Some pictures you can find from here
Yes. We had it. We enojoyrd it. And now we’re waiting for it’s continuation in Tallinn on this next spring.

On Saturday morning small group (around 30) of Jesus’ followers from Tallinn and Tartu gather at Tartu  Bible Center for this fall’s youth rally, which was called „Who seeks will find.“. Asunduse and Liivalaia members came to Tartu to sing together, enjoy each others company and to seek God on the streets- that was the „rally“ part on the town this year. We also picked the next summer camp theme, which is „God Is Love“. Soon the preparations for that camp start! But here is the short over view with different group’s photos of the work of the groups on town- they had places of destination where they had to seek some kind of sign, or situation or just come up to some kind of metaphorical thought God. They had to seek God.

There was a point where there was a statue of big number- 100 000 and baby on it. 4 different groups wrote down:
*naked baby on the statue reminds us how we have to take care for those little ones, who don’t have enough clothes and stuff what the need to live. So they put some clothes on and took a photo.
*These numbers remind to another group that we have a work to do- that more tahn this number of people could see our Lord face to face one day.
*All the people are the children of God
*And the fourth group: remembered Genesis 24:60

The bridge:
*one group took a photo of a dad who helped two of his sons to go on it. – Our Father helps us to go on also, when the road may be difficult.
*another group found that there was a big flood lamp with the shape of cross that lightenes the bridge(of faith)
*Bridge connects us with God. The bridge is the faith – helps us to think about things that we can’t see.
*They saw a dog who was waiting patiently for its master and when he finally came the dog was very-very happy. Someday hopefully we all can feel the same when we finally see your Lord face to face.

St. John’s Church:
*There were very different cars from the side of it. Which they took as a point that all people are welcomed to the church: poor and rich!
*Reminded with big bilding where all the people who love God come together to worship Him. And the doors are opened
*Church is the place where you can always come. Church is the family.
*Photo of a rooster. There is a saying “Blessed be the one who wakes up early.” And roosters crow early as they wake up.

Botanical garden:
*There’s saying that God’s Garden is varicolored, which mean full of very different people.. and animals.
*Reminded by the very first sin that caused Adam and Eva to leave the Eden.
*Gates of heaven are opened – gates to the Paradise
*One tree there has still berries on despite of the snow and cold weather: we also should have “berries” in good times and bad times.

Playground:
*Family and the joy of it!
* no matter are we tall or small – we all sre the children of God!
*Kids are happy. Happiness is something with what God has blessed us.
*We need to have a child like faith!

Choirmaster’s statue:
*God is the director of our life!
*There was rubbish on the ground that group picked up reminded that way that God cleans also this way our life.
*Gad gave a talent to this man: musical talent and he shared it with the people
* Photo of the guide-post. To find God we need to have a guide: The Bible.

Sunday was happy and a bit sad day together. Happy because there was so many of us in bible classes with Judy and with Ron and also during the worship, nut sad 'cause Ron and Judy are leaving to the states this Thursday. Still, they plan to get back to Estonia very soon. So, We're asking it from you, please pray for Ron and Judy to have a safe trip and successful visit in the States. Thank you!

..Is What We All Christians Are.
Last weekend we had nice gathering at Kloogaranna - the same place where we have summer camps. One of the nicest camp grounds in Estonia. We had there our every fall event - The Fall Retreat. Around 50 people came. We had very nice fellowship there with Royce Sartain from Texas. He talked about the past, present and we all discussed about the future of the Church of Christ.  Royce also talked about his first journey to Estonia more than 16 years ago. When there was no church of Christ in Tallinn nor in Tartu.
More pictures

On Sunday we had special worship at Kate's new christian school at Sakala street, where Royce also preached. With a festive mood Church Of Christ family members celebrated church 15th of anniversary.
This Sunday Ron had his bible class with guys and Judy with girls before the service. Girls started with their first lesson of series of the circle of embrace. And afterwords  Ron taught about connections with book of Daniel and book of Matthew.

Sundays are the Day of Hugs! =0)   

This Summer-guy has started to pack the bags. It has been very interesting and busy time. Tomorrow will be the very first school day for many young students. And life goes on..

This last Sunday Ron preached about sharing The Word. God may sent you places where you don't expect him to send you... It may be the next door neighbor, a friend,  family, schoolmate...
"The Gospel is only good news if it gets there in time"- C.F.H. Henry

Few Sundays ago Tartu were blessed to have Eve and her daughter Eeva-Liisa with them for one Sunday class. It was the Ladies Class where   Judy brought fresh lavender from her garden.  The girls made the lavender into wands to remind them to be “to God the aroma of Christ … the fragrance of life.”  (2 Cor 2:15)

Also some weeks ago three cars in caravan made their way south from Tartu to a little village Misso.  The Tartu church was invited to introduce Jesus to the children there. So it was nice mission in Misso (sounds nice!). Only one local child came and he was showered with attention. We were disappointed at first, but decided to think of the day as “dress rehearsal” and also there was so many of us from Tartu, who didn't have any idea, what some of us is planning to do there, so it was like a performance to our youth also. But we plan to find children’s homes and other after-school programs where we can present our Bible lessons this fall and winter. 

Well see what new season brings..

On this really warm Sunday Ron revealed a good hint to live a  nice life: Every time when you worry(which we do a lot)- just pray.  Weird, it sounds so simple, but it really helps!

Earlier, last week, we had nice fellowship day. There were Hanseatic Days in Tartu and we had lot's of fun there with our Canadian friends.

We also started with Youth Class. This time it's a bit different, cause it's basically for them, who were at the camp for the first time (and for their friends). Today we had second gathering and that went well:) There was 14 of us. We sang, discussed topic and played some games! Eeva was also visiting us! We really love this girl!

   
There is big Song and Dance Festival in Tallinn in every four year. This year it started on the 3rd of July, exactly on the day our camp Balchyoca ended, and it lasted three days. They say, that it has never been this crowded! It's theme was "To Breath As One". Our this year camp's theme was "The Soldier Of God", which started on 28th of June. Many of them, who where in this awesome camp, went to see the parade, singing and dancing afterward also. And like Iiris said "Camp and then singing festival, there's no way you could 'breath' as one beyond that!"

This year's camp was different from others. Well, you could say that every year, but there has never been so many   participants! Over 170. Still Nikolai and Co managed to get beds for everyone and there were roofs over our heads. Thank you that you gave a chance to everyone, who wanted, to come to the camp!!! 
It was nice to see our old friends and family members and meet with new ones. There were people from different places: From Tartu, Tallinn and Saaremaa, but also from Russia, England, Canada, Texas, Arkansas, California and you could say from China.
We were blessed with weather and we were very blessed with teachers there! Thank you for your work! Not only teaching, but also just being you! In the middle of the camp, Vlad from Tallinn, decided to give his life to Jesus, so he let himself to be baptize! Hallelujah! Welcome to His Family!


Despite of the fact that many of us stayed in Tallinn to sing along with others on singing field, there were still quite a number of us in Tartu for the worship time. Warpole's brought Terry, Mary Alice and Morgantis with them to our hometown. After the worship we had nice walk on town and then we went to our missionaries' house for some popcorn and cold drink. Had Quality Time together!

Every day is a blessing. Every week is even bigger blessing. They are different and full of God's grace.

Last Saturday we had nice day in Misso, which is small village very south of Estonia. Ron and Judy went down there with Tõnis, Evelin, Siki and Merlin

We stayed in a historical building. First we had kids' program with Judy and two red nose clowns. That program came out very well. Lord was on our side, like always:) And after the craft youngsters went home and we had bible study with  Ron. About what should be number one in our life. Nice day together.

Sunday Ron carried on with Psalms on that topic and on service time he concentrated on Efes. 3:16-21. Paul has written it so we would understand how big is His love for us. We talked more about 'inner us' and what it means to love God with all our hearts.

Blessings!

Worshipping by singing is someting that we should [only] when there is harmony between these songs and our life.

- He is risen!

Ron read Isajah 53 - Really sad and hard chapter, but still, it has a joyful message for us. If to sing "Ten Thousand Angels" after that, it may create a full image infront ofyour eyes of how much He loved us!
After that we looked Luke 23:44-49, 24:50-53. And he shared his newest findings about Jesus and His death and about three special days that God has created from the beginning: the day od preparation, the day of rest and the day of beginning.
We also have to prepare, wait, and ..the tomb is empty - He comes to take His people with Him. We are the Temple of God and we stay in one Body and worship our Lord. He is the GREATEST!

Three o'clock we had ladies class with Judy and Siki and Ron had men in his class. In ladies class we talked about our life. God's Letter- 2.Cor. 2:17 - we should not be peddlers of the Word of God, we should be sincere!!!
2 Cor. 3:2 "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men". We are 'letters'. How do we look like really?

Also we got a really nice present from our 
brothers and sisters in Christ (from Texas).

Thank you all for everything that you do that
givesus an opportunity to have a place where
we can come together in the name of the Lord.
Thank you for the people, who guide and teach
us! And thank you for your encouragement!  

 

We Love You!!!

                - Team Tartu

... and it's here. Spring started 1.44pm in Estonian time on the 20th of March.

On this day some of the Tartu Team members (Little Riina, Heidi, Talis, Merlin) went to Tallinn and met with Christ family members in Asunduse New Testament Congregation Of Christ. We had  this spring' Youth Rally in Tallinn.

http://public.fotki.com/PoMerlin/kik-mis-toimub-vru-2-s/spring-youth-rally--3/

On Friday we came together and worshipped God by singing and different groups had to preform a short teaching about jigsaw puzzle, which was last year's summer camp photo.
Next day we had sporty morning in a gym. After the lunch break (Thank you Olga!) we did also group work about different places from a bible. For the next step was tour on a town, which, as some of you know, is not a normal or ordinary. It was kinda like a treasure hunt (with letter that we had to look for and some tasks that we had to fulfil). The weather was chilly, but very sunny!  Those two days were great! It was so nice to see our friends and hug them and sing with them to the Lord. Thank you brothers and sisters for organizing something like that! 

And we started this week on Sunday with Siki's Bible Class, where she talked about forgivne- is it easier to ask or give forgivnes? And we taked how we can just give what we have to make someone's day a bit better. 2.Kor.8:14-15
Nikolai preached about Jesus, who walked on the water. These crisis that we have all around us is like a storm that was on that sea where Jesus walked. His disciples didn't believe that He is in that storm- like lot of people right now are asking 'where is God?' But it  w a s  Jesus in the midst of that storm, like His disciples admitted, and He is still here in the midst of these crisis. Just don't be frail in your faith!

On the last Saturday girls started with their first new ladies' bible class based on Liz Curtis Higgs teachings on a dvd - called Loved By God. She is doing really good job and her choice to use Old Testament's people to show how much God loves people, who are not perfect, is really neat one!

Today was so sunny that it almost looked like spring. If you'd watch for people on the streets - the were happy. Especially women. Lot of then had flowers. Today was International Women's Day.
 

We started our Bible Class at 3 pm like usually. This time Siki had prepared nice bible study about our fears, which to sum up sounds really easy - "whatever happens perfect love drives out of fear"(1.John 4:18), but how to persist in that perfect love? = by loving each other, being generous... That' s all :)

When Nikolai and Olga came. We sang a lot to praise our Lord and then Nikolai talked about how God loves women (using the bible examples to show how He had blessed them and has used them for good)  and all the brides of Jesus.

After that we had small bash in another room, with tea, sandwiches, cookies and cake. It was really nice.
Thank you God for moments like these!

  Love,
Team Tartu