Concordia Lutheran Mission Society
Partners In Missions
Many Nicaraguan congregations have members who are being trained to play keyboard for worship. Nicaraguans love music and love to sing. Music is also an important and culturally relevant outreach tool. This project will allow Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua to purchase instruments and train local church musicians to accompany worship services and undertake mission outreach.
I want to help support buying instruments and training musicians for worship and outreach.
Missionaries Suchat Chujit and Suchat Srikakan continue their missionary work in the southern province of Thailand in the region of Takuapa and Phang-nga province. As Pastor Chujit provides ministry for his local congregations he continues reaching out to individuals and families in the area, building contacts for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and starting home Bible studies and worship services. This project helps provide the stipends, utilities, transportation, telephone and worship materials for the congregations and preaching stations under missionary Chujit’s care.
I want to help support the ongoing ministry and outreach of Pastor Chujit.
A team of missionaries from the Synod of Evangelical Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) started a mission in two high-security prisons in Nikolaev province. Missionary Rev. Alexander Urchenko and Deacon Sergey Bondarenko visit the prison weekly, holding services and enjoying fellowship. This project will cover transportation costs, literature and provide help for the inmates including medicine, tea, warm clothes, books and food.
I want to help support Christian outreach to prisoners.
This project supports vacation children’s camps (VBS) where up to 250 children take part, a summer camping program where nearly 110 young people participate, and a winter youth conference which gathers groups from SELCU congregations for worship, fellowship and study at the Odessa Theological Seminary. This work with children and youth is very important to the church in Ukraine.
I want to help support outreach to and ministry with young people.
Currently, four students are enrolled for the next series of seminary course scheduled to start in September 2014. At its recent convention, the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) opened the door for other churches in Eastern Europe to send their students to the seminary in Odessa. This is seen as a great opportunity for SELCU to expand its connection with other Lutheran churches and become a regional centre for theological education. This project contributes towards food, travel, utilities, translators, and a cook at the seminary.
I want to help support pastoral preparation in Ukraine.
Under the supervision of LCC missionary Rev. Alexey Navrotsky and in conjunction with theAlpha and Omega Student Society, a group of Christian sportsmen works with non-Christian sportsmen. For several years their Christian professional trainer, Igor Solodenko, has worked with a team of soccer players. This ministry reaches approximately 80 young sportsmen. The project provides support for equipment, transportation and facility/field rental.
I want to help share the Gospel with athletes.
For more than three years the pastor of the church in Odessa, Rev. Oleg Shevchenko, and a team of volunteers has conducted an evangelism ministry with college and university students in Odessa. Each week they hold Bible studies and organize various special projects: thematic evenings, discussion clubs, hikes, conferences and competitions. This project supports the purchase of Christian literature, printed materials for meetings and the rental of facilities.
I want to help reach out with the Gospel to students.
A congregation near Leon gathers outside for worship and Bible study
A group of faithful followers in the community of Mount Olivet near the city of Leon join together for Bible study, worship and Sunday school. To protect them in their open air services they require an overhead tarp and fifty chairs.
May 1, 2011
It is a joy to share the Good News. Teaching seminary students to share the Good News and grow the church in Ukraine, as new pastors, is even more exciting. Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS) provides the funding so the experience, knowledge and the in-depth understanding of our North American theologians can be shared at the Ukrainian seminary in Odessa.
Albert Schmidt, a spirit-filled, enthusiastic pastor from Edmonton, Alberta, recently returned from Ukraine where he had the privilege of teaching “The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels” (Matthew, Mark and Luke) and “Pastoral Theology”, a practical course which directs and guides pastors in the conduct of the pastoral office. His experience of 51 years of pastoral work is cherished as real value to the students. Making the lessons as practical as possible helps the students understand and empathizes with future church members.
After discussions on “visiting the sick” Pastor Schmidt and the seminarians traveled to one of the hospitals to visit with patients. Dr. Schmidt shares “They went in with fear and trepidation, but came out filled with joy.”
Matthew Heise, a pastor from our United States sister church, traveled to Odessa in mid-March to teach two courses at the seminary. Pastor Matt is a travelling missionary who is very willing to teach in Ukraine. His fluency in the Russian language is a real asset and allows him to quickly connect with the seminarians. The first course he taught was Hermeneutics, a basic how-to in reading the Bible, and then a course on the Book of Revelation.
Pastor Matt shares, “It has been a joy to interact with the students, get used to their southern Ukrainian accents while they get accustomed to my American take on Moscow-accented Russian.”
Pastor Retana continues mission work in Cartago, Costa Rica
Pastor Edmundo Retano is continuing to focus on mission outreach in Cartago and also the capital city, San Jose. These funds will cover the cost to rent a small office space, a missionary’s residence and a place for worship.
