Odessa Mission
Weekly Updates
Sunday Service Update, December 25, 2005
We had the debut of our Christmas program today at KRCC and it was just fantastic.
I can't say enough about all the work that Ira did to put it together and pull
it off. Many thanks also go out to the rest of the crew also. Although we
had a poor showing today for the program, we're looking forward to Tuesday
evening which is really the day that we've publicized for the last month.
We have been selling tickets for twenty cents a piece with all the proceeds
going to a special school for handicapped kids. Please be praying for God
to work wonders on that special evening.
Love, John, Ira, and all of the folks at KRCC
Sunday Service Update, December 18, 2005
A week ago, we gave Sergei all the materials needed for painting something
relevant to our upcoming Christmas program and today he came to church with
the finished product, which is just out of sight. It's a painting of Jesus
with children on a large sheet and we hung it in our sanctuary after worship
this morning. We sure praise God for Sergei's talent and willingness to serve
in this way. Next Sunday will be the debut of our Christmas program and we
are thrilled that things are coming together fairly nicely. However, Satan
as usual is trying desperately to foil God's plan. Oleg has really been
misbehaving recently, regardless of all the warnings he's been given.
So Ira had a talk with Rayeesa his mother. Unfortunately, Rayeesa not
only chose to side with her son but she even took offense to the whole
situation. Consequently, she pulled Oleg from the pageant and announced
her decision to leave KRCC altogether. Unfortunately, finding someone to
fill that role in the pageant will be next to impossible with only seven
days remaining. We will definitely recover but please especially keep Ira
in your prayers as she's dealing with ever increasing demands and stress
at this time.
Blessings, John
"Pageant participants" - From left to right are: Nastya, Oxonna, Andre, Elijah with
Sergei (his Dad), Tatyana, and Ira. Sergei is the one who did the
painting in back of them all.
Sunday Service Update, December 11, 2005
One very significant thing occurred in Rayeesa's life during today's worship
service. Rayeesa decided to forgive a four-year old $350-debt, which was
turning into a real burden for her. In 2001 she loaned $500 to a needy family
in order to help them get back on their feet. Needless to say, that's a huge
sum of money for someone in her [Rayeesa] financial state. In any case, though
the family did eventually recover, they only wound up returning $150. Today,
however, Rayeesa was finally able to find enough strength just to let it go
and we are certainly very proud of her for making that choice. Moreover,
at work, she was yelled at for something she didn't do and still responded
in love and with respect. Paul writes: "Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14). Well, she not only received an
apology but she also got a raise.
Sunday Service Update, December 5, 2005
Something potentially revolutionary happened at KRCC today. Over the past month
I've really put an emphasis on going from being a follower to becoming a leader
in the general sense. Although taking a leadership role is frightening to
some new Christians, it is a necessity in a new church work. Today, I really
emphasized the need to take responsibility in the Lord's work at KRCC. Paul
in II Corinthians chapter 7 caused the people sorrow and hurt them for a
little while to get them to repent, and I tried to get the members at KRCC
to get off dead center on the leadership issue. I am glad to say some good
is already coming out of my message today. Oxonna spoke up and requested
that I begin specified training sessions with anyone serious enough to move
to the next level. So she made a clear statement to all of her intentions
to take the leadership issue seriously and hopefully others will join her.
Our first official leadership training session will be on Saturday,
December 10th, so please be praying about that aspect.
"KRCC Kids' & Ira Singing" - Here are our kids and Ira singing
one of the songs from their upcoming Christmas program. Ira
continues to do a wonderful job working with the kids program and
all the music.
Sunday Service Update, November 27, 2005
In today's service, a Gypsy woman named Sonya visited with us. Although her
sister Rosa has attended a couple of times previously, this happened to be her
first worship experience at KRCC. Sonya recently moved into the city and now
she's actually close enough to attend KRCC on a regular basis. So, we're
hoping that she will do so. Please join us in praying for her. We're also
hoping that through her we'll be able to reach out into the Gypsy community
more effectively. In fact, our guitarist, Sergei, apparently knows some
of Sonya's friends since he previously spent considerable time in some of
Odessa's Gypsy circles. In addition, I used a Power Point presentation
during the communion segment today and it generally went over well.
I showed a wide variety of spectacular photos from space, the ocean depths,
and the mountain peeks along with a few shots of our own folks at KRCC.
The main point was to get people to pause and briefly consider the extent
God's majesty (as if that were possible of course) while focusing on
His amazing grace.
Rosa, Sonya, and Rayeesa (from left to right).
Sunday Service Update, November 20, 2005
I can't really say anything special about today's service that really stands out
in my mind except for the fact that Ira rather successfully delegated a host of
responsibilities to the members of KRCC during our time together. Since we're all
planning and preparing for our Christmas/New Year's program, which will be our
final major outreach event of 2005, KRCC is trying to involve as many folks
as possible, a fortunately it seems to be working out pretty well too.
Following the service, I taught my second official English lesson and we
had the biggest group to date. Besides our own folks, we actually had
three new people present and the thing that really struck me most was my
overall impression of how things went, which was generally very positive.
There's another young man who came last Wednesday, yet was absent today.
But he had previously mentioned that he'd be unable to attend today so
I'm hoping that he'll return shortly. In any case, we are beginning to
see a small group form so please do keep them all in your prayers.
Blessings in Abundance, John and Ira
The new picture was taken after the service today since we were celebrating
Vladimir's birthday. He's the one standing directly in back of little Andre
and Ira. He's continuing to do short devotions each Sunday and definitely
growing in that area.
Sunday Service Update, November 13, 2005
In today's service Sergei, for the second week in a row, did a good job
helping out with the worship. When he arrived at Bible study last Wednesday
evening it was just crystal clear that he had found something very special.
Just that look in his eyes was more than enough to convince anyone of that fact.
So we're quite happy about his newfound joy. Paul wrote: "Keep your
spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (Rom.12:11). And that's really been
the key for Sergei during this difficult time in his life. After the service
we had our first English lesson for advanced students. Although no
outsiders were present, we still had a great session with Oxonna and
Tatyana. Hopefully, as we begin using Bob Russell's sermons with them,
we'll see some added spiritual growth to boot.
Kind Road Christian Church
Sunday Service Update, November 6, 2005
Today we probably had a record number of people participating in the service,
which was very nice to see. We even had a concert given by Sergei (the
individual that we gave the kitten to a few weeks ago) who is really a very
talented musician. He gave a very powerful testimony so it was a bona fide
blessing indeed. Sergei sang and played both the guitar and the harmonica.
He also shared some encouraging words along the way and there were many
tears because the songs were ones that he had actually written about his
sordid past. Sergei happens to be a former crook and drug addict that
the Lord set free and it is just wonderful to see such a talented guy
beginning to reach his true potential for God's Kingdom. Additionally,
Oxonna did the kids' program, several people prayed during the service,
Vladimir did a short devotion, and three individuals had testimonies
they shared with us. It was definitely a busy day with some great results
and we continue to praise Him for all His many blessings!
Sunday Service Update, October 30, 2005
After today's service, two of our 11-year old boys, Elijah and Andre, made
decisions to be baptized. It is still unclear when the baptisms will actually
take place though because of their specific requests. Elijah, whose Dad
(Sergei) received a new kitten from KRCC last Sunday, said that he'd like to
wait and get immersed on his birthday, which is toward the end of the winter,
however, we'll certainly try our best to convince him to speed that process
up some if possible. On the other hand, Andre would like to get baptized as
soon as possible but everything depends on what his mother says. Hopefully,
I'll have the chance to discuss everything with his Mom (Natasha) sometime
this week, so please do remember that visit with Natasha and my talking with
Elijah in your prayers.
Sunday Service Update, October 23, 2005
Sergei and Tanya have been on our prayer list recently because of their marital
problems. Unfortunately, Tanya, who happens to be attending one of Odessa's
charismatic churches, has filed for divorce although Sergei has done all that
he could to salvage their marriage. I even tried to convince her to hold
on to the marriage, but she was not open to my suggestion and she politely
refused, saying that she'd just have to answer to God for her actions. To
put it simply, this was another one of those "irreconcilable differences"
cases that have become so popular these days. Please keep both of them in
your thoughts and prayers and especially include their son Asaph who will
go with his mother Tanya. Anyway, I talked to Sergei last week and he
was especially down because of the circumstances but also because his
cat had just died. He mentioned that his cat would always meet him at
the door when he got home from work and was such an affectionate encourager,
which is something Sergei desperately needs right now. So, our church
decided to buy Sergei a kitten to replace the beloved cat that died and
we gave it to him at the end of today's service. It's probably
something Sergei will remember for a long time and I'm sure that it
brought all of us at KRCC closer together. The accompanying pictures say it all.
Sunday Service Update, October 16, 2005
Today's service was a very typical one and God's presence was surely felt by
most if not all of us. We had a great time of prayer, an exceptionally worshipful
time around the Lord's Table, and great fellowship afterwards. In fact,
most people stuck around for about an hour after the service ended, which
is always a good sign. I spoke about how the devil tries to influence us
in a variety of ways and I will continue on that topic next week also. We
also praise God for the positive response to the message this morning.
Finally, Andre, one of the kids who's been attending KRCC since the July
VBS program, announced that he plans to come back next Wednesday evening
with his Mom. Apparently, since he wants to be baptized, his mother would
like to discuss why baptism is necessary since he was christened as an infant.
Please do keep that meeting in your prayers.
Slava Gospodu (Praise the Lord!), John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, October 9, 2005
Today's service was ultimately successful but it didn't go as smoothly as most.
Just before the start of the service we realized that our microphone was at
home. Ira just cannot lead worship without it, but I couldn't leave in order
to retrieve it since it was about time to begin. So rather than having our
worship service at the beginning, as we had planned it, we Ira went home to
get the microphone and I changed the order of service on the spur of the
moment. That turned out alright since several of our folks were running
late. Thus, despite the obstacles, things generally worked out okay.
By the time Ira returned, our crowd had increased twofold so God did His
thing perfectly in spite of us. Changing the subject some, I've recently
noticed that one of our university students, Tatyana, has been coming
rather infrequently due to her new work and class schedules. Apparently,
she's not asked to have off on Sundays so we've seldom seen her lately
and since she has class on Wednesday evenings she has been missing
that service also. However, I cornered her after the service and shared
some of my concerns with her and thankfully, she was mature enough
to see the validity of my point and decided that she would finally
put her foot down. "Tomorrow," she declared, "I'm going to let
them know that Sunday mornings belong to Him!" Now that's the kind of
work schedule that really works!
Amen , John and Ira
Rick Deighton Preaching - Here is Rick Deighton delivering his message today
entitled "The Triangle of Triumph" together with his interpreter Sergei
Rick-Tammy-Matt and John - Here is Rick Deighton, Tammy and Matt Grinn
(Pioneer Bible Translators), and John after today's service.
Sergei after testimony - Sergei, who was baptized in July, shared a portion of his
personal testimony about how he decided to come to KRCC. In the past, he
had visited other churches in Odessa but could not find one that suited his
needs. Eventually, he decided to give up and stopped going to church
altogether. Finally, though, he felt a void in his life and knew that he
needed to get back in church so he prayed that the Lord would draw him to the
right fellowship. The following day as he was walking down the sidewalk in
front of KRCC he received an invitation from a KRCC member to attend Dolores
Murphy's seminar on fighting depression. After attending the seminar, he
knew that God had answered his prayer and he has been a faithful witness to
God's love and power ever sin.
Sunday Service Update, October 2, 2005
Today's service was a blessing for several reasons, one of which was because
Rick Deighton preached about victory in the Christian life and in his message
he touched on something that one member of our church especially needed to hear.
Tall Oxonna is currently considering getting married to a non-believer and I
had time to talk to her during the service. I had everyone break up into
groups of two or three to share their concerns and pray together and after
waiting until everyone had paired up it happened that she and I were the
only ones left. I'm sure that God had a hand in that one. I was very
pointed with her about doing the right thing, explaining to her what that
meant and encouraging her to remain strong. Rick, obviously unaware of
our discussion, mentioned something in his message about always being
sure about doing what God wants us to do rather than what we might want.
He then used the example of choosing the mate that God would have us
choose. Bull's eye!
Blessings, John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, September 25, 2005
Today's service was encouraging because it sometimes feels as though our church
is struggling with all its might just to exist, but there was some hint of a
slight bit of momentum starting this morning. First off, we were pleasantly
surprised to see an American couple visiting with us today. In a couple of months,
they'll be joining a Pioneer Bible Translating team in Crimea after finishing
their preliminary language learning here in Odessa. They actually tracked
us down by going online and finding our website. Praise the Lord! Second,
the two elderly women who visited with us last week returned today and so
they received copies of my book. Third, our kids' program seems to be back
in high gear again and we had almost ten this morning. Finally, Vladimir,
a regular who also attends the Baptist church, is clearly getting more
excited about KRCC. In fact, he's recently begun attending our Wednesday
evening studies. He's even starting to bring some Baptist friends with
him now, two of whom were present this morning. So, even if our congregation
isn't experiencing much numerical growth these days, it is getting more
enthused about the overall picture.
Sunday Service Update, September 18, 2005
In today's service we had several of our own regulars missing but visitors
fortunately filled up the empty seats. Two elderly women attended today for
the first time though one of them had previously accompanied her granddaughter,
Katya, to the VBS this past summer. This morning, however, she decided to
bring both Katya and one of her best friends. Then there were two other
women who came for the second week in a row who happen to be contacts from
the Friday night video program. Apparently, they're close friends who have
visited some of the other churches in town but still seem to be searching.
They say that our emphasis on some of the classic Charismatic strong
points, such as prayer and fasting, coupled with the fact that we aren't
Charismatic, really appeals to them. I told them both that we neither
speak in tongues nor do we believe in the health and wealth gospel.
That evidently sounded good to them and appeared to be a real relief.
Of course, time will have to determine whether there's actually a
genuine interest here or simply mere curiosity, but in the meantime,
we're just praising God for the chance to plant seeds.
Sunday Service Update, September 11, 2005
"Back in the Ukraine"
It had been a month since Ira and I had the opportunity to worship with our
KRCC family but today we got that chance again and loved it. There were
obviously many kind words from both sides, which definitely reminded us why
we are called 'Kind Road Christian Church'. Clearly, there was loads of
excitement and joy in the air. Rayeesa shared about her continued work with
the Gypsy community and mentioned that several are waiting for me (i.e. John)
to go out to their village and baptize them. Wow! Talk about some great news!
We also had a few visitors today, which only added to the level of our
excitement. In fact, one of today's visitors had begun her cleaning ministry
before our departure last month. Her name is Lena and she has been cleaning
our facility from top to bottom for over a month now. When Ira and I got
to the church today we were floored at how immaculate it was and how organized
everything looked. Lena's mom is Valya who happens to head up our prayer
ministry. Before we left for the United States, Ira and I met Valya at
the church for some prayer time during the week, while Lena was cleaning.
Since Lena wasn't attending worship services at KRCC it seemed rather
odd, however, Lena did come to church this morning and even brought
her husband Elijah. Please pray for them and the rest of us also as
we continue to build His foundation here.
Blessings in Christ, John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, July 31, 2005
In today's service, we had a guest speaker named Sergei preach about
Romans 8:28 and he did a great job. He has been somewhat involved at
KRCC and was the one that translated for the VBs and other activities
while the Olivet group was here. I'm actually considering bringing him
on staff as a youth minister but we're still praying about that option.
Also, another Sergei played the guitar during our worship time, which is
a first for him. Since he's decided to lead worship when Ira and I are
stateside, it's great to see him already taking the initiative to be
involved. Another highlight to today's service was that Oxonna (the
smallest one) taught the children during Sunday school. So Ira and I
had it pretty easy today with some of the local Ukrainian Christians
taking on some of the responsibility and that's always nice. It is
especially encouraging when people see a need and step up to the plate
and get involved.
Praise the Lord, John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, July 24, 2005
In today's service, as is often the case, we had a few new kids and adults attend.
Some of the kids had come to VBS and some had attended the kids' video program
we run on Saturdays. This morning we also talked about the topic of
marriage and that just seems to be extremely relevant for most of our adults
at this particular time. On Wednesdays while Ira and I are stateside,
we plan to have Bruce Wilkinson's video series on marriage shown. So it
looks like several are getting real answers to their concerns. Finally,
Sergei (Tanya's husband) volunteered to play the guitar and lead music
while Ira will be in the US, which is a big answer to prayer. We're
thankful for Sergei and we can't wait to see him in action at KRCC.
Sunday Service Update, July 17, 2005
Today's service was strange but great! For starters, we didn't have much of a
crowd which was discouraging when you consider that a team from America had
been here with so many new faces and so many activities just a week ago.
When you consider that Ira and I were both feeling rather down from the
spiritual high we had been on, that we both felt we had slacked off some
while the team was here, and that we just didn't spend sufficient quality and
quantity time with Him during that time you can maybe understand why we were
both feeling "kinda in the dumps". I confessed this to the folks at KRCC
at the beginning of the service but since several of our members are facing
serious issues in their marriages right now, it seemed appropriate to focus
on that particular topic today. It became crystal clear that God was
speaking this morning to not only Ira and me but also to other members at
KRCC. The result was a prayer circle that obviously touched people's
lives including ours. Some even remarked that it was one of 2005's most
powerful services at KRCC. It sometimes is amazing that God uses a low
point in our lives to bring out the message that He is still in charge
and His love is still there for us to reach out and take. Thank you Jesus!
Sunday Service Update, July 10, 2005
Hi Friends,
In today's service we had several really wonderful things happen. First, we
had over thirty people worshiping together this morning, including several
newcomers. Second, both my parents as well as Ira's parents were present,
and it was the first Protestant worship service Ira's father had ever attended.
Third, we had two people come forward to make public confessions and ask for
prayer. And finally, we had a newcomer, Sergei, make the decision to give
his life to Jesus Christ. I set up a meeting with Sergei for tomorrow morning
in order to talk about being baptized, which is something he apparently wants to
do. Praise God.
Glory To God, John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, July 3, 2005
Today's service was extra special because KRCC had its first official visit from
an American support team with us this morning. Seven supporters from the Olivet
Christian Church in Newport News, VA were here to worship with us and it was a
real blessing for everyone. My Dad (Emmett Murphy) preached an excellent
message focusing on John 3:16 and I translated. Testimonies were also shared
by both the American visitors and Ukrainians and some comments even got very
emotional. As always, it's wonderful to experience the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace that only Jesus provides for every believer regardless of
nationality or culture. Gifts were exchanged, love was expressed, and prayers
were offered to God for one another. In fact, people who have been praying
for each other for months, from both sides of the Atlantic, were finally
given the opportunity to meet one another in person, encourage one another,
and worship together. God is Great!
Sunday Service Update, June 26, 2005
Today's service had fewer newcomers than last Sunday but still there were five
or six first timers. Once again, most were from contacts we had made through
the children's video program we conduct every Saturday afternoon. I think
the new folks were a bit shocked because we had our worship service and then
followed that up with some prayer and repentance time, which was understandably
a bit much for unbelievers to swallow on their first visit. Hopefully, God
worked in their hearts and their experience wasn't so traumatic that they
won't visit with us again. I definitely felt God's presence in the service
and according to most of our regulars they did too. Afterwards, all of the
kids went to our children's church which was surely a more comfortable atmosphere
for the new ones. In any case, it has been really great seeing new faces each
week and we pray God will continue to work through us to reach out to those that
need to be in His house. It's also nice to see how several members of KRCC are
growing in their faith and especially Natasha. She mentioned a desire to begin
working with women at the women's prison here in Odessa. She's apparently
planning to quit her business, rent out her facility, and begin spending more
time serving Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord! Please do keep her in your prayers!
We received some very encouraging news recently. Oxonna's daughter Vika,
who had been a cancer ward patient and was baptized at KRCC last December,
returned to Odessa for analysis of her cancer and the doctors declared she is
doing outstanding. Furthermore, a recent convert by the name of Natasha who's
been battling breast cancer, is not only doing well but she's already back at
work. Unfortunately, like Oxonna and Vika, Natasha lives in another city and
is unable to attend KRCC on any type of a regular schedule. Please pray for
the continued health and spiritual growth of both of these families.
Love, John and Ira Murphy
Sunday Service Update, June 19, 2005
In today's service, we had eight newcomers which was nice and about half of
those were children. Most of the visitors were from contacts we made through
the video programs on Friday and Saturday nights which was encouraging. Today,
Tamara (Pavel's mother) returned to KRCC. She came last Wednesday evening for
our Bible study, but this was the first Sunday she'd been back in months. She
says that she wants to stay and get involved, but only time will tell. Galya
and Kostya were absent once again today so we need to remember them in our prayers also.
Sunday Service Update, June 12, 2005
We had three new kids from the neighborhood attend today's service including
one from right next door to the church building. Since it was Rayeesa's
birthday, there was a small party after church and may people stayed to
celebrate with her. She is such a blessing to KRCC and her work with the
gypsies is progressing nicely. Also, Ira's work with the youth is producing
fruit as we see more and more youth showing an interest in learning about Jesus.
Blessings, John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, June 5, 2005
In today's service we had one man named Vladimir preach his first sermon ever
and did a really great job. He's from the Baptist church but he occasionally
joins us for our Sunday worship services and also comes to our Friday evening
video program. So KRCC is gladly providing ministry opportunities that seem
to be producing fruit that lasts. We also had Sergei visit our video program
on Friday night and also attend worship at KRCC for the first time today.
Sergei used to go to a Charismatic church but stopped several months ago for
various reasons. In any case, he said that he'd be at our Bible study on
Wednesday evening so he apparently felt God's presence this morning. Praise
the Lord! He's also professional guitarist who even offered to help Ira with
our worship program.
Glory to God, John and Ira
Kind Road Christian Church
Sunday Service Update, May 29, 2005
In today's service, we had two newcomers which is always a pleasant surprise.
Vika has attended services several times with her nine-year old son Daniel, but
she has never been able to get her mother Anna to come with her until today.
Interestingly enough, when Ira spoke to Anna before the service and told her
that we were in some ways like Baptists, she was shocked because she mentioned
hearing somewhere that Baptists were guilty of taking part in human sacrifices.
Thankfully, she stayed anyway and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the service.
Anya was another lady who joined us today for the first time. She has been
dealing with a lot due to the death of her husband recently, but seemed to be
comforted as we prayed with her during the service. Hopefully, it'll be the
start of a special journey for both Anna and Anya.
Many of you have been praying about the situation with Kostya, Galya, and
their mother and we appreciate the prayers very much. Though their mother
had earlier in the week claimed to want to talk with us after today's service,
none of the family actually showed up at church today. However, Galya and
Kostya came to Friday night's video program and indicated that their mother
would probably let them continue coming to church within a few weeks' time.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that Mom will probably forego meeting with us
because of the obvious spiritual growth in the lives of her children. So, I
take their absence today as a real blessing indeed and I'm confident that
Galya and Kostya will return. Please do continue to pray about that situation
and we'll certainly keep you informed of the latest developments.
Glory to God, John and Ira
Kind Road Christian Church
Sunday Service Update, May 23, 2005
Hi Friends,
Today was our first anniversary as a church [first KRCC service was held
on May 23, 2004]. We had fourteen people officially place their membership
at KRCC after our special kids' mini-concert today. Since we hadn't ever
officially had individuals place their membership at KRCC before - although
we have had 22 baptisms - we thought it would be appropriate to do so on this
special day in the life of the Kind Roads Christian Church. The whole scene
was really encouraging and we look forward to all the great things God will do
in and through us this year. It was also nice to see Natasha accompanied both
by her son Igor and his nephew Lyona. It was the first time we had seen them
since they left to attend another church in January so that was quite a surprise,
and Natasha even said that they were planning to return to our church for good.
Time will tell. Several people shared about how God has been working in their
lives this past year, including Larissa and Elvira. Several people also
expressed appreciation for all of the work that specific people have done
to make KRCC what it is today. It has certainly been a great year and your
prayers have made all the difference so keep up the good work and THANKS!
Blessings, John and Ira
Several people shared about how God has been working in their lives this past
year, including Larissa and Elvira.
Sunday Service Update, May 15, 2005
Praise the Lord,
In today's service we were pleased to see Rayeesa's husband Alexander show up
even though he came straight from the train station. He had worked in Poland
for a few days this past week and just got into Odessa this morning, yet still
made it to church this morning. He has really come a long way in the last six
weeks and we give glory to God for everything that is happening in Alexander's
life. It was also great to see Oxonna with her two kids Yura (formerly a patient
at the cancer ward) and Valya. Since they live so far away it is a chore for
them to get to church but they made it this morning, which was encouraging.
Oxonna had been distracted with some unfortunate events in her family and
subsequently disappeared for about a two-month period. Easter (May 1st)
was the first time she reappeared and today was the second time we got the
chance to worship with her. Please do keep praying for her. Finally, we
celebrate the fact that two of our boys, Oleg and Kostya, gave their lives to
Jesus Christ and were baptized today.
John and Ira Murphy
"after church on May 15" - some people from church got together for a picture after
the service.
Sunday Service Update, May 8, 2005
Although our attendance was down some today, we were still very excited to see
every adult make a public commitment to reading at least one chapter of the Bible
every day. Oxonna evidently hoped to convince everyone of the need to increase that
commitment by letting us all know that she's presently reading five chapters a day.
In time, I do plan to help the group move in that direction but for now I feel that
even a chapter a day is a victory in and of itself.
Sunday Service Update, May 1, 2005
Today's service was just spectacular! We had a great crowd out today and although
I didn't get an exact count, my estimate is there were just under 25 present. It
was not only our first service in the new facility but also it was Easter Sunday
here in Ukraine . To be honest, I don't think I have experienced the thrill of
worship I felt today here at KRCC in a long time. I really think the combination
of the number of people we had in the service, the great acoustics in our new
venue, the holiday atmosphere, the unique order of service, and the sense of
some real momentum building at KRCC all came together today to make our worship
service a real worship experience. I definitely got the impression that others
felt the same way, and even Rick Deighton whose sermon today was called "The
Reality of the Resurrection" later told me that he even shed tears during worship time.
Sunday Service Update, April 24, 2005
Greetings and Praise to God,
Another great day for the Lord as Luke 15:10 occurs once again. After today's
service, Galya was baptized after waiting for this moment for about six months
now. Galya's mother forbade her from doing so back in November [Weekly History
for Nov 21, 2004] and still does, but Galya finally chose to make the decision
on her own regardless of what Mom thinks or says. This is good news since her
mother is into the occult and other far out stuff. Please pray that Galya's
mom does find out about Galya's baptism and that there won't be any adverse
effects in the family. Pray also that God will destroy all of Satan's influence
in that home and work through Galya in powerful ways. Rick Deighton [April
newsletter] preached today at KRCC about the cross which will prepare us all
for next Sunday's Easter message [Easter in the Ukraine is May 1st this year].
Finally, Vika and her son Daniel [April 17 Update] came to our Sunday morning
worship service for the first time today. They've attended our small group
Wednesday services over the past two weeks but never got to our Sunday service.
Praise God for all He is doing through all of us!
Blessings, John and Ira
After months of wanting to be baptized but not being allowed to do so by her
mother, 12 year old Galya decided the decision was between Jesus and her and
did not involve her mother. Praise God!
Sunday Service Update, April 17, 2005
Greetings from the KRCC Christians in Odessa ,
Rayeesa's husband Alexander attended services today at KRCC for the second week
in a row which was rather encouraging. He also seemed very pleasant to boot,
and their children Nastya and Oleg seemed especially thrilled this morning,
which is no surprise since we've all been praying fervently for him for months
now. It is really exciting to see a stable core group attending church every
week. We just hope and pray that the group will gradually increase in number
and fortunately there are signs this is happening. At each of the past two
Wednesday night small-group meetings, which meet at our apartment, we have
had one different guest attend. However, we still haven't gotten any of them
to worship with us on Sundays yet so please do keep praying for results in
that regard. In today's service, we heard that one of our Wednesday evening
visitors plans to bring her husband to the small group this week. Her name
is Vika and she could use your prayers also. She had lots of questions last
Wednesday and seemed to get a few key answers too. Praise the Lord! Finally,
Valya, a woman who has faithfully attended since last Fall, shared several
answers to her prayers with us today and thanked the congregation for its support.
It really inspired us all to see how God is helping her grow in Christ and face
her circumstances with faith and even with thankfulness.
John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, April 10, 2005
Hello folks,
There were three exciting victories at KRCC today. First, Alla and her 15
year old Hemophiliac son Sergei were able to attend. In fact, Sergei looked
better than I've ever seen him before and although he usually has difficulty
standing for more than just a few minutes at a time, today he almost seemed
like your average typical teenager. After the service, they mentioned that
they were both planning to go take a walk down by the seaside together which
is normally just unheard of for him. Two months ago, he couldn't even go for
a brief walk outside his apartment building. So we praise God for literally
helping Sergei get back on his feet, and we also rejoice in the spiritual
progress they are both making. The second victory was the presence of Rayeesa's
husband Alexander who has visited twice before but still seems to be struggling
with skepticism. However, his sister's baptism last Wednesday apparently
impacted him in a powerful way, especially given Natalie's current physical
condition as a result of breast cancer. KRCC's recent offer to help cover
some of her pending medical expenses [from the Benevolence Fund] also seems
to have hit home for Alexander. So God is doing His thing and as usual it's
working. Please keep all of these individuals in your prayers because your
support is really changing things. The third victory was Tatyana received
some incredible news. She has been job hunting ever since she got fired two
months ago for morally taking the high road at her workplace instead of
choosing to abide by her former company's unethical standards. Since she's
a single Mom, we have been praying that the Lord would provide a job that
would pay enough to cover both the daycare expenses for her three-year old
child Casha as well as all the other bills. God has answered our prayers and
Tatyana was offered a nurse's position at a daycare center that has agreed to
take care of Casha while Tatyana is working.
Sunday Service Update, April 3, 2005
Dear Friends,
Two concerns became apparent during today's service. The first is for Valya
who has been faithfully attending KRCC for several months now and is facing
severe depression due to both her mounting financial debts and her daughter's
marital status. Her daughter recently married a Hare Krishna against Valya's
wishes and that union is evidently causing all kinds of problems in the family.
Furthermore, because Valya is neither working nor involved in any ministries,
she has far too much time on her hands and consequently her spiritual life is
unraveling at the seams. She approached me for some advice after the service
today and she didn't seem to appreciate my honesty. Nevertheless, there is
still hope for a happy ending here so please keep her in your prayers.
Secondly, although Rayeesa shared more very encouraging good news about her
small-group ministry to Gypsies in the Odessa area, she did so through tears.
It seems her husband Alexander who is currently an unbeliever is growing more
opposed to her involvement in any ministry. He hasn't resorted to any violence or
anything like that, but he is throwing adult temper tantrums to the point that
the tantrums happen even in mixed company. This is very upsetting to Rayeesa
so she really needs our prayer support at this time for her marriage and her
ministry efforts.
Sunday Service Update, March 27, 2005
Happy Easter in America folks.
You are probably wondering why I said "in America ". In Ukraine , Easter is
celebrated on May 1st this year but more about that later. In today's service
it was great to hear Rayeesa's news about the small group of Gypsies who had
their first meeting this last Friday evening and six ladies attended. She
invited them to come to church at Kind Road Christian Church today but none
of them came. One problem is the distance factor and the other is the fact
that the group is composed of just ladies at this point since their husbands
aren't very excited about what is happening. Most of the Gypsies come from an
Islamic background so we will have to be rather sensitive in our approach to
them. Rayeesa is currently reading through my book on how to evangelize
Muslims so God is working things out as usual. After the service today, we
had four adults volunteer to help Ira and I organize our children's Easter
program which we will present at a special school for kids with scoliosis on
April 27th (four days before Easter is celebrated here in Ukraine ). We have
been trying to get our foot in the door at that school for some time now and
we were encouraged to see willing hearts and hands volunteer to help. A newcomer
to KRCC by the name of Tatyana is reading Rees Bryant's book on baptism and she
shared an amazing answer to prayer with us this morning. She has been dealing
with a physical ailment for the last three months and had asked for prayer last
Wednesday evening. Well, we all prayed with and for her then and her ailment was
actually resolved the following day. Praise the Lord and Amen!
He Is Risen, John and Ira.
Sunday Service Update, March 20, 2005
Hey Friends.
In today's service, we got a great report about plans for a small group that
Rayeesa is creating for Gypsies on the outskirts of the city. Opening night
is scheduled for Friday of this week so please be in prayer about that one.
To be honest, we really needed that encourager to kick off today's service
because of all that people are facing at this particular time. Just prior to
the service, I met with Oxonna about her friend Vitya. Oxonna is doing her
utmost to get him to church but hasn't had any luck as of today, and she wept
bitterly as she explained the situation today. Vitya's father killed himself
last year leaving a wife and two boys. Adding to Vitya's grief is the fact
that his younger brother is apparently stealing from Mom, but Vitya is the
one being blamed for it all. As you can imagine, Vitya's mother resorting to
the bottle has only made things worse for him. In fact, Oxonna said that he is
becoming very vocal about his suicidal tendencies. I am planning on going to
see him this week so please pray that the Lord would touch Vitya's life before
it's too late. Another woman in our church, Valya, is really struggling over
her daughter Lena's situation right now. Lena, is married to a Hare Krishna
who is becoming very abusive physically. Valya is rather concerned for her
daughter's life and desperately needs our prayer support, as does Lena. Lena's
husband, Elijah, also needs the power of prayer to change his life too. So in
today's service we all came together and saturated these issues in prayer.
Lastly, a woman who visits our church from time to time, Alla, attended KRCC
today and seemed to really benefit from it. She even mentioned a desire to be
baptized at KRCC this summer. "If you've already decided that that's what you
really want then why wait?" I asked. We'll see what develops, but please be in
prayer that the Lord will convict her heart and she will see the need to make
Jesus Christ the Lord of her life.
Amen, John and Ira
Sunday Service Update, March 13, 2005
Hi Friends,
In today's service, several people shared about answered prayers in their
lives during the week. It was also very exciting to hear about Rayeesa's new
ministry with Gypsies. She mentioned that a few of them have come to repentance
and are considering being baptized. Unfortunately, since they live on the
outskirts of the city, it has been almost impossible to get them to attend KRCC,
however, Rayeesa remains confident that God will change that in time. It was
also nice having an adult approach me about the meaning of baptism following
the service. Her name is Tatyana and she has been attending KRCC with her
11-year old daughter, Elvira, for about two months now. She has been hesitant
to get immersed since her mother is so opposed to it. Nevertheless, I think
that our chat today helped to point her in the right direction and when I see
her again I'll be sure to loan her Rees Bryant's book on baptism called Why
Wait? Moreover, today we had a 20 year old young lady visit with us and her
name is Yana. She has been dealing with some issues and consequently came to
KRCC in order to seek my advice even though we have never met before. Yana
has actually been attending a charismatic church for two years now but has never
been immersed. Once I discovered that fact, I was able to encourage her to
consider doing so. Please do keep all of these people in your prayers as they
endeavor to make some of the most important decisions of their lives.
Sunday Service Update, February 27, 2005
Hello once again from Odessa,
After two weeks in the USA, it was great to be back at KRCC today. We have
really missed the people and it was clear that the feeling was mutual. We had
some kind of a reception at the church when we arrived. Lots of hugs, kind
words, and smiles and even though we had a snow storm today, we still had a
good group out this morning. In fact, Sergei, a boy we met at the cancer ward
a year and a half ago, was able to make it to church with his mother for the
first time. Alla, his Mom, has attended services several times before but Sergei
never felt good enough to come. However, he has been determined to get to
church since the time we first met him and today it finally happened. Glory
to God! So, today's service was not just a celebration but also a joyful reunion.
Thanks for being a part of what is happening at KRCC and thanks also for the
wonderful reception Ira and I got at the churches we were able to visit during
our brief stay in the U.S.!
Sunday Service Update, January 30, 2005
Hi Team
Today was a real blessing because, yesterday, one of our members, Larissa, found
a new job that also includes a place to live, and that was a huge answer to
prayer since she was evicted from her apartment yesterday morning. It was
encouraging because she handled the situation extremely well. She remained so
calm throughout the entire ordeal, assured that God would provide even if it
meant that He would do so at the very last moment, and He did of course. So her
fasting and prayers not only made the difference but her testimony also helped to
strengthen our faith. It was also nice to see several visitors today, especially
since two of them came (a mother and daughter) because they had read my book last
week sometime. Hopefully that trend will continue too. One of the other visitors
purchased a copy of my book after the service and even decided to pay more than we
asked for it. So, it looks like God is already starting to work in that area.
Glory to God,
John and Ira
[P.S. from Al: John and Ira leave Odessa for the United States on Monday,
January 31. Please be in prayer for a safe trip for them and that the weather
in New York will allow their plane to land safely. Also, please pray that as
they visit supporting churches and visit with friends and family, that good
health and safe travel will be theirs.]
Al
Sunday Service Update, January 23, 2005
Hi Team,
Sunday, January 23 worship service was especially uplifting after such an
inspiring congregational meeting on Saturday evening. Several individuals
shared their personal evangelistic goals during the meeting and it was exciting
to hear about all of their plans for 2005, most of which I got on video. I will
be sure to include several of those objectives in the upcoming newsletter.
Furthermore, it was great worshiping without two very negative individuals who
recently left KRCC together. (As you recall, one of the women was recently
forced to take at least a temporary leave.) Freeing ourselves of their influence
and attitudes has been a real blessing even though it's only been a couple of
weeks. Chatting with folks following the service just confirmed my feelings
about the service, which reflected Paul's words in Romans 15:5-6, "May the God
who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves
as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Glory To God, John & Ira Murphy
Kind Road Christian Church
Sunday Service Update, January 16, 2005
Hi Friends.
After our service today, we had our first official congregational meeting here
at KRCC. During the meeting, we discussed some Christian requirements for our
members which included: tithing at least ten percent of income, maintaining
Christian lifestyles, avoiding gossip and slander, submitting to leadership,
serving in at least one ministry, attending services at KRCC regularly, and
striving to have a daily quiet time with the Lord. We also addressed a few
other important issues concerning KRCC and look forward to our next meeting
which will be held on January 22. Some of you may be thinking that those
subjects seem awfully elementary and are things that every Christian knows,
but remember, these folks are new Christians and some of these things are
totally new to them. We have much to cover with them before Ira and I leave
on January 31 for the United States to meet her "green card" requirement to
set foot on American soil at least yearly. We plan to leave the United States
for Odessa on February 22. Please pray that the Lord gives us the wisdom to
raise the right questions and come up with His answers before our departure date.
While we are in the U.S., Ira and I plan on visiting/speaking at a few of the
churches and meeting with some of the groups that have been so faithful in
supporting the Odessa Mission. We are excited to be able to share how God is
working through us at KRCC. Unfortunately, three weeks doesn't allow us
sufficient time to travel very far and talk with our many friends and so we
will confine our travels to the states of Virginia and North Carolina.
[From Al - While in the United States, John will still have access to his
regular email service. If you need to contact him via telephone, please call
me at the number listed on the Odessa Mission Newsletter and I will hopefully
know where he is or where he may be headed.]
Glory To God, John & Ira Murphy
Sunday Service Update, January 9, 2005
Hi Friends.
On another note, after the service, Ira, myself, and one other witness, were
all forced to confront an unpleasant situation. One of our regulars, has been
spreading malicious gossip at KRCC. Since this seems to be a recurring problem
in that we have already dealt with this person on three or four previous occasions,
I felt that temporarily disfellowshipping the individual would be the best
course of action. I decided that, for a minimum of three months, this would
be the only way to adequately handle the problem. I explained that if after
three months' time she desired to return, then we could discuss the possibility
at that point. Words were exchanged, but so were hugs before parting company,
so we are hopeful that good stuff will ultimately be the result.
Kind Road Christian Church