|
Sergej Garkusha - August 2007 Update |
We had a plan to develop out youth group meeting. We were planning to
have a youth group meeting once a month, when the young people could come to it
prepared with skits and video and testimonies. Other Sundays except that one we
have decided to gather the youth together in our church. Zhenja Borzilov is in
charge of the youth group meeting. After the camp he decided to grow and serve
in our church. We accepted his decision and we are encouraging and supporting
him. We had the firth youth group
meeting in August. I was in charge of it, I helper the youth to get prepared
for it. As no one showed any enthusiasm and initiative concerning it I had to
take the responsibility and to plan everything in order not to fail the service
on the day we had planned it. As the
result of all that we had the youth group meeting on August 19. It was not bad
and we had put so much energy and time in it. Moreover everyone saw the need in
this kind of services. The next meeting is on September 30, and hope that it
will be much qualitative.
Every Sunday there is youth coming together in our church building. When
it was warmer we were having some sport activities outside and then we moved to
the facilities of the church. The youth of our church and the young people who
have serious intentions and were in our camp are attending these services. The
ex-pastor of the church "Voice of Gospel" Albert gathered those people who want
to be baptized and is leading the preparation work with them. 9 people are
attending these courses. They and their friends for the church "Voice of
Gospel" come together in our church and have a wonderful time of fellowship,
listening to the sermon prepared by Zhenja, they sing songs, and also plan
different activities.
It was a joy to me to get to know that Katja who repented in our camp
has found a church "Bethany" in Riga and feels very comfortable there. She
had come to Liepaja
and I had met her and it is a joy to see that she has serious intentions and
also to see the fruit of our ministry. We had an opportunity to take part in a
camp called "History makers" in August. 9 people took part in that camp, and 4
of them are getting ready for being baptized. It was a good time of fellowship
with the Lord. The camp was devoted to prayer and worship. The youth knew that
the camp is a serious time of prayer and worship to the Lord not of fun but of
spiritual growth and were going there with an intention to be more mature in
Christ. And just after the camp the changes in the prayer life of the youth
became obvious. During the times of our
fellowship with the youth on Sundays we devote a special period of time for a
prayer for our unsaved friends praying in small groups.
We felt despair and joy in my family seeing what had been happening to
my father. He has fallen ill. For a whole month he was undergoing different
medical examinations and a cancer disease was found. He was sent home as the
doctors claimed that the cancer was already at the 4th stage and
that they were not able to do anything. It was a shock for us though we were
praying and asking the Lord to heal his soul and his body. Many friends of us,
our brothers and sisters joined us in that prayer and I was a witness of a
miracle that my father repented. He was praying and asking Jesus to forgive his
sins. It is a great joy for all of us but the disease does not step back. Daddy is losing weight every day and he is
not able to swallow and breathe well any longer. He only whispers now and does
not eat well. We trust in the Lord and
give everything in His hands.
Looking at out church I understand that there are definitely reasons for
the dad condition of the spiritual life of the church. So I asked the Lord to
show me those reasons. I have answers to some of those questions. That is why I
started to preach and to call people to reconsider their values. Having "broken
down the peace" of the church I have faced dissatisfaction from the side of the
members of the church and what is worst from the side of many serious and good
ministers. Though, it did not stop me I keep preaching about these issues in
order for the church to be fruitful and to be able to carry the responsibly for
the title of the church "Light of Gospel". I have not invented anything new,
just keep preaching about the way a church has to serve the Lord, has to have those close relations with the Lord
and among themselves.
We have covered all the expanses concerning the purchase of the
building. Brother Peteris who is the chairman of the church board is in charge
of these formalities and he has taken care of it. I have already met the other
owners of the other facilities in the building.
We discussed the things concerning the territory around the building and
so on. We are not able to do anything
officially till we have the documents ready. That is why we are just planning
now.
Please pray for us including our plans and intentions.
Plans for September: the development of the work with the youth, the beginning
of the classes at the Sunday school, to keep taking care of the church.
|
|
|
