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(April 24th, 2013)

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Missions Conference

Thanks very much to all of you who prayed for my Austrian visa. This year was unlike any year before, I had to go to the embassy 5 times and each time to be there for nearly 2 hours, but it is all in the past now and I already went to the conference and got back two days ago. I had some time in Munich where I went on a free tour around the city and enjoyed great weather (for pictures-click here). Then the next day, I took a train to Spittal where the conference was taking place. Brian Brodersen, Bil Gallatin, Ray Bentley and Samy Tanagho were speaking this time and as always, it was good teaching. Men & women’s session had a little different setting this year – we got together in small groups and had prayer and a time of sharing and encouragement. I liked that very much, because this way we were able to meet more people and to get to know each other better, ministering to each other in more personal way. Also the Lord has really blessed me by fellowship with my friends from Nice, France and it was a special treat to see them again.
Truly, it was blessed and fruitful time. The Lord answered many of my prayers even while I was there. I just love times like this, when my soul can rest in Him and can be quiet before Him and I get a little glimpse of Heaven as we worship, fellowship, enjoy Him and each other every day for a whole week. I cannot wait for the day to come when we will have not just a week, but eternity. Until then, let’s continue serving Him and others faithfully, wherever He’s called us to be.
God bless you! Natasha

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Trip to St. Pete & more

Hello everyone, as most of you know last week on Sunday the church ended 11 years of meeting at the same location. I will talk a little more about that later.

Last week some of the servants in the church had the opportunity to attend the first Calvary Chapel conference in St. Petersburg. It was timely and it was a great encouragement for all of us. The teaching was right on as usual for a CC conference. Pastor Ken Ortize of CC Spokane, Lloyd Pulley Old Bridge New Jersey, and Gale Erwin taught over the 3 day conference. I had the greatest birthday party: I got to see Gale live and in action, we got to take a boat ride down the canals of St Pete (The Venice of the north) and had so many friends that I have made the acquaintance in the last 7 years in Russia. For more pictures of St. Pete trip click here.

Today we had our first service without a building as we met in the park across the street from the church.The Lord gave us acceptable weather, as it looked as if it could have rained a few times. We had a perfect time as we worshiped the Lord, and partook of communion today. Lord willing we will have a place to meet next Sunday, if not we will meet once again in the park.

Pray for Natasha as she is going for her Visa on Monday, so she can fly to the CC European leadership conference in Austria. God Bless, dean

Sunday, August 06, 2006

...no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly

Greetings from Moscow, today was like any other Sunday, I was up early preparing for the lesson in the Book of Mathew 18:15. I ironed my shirt, at which I’m almost as good as my Mom, grabbed the piano, Losha followed with the guitar, Yuri went to get grape juice for communion today, and Roma went to the store to buy all the things needed to make sandwiches after the service. On the way to the church which about a 10 minute walk, I met my neighbor Luba she is about 75 and she told me she is having trouble with her eyes and not able to read the LARGE PRINT Bible I bought her. Today our plan was to go to the park after the service, but we received an unusual (almost) 24 hour rain. Upon arriving at the college we met Jacob, Olga and Natasha. The guard usually comes and opens the door for us but today we were greeted by Sasha. Sasha is the one we have been praying for, for a long time and he is the boss of the security guards. Sasha usually has a dry humor and so today he told us that we were no longer able to meet at the college. We are thinking that Sasha is joking and we are waiting to see him laugh but he is not laughing and continues to tell us the new director said to tell the church they are done. One by one the church began arriving only to hear there was not going to be a service today and that we need to find a new place to meet. I can tell you I have perfect peace about this. We were told one month ago by the administrator of the hall we rent ( Rufic and Nellie the husband and wife that we have a great relationship with) that current director was fired and a new director was coming. We knew at that time that our time at the college might be over. But Rufic felt confident that all would be ok after he talked to the new director. So Natasha and I were not totally shocked. We have so much to be thankful for. The church has been at the college for more than 10 years, without really any inconvenience. I know some churches have had to move many times, and don’t have the space that we have had. We have nothing to complain about, God has been so faithful to our fellowship. We are confident that God is moving us in a different direction. We have prayed off and on over the last 7 years that we might find a different location but it was just not God’s will. The church building had many positives, but it also had some negatives. We would like to find a place where we can use it 7 days a week. And that our time would not be limited. We are on the 5th floor without a lift and it has been difficult for people who may not have the best health. If a street person would like to visit the church they are not allowed in the building because it is a school. We would like to reach more out to the displaced people in our area whom we have an abundance of. Please pray for us to find a location easy to reach with public transportation, most of our members do not have cars, including myself. Pray for a place where we can meet as often as we want. And pray that it is in our region. It is not easy finding places in Moscow, one of the most expense cities in the world. But God is in control and it is His fellowship. He has shown Himself so faith to our fellowship, answering so many of our prayers.

Friday Dale was finally able to take his daughter Dasha to America. It was a miracle of events, but the church has faithfully prayed for the situation and today Dasha is visiting her other family in Minnesota with Dale. Please pray for the 8 of us that will be traveling to St. Petersburg tomorrow night on the train to attend the first CC St. Petersburg leadership conference. Gayle Erwin is going to be one of the guest speakers. Since we had all ready made plans to go with all the tickets bought I felt that we must go, and that the Lord is going to work out our new location. We have many people that have ideas about where we might be able to rent. Next week we are going to meet in the park across the street from the church for our Sunday service. If you’re in the area please stop by we will have church in the park. God is faithful to the church He gave His life for, and so we rest in that. God bless you all who love and pray for CCSokol we love all of you also!!! dean

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

bringing Life to Big City life

Greetings everyone from one of the world's most expensive cities to live, Moscow. Where you will not see more Mercedes Benz this side of Stuttgart Germany. You won’t see more luxury sky rise apartment under construction anywhere. You won’t see more shopping malls this side of southern California, or this side of the world. There are over 170 metro subway stations in Moscow and they are determined to build monster sized malls at almost every stop. Moscow is a fast city moving faster. Why am I telling you all of this? Because I have not written in a while and I needed something to write about. Really, Moscow is a great city to be a Christian, there are so many great ministry opportunities here. Everything has been going fine with the church. I had to leave the country at the 6th month mark two weeks ago. It is required by law that foreigners leave the county every 6 months and get a new immigration card. I’m thankful to the Russian government for this law because it gives me an opportunity to take a short excursion across the border. I traveled with Dale, another missionary (many of you know him) to the city of Kiev in the Ukraine. It was the first time I had been there, and found it to be a beautiful city, or should I say village, only 3 million people, compared with Moscow upwards of 14 million. It was interesting to see how they are doing and it seems they are moving along well. We were able to see the tent city in the center of town as they await the outcome of the future government. I must say they are well organized and the camp was very orderly. Calvary Chapel has a very healthy church in Kiev and has planted numerous churches in Ukraine. The Ukrainian language is very similar to Russian and so it was easy to move around in the city. Oh, by the way that is where Chicken Kiev came from and yes, we tried it. The prices on food and transportation, and housing were delightfully less than in Moscow.

I just finished the Ken Ham “Answers in Genesis” on C.D. that took place at my home church CC Modesto. Perhaps we will do a mini one and a half day Answers in Genesis type of meeting. It is as much for the believer as it is for the non-believer.

God has been so good to His church here in Sokol. We have seen the Lord answer many of our prayer requests. We will be planning another prayer retreat for November.

Please pray for Chas, He is the young man from Africa. He lost one lung to T.B. and the other lung is healing very slowly. The doctor told him that he can not continue to take the medication for the T.B. because it is affecting his heart and liver. Chas needs a miracle. Only God can bring him through this. Chas really should have died according to him while he was in prison. Out of all the men that were in the prison T.B. hospital, Chas is the only one that survived. I believe God has a great plan for Chas. Also pray for Dr. Tom, many of you know him, and we have worked together for about 7 years. Tom needs to have hip replacement surgery. Tom is in a lot of pain but he will never let you know. He has been seeking an operation for about one year.

Update on Geno, I am able to talk with him once a week, and he is doing great under the circumstances. God is using him, and his prison church is growing. Please, if you remember, pray for Geno and the work God has called him to in the prison.

Look forward to meeting with some of you in September when I come home visit. God Bless you and what God is doing in your life. dean