February 2014 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
   Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
  Great is Your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3: 22-23


The Lord is good to those who wait for Him...

Highlights of God's good work amongst us:

Debora and Karen

• We've much enjoyed the fellowship and ministry of the Brazilians, Karen and Debora, who've been with us for the past month.  We will be sorry to see them leave this week.  They've kept busy reaching out to university students, hosting a Brazilian night, leading a young women's Bible study, and treating us to some delicious Brazilian food. 

Brazilian Night Outreach

•  In the ministry of the Word, Stan is continuing to preach through Nehemiah in the morning service, and has begun a new book series in the evening, covering the Gospel of Luke.  One recent message from Nehemiah explored the glorious truth: "The joy of the Lord is our strength."  Neh. 8:10

• The first of the twelve week Children's Outreach program took place this last Lord's Day!  The children who came were eager and interested.  Please continue to pray for this ministry, for Jelena V. and helpers as she plans lessons for the children whose abilities range from early elementary to junior high.

Upcoming Ministry and Family News

• Along with the joy of seeing the congregation slowly growing (along with V's extended family, we've recently seen the steady attendance of two men who are relatively new to the faith and church life, having become believers through a Christian rehab center in Croatia), come new challenges:  more counseling, more teaching, more visitations, more relationships to develop.

• We are planning to take a short furlough this coming late fall/early winter.  With all our children stateside now, it makes sense for us to come more often (every year or two, instead of every three or four) for a shorter period of time.  If you would like us to visit, please contact Stan.

• We celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary this month.  May the Lord grant us another three decades together!

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support in this great work of God,

 
Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro                          

Prayer and Praise Bulletin Points: 

• Praise for the encouraging work of Karen and Debora amongst the young people here. Please pray for all the ongoing ministries:  the weekly worship services, mid-week prayer meeting, college Bible study, new children's ministry, and one-on-one mentoring.  May God give the increase.
• Praise for the new people who are regularly attending. Please pray that each would grow in their faith, love, and knowledge of Jesus Christ.  And pray for us who are further in our pilgrimage that we would warmly and wisely welcome these new believers into our church family.
• Praise for God's material goodness to us all and our current good health.  Even so, please pray for those (men especially) who are seeking steady employment in order to provide for their families.  The economic outlook in Nikšič continues to be quite bleak.
• Praise for all the upcoming events:  conferences in the spring, the evangelistic outreach camps in summer, our furlough in fall, and visitors throughout the year.  Please pray for us that we might rightly spend our time, energy, and financial resources on these opportunities.

Note:  If you would like to receive this newsletter update directly, please subscribe at:  http://christianitymontenegro.blogspot.com/

Jan 2014 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

 
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was and is and is to come! Rev. 4:8b


Worthy are you, our Lord and God!  

January is always such an exciting month: a new year, new plans, new projects.  But our aim remains the same:

 Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.  

Rev. 4:11

 Highlights since our last newsletter include:

• We finished the last of our Christmas Shoebox distribution between a small-scale presentation at our own meeting facilities and visiting families with children too ill to come.  We now have 20+ children signed up for a 12 week series beginning in February to learn more about Jesus and the Christian life.

•  Stan prepared and preached several Christmas sermons in the weeks before January 7th, and we were encouraged with the good attendance including some first time visitors.

•  It is a special joy that we now regularly see the extended family of one of our regulars (V., a young Christian businessman) at our services whether V. is in town or not.  They've been coming for several months, so not just for the Christmas goodies, and show earnest interest and participation.

Upcoming Ministry and Family News 

• The children's outreach will begin in February, and we will be greatly aided by Jelena V., a young woman in the fellowship gifted in working with children. This is our first attempt at a long-term (12 weeks vs. one week VBS) outreach.

• We are expecting a couple of Brazilian Christian students at the end of this week.  They are currently in Serbia as part of an international Christian Student exchange program and will be spending the next month with us here in Montenegro. 

• We enjoyed a restful and springlike, not white, Christmas with three (the college students!) of our five children home for the holidays. 

Also, we would like to thank you all for your prayers, support, birthday wishes, encouraging cards, and care packages now and throughout the year.  Truly, we are all in this great work together.

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro                          

 

Prayer and Praise Bulletin Points: 

• Praise for the relatively smooth and effective Christmas Shoebox distribution.  Pray for all the children who received packages, but especially those children who signed up for the 12 week follow-up course, that neither weather, nor illness, nor family pressure would prevent them from coming to learn more about Jesus.
• Praise for the good Christmas turnout even with many families away for the holidays.  Pray that those who heard would come back to learn more from the Bible.
• Praise to God for all the people who make up our fellowship--truly we are one body united in Christ.  Pray especially for V. and his family members, that all would could to a saving knowledge and living relationship with Jesus Christ.  And pray for Jelena V. as she gives of her time and energy to ministry to the children for the next few months.
• Praise for the children's safe (even if somewhat delayed) arrivals, for our good family times, and good health while all were here.  Stan has been ill for the past week plus and is now mending slowly, but it appears that Vicki may have gotten the bug and is trying to fight it off.  Please pray for our quick recovery and that our college kids may be spared.

Note:  If you would like to receive this newsletter update directly, please subscribe at:  http://christianitymontenegro.blogspot.com/

December 2013 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; 
         and the government shall be upon his shoulder, 
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, 
     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6


Glory to God in the highest!

We've have definitely gotten into the Christmas spirit this week with our big outreach to children through a short Christmas program combined with the shoebox gifts from "Operation Christmas Child."  Several thousand packages were handed out as well as hundreds of New Testaments.  There are still several hundred more packages to be handed out, so our work is not over even though the large-scale event is finished.  Thanks be to God; this year was our best year ever for these events.  The planning, training, praying, and team work were incredible.

Most exciting of all is that a dozen+ children have signed up for a 12 week course to learn more about Jesus.    Last year no one signed up, so we are greatly encouraged by the response.  This program will begin in February after the holidays--Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7 here and schools are out until the end of January.

This newsletter is in a much different format because of the busyness of the holiday season coupled with a hand injury that makes typing difficult.    

Main Prayer Request:  For effective pastoral ministry and balancing family time.  Along with preaching the Word, there is generally a heightened need for pastoral counseling and visitation with those who find the holidays stressful and depressing.

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support in this great work of God,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro  

Enjoy this brief photo essay of our recent outreach as it testifies to the wise counsel that "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." I Peter 4:10

11pm and several thousand gifts unloaded and stored at our meeting place. Thanks, guys!

  Heated facilities this year! Getting ready:  Packages? Check.  Music?  Check.  Bibles?  Check.

A full house!  We had ten programs over two days.

Stan encouraging the children to know Jesus, not merely know about Him.

Scripture reading from Luke 2

Jelena V. inviting the children to the follow-up course.

Teaching and singing Tiha Noc (Silent Night)

 Christmas Shoebox time!

To God be the Glory!

November 2013 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

No one is like you, Lord;
    You are great, and your name is mighty in power.  
Who should not fear you, King of the nations?  This is your due.  
     Among all the wise leaders of the nations and in all their kingdoms,
There is no one like you. Jer. 10: 6,7


I will proclaim your righteous deeds...

    

• Stan was recently interviewed by a journalist for the largest Montenegrin newspaper.  This reporter is researching and writing an article on "small" religious groups in Montenegro.  Among many points, Stan shared the truth that evangelical believers  are not a small sect, but rather number in the millions world-wide, even if not (yet) in Montenegro.

• With just a few days to spare, Saša was able to get together and submit all the paperwork (properly stamped!) for his volunteer visa (through the church) which he needs to be able to stay in country legally.

• Vicki had the opportunity to write a brief post on one aspect of our ministry experience here in Montenegro for Nathan Adams, one of the first young people to come to Montenegro for a summer camp ministry many years ago.  You may read it here:  One Perspective

Upcoming Ministry and Family News 
 

• The Samaritan's Purse ministry continues to gain momentum with the Christmas season approaching.  The leadership team met earlier this month. Training for the follow-up children's program (The Greatest Journey) is scheduled for the end of this month as well as logistical paperwork and permits for the receiving of the packages themselves.

• Now that we have more discretionary time available, we are busy establishing a visitation routine to both believers and unbelievers, with a special emphasis on working adults and the elderly as so many of our special events are geared toward university students.  These visits are in addition to our various regularly scheduled discipleship activities.

• We were blessed beyond measure to host and visit with Stan's brother and new sister-in-law as they fit in a day-and-a-half stopover here in Montenegro while on their honeymoon earlier this month.

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support in this great work of God,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro                          

 Prayer and Praise Bulletin Points: 

• Praise that Stan was able to clearly share the gospel and explain that all small religious groups are not equal.  Pray that the reporter understood and will not lump biblical Christians with other non-Christian religious groups.
• Praise for the completion of the visa application process for Saša as well as our ongoing good relationship with the local authorities.  Please pray for a quick approval of this visa and for continued goodwill with those who handle visa and visitor registrations.
• Praise for the good work and visible fruit of the ministry over the years and the privilege of being part of it as well as the joy of continued relationships with brothers and sisters all over the world. Please pray that many more would be eager to come and give of their time, talent, and finances to further God's work here.  The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
• Praise for the many hands who make the Christmas package ministry possible, both here in Montenegro as well as abroad.  Pray that the legal logistics would be quickly and professionally handled and that people would make the effort to come for the follow-up training session.
• Praise for the local culture that values and makes time for visits!  Please pray that much good would come from our commitment to maintain and cultivate relationships and conversations.
• Praise for God's faithfulness in providing for our children's education.  With three children attending university this fall, our financial needs have increased.  While all the children have attractive scholarship packages, the additional cost of transatlantic flights at Christmas and summer is not covered.  Please pray and consider donating frequent flyer miles.  If interested, please contact us at stan.surbatovich@gmail.com for more details of how you might help in this practical manner. Thank you so much.

Note:  If you would like to receive this newsletter update directly, please subscribe at:  http://christianitymontenegro.blogspot.com/  

October 2013 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, 
     O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 
For you are great and do wondrous things;
    You alone are God.  Ps. 86:9-10

May your deeds be shown to your servants...   
   
After a busy summer of teams and evangelistic outreaches, we are all enjoying the rhythm and routines of autumn.  Just a few highlights of God's work here in Nikšič this past month:

• Stan is now preaching a new series through Nehemiah in our morning services and the book of Jude in the evening.  We also regularly read through the Scriptures every service, so that everyone who attends will eventually hear the whole Bible.  This practice gives the young men of the church the opportunity to grow in godly leadership by studying, reading, and giving brief comments on a Bible passage (currently from the books of Jeremiah and the Gospel of Mark).

 

•  The Transit Team (from OM) spent a full week helping our elderly and widows with sawing, chopping, hauling, and stacking firewood for the cold days ahead.  Evenings were spent reaching out to believers and unbelievers including a wonderful informal concert of music, singing, and testimonies. 

• God seems to be bringing new connections and relationships with European evangelical Christians.  Last month, Stan met several Balkan pastors at the Samaritan's Purse conference; this month God gave us the opportunity to meet representatives from the European Christian Political Movement.   Also, Stan has been asked to be one of the representatives for Montenegro in the European Lausanne Network and will be attending, Deo volente, the Lausanne Conference in May.

Upcoming Ministry and Family News 

• Our one-on-one discipleship will be expanding to include meeting with young believers with the dual aim of equipping them to disciple others AND to translate discipleship materials from other languages into the local language.

• As a major ministry, the Christmas Shoebox project always has something to be done.  Currently, plans are being made for the logistics of receiving the gifts as well as brainstorming new ways to continue follow-up after the shoebox distribution.

• Although all five children have been stateside since August, it is only this week that we find ourselves as true "empty-nesters"  with Saša moving into his own flat. 

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support in this great work of God,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro                          

Prayer and Praise Bulletin Points:

• Praise for the freedom to preach God's mighty word.  Pray, as the Apostle Paul requested, that God might open doors for Stan to clearly declare the mystery of Christ. (Col. 4:3,4)
• Praise for the good fruits of the Transit team.  Pray for their continuing ministry throughout Europe.
• Praise for the connections God has brought about with other European evangelical believers.  Pray that we might all aid one another as brethren united by Christ to bring Him honor and glory in our respective callings.
• Praise for the desire of the young believers to grow as Christians and to be able to disciple others.  Pray for our wisdom in training and mentoring this next generation of Christian leaders, teachers, and servants of the Most High.
• Praise for the generousity of God's people in providing the Christmas shoeboxes.  Pray that this ministry would lead to further ongoing contact with the children to learn more about Christ.
• Praise that God provided a wonderful housing situation for Saša.  Pray that his ministry amongst the teens would grow and mature.  Pray also for us as we enter into a new season of life, that God would show us the best use of our time, talents, and home.
• Praise that Milijana has settled very well into her new life at university, finding a good church home as well as a circle of friends.  
• Please pray and consider donating frequent flyer miles  as we must fly all three of our university students home for the Christmas holidays and some for the summer.  If interested, please contact us at stan.surbatovich@gmail.com for more details of how you might help in this practical manner. Thank you so much.

September 2013 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
       And His greatness is unsearchable.

 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
       And shall declare Your mighty acts. Ps. 145:3, 4

 It is fitting for the upright to praise Him...

• The highlight of the past month: Stan travelled to Serbia to officiate the wedding of two dear young people, B+R.  This is the fifth wedding that Stan has overseen in the past few years. Not only is it a joy to bring together another young couple united in Christ, eager to serve Him, but to participate in the establishment of a Christ-centered wedding ceremony/theology, showing forth the beauty, richness, and joy of wedded love and life founded on Christ and His Word.

• Fall brings the renewal of our regular Church activities:  Student Bible studies, one-on-one studies,and Ladies' Meetings are all starting up again to complement our weekly Sunday services and midweek prayer meeting.  We are very excited that the teen meeting has been resumed after a yearlong hiatus with a new group of young unbelievers.

• Samaritan's Purse hosted a training conference for Balkan national teams, so Stan travelled to Sarajevo with 5 others from Montenegro for the event.  Samaritan's Purse did a good job of outlining their vision and helps regarding distribution.  Another highlight was meeting a pastor from Bosnia whose mother attends our Niksic fellowship.

Upcoming Ministry and Family News

• We are expecting a team from OM this month who will be in Niksic for a bit over a week.  They are planning to help out with physical projects, such as helping our widows with hauling and stacking firewood, as well as participating in our normal outreaches such as English Conversation Club and Bible studies.

• There continues to be an acute need for work opportunities for believers.  Montenegro used to export a significant amount of medicinal and culinary herbs before the wars of the 90's, and that trade has never been resumed.  Milan and Stan will be going on an exploratory trip to a major natural product trade fair to investigate the possibilities.

• The Lord greatly blessed Vicki's trip to see Milijana settled at university and to enjoy spending time with four out of five children. 

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support in this great work of God,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro  


Prayer and Praise Bulletin Points:  

• Praise God for bringing together B+R, that their marriage ceremony was a testimony of God's love, and for the many people who were encouraged by it.  Pray for their new life as a couple, for wisdom and grace as they begin wedded life.
•  Praise God that there is a season for everything, and that now is the season for the rhythms and routines of weekly and monthly bible studies and fellowship events.  Pray for those of us leading these studies and pray for those who come to hear:  that believers would grow and that the unbelievers would hear and respond to the Word of God.
• Praise for the continued ministry of Samaritan's Purse Christmas Shoebox outreach in MNE and for those people willing to serve on the national team.  Pray particularly for Stan as the main co-ordinator because he will have an increasingly heavy workload regarding the project as the Christmas season draws near.
• Praise for the excitement and energy of the OM team coming.  Pray that they would accomplish the physical projects without injury, and that they would both encourage and be encouraged as they engage in active witnessing.
• Praise for God's leading Milijana to the right university and the ease of her settling in.  Pray for all our children, both those working and those studying, that they would serve God wholeheartedly right where they are.
• Pray for Stan and Milan's trip, for wisdom to evaluate the information they gather, and for the church and their families while they are away. 

• One way to support the ministry is to consider donating frequent flyer miles as we must provide transatlantic flights at Christmas for our three children currently at university.  If interested, please contact us at stan.surbatovich@gmail.com for more details on how you might help in this practical manner. Thank you so much.  

  Note:  If you would like to receive this newsletter update directly, please subscribe at:  http://christianitymontenegro.blogspot.com/   

August 2013 Mission to Montenegro Newsletter

May God be gracious to us and 

      bless us and make His face shine on us--

So that Your ways may be known on earth,

      Your salvation among all the nations.  Ps. 67:1-2

Praise be to the Lord God... who alone does marvelous deeds

With July past and August half over, the summertime ministries of camp outreaches are finished. Here are a few highlights of the past month:

• Camp Monty 2013 was a great success! Despite major changes and challenges in logistics with the closure of Hotel Onogost, all the activities and sports took place, often even better than originally planned or hoped for.  More importantly, a number of young people seem serious about continuing to learn and grow in God's truth; we've had two follow-up activities since the camp finished at the end of July. To God be the glory! 

• We've welcomed Saša O. from Podgorica into our home and fellowship.  God provided for him the opportunity to coach soccer on an ongoing basis to boys in a local soccer club.  Along with imparting great soccer skills, Saša sees this as the beginning of a sports ministry here in Montenegro.

Upcoming Ministry and Family News: 

• The comings-and-goings of summer are now mostly goings...  Danica, a young woman in our fellowship, is off to Norway for a 10-month bible school. This coming week we will say good-bye to our Danish friends, Tanja and Rebekka, who have been ministering particularly to the college students this summer, along with our own children, Josiah and Milijana, who will be resuming and starting university studies respectively.

• The Samaritan's Purse Christmas Shoebox project will begin in earnest in September with the forming of a national team of which Stan is the head.  This will require co-operation and communication between believers from all the evangelical churches in MNE.

• All in God's timing....   Jesus instructs us: The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Along with Saša, several people who've helped out this summer are giving serious consideration to coming back for a longer period: a month, a season, a year.

With great love and appreciation for your ongoing prayers and support in this great work of God,

Stan and Vicki Surbatovich
Mission to Montenegro  

Prayer and Praise Bulletin Points:  

• Praise God for the best Camp Monty yet.  Pray for both the young people who heard the gospel and for the many people who are following-up, whether in person or by internet.  Pray that many would bridge from special activities and social media to actual attendance at worship services and Bible studies.
• Praise for Saša's outreach via soccer and sports.  Pray for a more steady financial foundation, for a quick integration into the life of our fellowship and home, and for many opportunities to witness to these boys via word and deed.
• Praise for God giving our young people, Danica, Josiah, and Milijana, studies abroad this fall.  Pray for them to grow in grace and knowledge, and to use their time and talents wisely.
• Praise for the growing Samaritan's Purse outreach here in Montenegro.  Pray for the development of the national team, for the individual members each with unique responsibilities, and for the vision of reaching Montenegrin children effectively with the good news of Jesus Christ this coming Christmas season.
• Praise for those believers who gave up time and money this summer to come minister via outreach camps and personal evangelism.  Pray that God would enable them to continue to do so with enthusiasm in their own everyday circumstances, and that He would clearly lead those who want to come back.
• Praise for God's faithfulness in providing for our children's education.  With three children attending university this fall, our financial needs have increased.  While all the children have attractive scholarship packages, the additional cost of transatlantic flights at Christmas and summer is not covered.  Please pray and consider donating frequent flyer miles.  If interested, please contact us at stan.surbatovich@gmail.com for more details of how you might help in this practical manner. Thank you so much.

Note:  If you would like to receive this newsletter update directly, please subscribe at:  http://christianitymontenegro.blogspot.com/