “Unknown Caller”. An anxious woman’s voice, speaking in broken English asked, “Have you seen my son? Is Luis at practice?” A worried, hard working mother did not know where her son was. Desperate that her son was getting into deeper trouble and fearing he had joined a gang, mom went on to express how hard it had become to handle Luis. He would not come home some nights. He was failing in school. Jeff, reassuring her, responded, “I am pleased to tell you, Luis is standing beside me right now. He has been at practice every day. He is one of my best players.” In relief, and almost disbelief, mom said, “It’s a miracle!” Then she pleaded, “Can you please mentor my son? He needs a coach like you in his life.” Already building in relationship with Luis, Coach Jeff agreed to keep walking alongside Luis, instilling good values, character, responsibility and respect. That’s what sports can do. Before Club Jubilee Sports, Luis hung out at the park next door which has a dark reputation for drug dealing and gang activity. Now Luis has purpose, a goal, and someone who cares about him. To play soccer, he has dedicated himself to his classwork, his team and his family. His attendance is perfect, he is home every evening and his grades have improved from failing to beyond a C average…in little over a month! Oh…and mom? The next day she inquired about the organization that cared for her son. Together, she and her husband are now engaged in the caring community of Jubilee REACH, attend ESL and will be enrolled in our next Parent Computer Class. So much more…redeeming sports, redeeming lives, families and futures, like Luis’. It’s a life transformed by a caring coach or mentor. Club Jubilee Sports is reaching the heart of a kid which opens doors to the parents so we can walk alongside and care for a family. We build relationships, earn trust and hear the deeper, unseen needs of those struggling on the margins. We step in the gap. Luis and his family have peace, purpose and hope…a better life for their whole family. In the past year over 1,000 Jubilee REACH volunteers served as glowing lights in our community. Your financial support has been essential in sustaining us as the ‘salt and light’ Jesus spoke of for hundreds of children and families in need. Your faithful financial support has been stewarded and the impact multiplied, enabling us to expand our REACH more deeply into our community and high needs schools through collaborative cooperation and partnerships bringing together churches, businesses, government, schools and other organizations. As we continuing to love, listen and learn, we’re discovering that the needs are more pronounced, especially at this time of year. During this Christmas season of giving, we’re inviting you to ‘let your light shine’ by making a financial gift to Jubilee REACH, lifting up families like Luis’. As we serve families through our Community Center, Thrift Store, and reach out to over 4,000 kids in the Bellevue School District Middle Schools, Jubilee REACH continues to model unconditional love and hospitality. Some come with urgent immediate needs; others are families on the verge of homelessness. Often families need medical or dental care, desire to learn English, or need a Caring PEER to walk alongside them through crisis. Help us sustain Jubilee REACH as a light that “cannot be hidden.” We appreciate your continued prayers and faithful service. “You are the light of the world.” You are the story of transformed lives transforming other’s lives…daily. Thank you for your generosity! With gratitude and appreciation, R. Brent Christie Executive Director P.S. You may contribute on our secure website, www.jubileereach.org, or send to our address, 14200 SE 13th Pl, Bellevue, WA 98007.

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News from our Russia Ministries

Children’s Hospice – Fr. Alexander Tkachenko

Thanks to the engagement of a new employee in September - Olga S. – there have been some changes in the work of the Children’s Hospice social and psychological care service. Previously, Olga headed a children's center of the Ethnographic Museum, where she created and implemented many innovative programs. Now she uses her valuable experience at Children’s Hospice and arranges so-called “thematic weeks”, which are beloved by our patients. As a result, in September a “Week of water” took place in the Hospice, which included a lot of various and fun activities.

St. John of Kronstadt –

Dr. Sergei Medvedev

In October the heating season in Koltushi began at last, and we are able to have classes in the Cultural Center with heat! All classes from the last academic year have started their activities. Two lectures on Bible History for adults have also been presented. We finished the repair of the heating system at last, but till now have not finished the repair of electric system. My volunteers appear and disappear, appear and disappear etc.

The most interesting event was a bus trip along the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland (where Peterhof is located). We visited an old historic fort with its super guns which had a big role in the time of the blockade of Leningrad. The coast at this place is very steep and rugged, and this was interesting for us too.

In early October we took a group of our adult parishioners to the Pskov-Pecherski Monastery for an overnight visit.  We attended a worship service and toured the Cathedral.  This is a very interesting place with long caves of the XV century. The monks used them as their cemetery.

St. Andrew’s Biblical Institute – Dr. Alexei Bodrov

Teachers at St. Andrew's are trying to promote the revival of the ancient Orthodox tradition of deep Bible study. Working in close co-operation with the leading foreign Christian publishers and Bible Society in Russia, whose revival had been actively supported by Fr. Alexander Men', the College faculty members have access to modern literature on Biblical studies. This special attention to Biblical studies distinguishes St. Andrew's from other Orthodox teaching institutions.  They sponsored several Conferences this year and the next will be in early November in Lviv, Ukraine on Academic Theology in a Post-Secular Age.

Hosanna Community – Bishop Seraphim

In Semkhoz ,the village outside Moscow where Fr Alexander Men, the leader of Christian renewal in Russia and the one who inspired our work, lived and died, we have continued to develop our retreat center step by step--modernizing the dining and kitchen areas previously and this year beginning what we will continue in 2012 the development of the large basement into a lounge area to complement the second floor meeting hall with an area for relaxed conversations, snacks, a television etc. The center is used not only for our own retreats but for those of Christian friends like Scripture Union, Jean Vanier's Faith and Life and so on. We also continue to have special retreats for children, couples, etc

Narnia Center – Alexey Markevich

This fall after Narnia staff visited,  the leader of a charitable Christian organization in Vladivostok wrote to Narnia, “We were able to distribute 158 books with the help of benefactors. The number of books was enough so each orphanage was able to have many different books.  I gave the books to children who said they love to read and who promised to exchange the books with friends and try to read everything that they have received.  Thank you so much for making it possible for the children to have such wonderful books.”