November / December 2020
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”
Isaiah 9:2
These words have come to mean so much to me, especially in the events of this past year. That there is hope for those who walk in darkness and for those who find their dwelling in deep darkness. It gives me hope as I look at the brokenness around me and try to comprehend the coldness I see from those who are hardening their hearts against a loving God.
We are living in the bleak midwinter, a time when our world is growing cold and the darkness is working to lull us into a slumber that distracts us from our true purpose. Our days are spent running to our favorite distractions to numb the pain of a world that has lost its fellowship with the Creator.
But even in the midst of this, I am still hopeful, because Isaiah’s words cut through the darkness and remind us that a great light has shone, and it is now awakening those in deep darkness. This is why we, children of the light, carry the lantern of great news into the bleak midwinter. It’s why we join in the chorus alongside the heavenly hosts, “Glory, glory, for the Lord is with us, let all the earth shout worthy, worthy Love has come to save us!”
In the midst of the darkness and gloom, messengers of the glorious grace that has come in Christ will shout loudly His praises. Their lives will shine brightly of the mercy afforded them in the hope that others may also be awakened from their long slumber.
'for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” '
Ephesians 5:14
So, what do we, the children of light, do when the dark seems to overwhelm and throw us off course from our purpose? We draw courage. We throw off the covers, our favorite distractions, that are seeking to give us a false sense of security and we rise to do the work of our King.
We awaken daily with fresh eyes to see how we can love our God and others. We walk in the light, in fellowship with our God, so that His power may be evident in our weakness and His love may be on display in our lives for all to see. What we find is that when we walk in this way the darkness has no choice but to run. The darkness cannot stay when the light of Christ shines brightly.
So, what do we do in the midst of a long bleak midwinter? We dig in deeper and step out into the cold. We live sober by taking up the lantern of Christ and forge ahead to proclaim to those living in darkness the reconciliation that God has made with us. We remember the Light that has come to make peace, even as we live prepared for the return of the conquering King.
May we walk in the love of Christ by bearing witness to the Light that has come. May we bear witness through our words and actions of the Light who is and who is to come.
Ministry Update
Our weeks have been very full over the past month. We praise the Lord for allowing us to continue meeting with the boys and girls we work with in Reinickendorf. Specifically, that we have consistently been able to pour into the lives of these kids. Even in wading through pages of regulations and constantly changing policies, God has made a way for us to have the opportunity to pour into these little ones that He loves. We finished up 2020 last week with a Christmas party and talking about the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that we find in Christ.
Our refugee outreach has been stifled over the past two months with current restrictions, but we were able to organize with the staff the opportunity to deliver Christmas packages from our church along with a gospel message and invitation to our Christmas Eve service. Some of the teens from our church also caroled while we passed out the packages to families. We were also able to take a group from our church to carol at a senior care facility this past week and one of our pastors delivered a gospel message to the residents.
Cherry, the girls and Jeannie’s days have been filled with preparing meals and pouring in the lives of so many within our community and outside of it as well. I think of all they have done to love others through simply providing a meal, baking something special for someone or welcoming those who need a refuge into our home. They are truly a picture of God’s grace and love, and they endlessly pour themselves out for others.
With restrictions reducing our ability to meet in large groups, I have spent much more time meeting 1 on 1 this past month. While all restaurants are closed, I’ve found a great place that is central that I can meet people, grab a coffee, and go for a walk. This has created many opportunities for spiritual conversations with brothers from our church as well as discipleship opportunities. I have two friends, one from Iran and one from Afghanistan who have become followers of Christ and we are getting together consistently for discipleship. This week we are inviting these brothers over for a Christmas celebration, along with two friends from Pakistan and Iran, who are from a Muslim background. Pray for us as we celebrate together!
Finally, work within our local church has been very busy with recent restrictions. We are one of the few churches that is still meeting in person. This has been tough to navigate, but we are thankful for God’s grace in allowing us to continue to meet. Last year, I joined the teaching team at our church. This has been a stretching experience for me, but I am so thankful for the opportunity the leadership at our church has given me to open God’s Word with our congregation. I count it one of the greatest blessings in my life this past year. This past month our leadership announced that they would like to bring me on as an elder in the coming year. Please pray for me as I step into this new role.
Looking Forward
We are looking forward to the New Year and the opportunities that 2021 will bring. As we are able, we look forward to resuming our outreach into communities with soccer tournaments as well as other projects that would help us bridge into communities. Some of the ideas we would love to pursue would be a lego/playmobil project with the refugee children we work with, community celebrations in refugee communities alongside our church, and continuing monthly dinners for the purpose of connecting believers with unbelievers.
If you are looking to give a year end gift, I would be happy to talk with you more about a specific project or how we could partner together to find effective avenues to proclaim Christ in Berlin. Below is our link to our giving page, if you would like to give a gift to help us with our outreach in the coming year.
Thank You!
Finally, as we close out this year, I must praise the Lord for how He abundantly has provided for all our needs. It is a tremendous privilege and honor to work on your behalf and we do not take your investment lightly. In fact, as I reflected last week on all of those who are standing with us, the gifts of love that have been added to our account through your support and prayers, my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude for your love for us. Your partnership with us in the gospel reminds me of the great task at hand and that we are seeking a return on your behalf. Thank you for allowing us to be your hands and feet and for the opportunity to bear witness of the Light.
Prayer Update
Pray for us as we seek to encourage those isolated and struggling over the coming weeks.
Pray for our church as we seek to encourage our community to live love to those around them.
Pray for new opportunities for effective outreach in the coming year.
Pray for our family as we are away from our family this season.
We didn’t include a family update this month, because of the length this month, but here are some of our favorite memories from the past year. Merry Christmas and praying God’s blessing on you and your family in the coming year!
