Thursday, April 11, 2013

WILL YOU CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH US?


In the last 18 months, God has gathered over 60 people from more than 20 nations to form Converge International Fellowship in Darmstadt.  It has been nothing short of amazing to witness Christ building His church!  We trust that as you have followed our reports of His blessing, you have been blessed and encouraged along with us.  Thank you for your participation in this ministry through your prayers, notes and financial support.

In our last update, we shared that when we came to Germany, we were fully funded by generous regular gifts of faith-filled friends who caught the vision for a new International Church reaching people “from every nation under heaven” (see Acts 2:5).  A substantial part of that support also came in the form of several large gifts that were divided over the months we would be on the field.  With the fluctuations in the Dollar and Euro, and some loss in regular support, those months have been reduced, and we now face full funding only through August of this year.

On August 1, we will be returning to the US, and will not be able to return to Darmstadt until we are once again 100% funded.  We need your help to continue our mission!  One encouraging source of financial support that we have now did not exist 2 years ago – the Darmstadt church itself!  The faithful congregation at CIF (many of them students!) is supporting the church with enough resources to pay all the local expenses (building rent, supplies, advertising, etc.), and will be stepping out in faith to add support toward our support target!  We are actually glad to have this opportunity for our church family to be part of this support-raising effort.  It is so encouraging to watch God do the amazing and miraculous – it strengthens our resolve and confirms His vision for the work in Darmstadt.

Our initial shortfall was $5800/month.  In just the last 6 weeks, we have seen God provide over $1800 in new monthly support! Praise Him! We are praying specifically that God will provide the needed funds so that we can be back in Darmstadt for our first anniversary service on October 6. 

Will you join us in that prayer?  Will you join us in achieving that goal?

We invite you to join us in reaching the world!  Here’s how you can help:
If you are not already personally supporting this work, will you prayerfully consider it?
If you are on the team already, will you pray about increasing your level of support?
Will you contact your pastor, or church missions team, about our mission and our need, or send us their contact information so we can contact them?
Pray with and for us!          
             

HOW TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION:
Web-based support:  Go to www.convergeworldwide.org/give/133261 to set up a one-time, or ongoing support from your debit or credit card.
By Check:  Make payable to: CONVERGE WORLDWIDE in the memo line, please note ACCOUNT # 133261. Send to: Converge Worldwide / 2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd. / Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Automatic Withdrawal is available.  Contact Daniel Boerst at 1.800.323.4215

Powerful Partnerships


Our ministry in Darmstadt is the result of Kingdom-minded partnerships.  Our very presence here is the result of a partnership between Converge Worldwide in the United States and the International Baptist Convention, based in Frankfurt, Germany.  That core value of working with ministry partners to see the gospel proclaimed around the world is part of the DNA of Converge International Fellowship.  Over the last six months since the launch of CIF, we have been blessed with amazing partners in ministry in Darmstadt.

The German-language Baptist church that rents us our meeting space in their building is a vital partner.  Bob had a chance to preach there this past month, and was warmly received.  The church has been very supportive of our work, and they are excited to see the relationship and ministry results grow as we work together to reach the city!

A few weeks ago a new family joined us for worship.  Markus and Jojo are regional directors for Youth for Christ- Germany, and we are so blessed to have them join us!  They are currently training and leading a South African ministry team called “iThemba” which means “hope” in the Zulu-language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa.  Markus explains their mission:
"iThemba started as a ministry of Youth for Christ South Africa in 1998 and from that time on, several teams have ministered in Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Spain and the US through the creative arts like dancing, singing and drama. Through their life-stories and testimonies they have the privilege of sharing the gospel with many young people in Germany, even in governmental schools in Germany which are usually quite restrictive towards Christian groups. This year we are hosting 3 teams of each 7 young people. They will start their tour in May until the end of November."

CIF will be serving as their “base church” through the remainder of the year.  Pray that we will be a faithful and effective partner in their mission to Germany!

The Chinese-language Bible study on the University Campus continues to be another great partner.  As this group continues to grow, more and more of the students are coming to CIF to find a church home.  It is so exciting to see God at work among the Chinese and other Southeast Asian people.  God is doing a great work, and   Pray for the leaders of the Bible study, and for our support to their important mission.  Pray that CIF will be a loving and enriching church home to them!

Signs of Life in the “Endless Winter”!


 Germany, like many parts of the world, is experiencing a long and stubborn winter season.  A recent news story reported that the period from December 1, 2012 through March 1, 2013 was the cloudiest 3-month period in Germany since records have been kept.  During that 90 days, there was a mere 96 hours of sunny skies!  It has been cold, wet, gray and harsh.  As Carol and I walked through the stadtmitte (city center) in Darmstadt last week, I said, “This is not a bad day for early January – but not good at all for early April!”  We have seen reports that much of the rest of Europe and the US are experiencing an “endless winter” just as we are.

But in the midst of this gray, oppressive season, there are signs of life!  Tiny, colorful crocuses push through the snow, bright yellow daffodils have blossomed along the city streets, the trees are beginning to exhibit the first signs of life, and the local farmers have taken to the fields, caring for their spargel, or asparagus.  They grow a very unique asparagus in our region.  Early in the spring, they cover huge fields of asparagus with tarp, and the earth is mounded high over the plants, so that the asparagus actually grows and matures beneath the surface, hidden from the sun.  The result is an asparagus that is white instead of green.  It is more flavorful and tender than its traditional green cousin, and is the object of “Spargelfests” all over our area.

Farmers all over the world are people of great faith.  They may not ever go to a church, and they may not know God, but they have faith, nonetheless.  I know because I see them out in their fields on gray, cloudy, snowy days in April preparing for a harvest that I would have long ago determined would never come!  They do not look at the current circumstance to determine their commitment to their work.  They look beyond the immediate conditions toward the harvest that they trust will come if they are committed to their work!

There have been wonderful signs of spiritual life in this endless winter of 2013.  We celebrated our first Easter with a great service of Biblical readings and musical selections by hymn-writers Townend and Getty.  Our three LIFE Groups have seen good, steady growth, and we have added a Friday morning women’s study, and a Saturday morning men’s group. The youth group continues to grow, reaching out to young people who do not attend church.  Our worship services have seen new growth too! Two of the last three Sunday worship services have been our largest to date, with new families, new university students and the addition of an entire international ministry team from Youth for Christ South Africa! Carol marveled last week as she observed young men from China, Latvia, India and Germany talking and sharing together – what a joy this is!

“Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.”  ~ Zechariah 10:1