June 2020 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

    He lifts his voice, the earth melts.

Come and see what the Lord has done,

    the desolations He has brought on the earth.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:6,8,10

Grace and peace to you in the name of God our Father!

Here in Montenegro we enjoyed a brief respite from the pandemic as a Covid-free nation for all of two weeks.  It was glorious.  However, with the re-opening of the borders, the virus has been brought back in, so we are required to mask in public places and gatherings but with no severer restrictions at present.  We are grateful for our relative freedom but, like the rest of the world, are weary of Covid-19.  Our prayer is that we would embrace this opportunity to Be still and see the Lord exalted among the nations.

• Our Sunday services (morning and evening) have resumed at our meeting facilities.  We are continuing to video record and post the sermon online to good effect.  We had two visitors to our services last week, one of whom had been watching online during the shutdown. Stan is just wrapping up Exodus 20 in the morning and will resume preaching through Hebrews in the evening.  Please pray for Stan and the other men as they prepare and preach the Word of the Lord.  It is both an awesome privilege and awesome responsibility, unto life and death.

• Although we are not expecting any teams, plans are being laid for the Camp Monty Sports Camp to take place in late July.   We see this as an opportunity for locals to take the lead in serving and ministering to young people (ages 7-17) this summer.  Please pray for Danijel (head of the student ministry EUS-CG) for wisdom in putting together a doable-but-quality program given necessary restraints in terms of manpower, time&money, and health concerns.  

• In conjunction with the Buxton family in Kotor, we have the opportunity to be involved in a humanitarian project funded by Send Relief, to help twelve families (4 within the church, 8 outside the church) financially hit by the pandemic.  We are providing each family with several months of aid for food and hygienic goods.  Please pray that God will use this outreach for His glory and the blessing of many.

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Given the global nature of this pandemic, the Covid-19 crisis will have long-term financial impacts on many individuals and churches.  We expected this to have a trickle down effect upon us; now, three months in, we can see that monthly support for Mission to Montenegro has been noticeably down.  We draw this to your attention, that if the Lord so enables you, you might prayerfully consider joining our supporters or adjust the gift you already give.  Enabled or not, we rejoice that God is able to bless [us] abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that [we] need, [we] will abound in every good work. 

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich

Note: If you would like to send support, here's how:

If you live in the U.S., you may mail checks made out to: Mission to Montenegro with appropriate memo and addressed to:

Faith Community Church
Attn:  Mission to Montenegro
723 South D Street
Oxnard, CA 93030

Website of Sending Church: Faith Community Church Homepage

If you live outside the U.S. do get in touch (stan.surbatovich@gmail.com) and we will give you bank transfer information.

Thank you for your support! Soli Deo gloria!

May 2020 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

See, darkness covers the earth 

and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord 

rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  Nations will come 

to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 

Is. 60:2,3

Grace and Peace to you in the name of God our Father!

• Our Sunday morning service airing online follows the format of our usual liturgy: Call to Worship, Prayers, Singing, Regular Reading through Scripture, and Sermon. Stan picked up his series through Exodus and is currently preaching through the Ten Commandments. This past week, he delved into both the obvious and deeper demands and implications of the seventh commandment, Do not commit adultery, including the gospel seen in God's faithfulness to us.

• Additionally, we are excited about the online Children's meeting which can also be found on our church's FB and YouTube Channel.  Jelena V has stepped forward to make this happen and her dedication and love for both God and his children really shines forth. Check it out!

• In lieu of our typical evening service, we gather together via Zoom so that we have a chance to see one another.  Each week, a different member is asked to give a short devotional or word of encouragement. Our gathering together is a highlight of the week.

Current Covid-19 realities here in Montenegro:

• There is now a rolling lifting of restrictions.  Most shops and businesses are open (with masks and 2m distancing).  Travel within the country is now allowed, although there is still no international travel.  

• The ban on individuals gathering in people’s homes, other than those belonging to the household, is still in effect as are public gatherings, both inside and outside.

• Churches have limited freedom, mainly to perform small rites (like baptism), but not gather together as a corporate body due to the limitation of a maximum of one person per 10m ² (one person/100 sq. ft), inside the religious building.  This means we could have 4 people in our main room, plus one in each side room which does not a church gathering make. 

• However, Montenegro currently has only 4 active Covid-19 cases and has gone 13 days with no new cases.  Thank you, Lord!  We are hopeful that we will get to join together before we write the next newsletter, and what a day of rejoicing that will be!  

Upcoming Ministry and Prayer Requests

• Because of continuing travel restrictions, summer plans have changed drastically.  Definitely no summer intern (Sorry, Benjamin!), and no UCCF team and English Student camp.  The All-Montenegro Believer's Meeting has been indefinitely postponed.  Camp Monty may go on in a very modified form with locals primarily leading and very few outsiders helping.  Please pray for wisdom in knowing how and when to pick up group activities and outreaches.  

• Pray for all the witnessing, encouragements, and seed being sown through personal contacts and our online media presence.  

• Pray for the members of our own fellowship:  for unity, for reaching out to one another, for perseverance in grace and charity, for the financial needs as well as the emotional needs of those hard-hit by the closures, for Stan and the other leaders as they prepare the Sunday services under challenging conditions.

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich

April 2020 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

 I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like Me,

Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things that are not yet done,

Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

And I will do all My pleasure. Is. 46:9-10

Grace and peace to you in the name of God our Father!

Underneath our current surreal existence in the second month of Covid-19 lockdown, the reality is that the Lord is not bound but rules and reigns. His purposes are being accomplished. We are privileged to share a few of the things happening here in Nikšić.  To God be the glory! Amen!

• After many months of desiring to have a social media presence, we've been catapulted into getting things up and running**. The learning curve has been steep, but we now have both a Church Facebook Page as well as a Church Youtube Channel.  You can find both the whole of our Sunday morning services as well as just the sermons plus the children's ministry online. It is our desire to continue these services post-Covid lockdown.

Home Studio.  Yay for packing tape and smart phones!

• The Lord is certainly using these means to bring in new listeners--and not just from Montenegro.  Granted, it was just one family apiece from the US and England plus a few from Serbia but unexpected and amazing nonetheless.   What is most heartening to us is that a number of the church members who normally come alone or are not able to come (due to work or family persecution) are listening/watching the service and often with their entire families, too! 

Opening Video to our Easter Service

• Along with adopting a social media presence, we've embraced Zoom technology for hosting our Sunday evening service, the EUS Student meetings, and our weekly prayer meeting.  While not at all taking the place of meeting in person, the communal gathering is sweet nonetheless.

• Covid-19 realities here in Montenegro:  The restrictions have only increased since we wrote last month.  Some of the additional measures include:  no mail can be received from the US, no entering another's home (unless family and even that is discouraged), husbands and wives must be 2 meters apart when walking down the street, curfew begins at 7pm weekdays and 1pm weekends.  With these strict measures in place, the rise of cases is linear, not exponential and there are no current hotspots of infection.  Restrictive measures are in place for two weeks at a time.  Next evaluation will be May 1st.  In mid-May we will make decisions regarding possible (but still hoped-for) summer ministry events like Camp Monty, Ben's internship, and the Hearing Aid ministry.

**NOTE:  The putting together of the services online is a major effort and we are grateful for all the members who are making it happen via Scripture reading, testimonies, song leading, children's work, and more.  But, in all these things, we are especially grateful to Peter Stonelake who has been the point man in getting all these bits and pieces together and online in one coherent whole.  A faithful man will abound with blessings... may it be so!

Prayer Requests:

• For a bold witness into our community as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Please pray that our hope and resolve be marked by feet firmly standing on the Rock of Salvation, our Lord Jesus Christ that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

• For God to be merciful to the people of Montenegro and His church and spare many of falling ill and of long-term health consequences.  Please pray also for our own family in the United States; one has been ill (with C-19) but is recovering and another has been without work due to restrictions.

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich

March 2020 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2

Grace and Peace to you in the name of God our Father!

Well, this has been an unprecedented month, epochal in nature.  Truly, a man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps. (Prov. 16:9) But, first things first, a few highlights from the past month:

• In our morning service, we are still in Exodus 20, looking at the Ten Commandments one by one, having just finished with You shall not make for yourself an idol.  In the evening, Stan preached from the last portion of Hebrews Ch. 5 and beginning of Ch. 6 on the importance of pressing on to maturity.

• At the end of February, we enjoyed our first Ladies' Fellowship Meeting for the year.  (January is too busy with holidays).  We had a very nice turn-out, a mix of young and old, believers and seekers.  Vicki shared a devotional on the Beauty of Christ, highlighting just two aspects: The Beauty of Christ seen in His Creation (it does our soul good to cultivate the habit of seeing His beauty so evident in the world around us) and the Beauty of Christ as the Savior who really saves (not by giving a checklist on how to live the Christian life but by giving us a new heart).

• We had a small Danish team here from March 7- 14th.  They held events at both the university and at the EUS (Christian Ministry Student) Center including a Bible study.  We are all very pleased with the seed sown, the plants watered, and evidence of fruit--Soli Deo Gloria.  We are also especially grateful that they were able to finish out their entire time before the rolling travel bans took effect, although it made for a bit of last minute scrambling.  While the team was already scheduled to go back Saturday the 14th (just as Denmark was closing down its borders) Kristina, the 6-month intern we welcomed in January, was not.  However, her organization didn’t want to be responsible for her here with the changing situation and said she had to return as well.  She managed to get the very last seat on the same flights as the other Danes.  God is good!

Danish Corner at Uni

Bible Study 

Covid-19 Impacts:

• Beginning last week, despite no confirmed cases at the time, the Montenegrin government has been taking progressive steps to be proactive in keeping Covid-19 at bay/slow-spread. Currently, the ports are closed; all foreigners without residence visas are banned from entering; most border crossings are closed; no busses, rail, or flights; all restaurants are closed (except for takeout/delivery); all schools, sports gatherings, religious gatherings, public events are cancelled for a minimum 2 weeks—it is a blanket ban, not dependent on size but type.  As of last night (Mar. 17), Montenegro confirmed its first cases of Covid-19.

• We cancelled church this past Sunday to comply with the restrictions, but our tech guys are looking into ways to live-stream something; hopefully by this coming Sunday.  We are also prayerfully considering gearing this service to unbelievers that we know who might watch from the privacy of their homes (and whom we know aren't going anywhere). Of course, all prayer meetings, bible studies, and women's meetings are cancelled.  Fortunately, most of the church is connected via Viber, so we are encouraging one another from God's word and keeping up with needs.

• Our busy spring season of teams and visitors and outreaches has been cancelled, although we are holding out on the All-Believer's Meeting scheduled for May 16th.  We are still in wait-and-see mode regarding summer activities:  the UCCF Student group (June); Benjamin, the pastoral ministries intern (June); Hearing Aid Ministry (July); Camp Monty (July). 

Upcoming Ministry and Prayer Requests:

• For a bold witness into our community as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Please pray that our hope and resolve be marked by feet firmly standing on the Rock of Salvation, our Lord Jesus Christ that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

• For God to be merciful to the people of Montenegro and His church and spare many of falling ill and of long-term health consequences.  Please pray also for our own family in the United States. It is a strange feeling to not be able to just hop on a plane if needed.

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich

February 2020 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

For the word of God is living and active, 

sharper than any two-edged sword, 

piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, 

of joints and of marrow, 

and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Heb. 4:12

Grace and Peace to you in the name of God our Father!

This has been a quiet month as the flu swept through our household (and much of the church) these past weeks.  We are on a definite upswing, thanks be to God, and looking forward to a busy month ahead!

• In our morning service, Stan is currently preaching through Exodus 20 where God gives His law to His already-saved-through-grace people.  In the evening, in Hebrews 4&5, we've been looking at Jesus, our great High Priest, who knows us and has compassion for us and from whom we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

• Last month we welcomed Kristina from Denmark who will be here in Nikšić until June.  She is working for the EUS-CG Student Ministry as well as being an active member of the church.  We are delighted she is with us!

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Upcoming Ministry and Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for the regular ministry of the Word as Stan (and others) preach and teach throughout the week at church, at Bible Studies, and while visiting in the community.  May hearts be quickened and lives changed to the glory of God.

• Please pray for our first Ladies' Meeting of the year, to be held this Saturday, Feb. 22.  Along with encouraging fellowship, there will be a devotional on The Loveliness of Christ.   Please pray for a good turnout of women and that Christ may make Himself known.

• In early March, we will be hosting a team from the Danish KFS Bible School.  Please pray for a fruitful ministry at the university.

• In April and May, we will be welcoming a church team from Georgia as well as celebrating Easter, meeting up with old friends, and hosting the All-Montenegro Believer's Meeting.  In June and July, Stan will be mentoring Benjamin, a pastoral-studies intern, plus we will be hosting the UCCF team from England as well as participating in the annual Camp Monty sports camp held every year here in Nikšić.  Please pray as we begin/continue with the logistics of making these events happen, for God's leading and wisdom, and for God's church to grow!

• As many of you have seen, there have been ongoing protests regarding the recently passed Religion Law.  While we are not particularly impacted by the law or protests, please join us in praying for continued peace, for justice to be done, and for people to be spurred to not merely come to church activities connected with the protests but to come to Christ. Note:  if anyone wants more information regarding the law and protests, please write to Stan directly.

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich

PS.  Thank you to all who generously give financial support to this work; we finished 2019 in the black.  Soli Deo gloria!

January 2020 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

Remember this and stand firm,               

              remember the former things of old;

for I am God, and there is no other;

              I am God, and there is none like me.  

Is. 46:8a,9

Grace and Peace to you in the name of God our Father!

With the close of the decade, this seems to be a fitting time to remember and stand firm.    In this spirit then, let us rejoice in what God has done these past ten years.  Those of you who have been part of this work will remember, and those who've joined us more recently can see how our God has been working mightily.

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• Ten years ago, we were seeking prayer for Stan to regain legal standing to be in the country.  With the independence of Montenegro, Stan had to re-establish residency through the byzantine labyrinth of bureaucracy just mere days before leaving on furlough (or not be able to leave the country at all).  God came through with 48 hours to spare.  And, two years later, his Montenegrin citizenship was formally recognized.  We appreciate the privilege to be here and the freedom we have to proclaim Christ.  Thank you, Lord.

• Ten years ago when on furlough or traveling, we were bringing in others, from outside the country, to lead the church.  Now we have a solid core of faithful men able to lead within the fellowship.  They regularly lead in prayer, in the consecutive reading of Scripture and giving insightful comments*, in helping to serve Communion, and preaching occasionally. *We've read through the whole Bible this past decade, too!

• Over the past ten years, the church has witnessed several baptisms, nearly a dozen marriages,  and sadly, even a few deaths within the congregation.   Ten years ago, there were no little kids in church—all the children were in their teens.  Now, with the blessing of marriages has come the blessing of children.  This year, for the first time, the little ones gave a short presentation at our Christmas service.

The Next Generation!

• Over the past 10 years, both our hospitality ministry and camp outreaches have grown expansively.  The Camp Monty Outreach continues to reach young people through sports but has broadened in these last few years:   a women’s outreach has also taken place the past two summers; and Heidi, originally a Camp Monty volunteer, is developing a Hearing Testing/Aid ministry reaching even wider into the community.  She was here this past month and will be back again, Deo volente!

• Ten years ago, Danijel had just begun his work to transform the informal student ministry into a formal student ministry. This past summer, the local student work, EUS CG, was officially recognized and accepted into the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students at the IFES World Assembly 2019 held in South Africa.

• Over the last decade, in Montenegro as a whole, God has been working mightily:  the number of missionaries (mainly in the capital city) has more than doubled; the evangelical churches *still*  gather yearly for our All-Montenegro Believer’s Meeting (no small thing in an area rife with division); both the Evangelical Alliance (our representation to the government) and a national Gospel Coalition (bringing Christ-centered helps to a needy nation) are moving forward.

• In looking over ten years' worth of prayer requests, we note that the (previously) oft-mentioned request to pray for regular work opportunities has been answered!  Everyone in the congregation seeking work has it; it may not be the *best* job, but it is honest work.  At the same time,  may we pray ever more diligently for the saving of unbelieving spouses.  One young woman, whose husband has been a believer for more than a decade, is just now willing to concede that he is not “in a sect.”   Oh, may the Lord grow this small seed into much fruit!

• Over the past decade, we’ve also had our share of opposition: The repeated marring of the Church sign (which took years of prayer to get).  Stolen offerings.  Slanderous lies.  Persecution of people who start to attend by their families.  Health issues.  We’ve seen God provide grace and help in all these things.  If God is for us, who can be against us?

• Finally, we thank you for the past decade of praying for us as a family.  You've been with us through sending off kids to university, struggling with FAFSA applications, dealing with the logistics of three in college at once, launching young adults, becoming empty nesters, facing personal health issues, celebrating the wedding of our youngest daughter and now, with Stan’s mother living with us,  learning firsthand about eldercare.  This new season of life is both a joy and a challenge.  Please continue to pray for us.

Our God truly is like no other; praise be His Name!

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We eagerly look forward to this next decade.  It seems to us that God has laid a good foundation here for His church, and we anticipate seeing the Lord grow His church--in faith, in numbers, in maturity, in influence.  Thank you all for helping to make this happen!

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support,


Stan and Vicki Surbatovich

December 2019 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

For unto us a Child is born,  unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Grace and Peace to you in the name of God our Father!

With end of the year and the end of the decade drawing near, we reflect on how privileged we are to be here in Montenegro, proclaiming the Son, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, of whom the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.  And we rejoice in the certainty of knowing that our labor is not in vain, for the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Hallelujah!

• Stan is currently preaching through Exodus 17 in our morning service.   We continue to see the entire gospel played out in this foundational book as God is with His people and rescues them again and again, proving Himself the faithful covenant bearer to faithless covenant breakers.  This past Sunday evening, Saša (the recent theology school graduate) preached from Hebrews 4,  showing forth the superiority of Christ as the Great High Priest.

• Unexpectedly, we will have fewer OCC Christmas boxes to distribute, actually less than we asked for.  Montenegro as a nation received the usual number of boxes sent, but a greater number of groups requested packages to hand out.  Overall, this is a good thing as more children in more towns, cities, and villages will be reached.  Here in Nikšić there will be just one day of presentations on December 24th--please pray for the children and their parents to be touched and pointed to Christ through this ministry.

Explaining the European Leadership Forum Vision

• In early December,  Stan attended an event in Belgrade, introducing the European Leadership Forum (ELF), which seeks to mobilize evangelical Christian leaders working in many fields of life (not just pastors) to stem the tide of atheism being exported from Europe to the world.  Upon prayerful consideration, despite the worthy aim of ELF,  Stan will be focusing his "beyond the local church" time and energy to furthering the establishment of TGC Southeast Europe and Montenegro.

Upcoming Ministry and Prayer Requests:

• We will have a packed month of Holiday events and visitations.  

• December 19: St. Nikola's Day--a major Slava (Saint's Day Celebration)--We'll be visiting two families.
• December 24:  Samaritan's Purse OCC Outreach
• December 24&25th:  Birthday and Christmas Celebration
• Dec. 27-Jan. 4:  Heidi Sharpe and her Hard of Hearing Ministry visit
• December 29:  Last Sunday of the Month Festive Fellowship Lunch together 

• January 1:  New Year's (more major holiday than Christmas here)
• January 5:  Pre-Christmas Sunday Evangelical Outreach services (morning and evening)
• January 7: Christmas celebration service with children’s presentation (unbelieving spouses will be attending) 
• January 20:  St. John the Baptist Day--another major Slava which closes the holiday period. We expect to be visiting a couple of families this day.

Please pray to God for many opportunities to open our mouths to speak the truth of Christ and the meaning of Christmas in the coming month--for us personally and for all the believers here in Nikšić and Montenegro.

• Barring unforeseen circumstances, we will be hosting an intern, Benjamin Burlaga, this summer.  Ben has been in Montenegro many times previously in conjunction with Camp Monty, but this internship will be centered on the missionary church/pastoring ministry as required by his college studies.  Please pray for us as both hosts and mentors and for Ben as he raises funds and crystalizes what he wants to focus on while here.

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• It is with grateful hearts that we find ourselves agreeing whole-heartedly with the Apostle Paul when he writes the Corinthians:

There is no need for me to write to you, for I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it. 

However, it is good for us to be reminded that

Whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God.

As the year draws to a close, we want to say how very much encouraged we are by the love and support shown to us through you all.   We can attest that many have come to praise God because of your generosity of support.   Thank you for the notes and cards, for short emails and longer updates, for faithful prayers, and for the finances to do what we do.   Please continue as God enables.  Knowing that some have not been enabled, please prayerfully consider increasing your support.   There is so much more do in 2020 and beyond!

With great love and appreciation,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro

Note:  If you'd like to join our team of financial supporters or adjust the gift you already give, here’s how:

If you live in the U.S., you may mail checks made out to: Mission to Montenegro with appropriate memo and addressed to:

Faith Community Church
Attn:  Mission to Montenegro
723 South D Street
Oxnard, CA 93030

Website of Sending Church: Faith Community Church Homepage

If you live outside the U.S. do get in touch (stan.surbatovich@gmail.com) and we will give you bank transfer information.

Thank you for your support! Soli Deo gloria!