January / February 2022 — The Gfeller Family

You will find on any given Sunday people from many nations worshipping together in our church in the city of Berlin. We are used to visitors, people coming and going. We are a strategic crossroad for our world and in this our church desires to be an oasis for the exile, as we point people to the way of the cross. Berlin is not only a crossroad, but a sought-after destination for the weary and tired of our world. Once an instigator to the greatest migration our world has ever seen, now a place of refuge for many nations. Receiving and living alongside refugees from wars in the Middle East and Africa is part of life in our city and people from war-torn lands join us regularly for worship.

But the events of this past week have given a new face to fresh conflict as we received the first of what we believe to be the beginning of a massive movement of people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

As the stench of war looms over our continent, and fear rises, I watched in wonder this past Sunday, as a young Ukrainian family weary from their long journey from the east, joyfully worshipped alongside us. They had every reason to go and rest from their travels, to lament what they have lost, but knowing the worth of what they have found, they don’t look back. Their example was a picture to all who would hear and see, that you cannot derail the hope of the one looking to Jesus.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Philippians 3:8

This is our desire as we rise to this moment. That we too would count everything as loss to knowing Christ. We are confident that even in the shock of quickly changing events and the fear of rising threats, God is building His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Five years ago, God used a war to help us see how we could position ourselves on a crossroad to those fleeing conflict and in need of hope. Once again, we find ourselves in this same position, poised and ready to receive the hopeless of nations for the purpose of sharing the Hope of Nations. Please pray for the church in Europe as we respond in this moment of crisis, that we would be steady and bright, a beacon of light to the looming darkness on our continent for God’s glory.

Ministry Update

We started a new sports outreach this month in a central location on the south side of Berlin (Schöneberg). The outreach seeks to provide a place for newly arrived refugee families and children with no other options to participate in sports. The model encourages fathers to play with their children as a way of building bonds, finding community in their new place, and helping them heal from the trauma they have experienced. We will also have ladies from our church present to invite mothers to a Christian Café across the street to have a coffee. The idea is to develop stronger family connections between believers and those we are meeting for the purpose of bringing people to the cross.

Two weeks ago, one of our boys who participates in our sports outreach in Reinickendorf told us he wanted to follow Christ. Evidently, he told his parents too, because his dad showed up the next week wanting to know more information about who we were! I talked with him about our purpose and he was thankful for the impact we were having on his son, even though he personally was not ‘a religious person’. He shared with me the struggle he has had after splitting up with his wife and we exchanged numbers and hope to get a coffee soon. Pray for Niklas and his dad Rene!

Also, please pray for Dirk. He manages the field we use on Tuesdays and has just come back from a long bout with Corona that nearly killed him. My coworker Tabea shared the gospel with him last week, and I was able to give him a gospel of John. He had tears in his eyes as Tabea shared Christ with him. Please pray he will read of God’s love for him and come to know Christ.

Cherry has been taking on more responsibility with teaching children in our church as needs have been realized over the past couple months. She is regularly teaching at our Friday night children’s ministry and is leading our children’s church the third Sunday of the month. It is so incredible to see her stepping into this role and embracing this calling to raise up our children to serve the Lord.

Our coworkers Franz and Kristie Martens alongside a launch team from our church had their first meeting in Potsdam this Sunday. This team has secured a meeting location in Potsdam, which is about 20 minutes from our church with the hope of planting a church in this neighboring city.

To put the events of the past week in context, the continent of Europe at the height of the Syrian War in 2015, received 1.3 million refugees from the Middle East over the course of a year. In just one week since the beginning of Russia‘s invasion, 1 million Ukrainians have fled their homeland into Europe. Over half of these are heading in our direction.

Text messages like this are beginning to roll in and we have a number of opportunities open to us in regard to the crisis in Ukraine. A Ukrainian couple in our church in Berlin has been in contact with their church in Kyiv and four men from our church will be delivering four minibuses to the Ukrainian border in the coming week. The vehicles will be purchased here in Berlin by the Ukrainian church and will be filled with helmets, gear, and other supplies to help support civilians and the Ukrainian resistance. If you would like to help with the cost of fuel or provide support to this project, please contact me for more information or you can donate here.

Donate for Ukraine

We are preparing now to receive refugees in Berlin. This week a Jewish organization in our city will be receiving 120 orphans from Odessa. Our church family is collecting clothes, toys, and essential items for these children and we hope to give ongoing support. Our church leadership plans to use the relationship we have been developing with the German Red Cross over the past 3 years to mobilize “Compassion teams” to meet refugees as they arrive in Berlin. The Red Cross is already preparing refugee housing in our area of the city, and we hope to have our church connect with refugees in this way to meet their immediate needs, while opening a door to meet their greatest need, to know Christ. We also have many people in our church opening their homes to refugees. Their example is a beautiful picture of what the church is suppose to be.

In addition to these things we have in front of us, we are continuing to encourage community, discipleship, and leadership training within our church. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to build up disciples in Christ who present Him to the nations. Here are some pictures from the past month!

Family Update

We had the opportunity to go on a quick two-day ski trip to the Czech Republic last month with some close friends. It was so nice to get away and see some real snow, even though I cracked a rib snowboarding the first day! Thankfully I learned my lesson that I am not as invincible as I used to be without hurting myself too badly:) I celebrated my 41st birthday on the 19th and I am so thankful for how God has restored my health over the past year. Last year on my birthday I had an MRI on my back and found out I had a ruptured disc. This year, my back seems to be fully healed. Thank you for everyone who prayed!

Quinn was picked to help a new girl in her class get adjusted to her new school environment. Cherry met with her teacher today and her teacher said that she is maturing into a confident young lady, that is kind to others and respected by her classmates. More than that she loves Jesus and wants to serve others! We are thankful for God’s grace in giving her to us. Gracie is also doing well in school. She is fearless and participated in our soccer outreach this past week. She jumped right in and played with the boys, even after getting the ball kicked into her face:/ She has a beautiful voice and is compassionate and kind to others.

Thank you for your continued support. We continue to be amazed how God is using you to meet our every need and many times even before we ask!

Prayer Requests

Please pray for us as we seek to respond to gospel opportunities that arise from the conflict in Ukraine.
Please pray for our new church plant in the city of Potsdam.
Please pray for an opportunity that we have to acquire an apartment for the church that would give us a central location to meet with groups and teams, as well as be utilized to house interns and ministry guests.
Please pray as we prepare for our church’s 20th anniversary at Easter, as well as a number of outreaches planned in our city and community for April and May.