2012 begins better than past years!
Our family had a great Christmas all together in Thessaloniki with our new son in law, Simon Ramsden from the great place of Garstang, UK and our future son in law from Athens, Alkaios Papanagis. Yes, the family is expanding and changing. After our first wedding last summer, we are now planning another one this summer with Kali this time. Christi is very happy that her future is still wide open and she can enjoy her last semester at Spring Arbor University. Of course, grandpa Theofilus is fine and enjoying retirement. Maria is more beautiful and fun than ever. You have to connect with her on facebook. Mike is entering the golden years of his second half century and dreaming of legends for future generations now that he has the wisdom of all the years and life still his bones. So the prayers of many of you, our supporters, have been answered with increasing blessing and favor. Please keep it up!!
We entered 2012 strongly with a solid right foot step. If you start with your left, it is all downhill after that as the Greeks say. Our church moved in October, and the congregation is really enjoying the new location. After Christmas, a 26 member YWAM team from Herrnhut, Germany showed up and stayed at our church as the first guests. They joined us for our first all night (until 4 am) prayer and worship watch on Dec 30. Our longing for the new location is that our church will raise up a house of prayer for the city of Thessaloniki. The group from Herrnhut, a place with a great tradition of prayer, confirmed that God is bringing our longings to reality. It will be great for more people to come and pray God’s presence back in our city. After the all nighter, they joined us for the African New Years Eve prayer party. It was amazing. Sunday morning on New Years day was a wonderful third day in a row celebration.
The following Sunday, we practice unity with a combined three church service. Two other churches joined us and then we ate a love meal at one of the other churches. Unity increases the anointing, Psalm 133. The following Sunday, we were over 60 people and loving the continued blessing. The Sunday after that we ran out of communion cups as new persons continue to visit. There is a great spirit and many expectations for 2012. It is difficult. Greece is deep in crisis. People are suffering. The future is bleak. May the church arise! May repentance and revival come to the land of Greece again.
On Feb 17-19, Manya, a prayer intercessor that attends our church, is organizing a Greek National Prayer Conference in our church. Intercessors will unite from different parts of Greece and battle in prayer for the spiritual future of Greece. Deep on the hearts of the Thessaloniki FM Church is to raise up a prayer ministry that will impact the city and nation. Continue to support this vital work. Pray for a prayer virus to spread through the churches and believers so that spontaneous prayer events will break out everywhere. Thank you for your financial investments in the work here. Visit and join us. May the people of the ancient Bible places have a special place in your heart.
Acts 17:5 reveals that Jason’s House hosted the apostles.
It was a joyous place full of happy saved people. “For how can we thank God enough for you, for all the joy we feel because of you before our God” 1 Th 3:9
There was amazing prayer and worship with earthquake tremors. The Apostles Paul and Silas could not stop their “midnight …praying and singing hymns to God,” Acts 16.25
There, people heard and they were transformed because the “gospel did not come to you merely in words, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction” 1 Th 1:5
There, the believers loved each other and strangers, and actually were “abounding in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you,” 1 Th3.12
May God restore his Thessaloniki church today like her beginning years and again “turn the world upside down” Acts 17:6
Financially, we are behind the budget …. as usually. The work spends on. Contributions are always welcome and greatly appreciated. Either your local church can assist or anyone can go online to make a donation at give.fmcusa.org/long.
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