Home for the Holidays!

Emma and I will be coming home for the holidays!
We arrive in Clovis on the 18th of December and will be
spending Christmas with my family.

We would love to see you, and if we haven't already talked to you, please get in touch with us. We will be staying with my paretns.

God bless you and thank you for all of your prayers and support.

Godparents: that's a first!

Emma and I were asked recently to be "Godparents" for our good friends and recent intern graduates, Nicu and Claudia Carstea.

Here in Romania, every couple chooses another couple that they are very close to, to be their godparents. The role of the godparents is to first be witnesses at the civil wedding ceremony. But they are also looked to for advice and support throughout the years of the couple's marriage. We are so honored to be godparents for this wonderful couple.

Newest Member "Andrea Stefania Tarnaveschi"

Pastor Mihai and Eliza have just brought new life into our church in the most wonderful way! Born on the 6th of August at 8.14lbs, 19.68 inches long and just as cute as ever.

Spring Harvest

This group of young and old made their way to the first "Encounter Retreat" of 2005 proving that God "has more in 2004". Joined by a team from Carlsbad, CA the 11 newest members of our church experienced God one-on-one at this fine weekend event.

At each and every "Encounter Retreat" we begin by introducing the new christians to "The Father Heart of God", after which we preach about the "Power of the Cross". On day two we then invite them to respond to God by dealing with unforgiveness and inner wounds that they might have from their past. We close Saturday by then being filled up with God's spirit and challenged to give Him our best, and leave Sunday morning hearing about how to overcome temptation and what God's specific plan is for our church.

We praise God for the 11 new believers who have now done more with their faith, and who are ready to pray for their friends and see them saved too!

Ministering to the Needs



Emma and Claudia (last year student) pray for Robert Ion, one of next year's students in our Ministry Training Program "Project Mobilization". What youth need more than anything at this time in their life is just to be listened to and understood; it is then when we can begin to really meet their needs and minister to them.

"25 and Counting"

Emma never misses out on throwing a party and her 25th birthday was no exception. We invited all of our friends over to Pastor Allan's house to celebrate a quarter of a century already gone in Emma'a life...and yet she's just getting started!

We decided to give our Romanian friends something new, so I made quesadillas, and Emma made bruschetta. For those less risk-taking, we also made a Romanian potato salad...just in case. However, the quesadillas were a hit; thanks to the tortillas brought over from my parents who had just visited, we stunned the masses with chicken and bacon quesadillas...you would have thought Applebee's was catering! Well, not quite; but they were good!

Happy Birthday Emma!!!

A Short but Wonderful Visit

At the end of March, Emma and I were blessed to have my parents here to visit us for a week. We had such a wonderful time as we were able to talk about and show them many of the things we do here. We had a great time spending many evenings with Emma's family as both of our parents were able to get to know each other better.

The above shot was taken near an old church in downtown Bucurest as my dad awaited our return from shopping.



One of the beautiful buildings preserved in downtown Bucurest



We went on a dual family picnic with our big yellow van. We had a blast as we played soccer, had a barbque and just spent quality time together.

First Service Anticipation

Last summer we saw the beginnings of a church plant in Moreni, a smaller city outside of Targoviste. Eugen Bucurescu (former student of Project Mobilization) and Alin "Padre" set out to serve Eugen's home town and see the lost saved there. Well, now the group of 10-15 regulars has become solid and are ready now to reach their friends.

With the help of a team from Carlsbad, CA we are setting out next Sunday the 24th of April to officially open the doors of the church in Moreni

Please pray that God would bless both Eugen and Alin with wisdom beyond their years and a harvest of souls over the course of this first year. Things will not be easy for them, but we know that God is with them. Thank you for your prayers and any support you would like to direct to this new work.

The Kind of Girl you want in your Church

Two years ago, Claudia decided to try out our Coffee House. She soon made several new friends as her best friend left to work in Italy. She then began coming to our Sunday night service and was saved one Sunday night. She was introduced to a cell group and quickly became an active member in our church. She wanted more though...so God gave her more. She was accepted into our program "Project Mobilization" where she was faced with many new things about life, God and ministry. She took them each in stride. She was the only girl in the program and thus became stronger as a person. She soon began to discover what she really liked to do and was eventually asked to work in the children's department. She then applied for a job at the orphanage associated with our church and was hired. Claudia is the kind of girl you want in your church. She is always giving her all and you can count on her.

We are so proud of Claudia and thought you'd like to get to know her.

Youth Night Success!

Nicu Carstea...New Youth Pastor

Nicu, one of last years interns, is our church's new youth pastor. Friday the 18th of February was our first youth night, and it went great! Nicu and his team did a wonderful job, and we saw many new faces. We were able to connect with the youth of our city during our Coffee House time after the service and even saw two young guys give their lives to the Lord.

Our youth service is open to all youth between 14-25 and runs every Friday night from 7:00 pm - 10:00. The first hour consists of Worship and the Preaching of the Word. Mixed into the service are several video clips that our media team makes; these help the service to flow better. We also have dramas and special music.

The next two hours are Coffee House, where everybody is free to simply hang out. We have ping pong, christian music videos on, beverages and a good time for everybody. This time is specifically so we can get to know those who come. The cell group leaders have encouraged their members to take advantage of this time to get to know people and invite them to their cell groups.

We praise God for this "bridge" ministry which will make a way for the youth of our city to enter into the Kingdom of God! Thank you for your prayers.

Insights from Emma

Being in ministry is amazing! I always wanted to be in full-time
ministry, and now being able to do it, I fell very blessed. The
calling that God has for my life is to lead worship; to grow every
day in this area and to help others to learn how to worship God
better and better.

I love being with Chad in ministry. The dynamic is interesting
though; he is 7000 miles away from home and he came here with a love
for missions. I grew up here and I love my home church. God has put
it on my heart to serve at this church, in my country.

Thank you so much for believing in us and for praying for us because
our heart is totally here and we love what we do!

New Internship Prospective Students

Above, from left/top, Nicu Carstea, Diana Tinciu, Robert Arsene, Victor Labusca, Daniel Deliu and Alin Stanescu, this years prospective students for the Internship Program that we direct. These 6 will most likely make up this years group of future leaders.

We are very enthusiastic about this year, year 3, and what God has for us.

10 months married...happy as ever

Family Barbeque

Romania

Worship Team

What a Team!



Below, our worship team had gathered for a night of "hanging out" and celebrating the past year. From left (back row) Dan the drummer (who missed that night and thus was craftily imposed), Laura, Emma, Ramona and Lidia (the singers), and then in front from left, Adrian, Iosif (also singers), Chad (guitar), Alin (guitar), Nicu (guitar), and Victor (bass).

Over the past year we have really seen God's hand over our team as we grew in unity and the ability to flow together in worship. Emma and I have been asked to take over the worship department until Allan Taylor returns, at which point Emma will continue to lead on stage in rotation and I will play guitar until we leave.

Emma's heart is 100% for worship leading and seeing worship leaders prepared and released. For this reason we are planning on coming back to the states for a short period of time in order to prepare more. Our church is growing rapidly and will need a skilled person to run the Music and Worship Dept. Emma is to be that person. She plans on attending a private worship leader school for one year beginning in the fall of 2006. We wish to return to Romania in the summer of 2007 indefinately. We are in search of a good school in which to enroll Emma in. Please let us know if you have any recommendations.