Tallinn Update - The snows come (and go) plus more

It's now over two weeks since the crowds came to gather with us in Tallinn from many other places in what became a Baltic's weekend.  I worked out that my darling wife produced forty-four meals for people over the 3 days - and on top of that, she provided cake and drinks for another forty-four!  So once all the visitors have gone, what do you do after that?  Well, with it being half term for Mia, we took three days off and got away (a little - heading about 30 minutes from home, just north of Tallinn!)
And during this time, it snowed!  This is the first time in five winters since leaving the UK that we have had snow in October....it has since melted, so we await winter to really start again.  The cold (it got down to -10.7 degrees C one night) did make all the leaves fall off the trees, so everything, though green again, is looking very bare.  We can even see a road through the trees from our kitchen window that for months we haven't been able to.
It appears the weather caught a lot of people out - the roads near our home became very icy and no one had yet put their winter tyres on - we don't even have any for the car, having been given the car from Spain, it didn't come with it's own spare set of tyres as is usual here.  (I wrote most of this blog three days ago so can now say that today I took the car to have a complete set of wheels fitted on the car, which is great.  A local Estonian friend of ours was able to find the garage that could provide four used but decent tyres, four disks so that in future we can change them ourselves and fit them all for a great price - the exact same amount raised through some extra teaching we've managed to do this week!  See below for details on that.
While away for those three days, there was a Swedish circus set up and we managed to get tickets to what turned out to be their last night (the night the snow came - did they know something we didn't??)  And as is usual now for this life we live in Tallinn, doing something like going to the circus doesn't in any way mean we can just sit there and watch....because, who do they call up to come to the front and take part in one of their pieces - yes, yours truly!  The photos Rachel took, with the light limited, (thankfully!) didn't come out but I was one of four guys who sat on a stool, then each of us put our heads onto the laps of the guy behind us (we were sitting in a square each facing a different direction) - and then they removed all four stools - I'm sure it looked interesting but I did manage not to collapse the group, and though the clown was messing around with my stool so it was the last one to be put back (and I could hear Mia at this point shouting "Give daddy his stool back!) he did eventually do it, we took our bows and returned to our places.  When it was finished, people started to leave, the music played out, and Mia couldn't help but want to dance around - a short video of that is here:

On the Sunday, once back home again, we had another Taste the Nations meal at ours - and saw three visitors come, including an Estonian mother and daughter who live on our street - we first met the daughter in our first month here and only recently bumped into her and her mother again last month.  It was great to once again have two generations from the same family represented at the meal - the third time it's happened in the three meals we've had!

Last Sunday we then had our second Vision Sunday for those that make up the core of the Hope:Tallinn church plant.  This in itself is a meeting that we want to see grow - we gather to build a crowd and from the crowd we know a church will emerge.  As the months go by, we are praying that one or two people will be added to the monthly Vision Sunday's which will give us the strength to plant out when we are big enough.  These might be people moving to Tallinn - called and full of faith for what God wants to do through them in Estonia (there are a few people in this bracket who are working out how to get here - and we are praying for you too!).  Also, as people see something within our relationships with each other, we hope that some already living here, with currently no framework of church or as yet relationship with God, will also one day make up the core of this church plant, as together, we walk with them on their journey.  As in the book of Acts chapter 2, we want to live in such a way that people in Tallinn start asking "What does it mean?" and then, after we have hopefully helped explain things in a clear and relevant way, they follow up that questions by asking "What shall we do?"

But the crowd is growing.  In preparation for my talk on Sunday, we worked out that over the last two months, twenty-two adults and eleven children have come to something the Hope:Tallinn team have put on, whether that was a meal, children's group or even a birthday party.  Those thirty-three represent hundreds of people that they know - and if this is what God has done in two months, then apply that to a year and it's over one-hundred people who represent maybe one-thousand.  And that's the type of crowd that God can call out a glorious church from!  We are believing for big things and though small, we are encouraged by what God has already done among us all.

Personally we've just had family come and stay - my brother and his wife with their two children, plus this week Rachel's folks arrive for a week (and they arrived yesterday already).  
This does mean that this week has been rather interesting and somewhat busy.  Tomorrow, I am travelling to Riga to speak over two days with the church plant there where I am taking four sessions to tell the story of the book of Ruth.  The mini conference is titled "Does God Care" so please pray for everything to do with this weekend, that I would get the time to plan and hear from God (yes, it's now Thursday after 5pm and I still haven't had time to look at my notes!), that it would bless the church plant in Riga, that those that need to be there will be there, and that it will be fun for all!  As well as that teaching, some English teaching also came about for us both, which we've managed to cram between the gaps this week.
Some time ago I had a call from Moscow from a lady whose family owns one of the apartments in our building on the floor below us.  She was saying how they were coming for a week in November, and that she'd like lessons for her, and for her daughter, who is a beginner.  So Rachel is teaching the daughter, and I am teaching the mother.  What was particularly special was that today, having finally got the call about the tyres, and having been paid in cash for each lesson we've been teaching this week, when I went to the envelope to count the money, it was the EXACT amount that the complete set of winter tyres were going to cost!  God has worked in such a way so as to cover our needs before they arise!  Rachel is also teaching English to two other boys from Mia's class as well this week (which is a regular thing now and really helps with our situation here financially).
On Tuesday night we were also at the home of the British Ambassador for a drinks reception he was hosting.  This was our second time in this environment in the last couple of months.  As we've always said, you go with what opens up and say yes to things because you never know where things will lead.
Yesterday at Mia's school they were also having a special day for Father's to mark this Sunday's Fathers Day in Estonia (which will be my third Fathers Day of the year, though I will myself be in Latvia!).  I had signed up to take on the teachers in a special volleyball match with six other dads.....the one limitation against the all female teachers team was that the men all had to wear mittens!  Even so, we still managed to win by two games to nil.  The picture is showing the dads being given our certificates for taking part!
I have actually started playing volleyball every Monday night with a group of Estonian men - it's like being thrown in the deep end in relation to language (I still can't understand them!) and with play (they've played for a long time and I am.....still learning!).  But I'm determined to make up in effort and encouragement whatever I may lack in ability, though on Monday (and about the first compliment I've heard any of them give these last eight weeks!) the organiser did say to me that I learn quickly.

So it really has been quite a week and it's still only Thursday.  This blog has taken three days to finish - I've just had to go back through it all and talk about completed activities instead of, as I had written them originally, future activities....it has been one of those weeks for us!

So I will sign off and maybe start to look over my notes for the four hours of teaching I am doing this weekend - or I might just end up using the four hours on the bus to Riga for that very thing.  Nothing like cutting it fine - I'm so glad it's not all reliant on my strength to do things this weekend - Lord, do have your way in Riga!

So glad to have finally got this finished!  Visitors continue to come to us this month - after this week we have three further times with people staying with us over the next five weeks.  So we'll update you as soon as we can - until then, be blessed!

Contact Details;

Address: Helme 16/2, 39, Tallinn, 10614, Estonia

Email: timinrussia@gmail.com

Facebook Group: God Loves Tallinn

Cherry Picking (Tim's novel) FB page

For regular or one off gifts please contact our 

UK base church who are administering this for us: 

finance@stockportfamilychurch.org.uk

For international payments through PayPal use the email timinrussia@gmail.com

Tallinn Update - When the Baltic's gathered together

It started with an invitation for Maurice to come and visit us in Tallinn - and turned into the first Baltic's gathering of it's kind here in Estonia's capital!

Welcome to the Baltic's Gathering update....

Maurice Nightingale (pictured on the right of me in the photo below - yes, we gave him the Mr Darcy mug!!) works very closely with Mike Betts in the Relational Mission sphere of Newfrontiers.  Arnoud & Elisabeth, who moved here this summer to join the team, have strong links with Mike and Maurice, so when I first met Maurice in Riga back in May, and knowing at the time that Arnoud's family were moving to Tallinn, I wanted to invite him in order to have someone visit who knew them and could see them settling into their new context.
The work out here in this part of Europe is so new that, given the opportunity to meet together, people will travel miles to have input and encouragement for their situations - the nature of pioneer church planting in the Baltic region meaning being around others with the same heart and mind, from time to time, is really refreshing.
So we were aware, a month or so before this planned trip, that others too would be interested in coming and soon the invitations were flowing.  
In all, Maurice brought two other guys with him from the UK - John Putman, a local leader from another church plant setting in East Anglia, who has served for many years in other parts of Estonia and brought with him a great wisdom and gentle spirit.  With them was Gary Dean, a great guy that I actually know from my Sidcup days, so it was wonderful to hear he was coming, as it had been about 11 years since we'd last met each other.
Matt Medd came up from Riga on the Friday as well, as did David Jones, also travelling from Latvia, where he leads a church in Smiltene.
On Friday night we hosted these five guests for a meal at ours with both the church plant families together.
In planning this weekend, we felt that a Saturday lunchtime context, with some tea and cake, would be a great way of mixing other 'locals' in with these guys - and it was a joy to have Gabriel and Vanessa with us, a young couple who lead another local church here in Tallinn.  We have been getting to know them really well over the last six months and had spent a great day together earlier in the week as well.  They are pictured in the group photo on the right hand side.  Also joining us were Simon (the guy on the left in the above photo with Maurice and I) & Heloise, who came with their three children, his mother and his mothers friend, who had been over visiting them! They live in a small town in the very centre of Estonia called Võhma and lead a small church plant, having moved from England around nine years ago.  The group photo at the top (taken by Rachel who was therefore not in the shot!) shows quite a crowd!
On Saturday night we met to share together and to pray for one another, which really became encouraging as words and prophecies were brought.
On Sunday we were meeting as Hope:Tallinn, the core church plant group, though we also had a personal friend turn up from Finland who joined in the day's events.  Maurice brought us an encouragement from the word, reminding us of the 'Bigger Picture' as we set out and start to reach Tallinn.
Mixed around all that were walks and sightseeing together around Tallinn and it's historic Old Town.  It was a great blend of fun, friendship and food!
By Monday all had returned to their various homes and the dust is starting to settle on what was a very significant time.  It didn't start out as a Baltic's gathering but that is what it became.  And the thought is now birthed regarding a more regular event - drawing in yet others from nearby cities and countries, to encourage, strengthen, help and pray with those going through the same things we are in the most unreached region of Europe.

This was the first such event - Rachel and Elisabeth especially excelling themselves with all the cooking and hospitality they were able to show - but it will not be the last event.  God is on the move in the Baltics.  And we are just a small part of that....

An Interview with...a Church Planter - 3 - Matt Medd, Riga, Latvia

For these next two parts to this series, we will be hearing from two church planters in Latvia, each in very different circumstances.

First up is my friend Matt Medd, who is in Riga, the Capital of Latvia, which is directly south of where I now live.

I first started speaking to Matt through Skype.  He spent most of his first year in Latvia in a small town called Smiltene (the subject of part 4 of this series) before moving onto Latvia more than a year ago.  I then met up with him in person for the first time at the last Brighton conference in 2011 and have since been down to Riga once, and had Matt come join us in Tallinn for two days as well this summer.  He's also coming up for another weekend in October and I am going down to Riga for a weekend in November.  Until Helsinki is planted, Riga represents the nearest Newfrontiers church to us, as there are no others in Estonia (yet!).  Helsinki will be the nearest when that is started - until we start planting other churches out of Tallinn into rural Estonia, that is!

So this is what Matt had to say;


Tell us a little about the city you meet in?
Riga is the capital city of Latvia, which is sandwiched between Estonia and Lithuania. It accommodates nearly half the population of the whole country. It's a really beautiful city - it has the nickname 'Little Paris'. There is always something to do; there is some kind of festival or event nearly every weekend. You are always a short journey away from the beach or the forest-filled countryside. In the winter it is ridiculously cold, but still beautiful especially in the snow.



Some people might look at church planting and feel they have no idea what to do - what would you say to help them?
Don't freak out. God isn't going to call you to plant a church (or any other task) and then leave you lost & confused. He is a good Father. God will guide you, He will put all the right people in your path at the right time. I'd recommend connecting with some other people who are already church-planting. It'll demystify it for you and give you opportunity to check it out. Early on, I visited a church plant in Gdansk, Poland. Not exactly the same as Riga, but really gave me a taster of things to come. We're also running a little event in Riga for people who are feeling called but not sure what to do next. Come along and say hello.

How old were you when you planted your first church?
27

Are you finished yet?
No

If you have planted into another culture & language, talk through some of the issues and experiences you've come across so far?
Planting into a different culture and language is challenging. I've really had to be careful that I'm not converting Latvian Christians into English ones. You really have to dig deep and consider what is a cultural difference and what is a sin. I'm also cautious of having the attitude of I've got it all sorted and the Latvians haven't - the reality is I'm learning lots of helpful things from Latvian people. For example, Latvians are much more honest and direct. If they don't like something, they will tell you. At times I found it a bit blunt and sometimes rude, but then I've learned that as an English person I am obsessed with being polite. Maybe I needed to learn to be a bit more direct? Seriously, read the gospels again - Jesus was not English! Sometimes, He was really direct with people. Latvians are also much more spontaneous than the English. If they hosted the Olympics, they'd probably start the week beforehand, and they'd probably pull it off because when it comes to the crunch they are hard workers. Jesus will challenge you no matter what culture you are from.

And what language are you doing your gatherings in?
Mostly in Latvian.

In New Frontiers, we talk about building on an Apostolic and Prophetic foundation - how has that been seen through your situation?
This has been massive for me and amazing how God has orchestrated everything. I really love Mike Betts and his apostolic team. Some people can be really scared off by terms like 'apostle' and 'prophet' because of bad experiences or whacky videos. In my experience, all the apostles and prophets I have met have been normal people who love God and have sought to encourage, stir, challenge and build up the church. The last few years, I have kept a journal of all the prophetic words, pictures and scriptures that people have given to me. I often sit and read it, and it's like listening to God for half an hour - it's amazing how many of the prophetic words are so accurate. It has really shaped the decisions that I make and fuelled my prayers for what God is still yet to do here in Riga. It has often encouraged me to hold onto God's promises.

One example. When I was first feeling called to plant a church, I was working in television. I didn't fancy my chances of getting a job in the media when I moved to Latvia, as it's a much smaller industry and I couldn't speak Latvian fluently. I started thinking that maybe I should consider teaching instead. The following week a young woman at my church in London prophesied that there were two people who are thinking about teaching and God is saying go for it. I knew God was speaking to me. So I applied for a handful of teaching assistant jobs. Within a few weeks I was working in a primary school in urban London. When I moved to Latvia, I visited one of the international schools in Riga and loved it straight away. After three months and a lot of prayer, they gave me a part-time job. Since then, God has given me a lot of favour there. I now work there three days a week and am able to earn enough to support myself financially. I don't have a single qualification in teaching, but that's not a problem for God.

What is the role of internationals (ie non natives) in the life of a new church plant?
I've tried very hard to focus as much as possible on local people. My reasoning was that I looked to the end goal, which was to see a local church with a local male eldership team, and then I worked backwards. I honestly believed that if I came here with a team of internationals, then this would have been counterproductive. I've tried to be a student of the culture. I visited a number of Latvian churches and noticed that in many of them, they expect the pastor to do everything. If an English or American missionary came, people flocked towards them, but they didn't really get involved in church themselves. As much as possible I want to serve the Latvians by releasing them into their gifts.

Having said that, I'm not getting in the way if God brings internationals to us. God's kingdom is much bigger than one language, one culture. In Riga, there are a large number of Russians, so next year I will probably start learning Russian language. As a capital city, Riga is also full of international people. I've had opportunity to share the gospel with a number of Scandinavians, went clubbing with some Germans and had a Christmas dinner at the British embassy. God loves the nations and I do too.

Last year, one of my English friends, Kathryn, came to support the church plant for a year. She did a great job and I'd welcome anyone else if they want to come and help. I'd simply stress that the best way to get involved is in the local culture. Try learning the language, try working here and build relationships with locals. Get alongside local believers and encourage them. Of course it's much harder, but I hope long term it will produce good fruit. 

What challenges have you had to over come?
Disappointments, doubts, demonic attacks, discouragements and distractions. Basically, anything beginning with the letter 'd'. And loneliness.

Can people still move to join you?
Yes

How can someone pray for you and your church?
Please pray for us as we seek to reach out to our friends and family with the good news about Jesus. Latvia can sometimes be a depressing place, the culture can be quite negative, so pray that we would be a light that shines in dark places. We'd love to see the lost saved and added to our church plant. Personally, please pray for my language skills. Currently, I'm trying to preach once a month in Latvian, working through the most famous Old Testament stories. It's quite a challenge, but I really believe God will speak to us through it.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone feeling called to plant a church somewhere?
Listen to the Holy Spirit and do what He says.

Thank you Matt for your helpful answers and examples!

Matt is part of the Riga Church Plant, Latvia

Contacts:
Matt's blog: http://mattmedd.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @matthewmedd
the NEW event: http://neweuropeconference.eu/

Series so far:

1 - The Hague, Netherlands

2 - Stockholm, Sweden

The Nations

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I write this entry, not in Tallinn (our new home city having moved from St Petersburg in March) but Riga, the capital of Latvia.
Many years ago, God first spoke to me about Russia (well the former USSR actually) and then a year after that spoke about the nations.  Plural.
Now, we live in a second new nation - and you sense that being based in Tallinn, God is now starting to outwork what He said to us years and years ago.  God is faithful and true, but you knew that already, didn't you!
I've been in Riga for an event hosted by the Riga church plant.  Matt and his small group have been in Riga for about a year.  We've been in contact, mainly through Skype, for about that time too, just encouraging one another, knowing we can do more together than we can apart.  So my main reason to get down here for this weekend was to spend more time with him, see the city (I'm going to visit a Russian international church on Sunday), and just be an encouragement.  And if I can encourage any of those coming from the UK for this event to join him in Riga, all the better!
It's now the afternoon in Riga, I've just finished lunch before getting my coach home in about 3 hours.  This morning, I went to Good News Church, here in Riga.  It's a Russian church - and it was so cool!  It was a BIG church - they had their own venue, cafe, kids play area, huge outside area.  There was much of the building I didn't even see.  The meeting hall was as big as I've been in for many years.  The worship, which started in Russian, was modern, God seeking, Jesus focussed.  The large congregation (it was hard to tell how big, but I'd guess there were at least 400 in during worship) were there to worship - not just watch.  Though there was a lot to watch - a big stage (which helps visibilty, these guys were not 'performing' but leading worship).  It was all being filmed with guys in GN TV shirts - I guess that's their (probably online) own TV station....
Had these guys been in St Petersburg when we arrived there in 2008, I'd either have packed up and gone home, or joined them! (I'm joking of course, but they are an impressive lot!).  Like St Petersburg, and Tallinn, Riga needs more churches, so I know Matt and his team have a great role here in the city.  I'm excited for them.
At the end of the meeting, really interestingly (I don't recall seeing a response like this for some time), there was a call for salvation.  I counted 7 going forward (not massive considering the crowd there).  But what I did find interesting, was the age range.  One lad, I guess 10 or 11, came forward.  There were three much older people also responding - two were AT LEAST in their 70s!  There was also a guy in his 20s, and two middle aged people, one man and one woman.  So it was a huge age range and great to see three people, at a late age, coming to Jesus for the first time.  Salvation, where ever it is and what ever it looks like, no matter what church its in, ALWAYS excites me.  God is the God who saves!
Thinking back to yesterday, one of the other highlights of this trip (besides Chelsea winning the FA Cup!!) was meeting a guy named Maurice for the first time.  He'd come to help speak and share at this event, being part of the team that helps Matt in Riga.  I really liked this guy (even though he's a West Ham fan...ha ha....I say that cause he told me he reads my blog!).  He had great character, was humble, faithful, honest and helpful.  I look forward to seeing him in Tallinn soon (hopefully in the Autumn).  It's great when you just meet someone, and talking with them, you feel encouraged in what you are doing, built up, led in wisdom....great.  And that's the 'added value' of being part of something like New Frontiers.  The outside help and just encouragement.  We aren't alone! (It can feel that way sometimes!).
This coming week back now in Tallinn could finally bring news about our flat - there has been LOTS happening with the banks, not all good, but we stand in faith.  When we hear for sure, we'll put that blog out, updating you all and giving you (we hope!) the good news.  But for now, we are still waiting, and the clock is certainly ticking!


From Riga I sign off (actually if you are reading this, I would have already got back home.  Rachel reads every entry for me, so that I make sense, but mainly because we do this together).

(Left - the most ultra modern trams I've ever seen ran one particular route in Riga.  They looked like they were about to take off - really 'Back-to-the-Futureish'!)