Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

New Resource for You and Your Church

May 31, 2012 – It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  So what is a video worth?  We are planning on creating a monthly communications video to help you not only hear but also see what God is doing.  We are calling it “Bulgaria Brief”!  We want to let you not only read but to see and hear what is going on from time to time.  If you have friends that you think would like to see what the video – pass it along.  If you want to use it as a missions moment for you Church – Sunday School Class – Small Group – Women’s or Men’s Bible Study please use it. 

  

(If the video does not show up click here)

We know that what God is doing is because of the partnership we have with the folks who have sent us, pray for us and financially give to us.  We take the faith you put in us very seriously and try to do all we can always trusting God to lead and do what only He can.  Thanks for your interest in us and what is happening in Bulgaria.

This week pray for…

…another round of Pastor Trainings (Part 2 on the Life of Christ) this Saturday

…Team Bulgaria as we to get all the arrangements made for the groups coming this summer (Christ Community Church, Columbus, GA – Foothills Community Church, Oroville, CA – Dearborn FMC, Dearborn, MI, Faith FMC, Pleasant Grove, AL and Westland FMC, Westland, MI) it will be over 40 people between the 5 teams ranging from Teenagers to grandparents!

…Continue to pray for our funding (see the link below for the Bonus info as to where we are at below) 

Bonus information: Our funding is about the same as it was last month – we need $25,000 (plus $16,000 form last year) in our MSA (Missionary Support Account) – in the CSA (Country Support Account) we need an additional $3,500 for this year. To see what our budget is for our MSA click here to learn more about where the CSA funds go click here

Please note that our Mission is changing the way we are given the funds – it is based on the commitments (more than cash on hand) so it is important that if you are planning on giving (or give regularly) that you log on (http://fmcusa.org/fmwm/commitments/) and declare your commitment/pledge to the work we are doing.  You have until December 31, 2012 to send it in.  This new plan goes into effect for the CSA July 1, 2012 and for the MSA on January 1, 2013.  So we need to get some more commitments for our CSA – ASAP – if we do not have 75% commitments for the CSA Budget by june 21st then then funds will not be sent. So the CSA is really important to us right now.

We will be explaining more of this in the future on how to help us with the MSA by January.  The bottom line is that in the end we need financial support to be and stay here in Bulgaria!  

Please note that we are not the only ones needing help - most of the missionaries we work with are in the same boat - it is the reality of the economic times we are living in.

 

A NEW Adventure Begins - Announcing…

May 24, 2012 – …a formal partnership between the Free Methodist Church – United Kingdom (FMC UK) and the Church of God in Bulgaria (COGIB).  Since our arrival in Bulgaria we have been working with a group of Churches led by Pastor Pavel Ignatov – the leader of the COGIB.  It was an informal cooperation where we helped with training and worked in churches as we could.  The connection was built upon the ministryof Renewal Christian Centre a FM Church in the UK with a National conference they put on 6 years ago here in Bulgaria.

About a year ago Pastor Pavel asked us about forming a more formal connection and so talks began and documents outlining what each side would do and be responsible for were sent back and forth in negotiations.  There were bumps in the process but a final agreement was signed this past weekend and now “A New Adventure Begins”.

(Pavel Signing the agreement at their National Gathering)

The FMC UK will provide some oversight and training while the groups get to know each other to see if a deeper partnership can be instigated.  Good ministry comes out of relationships and so that is want we are going to be doing – bringing UK Pastors over to help with training and equipping times and some BG pastors will travel to the UK for retreats, conferences and seminars.

Pastor Pavel and I after the signing with the Document

We also hope that different UK Churches will come and partner with specific churches in Bulgaria - almost as sister churches to help them grow and develop.  We are not sure where this will lead and all that it means but it is a first step to a more formal connection for God’s Kingdom.

The Church of God in Bulgaria has about 60+ churches mostly in he western third of Bulgaria.  We are excited because we have had a good start with many of these pastors and are sure that these will deepen and strengthen as time goes on.

Pray for this Partnership – Pray that God would bring the right churches to work together and that the most needed training would be provided. 

Pray for Me (Al) especially as I am the point person between the two groups at this time.  So I will be not only be working on translating the words but also the culture and intent as things move forward.

Pray for the summer Groups coming – the funds to make it all happen and clarity for all the details.

 

Three Weeks and we are …

May 17, 2012 – In just over three weeks the first of our summer groups will arrive.  We have Groups coming from Christ Community Church – Columbus, GA, Foothills Community FMC, Oroville, CA, Dearborn FMC, Dearborn, MI, Faith FMC, Pleasant Grove, AL, Westland FMC, Westland MI.  In addition we have individuals coming in from GA and MI to help with teaching and programs.

(Westland FMC on previous trip)

What will these groups do?  Help with Kids Programing in Roma villages, Women’s Conferences, Our Love Bulgaria Youth Conference, Pastors Training and Humanitarian Aid.  We have opportunities for groups to come and SHOW GODS LOVE to folks in all kinds of ways.

We are so grateful for the willingness of these folks to come and be a part of what God is doing in people’s lives!  Please pray for our summer – there will be much that will be needed to do to make all the events run smoothly.  Pray too for safety in travel to get here and as we travel around the country.  Pray for receptive hearts for those who attend the many events we are having.

Watch for more reports through out the summer on all that we are doing.

If you or your church would like to be a part of all that God is doing here – email us we would love to talk to you about how God can use you in Bulgaria!

If you want more info on the Big Youth Conference and how you can still help click here.

(almellinger.typepad.com/lvbg)

 

 

Happy Mothers Day 2012

May 11, 2012 - This is the time of year in Bulgaria where the roses come out in full force.  Because we are in the southern part of the Country things produce here a bit sooner than in the rest of the country.  This week the roses in the back yard were not only beautiful to look at but had a great smell as well.  Here is a picture I took this week.  We hope you enjoy this.

This week pray for...

... our pastors training this Saturday.  There will be about 50 Roma Pastors and church leaders near Pazarchek.

... the summer plans and details - much is happening and much needs to be worked.

... English club as it only has a few more weeks until fall. Pray it finishes strong.

Thanks again for all your support - we had a great time doing a live skype presesntation with the Jackson FMC this past Sunday.  If any others would like to do that let us know we can arrange to be "Live via SKYPE" in you service at your church.

Then & Now

May 3, 2012 - A few weeks ago we began our 6^th year in Bulgaria.  Sometimes the time seems short and other times it seems like we have been here forever.   As you think about it you wonder: “what difference have we made?”.  Most of the time, this side of eternity, we will not know but every once in a while we get to see a glimpse of the impact OUR being here makes.

A Team from Christ Community Church – (Columbus, Georgia) came and went to the Roma part of Gotse Delchev.  The youth group came ready to do a program for kids, but the Pastor said we do not have any kids.  Our suggestion was “lets try and do something anyway”.  Day one of our two day program had 17 kids show up – day two had 37 kids show up. Two weeks later they started a Saturday Kids Program.  Pictured below is a shot of a group of boys who attended those 2 days.  Under that are two pictures of those same boys at a Catch Fire Festival we held in their church last weekend. (I have marked the picture so you can see the “Then” compared to the “Now”.)

We plant the seeds and assist when we can along the way but God gives the fruit!  This little Church is doing some amazing things and we are so excited that we can draw along side of them and encourage and help them reach THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD with the message of Jesus. 

These young men were not only at the event, but on the front row participating anyway the could.  They were hungry for the truth about God! I am humbled to think that we had any impact on them but when they see you and greet you, you know they remember when we had come before and the process that a youth group began 3+ years ago began for them.

This week pray for …

…the church in Gotse Delchev – that it would grow and God would provide everything that they need.

…our upcoming Summer Schedule. Right now we are making all the arrangements for the 6 groups and individuals coming to do ministry like we shared above.

…our funding for both our Missionary Support Account (MSA) and our Country Support Account (CSA) we are still needing commitments/pledges for both of these for this year.

BONUS Information:  I have been sharing about our funds and we do not want to labor on this so I am going to at the beginning of each month let you know where we are and what we need. It is a point to pray about and a point to respond to. 

In our MSA - (Missionary Support Account) we are $24,500 under committed for 2012 (plus needing an additional $16,000 we were short from 2011 - for a total of $40,500) We would like to know the commitment (or pledge) now but these can be given between now and December 31, 2012. To give on line to this Click Here

In our CSA (Country Support Account) we are $3,500 under committed for 2012.  We would like to know the commitment (or pledge) now but these can be given between now and December 31, 2012. To give on line to this Click Here

We have added about $10,000 of new and additional giving so we are excited and hopeful. Praise the Lord!