Having only just written the last entry, its great to be able to say that after the meal we had last night, there were three new faces. A french man that I'd met on Sunday and invited to the meal, as well as two Russian ladies. One is Nadia's housemate, and the other a lady that works for Oleg.
So we hit twelve adults last night, and that with one girl not available. With David & Scilla arriving on Monday and Johanna sure to be around next week, numbers are set to increase even further.
And then we'll have the problem of space....though surely that's a good problem for a church plant, isn't it...!
Blessings, Tim.
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Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
A Growing Church
I want to take this mini series to walk people through the growing work that is happening here in the centre of St Petersburg.
When my family arrived (3 people) on the 1st August we joined Dave & Hannah (plus three kids) who'd got here five days before. By about mid August Nadia, a Russian girl originally from Moscow, had moved up to join us from Tver, where Dave & Hannah had spent the previous year.
By the time we were meeting for food on Wednesday nights at about the start of September, Johanna, an America student who'd just arrived, had also joined. She had gone to a New Frontiers church in the US and the church had hosted David Devenish, who does a lot of work into Russia. When it was made known to him that she would be coming, the relevant details were given to her for when she arrived. She is on a language program here with many other America students.
The six adults and four children then continued to meet together of Wednesday nights, eating a meal before trying to do a normal home group, with Russian songs and a word section.
Towards the end of the year, where there had been the odd visitor to the group which pushed numbers up a little, a Russian guy named Oleg had also been coming. He is soon to be married and when he is they intend to move into the centre and join us, which will be a huge help.
Just before Christmas, we met an American student named Chelsea, who we invited back to lunch. We were having Johanna back that day as well and it so happened that they were on the same course, though at different stages. So when we started in the new year, Chelsea came along and was joined by another student that Johanna brought, a girl named Jenny. Now also Oleg has been bringing another Russian guy along.
With the numbers a little pushed, it was clear that two nights were needed. So now on a Wednesday we meet to eat together, and on a Saturday night we look to do church. We are up to 10 adults, with others looking in, and this all without any advertising as we feel we are still finding our feet.
A week today David & Scilla Devenish arrive in St Petersburg where they'll live for three months, joining in with us here and helping us along. Their input is surely set to grow things even faster so it might be that the next time I update this thread there are many, many more names to write about.
But God is on the move here! Amen!!
When my family arrived (3 people) on the 1st August we joined Dave & Hannah (plus three kids) who'd got here five days before. By about mid August Nadia, a Russian girl originally from Moscow, had moved up to join us from Tver, where Dave & Hannah had spent the previous year.
By the time we were meeting for food on Wednesday nights at about the start of September, Johanna, an America student who'd just arrived, had also joined. She had gone to a New Frontiers church in the US and the church had hosted David Devenish, who does a lot of work into Russia. When it was made known to him that she would be coming, the relevant details were given to her for when she arrived. She is on a language program here with many other America students.
The six adults and four children then continued to meet together of Wednesday nights, eating a meal before trying to do a normal home group, with Russian songs and a word section.
Towards the end of the year, where there had been the odd visitor to the group which pushed numbers up a little, a Russian guy named Oleg had also been coming. He is soon to be married and when he is they intend to move into the centre and join us, which will be a huge help.
Just before Christmas, we met an American student named Chelsea, who we invited back to lunch. We were having Johanna back that day as well and it so happened that they were on the same course, though at different stages. So when we started in the new year, Chelsea came along and was joined by another student that Johanna brought, a girl named Jenny. Now also Oleg has been bringing another Russian guy along.
With the numbers a little pushed, it was clear that two nights were needed. So now on a Wednesday we meet to eat together, and on a Saturday night we look to do church. We are up to 10 adults, with others looking in, and this all without any advertising as we feel we are still finding our feet.
A week today David & Scilla Devenish arrive in St Petersburg where they'll live for three months, joining in with us here and helping us along. Their input is surely set to grow things even faster so it might be that the next time I update this thread there are many, many more names to write about.
But God is on the move here! Amen!!
Life & Times - Part 7
I'm so well aware that I've not written much on this blog at all for so long. Of course that doesn't mean not much has been happening - quite the opposite in reality, which is probably why I haven't written on this blog for so long...
Many people I guess have access to our Facebook group and so therefore you have no doubt been receiving our regular updates. If you aren't on the group but want to stay in touch, do seek us out. The group is call Tim & Rachel to Russia.
Pressing into the end of January now in many ways I am amazed at how dark is HASN'T been and how cold it HASN'T been. Our anticipation and even apprehension before coming here was certainly much darker and colder than the actual reality of being here.
Yes, clearly it was much darker and colder that the UK, but not as much as we had feared. And once we're wrapped up, the cold was OK. The coldest we think it dropped to in the day so far is about -12, with night times down to -16. And even the dark was kind of nice to be inside, though it does make the mornings harder a little, as it looks like its only 4am and in fact its 10am or something!
But the truth is is that I found this season wonderfully beautiful. When it snows heavy, I praise God. It's so amazing to walk in such snow, each flake a unique example of God's creativity. And for New Year to be down by the river at midnight and to see such an amazing firework display above the frozen river Neva was something I'll always remember.
I've been writing a lot though as well, just not on my blog. With the language lessons stopped for the holiday, I managed to finished the first draft of my novel, detailed on by sister (brother?) blog linked to this one. Why am I writing? Well, its a passion of mine and something that has opened up since being here. Using my free time, of which at the moment I have more of than I ever did when in the UK, I aim to finish the book to get it ready for publishing, testing that whole career route as a means to be financially viable in the years to come when our support ends.
So I am excited and prayerful about what that might lead too?!
Every blessing,
Tim
Many people I guess have access to our Facebook group and so therefore you have no doubt been receiving our regular updates. If you aren't on the group but want to stay in touch, do seek us out. The group is call Tim & Rachel to Russia.
Pressing into the end of January now in many ways I am amazed at how dark is HASN'T been and how cold it HASN'T been. Our anticipation and even apprehension before coming here was certainly much darker and colder than the actual reality of being here.
Yes, clearly it was much darker and colder that the UK, but not as much as we had feared. And once we're wrapped up, the cold was OK. The coldest we think it dropped to in the day so far is about -12, with night times down to -16. And even the dark was kind of nice to be inside, though it does make the mornings harder a little, as it looks like its only 4am and in fact its 10am or something!
But the truth is is that I found this season wonderfully beautiful. When it snows heavy, I praise God. It's so amazing to walk in such snow, each flake a unique example of God's creativity. And for New Year to be down by the river at midnight and to see such an amazing firework display above the frozen river Neva was something I'll always remember.
I've been writing a lot though as well, just not on my blog. With the language lessons stopped for the holiday, I managed to finished the first draft of my novel, detailed on by sister (brother?) blog linked to this one. Why am I writing? Well, its a passion of mine and something that has opened up since being here. Using my free time, of which at the moment I have more of than I ever did when in the UK, I aim to finish the book to get it ready for publishing, testing that whole career route as a means to be financially viable in the years to come when our support ends.
So I am excited and prayerful about what that might lead too?!
Every blessing,
Tim
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