March 2024 Prayer requests

Below, find the prayer concerns and requests from leaders of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary and the congregations in Estonia.

Robert Tšerenkov
District Superintendent, EMK

Dear friends!

Thank you so much for your prayers!

February 24^th  is Estonia’s Independence Day and we celebrated the 106^th anniversary of our beautiful country. We are so grateful to the Lord for the freedom that we have, for the peace and safety, for religious freedom, and for many other blessings that we enjoy in Estonia. But February 24^th is also a reminder of the ongoing war in Ukraine that started two years ago on that date and where people fight for their freedom. Please pray for the just peace in Ukraine and safety for the entire European continent. Please also pray that people in Estonia would have less anxiety and would put their trust in the Lord!

Please pray for all of our 23 congregations in Estonia as they continue their ministry. Many congregations have the Alpha courses for unbelievers or confirmation classes for new members going on right now. Let us pray that many new people would come to know the Lord and that churches would grow.

Please pray for many different events coming up in March: a seminar for Sunday School teachers and a webinar on parenting, a women’s seminar, and the pastor’s gathering on March 15-16.

Please continue to pray for me as I travel across Estonia to lead the charge conferences in local churches. I’m so grateful for all of the work that the Methodist church is doing and pray that we can bring much fruit for the Kingdom of God!

Thank you for your love and prayers!

Robert Tserenkov

Vilja Ventsel
Tallinn Lay Person

Pray for our Alpha groups and confirmation group meetings, participants and group leaders. Pray for the Spirit´s touch for everybody.

Pray for our musicians and especially for music work leaders.

Pray for our Sunday school .

Pray for our elderly members, pray for their health, everyday life and their connection with the congregation. And of course , pray for their spiritual life!

Blessings!

Vilja Ventsel

Ele Paju
Estonian Language Youth and Räpina

I am grateful for everyone’s prayers. February has been difficult.  I am very grateful for all the helpers and supporters.

We need a pastor in Põlva county. Then, I could devote myself more to work in Võru County. The work in Võru has increased. Let’s pray for that!

I am grateful for the freedom in our country and the opportunity to proclaim the Word of God publicly. The mayor of Võru recognized the Võru Methodist congregation with the title of “Benefactor of the Year 2023”.

• Let’s continue to pray for the mental health of workers and young people.
• Let’s pray for wisdom to do only what God expects of us.
• Let’s pray for the group of confirmation from Võru parish.
• Let’s bless the volunteers of Võru, Viitka and Räpina parishes.
• Let’s ask for wisdom in the preparation of youth camps.

Blessings,

Ele

Taavi Hollman
Interim Rector, BMTS

Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary

prayer requests for March 2024

I am so grateful to God for

• Marjana Luist who started to help part time in BMTS for helping to prepare the self-analyses document for the up-coming accreditation;
• The Holston Foundation gift they sent little over year ago which partly helps us to cover the extra expense we have for getting prepared for the accreditation;
• For the individuals and churches we continue supporting the seminary even after the disaffiliation from UMC;
• Jana Tamm from Tartu who heled us to get started for preparing the new Development plan for 2024-2028;
• The almost 30 years God has kept or Seminary going the group of graduates who are getting ready for graduating this spring

Please pray:

• for dean Mark Nelson who leads a team preparing the New Study Curriculum;
• for local Methodist churches across Estonia who are invited to make an offering for the seminary on the second Sunday in March;
• for the Ukrainian and other people who have gathered to BMTS these days for intensive training how to help Children influenced by ongoing war;
• for the ongoing radio ministry our staff is involved in order to promote the ministry of the Seminary;
• for the upcoming search for the new rector;
• for the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees who have done remarkable work in order to provide the means for the seminary and its chair Jeanie Reimer;

To God be the Glory!

Yours in Christ,
Taavi Hollman

Veronika Fjodorova
Children’s Lighthouse Director

Greetings from Children Center Lighthouse,

We are grateful to God that although the North Tallinn District Government no longer supports the children’s center by supporting food service, some people have brought food and household items to the children’s center themselves. God bless their needs, too!

We thank God that the International Women’s Club also allowed us to partially add food money to the project this year, considering our situation. We also thank God for the opportunity to run a cafe in the church after services, which has been a great help financially.

We pray for Marjana, who is currently writing a European Project Submission, in which, in addition to the Estonian Methodist Church and the organizations related to the church’s children’s work, partners from Latvia and Lithuania also take part: the Latvian Methodist Church and Hope Center and Lithuanian children’s centers. The project is aimed at supporting children’s mental health. The deadline for project submission is the end of March. We pray that God will give Marjana wisdom in writing the project and that this project will go through.

God bless you!

Veronika Fjodorova

Lemme Aulis
Pastor, Reeküla Church

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your partnership – it means a lot that you are standing with us!

Last month was a very busy month. Besides Churches ́ everyday life (Sunday Services, kids and youth programs, and planning meetings), we held a united Sunday service with Kuressaare Methodist Church. We had some friends from Kuressaare Pentecostal Church visiting us another time. I have also started to visit and meet my congregation members regularly, planning meetings every weekend I am in Reeküla. I aim to learn their stories, to know what is going on in their lives, how I can support and minister to them and their families better, etc. It has been a time of touching stories, deep connecting, and prayer time. God has been at every meeting and ministering to all of us!

It has also been an intense time with my studies—the end of my master’s studies is near, and it seems to come too quickly! I have also changed my job in Tallinn to be able to take care of our family’s needs, Reeküla´s congregation, and graduate school. I joined a real estate office and am learning to become a real estate agent, so I have my training there, too.

Please pray:

• that this Easter time would be a time when God can use our congregation to reach people in our community with His divine message and power
• that God would use me to minister to our congregation members when I meet with them personally
• that God would continue to touch children and youth in our community
• that God would send our congregation finances, we need to change our Church floor that needs changing
• that God would help me to finish my masters the best way possible this Summer
• that our families’ financial needs would be met at the time of my training

With love and gratitude

Lemme from Reeküla