#kercmar

[hrpc-blog]

Kercmar Newsletter July 2013

Family Update

Dear friends and prayer partners!

Very warm greetings from Slovenia, where we are trying to cool down in the shade at about 35 degrees!

After arriving home in the beginning of July we had a lot of catching up to do with our families and friends. It was great to see everybody and receive a warm welcome. Children were excited to see their rooms, toys and other familiar things that felt like new again. They really enjoy running about in the garden, whenever it is not too hot. Of course all the excitement can make them a bit careless so Ben already had a visit to the hospital with fear that his elbow might be broken after a bad fall. Thankfully it wasn’t broken, only badly bruised and is again fully functional.

We have spent the first two weeks trying to get sorted with all the necessary connections, home, utility bills, etc. It is amazing how time flies when trying to get organized.

Grannies were happy to see they grandchildren and they already had a chance to spend some good and fun time together when we were sorting out all the necessities and having meetings in the church.

We also visited my (Alen’s) grandmother who lives in the care home and struggles with dementia. Her condition has gotten worse over the year; however she remembered us all and was really happy to see us again. Please pray for her, her name is Kristina.

Jure (Lila’s brother) is also doing reasonably well, though he was recently transferred from the open facilities to closed unit where the nurses are able to keep a better watch over him. Please continue praying that he will know the Lord’s peace and comfort.

Being back home in Slovenia feels like ‘home’, however it also feels very different. Rebeka already misses her friends from school and UNITE in HRPC. Jakob keeps asking when we are now going back to our house in NI. Maybe in his mind he thinks he is on holiday. Ben has sent greeting cards to his friends in NI after talking about how he misses them.

CHILDREN AND SCHOOL

Children visited their school in Ljutomer and returned some of the materials they’ve used during our time in NI. Their teachers were glad to see them and were very helpful in sorting out all the necessary things with regards to recognition of their results from NI.

Jakob was excited to see the school and meet his new teacher. In our system he will start 1st grade of primary school in the beginning of September. He did however make sure to tell them that he already is a ‘big boy’ as he finished P1 in NI. 

Rebeka and Benjamin shared about their experiences from school and explained to teachers and some other staff about what a great time they have had in NI.

Rebeka and Benjamin are now progressing forward as normal into year 7 and year 3 and Jakob will start with year 1.

They are all looking forward to school, to seeing their old and new friends; however it will be interesting to see how they will cope with our system again after a very different way of learning in NI.

UPDATE ON CHURCH

Returning to the Lutheran church in Murska Sobota after a year was interesting; in one sense it was encouraging meeting with other members of the team and receiving a very warm welcome from them and some of the other members of the church. On the other hand it was not easy to hear about some of the recent developments in the church. The team at church is facing opposition with regards to the work we are involved in (reviving the church from within). Leon (the minister) in particular is in need of encouragement to continue responding to the call of the Kingdom. Along with him we are determined to continue the work and see people becoming or continuing to be faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, though we are now more aware of the opposition from some of the other Lutheran ministers. Please continue praying for wisdom, protection and perseverance in sharing the Lord’s gospel and see him exalted in the life of the church. We know it will not be easy after the lines have been drawn; however we are determined to stand for the Lord.

As a testimony to our Lord’s providence, faithfulness and encouragement when we are under pressure; amidst all of what was going on in church, all the meetings and stress our next door neighbour came over one morning and asked us to share with her the reason for our peace and joy. She is married, has two lovely children, a good job and a new house; however she has no peace, no rest. We were able to share with her our testimony and she went home saying she wants what we have. Please pray that she will continue to seek the Lord and that she will know Him and follow Him. Please also pray for her husband and their two children.

FUTURE PLANS AND PRAYER POINTS

We have become official members of the Lutheran church in Murska Sobota this month and we are currently exploring and discussing employment options through the church for both of us. Please pray for wisdom and guidance from the Lord in this.

The church life is quiet at the minute with the summer holidays; however this is a good time to evaluate the

situation and plan for the future. Please pray that we would know the Lord’s guidance in how to best move forward with the ministries in church.

Please continue praying for the team that is involved in the work at the Lutheran church in Murska Sobota; pray for protection, unity, growth and mutual encouragement within the team.

Please continue praying that the Lord would use us in the lives of people; that they may know Him and follow Him. Pray that we would remain faithful in our daily walk with Him, that we would remain aware that reform and renewal is the Lord’s work and He will bring people to Himself according to His good will and purpose in His timing.

Pray for our witness in Ljutomer, pray for our neighbours and friends; it is our deepest desire that they would come to know and follow the Lord.

Pray for Rebeka, Benjamin and Jakob as they reintegrate in the school and re-establish friendships.

Continue praying for their walk with the Lord. Rebeka is eager to be baptized and so publicly profess her faith in the Lord. It is a tremendous encouragement and joy to see the children professing faith on their own. Praise the Lord!

Please continue to pray that the Lord would move in the hearts of people who would support the Lord’s work in Slovenia in prayer and finance.

GIVING

Considering supporting us? Then please follow the link and designate your gift for Alen and Liljana Kercmar.

a href="http://www.ecmireland.org/workspace/media/uploads/giving-to-ecm.pdf">http://www.ecmireland.org/workspace/media/uploads/giving-to-ecm.pdf

[hrpc-blog]

Kercmar Newsletter June 2013

THANKFUL FOR THE YEAR IN NI

Dear friends and prayer partners, our time in Northern Ireland has come to an end. Therefore our last newsletter from here and also shorter with more focused update.

It has been an amazing year full of new challenges and opportunities to grow in our relationship with the Lord. We have enjoyed our time in HRPC and the privilege we had of visiting other churches across NI and making new friendships. It is humbling to know that we are part of a bigger family that is ready to stand with us and pray for the work the Lord is doing in Slovenia.

The children are finishing school on June 19th. Rebeka is aware of the change that is coming and is already talking about missing her Christian friends in school and UNITE in HRPC. Jakob, Benjamin and Rebeka have all done really well in school and we are grateful for your prayers for them over the past year. Lila has enjoyed being involved in the churches ministries and will not be leaving them behind lightly.

Alen is finished with college and has enjoyed his studies, although he found it quite challenging and hard at times. The Lord has been faithful and looking towards Him throughout this academic study was of key importance. It is very easy to lose oneself in academic exercise rather than grow in owe of who our Father is. He is the Lord God whom we worship and adore rather the just study and analyse.

BACK TO SLOVENIA ON 2ND JULY 2013

So our route is planned and our tickets are booked. We will hit the road on 2nd July across to Cairnryan, driving to Hull, taking the overnight ferry to Zeebruge (Belgium), drive to Nurnberg (Germany) and then to Ljutomer (Slovenia). Yes, quite a long journey, but we will make it and adventure.

We are looking forward to going back to Slovenia and seeing family, friends, people in church, etc., however if we could have the best of both worlds we would not complain.  If you remember from our April newsletter we serve in one the darkest places in Europe with less than 1 Christian per 1000 people among 2,025,000. We will miss HRPC and new friends we had the privilege to get to know. We thank you for your interest in us as a family and partnership in the Gospel. Let us continue to pray for the Lord’s work in Slovenia and look with anticipation into the future of what the Lord will do for the glory of His Holy name.

If you wish to contact or see us before we leave:

Alen (079 071 72959) & Lila (079 071 72951) or e-mail: [email protected]

Please pray for:

- Pray for safe travel. We will be on the road from July 2nd.

Pray for the transitional period for children as they go back to school in Slovenia.

- Serving in one of the spiritually darkest places, pray for the protection and empowering of the Holy Spirit as we continue to serve alongside Leon in Murska Sobota Lutheran Church which in itself is a mission field.

-Please pray for us as a family that we would remain strong in the Lord and be aware of the Lord's presence.

-Pray for the existing believers to meet together for prayer and fellowship.

- Pray for the remaining shortfall in our support, that God would move in people’s hearts so that they might become partners in the Gospel by supporting financially the Lord’s work in Slovenia.

[hrpc-blog]

Update from the Kercmars

Here's some prayer points which the Kercmars have sent through from Slovenia:

Pray for the new generation at the youth club which meets every fortnight; that they would be serious about the things we are discussing and commit to live for the Lord in their day to day.

Pray for another series of intergenerational meetings, starting on the 29th of February (3 meetings on Wednesdays)

We're doing a Christianity Explored course with the men's group; pray for people to respond to invitations and for the Lord’s Spirit to work in their hearts so that they may be able to see the truth and respond to it.

Alen will go to an IFES conference in Gyor, Hungary from the 5th until the 10th of April. He will be going with Boštjan, Mitja and another young man. The main speaker at the conference will be John Lennox; please pray that this will be a really refreshing and encouraging time for all.

We've taken on a responsibility to put together a draft for a more systematic teaching of the Bible for preschoolers and Sunday school.  Also please pray for the children at the catechism classes as Alen is occasionally already using new approaches that would eventually serve as an enrichment of the catechism class.

Thanks for praying!