Hearts and Crafts:

 Hearts and Crafts meet on the second and fourth Saturdays from 10 am to 12ish in the Koinonia Chapel. For quite a few years we have done knitting, crocheting, and some stitchery and beading. We would like to invite anyone who enjoys doing crafts to join us. Or if you would like to stop by and share fellowship, please come. We often do more talking than crafting!  


The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian missions organization dedicated to serving our persecuted family worldwide through practical and spiritual assistance and leading other members of the body of Christ into fellowship with them. Voice of the Martyrs was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand who was imprisoned for 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ; his wife, Sabina, was imprisoned for three years. In 1965 they were ransomed out of Romania; and soon thereafter, they established the global network of missions of which Voice of the Martyrs is a part. The Wurmbrands based these missions on Hebrews 13:3, which instructs us to “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.” The Voice of the Martyrs continues this mission around the world today through the following purposes:
1) To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great Commission in areas of the world where they are persecuted for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2) To provide practical relief and spiritual support to the families
of Christian martyrs.
3) To equip persecuted Christians to love and win to Christ those who are opposed to the gospel in their part of the world.
4) To undertake projects of encouragement, helping believers rebuild their lives and Christian witness in countries where they have formerly suffered oppression.
5) To promote the fellowship of all believers by informing the world of the faith and courage of persecuted Christians, thereby inspiring believers to a deeper level of commitment to Christ and involvement in His Great Commission.

VOM is an interdenominational organization working with Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ. They supply Bibles, literature, and Christian broadcasts, provide families with relief, help believers rebuild their lives and witness in countries that have suffered Communist oppression, and to inform the world about atrocities committed against courageous and faithful Christians.
Contact Information:
PO Box 443, Bartlesville, OK 74005-0443
www.persecution.com
From ministrywatch.com and www.persecution.com/about

 

SUPPORTING A NEW EPC CHURCH PLANT IN PORT ORCHARD
Back in the fall, our elders decided that we would join several other churches in our presbytery to financially and prayerfully support the first church plant of the Presbytery of the Northwest. The church plant is in Port Orchard, and we have made a commitment to offer financial support for the next three years. God has called Larry and Meghan Hackman, who have been serving at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in Gig Harbor, to lead this church plant ministry. Here is the description of the church plant:

“Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church has been a faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Gig Harbor, Washington since 1963. We began to feel an urgency about going “Beyond These Walls” through a vision to pay off our mortgage debt and release funds for ministry like we never had before. We feel called by God in this season of ministry to love our neighbor, release leaders, and make disciples. We stand to have our mortgage paid off in June 2021, but sense the call to plant a church in Port Orchard now.

God has given Megan Hackman unique insight into the spiritual climate of Port Orchard and into the needs of so many of its residents, needs that are mirrored in Megan’s own experience as a military kid. Port Orchard shares a longing for rootedness, a sense of home, of family, of being known. Jesus wants to root his Kingdom in Port Orchard and knit the residents there into a family. We believe we can bring this message alive in Port Orchard.”

The following is an excerpt from Meghan’s monthly email. It will give you a sense of the passion that the Hackmans have for the people of Port Orchard: If you want to be in on the mission of Jesus, pray He would give you His love for people. At our Christmas Eve-Eve service, we saw during a children’s message that the kids were, on the whole, completely unaware of the Christmas message. They could not recognize the shepherds or angels, Mary or Joseph, or baby Jesus. The next morning, Christmas Eve, cooking breakfast, I was overcome with grief. I had to check my spirit to see what was making me weep. It was the kids who don’t know Jesus, who can’t recognize baby Jesus, because they’ve never heard the story. Who will tell them? Would you please pray for the kids of Kitsap County to have people who will tell them the story? I’m hoping one of those people who will share the story of Jesus with kids might be on our Lead Team for the church plant.

I am excited to be partners with the Hackmans in this ministry to the lost and broken people in Kitsap County who need Jesus. Please add the Port Orchard church plant and the Hackmans to your prayer list.


Collecting Shoebox Items for
Operation Christmas Child

If you would like to collect items for the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox for kids, you could either purchase items all at once, or collect a few per month leading up to the end of October.  If you need boxes, please see Juanita MacMahon.

January-Hats, Gloves, Scarves
February-Accessories (sunglasses, watches, hair items, jewelry)
March-Quality Crafts (pillow cases, tote bags…)
April-Stuffed animals
May-Hygiene items (washcloths, soap, toothbrushes, comb, hairbrush, deodorant)
June-Toys
July-Clothing items (socks, shoes, t-shirts, dresses…)
August-School supplies
September-Games
October-Letter & photo
November-$9 Donation for postage
December-Prayer

 
 

From  Missionaries Elisha & Crystal Stock in Arua, Uganda

To know Him intimately, so we can be equipped.  To share Him freely, that He might be worshipped among all people groups.  To live life with, and not separate from the people He has called us to.”

  Three Years and Counting
Today marks a historical day for us, as it is our three-year anniversary in East Africa.  We praise God for His faithfulness during our time here and want to give Him all the glory for what he is doing through us.  Join us as we pray for  many more fruitful years of service here.

Elisha flies Sudanese pastors back to their village and pick up three pastors to take them to a training school in Kenya.  Pastors in South Sudan have close to no training.  This was an opportunity for them to get some theological training from experienced professors.  The flight is two hours and thirty minutes over barren land and the world’s largest freshwater wetland swamp.  There are so many people who have never heard the Gospel and in places that are almost impossible to reach.  It makes me realize how valuable a tool the airplane is in this region.

Please be praying for the outbreak of Ebola that has been taking over in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  This country neighbors Uganda where we are living and seems to be slowly inching its way closer to us; but, so far has been contained to Congo.  Please pray that God would be working to contain this outbreak and that officials and medical teams would have wisdom in how to stop the spread of this virus.

We are slowly feeling settled in our home in Uganda.  There are always projects that need to be done; but, most of the major things we needed to do have been done.  We finally were able to finish our kitchen sink countertop.  We have stained and finished it.  The cabinet doors and drawers will be next.

We are slowly making new friends in Arua and are getting to know our way around town.  Elisha has started language lessons, and Crystal will be starting soon.  Pray that we can learn this difficult language quickly and well.

Pray that Crystal can find a good ministry to get involved in in Arua.

Pray for safety as Elisha flies.

Elisha & Crystal Stock
PO Box 640
Arua, Uganda
Elisha.stock@sim.org