CHRISTMAS GREETINGS 2012 From Around the World

Dear Ones,

Here we are~in December!  How the year has flown by!  But God has faithfully kept each one of us. Let us be reminded of His unconditional Love, His unwavering commitment to each of us, and His steadfast Grace to carry and see us through any situation or circumstance that we may find ourselves in.  Hallelujah to the Only One who is Worthy of all our praise and adoration!  It’s Christmas!  The time we remember that LOVE HIMSELF came down to walk among us.  Love came down to thrill our hearts and fill our souls with Divine connection and reason and purpose that is only found in HIM.  Ola and I were talking the other day, and he made a statement: “If you asked a hundred people on the street what Christmas meant to them, you would be hard pressed to find 2 or 3 that would say Jesus.”  I thought long about his statement, and Christmas has so many wonderful pieces in my heart, but they all boil down to Love! It is that Steadfast Love that I found when Jesus came into my heart as a teenager, and that same Steadfast Love that has stayed with me through all these years.  It is His Love that beckons, whispers, and woos my heart day and night.  Likewise, His Love propels Heart and Hands to stretch and reach, and give.  His love constrains us to go, to be available at odd hours, and to keep pressing into the Call of Christ to be all that He has ordained us to be!  It is His Love that makes Christmas so special in so many ways… and I pray that you discover, or rediscover some of those beautiful, even simplistic joys of the Christmas Season.  Savor the smiles around the table, the laughter, the sharing of hearts and homes.  Remember those in bonds and in danger for their Faith in Christ and say a prayer for them and give thanks that America is still the land of the free.  Revel in the contentment of not needing one more thing, but just being happy to be alive and experiencing the joy of family and freedom and HIS Presence.  My heart is so full and all of you are part of that fullness and reason for thanksgiving, for you are such a blessing.  Thank you!

Here now are Christmas Greetings and Love from abroad:

Rev. Olu in Nigeria

Hallelujah! We thank the Lord for the privilege given us to serve Him in the year 2012. Although we would love to do more than we could do, but nonetheless we are ever so honoured!  The challenge of missions in Africa, UK and elsewhere in the world is thickening daily and we are constrained to carry out the Great Commission! We daily count on the faithful One who called us into His service.   Thank you so much for your continual support for Heart & Hands Ministries' services across the globe. We appreciate and are encouraged by you all the time. Your labour shall not be lost. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of abiding fruits in Jesus' name. Shalom!   IN HIS HOUSE,  Olufunso J. Omidiran,  Ibandan, Nigeria

Pastor Joshua in Nigeria

I wish all friends, sons and partners of Mama Nancy and all men of good will, PEACE at Christmas. May you experience ETERNAL WHOLENESS because of Christmas.  Pastor Joshua Nwokedi, Living Ambassadors Church and Ministry  Abuja,Nigeria

Bishop Sam Ocheja in Nigeria

The year 2012 is gradually winding to an end. We cannot but remember those who have specially touched our lives and ministry like Mama Nancy Minor and the entire Heart and Hands Ministry U.S.A. We wish you a peaceful, blessed and most fulfilling Christmas season.May you continue to be instruments of communicating God's grace and love to this dying world.  Thanks for your impact in our lives. We love you. Happy Christmas!  Bishop Sam D. Ocheja.  Spirit of Life Ministry and Green Pastures Assembly, Abuja Nigeria

Pastor Gordon, Uganda

 Hello and Greetings!   We are about to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. He was born that we may be forgiven our sins and be reconciled with the God the Father of lights.  CHRISTMAS is a day that we celebrate and will want all people to celebrate. Yes, we are celebrating Christmas as remembrance that truly Christ was born and lived here on earth 2000 years ago. He lived as man and suffered all that we suffered so that He may redeem us.

I and my family wish to extend our love to the people out there that may you have a great Christmas season May it be a blessing to you.  May what God meant for humanity, be realized in your life in Jesus Name.  Truly, celebration means to rejoice and be happy. This season is to be a season of celebration and it’s my prayer that it will be good to you.  Million blessings.

 Yours Truly, Pastor Gordon Andera and Mrs Irene Andera, our children and the Fresh Oil Missions Church family in Kajjansi, Uganda

INDIA

Dear mummy,  It's a great pleasure to wish all our friends and partners to have a great Christmas and a happy and joyful New year.  I thank you all for your heartfelt prayers and support for the work of the Lord in India.  May the Lord our God, bless you with all the blessings in the year to come.  Lord's, Titus & Family 

City of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, So. India

Pakistan

Dear Partners and believers, I want to greet all of you with the greatest Christmas Greetings with the Messianic Prophecy by Isaiah 9:6-7 [6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. ...

We are so much thank full to Father for sending  His Son Jesus to save us all from the darkness and eternal death and  bringing us into the Glory of the His Father through Him. For me in Pakistan the Christmas is the most powerful event as it really gives me the reason and excuse to speak to the people of Pakistan when they question me " What is Christmas" , "why do you Celebrate it" and " What unique thing happened at this time"  but it also gives me opportunity to ask my self why did Jesus came and become human being. And when I think of this question immediately I become conscious of all of my sins and sins of my forefathers upon me and their plenty upon my life. but Praise the Lord Jesus came to save not only me but to whole world through His eternal sacrifice and everlasting Love.  And I also remember the New commandemant Lord Jesus has given to us ""A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 3:34)". So please spread His love and share His love and Blessing with each other and especially to the poor, hated, deprived ones.  God Bless you.  Brother S P, Pakistan

Pastor Ben in UGANDA

Dear Friends, Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
Blessings and Love from Kampala-Uganda.  May the Lord crown this year with great victories for all of you.  I pray for the joy of our salvation to be renewed.  Christmas is a time of thinking about How Much He loved and still loves us, therefore no matter what you are going thru, He loves you and He will grant you the desires of your hearts.  Merry Christmas for [to] all the WISE men and WOMEN who seek Him even today.  Joy to the world!!!.  Love Ben & family  Jesus Christian Centre and all her branches.

Pastor Ola from London

Christmas is a time of new beginnings, a time to stop pause and contemplate the wonderful package sent from heaven with a 

"special delivery'  label on it! The wrapping was ordinary, not so the gift, 

the gift was extraordinary in every way.  So many people miss the real Christmas gift because the wrapping looks ordinary, not flashy or extravagant.   It ’s not found in the bottom of a wine glass, or in that extra mince pie!  The “real” Christmas gift is found in the Presence of God; lingering that extra moment, “just because!”  Now that's a heaven sent gift!  

Christmas signifies many things!  One of those significant things is this; Access into His Presence because of the birth of God’s son!  That God would allow his beloved son to leave Heaven and step into time and all the  limitations that the human shell has, is as my teenage son calls it, "DEEP."  Steal yourself away this Christmas and linger in His Presence, "Just Because."  Christmas Greetings from Pastor Ola & Adele Oceans.    (AKA Mama's Children)

Merry Christmas!
Love,
Nancy, Tom and the Board

 

Update on New Life Church in Minsk Dec 5th, 2012

I've received the following letter from one of the church leaders.  It is cause for jubilant celebration!

Dear friends,

We overflow with thanksgiving to the Lord for what He has done tonight in our midst!

This miracle has taken place during the corporate prayer of the whole New Life church family tonight in Minsk (evening of December 4, 2012).

A Supreme Economic Court officer called our administrator and told him that "...the court's executive production been stopped and no one is going to confiscate the church property".

Right after this call our church lawyer rushed to the Economic Court of Minsk at around 09.30 PM (!) Minsk time and that court officer lady was there waiting to give him 2 page-document stating that the "...government officials gave up on their decision to confiscate the church and the confiscation case has been closed and filed away at the Court's Archives".

We have these papers in our possession now!!!

PTL!!!

But this does not mean yet that the Court's decision has been cancelled completely: the very decision that allowed the authorities back in 2009 to transfer the ownership rights of the church property. [ I think the writer is concerned that it can be resurrected against them in the future...]

But this does mean that nobody is going to carry out this decision and to confiscate our church property!

The Lord God intervened on our behalf!

Thank you so much for your support and decision to be on our side! We sensed we were not alone! Jesus is Lord!

You can follow our further news at our church' website: www.newlife.by/eng_index.php

New Life Church Facing Persecution of Christians in Belarus

The Belarusian government has closed the doors to humanitarian aid and continues to harrass and threaten any church that is not part of the National Church that is approved by that government.

New Life Church in Minsk is one such church that has come under extreme fire because it preaches freedom in Christ!  The church has wonderful and effective programs addressing the climbing divorce rate, the long seated alcoholism rampant in the country, and other relevant issues.

Tom and I personally know people in Belarus and have visited this particular church, as well as others in the region. The government wants to shut down 
New Life Church and has given them a deadline of 11 am Wednesday Dec. 5th to vacate the premises.  They have even listed the beautiful brick building as a "Cow Barn" in public records in an effort to force them off their land!

You can read about the church here:  http://www.newlife.by/eng_index.php

Please unite and stand with our brethren in prayer and support of their fundamental right to gather and worship Jesus Christ!

Write or fax respectful letters asking for intervention.  (See my letters below as a model. )

Send Letters to:

Mr. Oleg Kravchenko
Charge d'Affaires a.i. 
The Embassy of The Republic of Belarus
1619 New Hampshire Avenue, NW.
 Washington DC 20009

Tel: (202) 986-9420
Fax: (202) 986-1805

RE:  Religious Freedom to Gather and Worship

Dear Mr. Kravchenko,

I am writing you sir about a very urgent matter, involving religious freedom in Belarus.  There is even now, a situation in the beautiful city of Minsk for which I respectfully request your intervention.  I am referring to New Life Church located at 220119, Minsk, Kovaleva Street, 72.

As you live here, as a Diplomatic guest of our fair country, I know you can see the beauty of a free society that can gather at will to worship without fear of reprisal from the government.  I also know that Belarus has a long history with many struggles for its own independence and ability to be Sovereign, so you too must value freedom!

But, right now the basic tenets of freedom for New Life Church are being threatened.  I am sure there is some thing that you can do, being in a position of influence, to intervene and straighten out this terrible travesty.

New Life is made up of good Belarusian citizens who love God and love Belarus!  They only want to see the country improve and the lives of its citizens improve.  They work to this end by holding marriage seminars and offering all sorts of good programs to help the people be productive, sober participants of society.  The church has in times past been erroneously listed in public land documents as a “cow barn.” Now, this brick church has received a mandate to close its doors and hand over its keys tomorrow at 11 am!  They have broken no laws, and the building was legally purchased and paid for.

I implore you in the name of what is good and honest and humane, to act quickly and intervene on behalf of your citizens sir!  Belarus is a beautiful, noble land, filled with lovely people.  They deserve to be able to worship God in buildings they own, following the Bible and living quiet and peaceable lives.  Help Belarus move forward in its quest for freedom and not continue with repressive acts such as the country has experienced in its history.

Thank you for your prompt attention and kind response.

Sincerely,

Nancy Minor

And my letter to Sec. Ms. Clinton:

Secretary of State

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton

U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Fax: (202)-647-3344

 

RE: Belarusian Government Persecution of Christians

Dear Madam Secretary:

My writing you today is with great concern of a currently escalating matter in Belarus.  I beg your kindest attention please!  I am sure that you are aware of the ongoing tightening grip with less and less religious freedom that is happening under the current governmental leadership there.

I wish to bring your attention to a particular matter.  One of which I am personally acquainted, and know of first hand.  New Life Church in Minsk is a thriving, vibrant church whose land and building were legally purchased some time back.  As the Church has grown, it has made dynamic strides for the betterment of the people it touches. They hold marriage seminars, pastors and leadership training seminars and personal growth meetings as well as regular church services.   They preach freedom in Christ, which apparently is a threat to the sitting governmental authorities.  For their faith in Christ, and not for any political disturbances, they have been hounded, tailed, and regularly brought before the Magistrates and threatened!  Even humanitarian aid coming into the country has been forbidden to them and those doors closed!

The government has tried unjustly to seize their plot of land for many years now, and indeed, have the beautiful brick building listed as a “Cow Barn!”  I have been to this church and I assure you, it is no cow barn!  New Life Church has now been ordered to vacate the building (which is paid for), under threat of “the full power of the law.”  They have until 11 am tomorrow, Wednesday December 5th to comply.  Letters of appeal by the church leadership have been written and thus far ignored.  See website: http://www.newlife.by/eng_index.php

Madam Secretary Clinton, I know you are very busy, and also in transition yourself, but PLEASE do not let this go unnoticed!  I know you have helped in other precarious situations and have been very effective. I humbly ask you; “Please intervene! Let your voice and powers of persuasion be put to full use here, for the cause of Christ and on behalf of the peoples of Belarus.”  Thank you.

  

Sincerely,

Nancy E. Minor