Thanks!

Thanks from all of us for your prayers and support. We came back changed and excited about what God is doing to spread the gospel in Russia and a chance to be part of it.

Microphone Check... One Two, One Two...

Hey Hey everybody!

So, sorry I (Hi, its Chris, my mug to the left.) didn't get this up sooner (like... 13 hours ago when everyone left...), Its been a crazy week! Its been a blur! Today didn't slow down here in Moscow after NorthBridge left. God has been, and continues to be at work.

This is just to let you know that everyone got off safely. Stacie and I watched as they all filtered through customs and a pre-check in document check. NorthBridge, thank you so much for sending us such a great team. I hope we have returned them in a new condition. Not the same. Certainly not broken, but I pray that we are returning to you changed individuals.

Listen to their stories this week. Next Sunday, pay attention to the videos and powerpoints they will be presenting. Invite one of them over for dinner next week and ask them what the Master has taught them while they were serving Him here in a foreign land.

Ok... I need some rest. *Yawn*

Blessings in the name of our Lord. Jesus Christ.

Travel Day

The Russia Team comes home tonight! Their plane lands in New York today at 2:30 pm and then on to Chicago arriving around 7 pm. Pray for their safe travel as they return and join us at NorthBridge next Sunday to hear all about the trip-God has been powerfully at work; you won't want to miss it!

Saturday in Voronezh - Perspektiva

Perspektiva is the youth leader training that Lance and his team started in Moscow. Voronezh was the first regional training started. Pastor Andre opened the two day seminar with some reminders of the seriousness of the calling God has on these young leaders. Mark and Ture participated in the training. Mark challenged the students to be transformational in the culture and shared some ways Northbridge has found to do this. The challenge for them is what will work in the Russian culture. Some things we’ve done won’t work here. For example…”what’s a fire hydrant?” Ture taught two sessions and did a great job relating through an interpreter…not easy. But he didn’t let them just listen. He had them answering questions and doing some interactive games. His messages were on the Lordship of Christ and training others for ministry.

Saturday evening we said goodbye to Pastor Andre and Pastor Oleg and headed back to Moscow on an overnight train.

Friday in Voronezh

Thursday night was a rough sleep for most as the church is located across the street from heavily used train tracks. But after a great breakfast, we headed back to the Central Baptist church in Voronezh.



We worked on the insulation project for a while. It was in an area of the church used as a Bible school where Oleg was trained for four years. Later we talked to Vlademir, his father in law, who is also a Pastor and was trained in this school.



Next was a meeting with about 40 mostly elderly people who come in three times a week, hear a message and get a meal. We were all introduced and Mark shared the gospel. We all came back up and were asked questions about us and America. I think Bill got the toughest question when asked to explain the relationship between religion and government in America.

The ladies of the church served us a great meal. Then we headed to a home being used for young people who had been in an orphanage. Most are now students. The couple running things obviously loved and cared for these kids. We found out they had been visiting them in the orphanage for years.



We had a great time interacting over ping pong, billiards, and what conversation we could manage.



Alexander (the dad) wanted to play chess so Keith volunteered. It brought back memories of Spaskey and Fisher.

We spent some time going around the room and sharing.



Then Ture lead a devotional. He shared his own testimony and challenged the kids to make the right choices and live for God. It was a very moving.

Friday

The following came in from keith on Friday Morning,

Thursday, 10/19/06

We arrived in Voronezh early in the morning and were taken to this church where we are staying. It was a church plant started by the Central Baptist church in Voronezh. This is where we will be helping with the Youth Leader training on Saturday.


They are taking very good care of us as you can see. We are actually hosted by another sister church, mentioned before that was recently started, where Oleg is the pastor. Here he is with Lance. (Couldn't get this picture to load)






Thursday was spent seeing Voronezh, the Central Baptist church. We met their pastor there and sang “What a Friend we have in Jesus” together.


We saw the oldest Russian Orthodox church here which is where Peter the Great commissioned the first ship in the Russian navy.


Here is Ture…joining the Navy.

Today we are going back to the Central Baptist church to help insulate for the winter. We will spend some time with some invalid people they serve. Later we will also spend time with some former orphans they minister to.

From our devotions today…we have been very privileged to see the work of a few bearing fruit with so many…

All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.
Col 1:6-7 NIV

More pictures

Christ's Savior Church




Below, team on the steps of Christ's Savior Church:

Dinner at the mall after bowling:

Discussing Fort Deluxe:
Together at the office:On the train:

Thursday - posted by Keith

We spent the night on the train. It was dark the whole trip so unfortunately we didn’t see anything but it was fun talking and playing cards. It was definitely a cross cultural experience. I was able to speak to one lady using German. We did get a few hours of sleep.

The only excitement was at 2:30 AM in the morning. At a stop somewhere, the police asked if there were any foreigners on board. They apparently looked at our names and however “McIlhany” was written on the tickets, they thought it was Georgian. With recent political conflict between Georgia and Russia, they thought Joel and I might be terrorists. Stacie talked to them and convinced them that McIlhany was an Irish name. Apparently they were satisfied without even seeing our passports. Close call! I suspect our train lady, who handed out blankets and hot water for coffee, already knew we were Americans. We are distinguishable in Russia by our smiles, laughter, loud chatter and Mark’s Cubs hat. Russians in public are very reserved and quiet…no smiles. They don’t understand a smile from a stranger. “Why is he smiling at me? He doesn’t know me.” Relationships are built over a long time. This is why getting to the point of sharing the gospel message takes a lot of patience. But in the church we have been blessed by many smiles and quick desire to build relationship with us.

We were met in Voronezh around 6:15 AM by a young pastor named Olog and a Campus Crusade national named Sergey. Olog became pastor three months ago for a church plant on the edge of town in an area of 300,000 people and there was no church until now. They are hosting the Youth leader training we are helping with. We are staying in a fairly new church building…8 years old (not Olog’s). The guys are in a third floor loft with nice, clean beds. The gals have a room on the second floor. Everyone went for a little more sleep before breakfast. We are looking forward to what is in store the next few days. We are supposed to serve in a shelter and meet with a group of youth that were in an orphanage and the church is helping.

Wednesday - Posted by Keith

Today we had meetings at the office again. We began with fellowship and worship with the team. First was an ice breaker that Yuri (Sr. Pastor) had us do. We went around the room and asked someone 2 or 3 questions. Then that person asked someone else questions. No question could be used twice. It was a fun way to get to know each other better.

After that we had breakfast and then a sweet worship time with Ture and I leading a few songs. Then we broke into small groups and prayed for specific requests for the ministries. They are organized in terms of five parts…Paradigma (the church), Perspektiva (youth leader training), Fort DeLuxe (apartment business to raise funds for ministry), International Teams – Russia (the mission of Lance, Stacie, Sergey and Chris), Acts 1:8 mission (outreach in Greece and an unreached country yet to be named).

We had some time on line during which I got a blog entry done (on the English classes). Then we had some focus group meetings. I joined Mark, Lance and Yuri to brainstorm possibilities for what our two churches can do to connect and to share vision. It was really good. There was common feeling that we not get ahead of what God wants us to do. But that we start much more regular communication. There are so many opportunities.

At the same time, Ture, Sergey, Joel and Rosie talked about youth ministries and the trip next summer for a youth camp. Bill and Maryellen met with Dennis and Stacie to talk about Fort DeLuxe. Then we went to lunch next door at a Ukranian restaurant. I had some ravioli with meat type things (no tomato sauce though) and Potato cakes. I left as quick as I could to get back and use the network.

The rest of the team met with two people who work with an orphanage. There are many orphanages in Russia. People sometimes just can’t afford their kids and turn them over. It is a sad situation. They don’t get a good education and are dumped on the street at 17 with nothing. Then many wind up as prostitutes or in jail. The network went down before I got the next blog entry in…sorry. By 4:00 we had to leave for the train and trip to Voronezh.

Tuesday - Posting from Pastor Mark

Pastor’s Log: Star date 10.18.06

Christ's Savior Church and Arbacht Street

Yesterday proved to be yet another unforgettable day for me and our entire team. After a morning devotions led by Maryellen and a time of singing led by Keith and Ture, we headed back to the center of Moscow. We toured an extraordinary Russian Orthodox cathedral called “Christ the Savior.” It was awe-inspiring artistic beauty and a testament to the sovereignty of God because the cathedral was originally blown up by Stalin to become home to the never-built “Palace to the Soviets.” Instead, there now stands a powerful visual statement to the greatness of God.

The afternoon was spent shopping for souvenirs at the Arbux Street market (Kacey, see Hard Rock Café? We didn’t forget you!) Then in the evening, the women gathered to scrapbook with the Paradigma gals while the men went bowling with some of the church guys, including the pastors. We all had a great time – the ladies had a blast singing Russian songs and crafting with about a dozen young women from Paradigma.

Some time ago, I asked you to pray that the Lord would open the door to a relationship with Paradigma. Early on we were told that the Russian people are rather guarded and don’t form close relationships quickly. But we have been amazed and overwhelmed by the warmth, openness, and genuine welcoming nature of so many of the people we have met!Pastors Yuri and Sergei have been so kind, open, and seem to sincerely desire a true friendship and lasting partnership. I truly feel that I am making significant new friendships. What an answer to prayer! The Spirit of God has truly been out in front of us, preparing the way for a new partnership in global mission. Thank you for your prayers. Be encouraged – God is definitely at work!

Tomorrow we spend the day with Lance and his team and the pastors of Paradigma. Then at night we board the train for a 13-hour ride to Voronezh on a “Platts Car” (a.k.a. “Cattle Car”) for the youth leader training event there. Should be another unforgettable experience!

I would like to close with the words of the Apostle Paul, for they communicate the feelings our entire team has for you:“(We) thank my God every time (we) remember you. In all (our) prayers for all of you, (we) always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now…”Thanks NorthBridge family and to all our other friends who have joined with us in this effort. We count it a privilege to represent you in encouraging God’s servants in Russia!P.S. we may be out of touch until Sunday while we are in Voronezh. It doesn’t mean we aren’t thinking of you and don’t need your prayers.

English Class at Paul and Marti's

Monday evening we spent at Paul and Marti's "assiting" them with English classes that they run. This is a "Bridge" ministry as most of the young people in the class are unbelievers. Others are part of Paradigma church.

Here we are with some of the group. I think some had left by the time we took this picture. But it was a special time.

Here is Mark explaining some of the finer points of the English Language. He has become our best Russian speaker and had confidence to go it on his own.

After the class we came together as a group. We all introduced ourselves and Joel shared his personal testimony.

Then Anya, a student and member at Paradigma shared her testimony. It's a little difficult to understand but worth trying.

Fasting for Russia

Erin Chamerlik called in to say that her small group is going to be fasting for the team in Russia on Wednesday and invited others in the church to join them on Wednesday , Thursday or Friday. The team will be travelling by train to Voronezh Wednesday to join in the work of training youth pastors and this will most likely be the hardest part of the trip. Let us pray for their safe travel and effective ministry/learning on the trip. Fasting places us before God so that He can accomplish the work He wants to do in us, as well as serving as a prompter for us to pray for His purposes. I'm planning on setting aside the lunch hour on Wednesday to pray for the team at the ministry center. If anyone wants to join me come on by at noon.