Bosnia Day 4

It's the end of day four in Vares, Bosnia and it is pouring down rain.  Pouring... just like it does in Kelso, Washington.  You know, where the rain hits the pavement with enough force to bounce back up and soak the bottom of your pants.  It was Robbin Treadway's turn to blog tonight, but she passed the lap top over to me, knowing I have desperately missed work and report writing back home.  Haha!  She owes me now and I love holding favors over a friends head.

Vares is a small town wedged between steep bright green mountains and it is beautiful.  On Saturday our team traveled up a very windy narrow road to a view point to pray over Vares.  The scene of the city from above is breath taking.  We returned with lifted spirits and some really great selfies for all our Facebook profiles.     

Sunday we went to Mario and Dejana's property where they have future plans to build a retreat.  It also comes with an incredible view and free range cattle that wear bells around their necks.  I'll be honest, watching a bull with horns trot down a dusty country road is distracting during prayer. 

Our team was introduced to two families near their property.  To see first hand how beloved Mario and Dejana are is very moving.  I am personally inspired by how they reach out in so many ways to create relationships. 

Wayne got to practice some medicine, which was nice because he is also desperately missing his job.  LOL!   In Bosnia the doctors don't do a great job of explaining why and how medications should be administered to their patients.  So Wayne Van Hamme took the time to listen to their symptoms through translation, check over their medications, and answer a lot of questions these families had.  While we were there we did get offered to sample some homemade spirits.  If you find yourself curious what Bosnia moonshine may taste like ... imagine taking a swig of rubbing alcohol. We were offered plum, peach, and apple shine.  I assure you that those of us who chose to take a sip detected no flavor what-so-ever and it's sort of fun watching someone try to smile and be polite while their chest is on fire.

Later we piled in cars and drove to Zenica to attend church were Mario and Dejana are from. The church is in a small room, only slightly larger than Pastor Nick's office, where approximately 9 locals attend.  We packed the house!  It was crazy to see so much passion in such a small space.  They love the Lord and worship was powerful in Bosnian and in English.  Just a suggestion for anyone planning on going on a future mission trip here, they don't project the words of songs onto a big screen for those of us who don't know them by heart.  Memorize or pack a projector in your check luggage.

Fun fact: Unlike the intestinal issues the youth group in Mexico may be facing 5 out 7 team members here are constipated.  Pray for movement in Bosnia.

You're probably wondering what's going on with the playground.  That's a great question.  We have definitely ran across some stumbling blocks.  The construction plans are in the head of a local Bosnian construction worker who also happens to be a police officer.  While he has been building the frame work we occasionally get to hand over a tool or hold a board in place but that's about it. 

This is where our team can use your prayers.  Our team is here to work and we are feeling some frustration with not being useful towards getting this playground built.  We've kept busy cleaning up litter around the neighborhood and playing with kids but eventually they get called to dinner. 

Despite the set backs we are seeing amazing work being done through Mario and Dejana.  We feel so honored to be apart of their ministry toward the children and people in Vares.  In a town of 9,000 people there are only 5 believers.  We thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Sarah

Bosnia Day one

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The Bosnian team arrived in Sarajevo about 7:30p.m. after a long, uneventful flight from Portland, OR. WE arrived the day before the 20th anniversary of the Sbrenica massacre which led to the US and NATO intervention in ending the Balkan War in 1995. There are many memorials going on to the victims of the massacre and today many dignitaries will be landing to commemorate this tragic event.

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We arrived and immediately left for Vares and went directly to the hotel where we unloaded the luggage and went to Mario and Dijana's office/center to eat a meal. Every one was awake but in a stupor due to lack of sleep. But we met some of the workers that we working alongside in constructing the playground. They have expressed reservations about women working this project because women here do not perform such work. We have seen the site and some of the structures have been set up already. We will be working today (Saturday, no rest for the weary) since the local workers were anxious to get going. The children are very anxious to start using the playground.

We are locked in the hotel this morning. We can only find one door leading outside and it is locked and we cannot get out. We will check on that today. Hopeful there will be no fire. So this allowed time for a post. As the time goes along there will be posts from the others on the team. Ahhh, the power of delegation.

Mario told us the story of how this came together. It is longer than I want to post here. But one example of God's hand is: The municipal workers went on strike right before the they were to begin clearing and leveling the area the playground was to be installed. But the workers were so excited about this project that they made an exception and worked to prepare this particular area for the playground, while leaving all other city work undone. Many neighborhood people have asked Mario how he accomplished this, which opens the door to him witnessing about God's provision.

Our team is ready to work and excited to get going. We covet your prayers and thank you for your continued support. God has really worked in everyone's heart to be open to various ways of being used. God has kept us all healthy and primed for work. So now it is up to Him to use us.

Jason

Ministry Opportunity - Visual Tech Team

Every week at both of our campuses and at all of our services a volunteer member of our Visual Tech Team works behind the scenes to help everyone who attends the service engage in worship through singing. They do this by presenting the lyrics to the songs on the projection screen. In addition to this they make sure that the sermon notes, announcement slides, videos and anything else that needs to be presented is displayed at the right time. All this is done as smoothly as possible to help all of us in the room engage without even having to think about how helpful these cues and visual prompts on screen have become to us!

The Visual Tech Team is an interesting ministry because it is very “behind-the-scenes” and yet the product of their work is up front and center and important to our worship service. Because they work from behind the scenes it can be a thankless job, but without them our worship services would not be the same. We have a wonderful team of people who have been serving in this role. If you get a chance to stop by the tech booth some weekend, be sure and thank the visual tech for their work!

Another side effect of this role being behind the scenes is that many people may not know that it is an area where they could plug in and serve. Currently, there is a need for more people to step into this role at both of our campuses. Let me tell you some more about it, and if it seems interesting to you, I’d love to talk with you further about being part of this team.

Both of our campuses use the same computer program to present media on our projection screens. The program is called ProPresenter, and though it is very powerful, it is also very easy to use. Each week all of the content is loaded into the program and made ready for the visual tech to operate during the worship services. The visual tech attends rehearsal with the worship team and makes sure that all the slides are in the correct order and practices along with the team to learn all of the transitions between slides and different media that needs to be presented.

Qualification and training for this role can be scalable based on the volunteer’s interest and skill level. Everyone starts off by learning how to operate the basics of the program, and make edits to the order of the slides. At this beginning level the role mostly involves clicking ahead to the next slide when it is needed. Then through group or one-on-one training volunteers can learn the more in-depth parts of the program and be able to help build or edit the slides as needed. The role could even expand into more of the artistic side of things to include being involved in choosing background images or videos and working with the stage lighting. All of this would be within the realm of the Visual Tech Team and from this role one can do a lot to continue to make our services aesthetically and visually engaging.   

If you have a passion for tech or visual aesthetics or even if you are just looking for a low-profile way to serve, this could be a perfect place for you! If this sounds like something that you would be interested in, and if you would like to talk further about being involved in this team please email me at: Jesse@easthillsalliance.org

Women's Bible Study - Jean Imholte

The Bible study Chris led "Women of the Bible", was a video series followed by discussion and prayer.  Each week we learned about a different woman from the Bible and we saw what challenged them, how God used them, and how those same types of challenges can be used in our own lives for God's glory. 

There were several different ladies on the video series that spoke so it was different each week.  The study was followed on the video with a woman who gave her personal story, "real lives", and that was always a very meaningful application.  Our table groups were wonderful!  We really got to know each other gradually and began to pray earnestly for each other, seeing some fantastic results from the Lord!  Our table leader kept in touch throughout the week and we knew there was always a network to tap into of caring friends if anything came up.  

The best part might just be that there was no homework!  It was always "come as you are".  The books that went with the study did have good questions to answer if you had time before the meeting, or after upon reflection.  So if you were having a particularly busy week it was fine to just show up and (our motto) "Look up, relax and receive".  Another statement that characterized this group was "this is a safe place". 

Everything said and shared was sacred and we repeated that statement each week.  I think that helped us all relax and know we could share our hearts without worry.  I would really recommend anyone who is looking to recharge their spiritual battery and grow closer to the Lord and Sisters in the faith to join any future Bible studies Chris does.  She was a very special, humble leader.

Women's Bible Study - Monica Wrzesinski

I am so grateful that Chris Jenkins stepped up to teach "12 Women of The Bible."  I had the privilege of being one of the table leaders and really enjoyed getting to know the gals at our table.  This was a stretch for me personally, but I know Chris and I know that she doesn't do anything without spending a lot of time in prayer before stepping out and doing it.  

The first night all of us were informed that whatever was shared at this study would stay there.  I loved how we would start by joining hands and praying ~ women from East Hills, The Grove, women from our community, some who attended other churches, some who didn't attend church.  The presence and love of God filled that room.  

At our table, women were open and honest and real starting the first night.  For many of us, our prayer time was something that we each really looked forward to.  I was excited to see the age range of the women and so grateful that there were not any "clicks".  I learned a lot about God's heart and love concerning women ~ in Bible days and today.  I'm so glad that I attended this study.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Your Mental Health Connection Group encourages you to heighten your own awareness of mental illness/health during the month of May. Here are a few suggestions:

What we can do: Education

Check out the following websites to increase your understanding of mental health.

NAMI FaithNet www.nami.org/namifaithnet

Mental Health Ministries  www.MentalHealthMinistries.net

Pathways to Promise  www.Pathways2Promise.org

What we can do: Support

Attend our Mental Health Group- our next meeting will be May 16th at 5:00 in Pastor Jon’s office.  Be an active listener. Be alert to the cues that might indicate a person is struggling with depression.  If you know someone who is struggling with a mental illness continue to encourage them by your presence and your words.  Support them in seeking help for their illness.

What we can do: Advocate

Challenge the stigma and stereotypes of mental illness when it comes up in conversations at work or in your community.  Wear a green ribbon during May to draw attention to the needs and challenges faced by those with a mental illness (ribbons will be available in the foyer).  Participate in the 8th annual Mental Health Awareness Run/Walk at Lake Sacajawea on Saturday, May 30th at 9:00 AM.  There is no fee to participate and there will be informational booths on mental health issues.  

We encourage you to take one small step this month to increase your awareness of mental illness/health.  Remember the old Chinese proverb: “it is better to light one candle than curse the darkness.”  Light a candle, in Jesus’ Name, for those struggling with mental illness!

For more information contact Doug and Betty Rae Radke at dbrradke@bmi.net.

Jerusalem

Caity Wilson, daughter of EHA’s Jerry and Bobbi Wilson, will be traveling to Israel and the Jordan on May 17th. “My professors informed me of this amazing opportunity and asked me if I would like to go with them,” she said. “I always thought it’d be beautiful to go and this is my chance. Actually setting foot where Jesus stood and putting a tangible experience to all the stories I’ve read in the Bible,” is an experience she is looking forward to, she said. 

She will take classes at the Jerusalem college and will also take excursions to explore the biblical sights. Caity is asking for prayer support in the areas of safety, God’s presence and His revelation of who He is. For those interested in financially supporting her, you can click here.

Expanding Regional Partnerships

By Jon Donohue

125 years ago, the Christian and Missionary Alliance was founded with the idea that individual churches could do more for the Kingdom of God together than we could ever do separate. The word “alliance” speaks to the heart of this vision. Over the course of our history, that has played out well for the C&MA. Churches have come together to plant other local churches. They have come together to send missionaries overseas, or to financially support a work in a far-off corner of the world to bring the good news to those in darkness. Because of the effectiveness of these partnerships, hundreds of churches have been planted in the United States, and thousands have been planted overseas through the partnerships of the C&MA.

The vision for partnering with other local churches continues to be alive and well within the heart of the Alliance. It is with that same spirit, rooted in a rich history and vision, that East Hills and The Grove have begun to explore a new partnership. A number of years ago, Alliance pastors from churches in the Portland and Vancouver area got together and said, “Let’s share life and ministry together. And with that, let’s share a common vision for planting churches and reaching the world with the gospel.” And through that initial interaction, the Portland Metro Network (from here referred to as the PMN) was born. Their mission remains three-fold: To provide relational care for pastors, to partner in planting churches locally, and to invest together in international partnerships.

In many ways, the PMN is the prototype of a vision the Alliance Northwest field office has for all Alliance churches in the Pacific Northwest. Knowing that partnerships provide community and care for pastoral leaders, and knowing that we can do more together than we can ever do separately, the vision is that all Alliance churches will one day find a place in a regional network. After a few discussions with our field director Randy Shaw, we embraced the value of investing in just such a partnership. And since the natural geographic and cultural pull of our community is south to the Portland and Vancouver areas, Pastor Nick and I have recently begun to lean in and explore a partnership with the PMN.

In early February Nick and I took part in a quarterly 24-hour retreat with about twelve other PMN pastors. When the first thing we did was play three hours of paintball, I knew this was not your typical pastors gathering. I learned that, somehow, nothing brings pastors together quite like shooting at each other from across a muddy field. It provided great fun, but also a sense of comradery built around a shared experience.

From that we continued to dive deeper into community with one another through shared meals, worship, open sharing about life and ministry, devotionals, and a discussion about local church planting and international partnerships. What we discovered was a sense of unity and focus that is both unique and effective. As a network, the PMN earmarked a few thousand dollars to help purchase a new (to them) sound system for the new Portland church plant Life Bridge. They also discussed financial and other means of support for their international partners in Kosovo. Kosovo is the next door neighbor of our current partners in Bosnia, so this would be a natural expansion of our focus and vision for reaching the Balkans for Christ.

With their investments in local church planting and international work, there is naturally a financial dimension to being involved with a network like the PMN. Without finances, support for local and international partnerships and planting efforts can only go so far. So we see great value to investing in these efforts with the PMN to launch new churches into regions like Battleground or Woodland, but what the financial side of this partnership would specifically look like is still a topic the elders are prayerfully considering.

Being part of a network like the PMN would provide us an opportunity to partner in various church planting and missional opportunities “out there”, but it would also provide a natural avenue for PMN churches to invest in what God is doing in our own community. As EHA and The Grove continue to advance the vision of planting campuses in Cowlitz County and nearby communities, PMN churches would then partner with us in that process by providing prayer, resources, and even financial support.

Please pray with us for the Lord’s clear leading as we lean into a partnership with the Portland Metro Network. Please also pray that the Lord continues to expand our vision for partnership…that this vision advanced by the Alliance over the past 125 years would grow and flourish throughout all our Alliance NW churches. As it does, I have no doubt that God will use us to expand Christ’s Kingdom work in both regional and global contexts.

To Him be the glory!