For any of you Jazz lovers out there. A friend of ours, (Deanna Witkowski: Liturgical Jazz) from Wheaton College just did an interview with NPR radio about her new Sacred Jazz CD out in time for Easter (now past, sorry). Check it out.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Santa... no Tim is comming to town
Sorry It’s been a while since I’ve posted a blog. Between Jennifer’s broken knee and a 3-4 three week bought with a bad stomach bug in our home, we’ve been pretty busy. Tim has also been working on getting his Christian Life Coaches certification and finished last week.
Why you ask? As part my position in Mobilization and Preparation I will be developing a system of internal coaching for missionaries. We will assign coaches to our new appointees who will walk alongside them through their first couple of years on the field. As a number of mission organizations have already implemented coaching at this level they are finding an increased value in longevity and health of their missionaries. This is too where we see a great need and GEM is moving in this direction.
Also, Tim is coming to town. Some of you will remember the ‘Journey Deepens’ that Tim attended in Pasadena last October. A conference designed to help potential missionaries identify what part God will have them play in furthering the Kingdom of God. He will be attending the upcoming conference in Elgin, April 24-26. He will be in town though from April 19th through about May 3 or 4.
Tim is still working out schedules right now and will let you know what Sunday he will be where.
Some of you may want to host an evening where Tim will be able to present our current ministry opportunities to new friends. Thanks to a number of incredible year-end gifts from you our account was able to get back out of the red and into the black. Now we are excited to see how God is going to raise the remaining $1,000 we still need per month.
Looking forward to seeing many of you soon.
Timothy, Jennifer, Connor, Katya and Marika
Why you ask? As part my position in Mobilization and Preparation I will be developing a system of internal coaching for missionaries. We will assign coaches to our new appointees who will walk alongside them through their first couple of years on the field. As a number of mission organizations have already implemented coaching at this level they are finding an increased value in longevity and health of their missionaries. This is too where we see a great need and GEM is moving in this direction.
Also, Tim is coming to town. Some of you will remember the ‘Journey Deepens’ that Tim attended in Pasadena last October. A conference designed to help potential missionaries identify what part God will have them play in furthering the Kingdom of God. He will be attending the upcoming conference in Elgin, April 24-26. He will be in town though from April 19th through about May 3 or 4.
Tim is still working out schedules right now and will let you know what Sunday he will be where.
Some of you may want to host an evening where Tim will be able to present our current ministry opportunities to new friends. Thanks to a number of incredible year-end gifts from you our account was able to get back out of the red and into the black. Now we are excited to see how God is going to raise the remaining $1,000 we still need per month.
Looking forward to seeing many of you soon.
Timothy, Jennifer, Connor, Katya and Marika
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Hello everyone.
I know this is a quick follow-up to the last Blogpost, but I thought this was exciting and would covet your prayers for.
Many of you will remember my friend Hadschi, the radio announcer in Klosterneuburg, who loves the Lord. He has continued to stay in the catholic church with hopes of reforming it from the inside out. He just wrote me and asked if the church in Klosterneuburg was still there and suggested it might be time for him to visit.
That is a huge step for Hadschi. Please pray that the Lord removes the barriers and that he would visit with the body of Christ in our town and that he might find the fellowship of believers truly inviting.
Thanks again for your prayers and enjoy the excitement as we watch God continue to unfold the ministry in Klosterneuburg.
Tim for us all
I know this is a quick follow-up to the last Blogpost, but I thought this was exciting and would covet your prayers for.
Many of you will remember my friend Hadschi, the radio announcer in Klosterneuburg, who loves the Lord. He has continued to stay in the catholic church with hopes of reforming it from the inside out. He just wrote me and asked if the church in Klosterneuburg was still there and suggested it might be time for him to visit.
That is a huge step for Hadschi. Please pray that the Lord removes the barriers and that he would visit with the body of Christ in our town and that he might find the fellowship of believers truly inviting.
Thanks again for your prayers and enjoy the excitement as we watch God continue to unfold the ministry in Klosterneuburg.
Tim for us all
Saturday, January 31, 2009
We just received the following E-mail from our co-workers in Klosterneuburg.
"We returned to Austria on Dec. 30 and are getting more and more settled back into life and ministry here in Vienna. Our time in the US was quite productive, but it is good to be “home.”
Just a little piece of encouragement: yesterday we went to our first Klosterneuburg worship service since getting back here. There were only about a dozen of us, but it was a nice atmosphere. Fritz gave his first sermon.
We also had a guest. Evidently it was Michelle´s second time there. She found out about us through the webpage and came on her own!! Michelle´s visits are yet another ongoing impact of your time here."
It is exciting to see God use what He enabled us to do, in partnership with you. Fritz is preaching and a guest through the website. Your coming alongside us in prayer and financially, your gifts and prayers will continue paying dividends for years and centuries to come. This is the sort of investment that won't be affected by any economic crisis.
Please continue praying for our brothers and sisters in Austria and the church in Klosterneuburg.
Encouraged, Tim and Jennifer
www.egk.at
"We returned to Austria on Dec. 30 and are getting more and more settled back into life and ministry here in Vienna. Our time in the US was quite productive, but it is good to be “home.”
Just a little piece of encouragement: yesterday we went to our first Klosterneuburg worship service since getting back here. There were only about a dozen of us, but it was a nice atmosphere. Fritz gave his first sermon.
We also had a guest. Evidently it was Michelle´s second time there. She found out about us through the webpage and came on her own!! Michelle´s visits are yet another ongoing impact of your time here."
It is exciting to see God use what He enabled us to do, in partnership with you. Fritz is preaching and a guest through the website. Your coming alongside us in prayer and financially, your gifts and prayers will continue paying dividends for years and centuries to come. This is the sort of investment that won't be affected by any economic crisis.
Please continue praying for our brothers and sisters in Austria and the church in Klosterneuburg.
Encouraged, Tim and Jennifer
www.egk.at
Friday, January 16, 2009
January
What is a patella?
It is your knee cap, the thing that Jennifer decided to break in half the day after Christmas. She and the children were skating and while she was doing a back cross over she went down, hard. She is spending most of her days in bed keeping her knee immobilized and taking sufficient pain medication to keep her mildly sedated.
What is a group of trees?
It is not something you want to see coming toward you when your car is sliding off the icy street. I was on my way this week to pick my son up from guitar practice when the road turned but not my car. It wedged itself into a small group of trees and wrapped one of the wheels around one of the trees. The trunks were all between 3 and 6 inches thick so they were small. I was not hurt since I was not going fast at all. It took me and then a tow truck most of the evening to un-wedge the car. I was able to drive it home but I have not yet had time to identify the full extent of the damage.
What is praise?
Praise is what we have to share with you. As we mentioned in our last Blog, our account has been in the red for a couple of months now and we extended an invitation to you to come along side us to bring our account back into the black. Well, the Lord used many of you to bless us in an incredible way. Our account is back in the black with enough to help us deal with the monthly shortfall for a couple of months at least.
What is prayer?
Prayer is what we need for:
Jennifer’s knee, that it will heal quickly and that the pain would lessen every day.
Please also remember to pray for our continued monthly support shortfall.
It is your knee cap, the thing that Jennifer decided to break in half the day after Christmas. She and the children were skating and while she was doing a back cross over she went down, hard. She is spending most of her days in bed keeping her knee immobilized and taking sufficient pain medication to keep her mildly sedated.
What is a group of trees?
It is not something you want to see coming toward you when your car is sliding off the icy street. I was on my way this week to pick my son up from guitar practice when the road turned but not my car. It wedged itself into a small group of trees and wrapped one of the wheels around one of the trees. The trunks were all between 3 and 6 inches thick so they were small. I was not hurt since I was not going fast at all. It took me and then a tow truck most of the evening to un-wedge the car. I was able to drive it home but I have not yet had time to identify the full extent of the damage.
What is praise?
Praise is what we have to share with you. As we mentioned in our last Blog, our account has been in the red for a couple of months now and we extended an invitation to you to come along side us to bring our account back into the black. Well, the Lord used many of you to bless us in an incredible way. Our account is back in the black with enough to help us deal with the monthly shortfall for a couple of months at least.
What is prayer?
Prayer is what we need for:
Jennifer’s knee, that it will heal quickly and that the pain would lessen every day.
Please also remember to pray for our continued monthly support shortfall.
Friday, December 19, 2008
take the long way home
A friend of mine and I were talking yesterday, mixing depth of life experience and humor in our rumorings of each of our present situations. In a deep theological moment he described life as taking the long way home. Some of you may recognize those words from the deeply insightful and wise theological society known as the band, Supertramp (song: Take the long way home). But as I continued to ponder this thought and where life has taken us and wondering where else it may lead, I wondered if that’s what this life is about for those who love and embrace Christ. (thanks Rob)
We are all on a journey ‘home’. This world, these toils and struggles are temporary. Even if we wind up in a box under an overpass, we don’t belong here, we are on our way home. We are just taking the long way around, but how else will we grow into Christ-likeness?
On this road we are going to encounter roadblocks, mountains, valleys and many other obstacles. During this ‘road trip’ it is important to notice when someone or something shows up as part of Gods plan to create in us that Christ-likeness through relationship or through suffering. Unfortunately the truth is that we can become so preoccupied with all we have to do that we look right through people and past situations and fail to see their significance. Seeing those people and situations God would use to reshape our lives does not happen automatically. Christ-likeness is intentional and it cannot be rushed.
The most difficult thing on this long way home is the look inward, that ‘Dark night of the Soul’ where we encounter our sinfulness and come face to face with it. And for each individual this comes at a different stage of life and perhaps repeatedly. However, the glorious and most wonderful thing about this deep dark night is that we stand on the promise of Romans 8:1, there is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION. We are not condemned, and anyone who teaches sin without grace is distorting the Gospel and speaks out of pride. God is all about grace as we discover the darkest, most deceitful recesses of our selves on this long way home. Yes, we will be convicted of our sin, but as we breath out the sin, in the same breath we breath in the grace of God and don’t live condemned. Condemnation is a lie of the enemy and he would have us remain immobile on the road home.
As I’ve read the e-mails of a friend this year who has struggled with cancer, I have listened to her journey as she has gone deeper with the Lord on her long way home. She asked to become more Christ-like and through suffering is going deeper. The hand of God, in grace has held her and she is healing. Each one of us is on this path, each in a different way, each at a different stage. Know that God is there, that he loves us all and is walking with us on this long way home.
May He bless you as your journey continues in 2009 and may you go deeper.
The Whites
We are all on a journey ‘home’. This world, these toils and struggles are temporary. Even if we wind up in a box under an overpass, we don’t belong here, we are on our way home. We are just taking the long way around, but how else will we grow into Christ-likeness?
On this road we are going to encounter roadblocks, mountains, valleys and many other obstacles. During this ‘road trip’ it is important to notice when someone or something shows up as part of Gods plan to create in us that Christ-likeness through relationship or through suffering. Unfortunately the truth is that we can become so preoccupied with all we have to do that we look right through people and past situations and fail to see their significance. Seeing those people and situations God would use to reshape our lives does not happen automatically. Christ-likeness is intentional and it cannot be rushed.
The most difficult thing on this long way home is the look inward, that ‘Dark night of the Soul’ where we encounter our sinfulness and come face to face with it. And for each individual this comes at a different stage of life and perhaps repeatedly. However, the glorious and most wonderful thing about this deep dark night is that we stand on the promise of Romans 8:1, there is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION. We are not condemned, and anyone who teaches sin without grace is distorting the Gospel and speaks out of pride. God is all about grace as we discover the darkest, most deceitful recesses of our selves on this long way home. Yes, we will be convicted of our sin, but as we breath out the sin, in the same breath we breath in the grace of God and don’t live condemned. Condemnation is a lie of the enemy and he would have us remain immobile on the road home.
As I’ve read the e-mails of a friend this year who has struggled with cancer, I have listened to her journey as she has gone deeper with the Lord on her long way home. She asked to become more Christ-like and through suffering is going deeper. The hand of God, in grace has held her and she is healing. Each one of us is on this path, each in a different way, each at a different stage. Know that God is there, that he loves us all and is walking with us on this long way home.
May He bless you as your journey continues in 2009 and may you go deeper.
The Whites
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Hello dear friends.
We are ending another year that has brought a lot of changes to our family. Thank you for walking through this time with us as we have made our move from Austria and church planting to Colorado and raising workers.
I have been traveling locally quite a bit, visiting with colleges and churches, developing relationships and helping individuals prepare for ministry in Europe. I am also coaching several individuals as they are either completing their application to join GEM or as they are raising support to get to Europe. In addition I will be helping teach some of the sessions during the candidate orientation for our new candidates end of January, beginning of February.
We have begun to regularly attend a church here in Monument which is a 2 year old church plant. Surprisingly it seems difficult for us to stay away from church plants. After attending for a couple of months it became apparent that the church lacked a missions program, so I had some significant meetings with the pastor and am now in the process of developing a missions program. We are already helping the church reach out locally. One of our first along-sides is a needy family of 6, a mom and 5 daughters. We as a church are doing more than just buying them a turkey or ham. We are coming along side them in significant ways, including finding women in the church to mentor the daughters, help the eldest get her GED, providing car repair etc. It has been exciting to see the church step up and take on this challenge too.
As many of you are aware, with our move back, we have lost some significant support and our account has gone into the red due to the expense of moving back. We have already received a couple of year-end gifts towards this need, but would invite you to consider making a one time gift before December 31st, which is tax-deductable and would help us regain some footing as we go into the new year.
Some of you have really blessed us I doubling your support sometime in the last two years. That has been a huge encouragement. May we ask others of you to consider doing likewise. If you have been supporting us at $25 a month, would you be able to move to giving $50? If you have been giving $50, would you prayerfully considersupporting us at $75 or $100 a month? Some of you might also be in a position to come along side us as first time supporters or as a major partner at $200 a month.
We are so thankful for all of you and your prayers and your giving and look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to lead our family as we seek to empower rapidly reproducing churches in Europe.
Merry Christmas to you and yours from the White family, Tim, Jennifer, Connor, Katya and Marika
In order to make a one time gift, start coming along side, or increase your partnership with the White’s please either go to: http://www.gemission.org/Donate/ , and follow the links to give on-line,
or write to:
GEM USA18950 Base Camp RoadMonument, CO 80132
and inform them whether it is a one time gift, an increase, or a new supporter and identify us by name and account number. Tim and Jennifer White – acct# 46870
Thanks again
We are ending another year that has brought a lot of changes to our family. Thank you for walking through this time with us as we have made our move from Austria and church planting to Colorado and raising workers.
I have been traveling locally quite a bit, visiting with colleges and churches, developing relationships and helping individuals prepare for ministry in Europe. I am also coaching several individuals as they are either completing their application to join GEM or as they are raising support to get to Europe. In addition I will be helping teach some of the sessions during the candidate orientation for our new candidates end of January, beginning of February.
We have begun to regularly attend a church here in Monument which is a 2 year old church plant. Surprisingly it seems difficult for us to stay away from church plants. After attending for a couple of months it became apparent that the church lacked a missions program, so I had some significant meetings with the pastor and am now in the process of developing a missions program. We are already helping the church reach out locally. One of our first along-sides is a needy family of 6, a mom and 5 daughters. We as a church are doing more than just buying them a turkey or ham. We are coming along side them in significant ways, including finding women in the church to mentor the daughters, help the eldest get her GED, providing car repair etc. It has been exciting to see the church step up and take on this challenge too.
As many of you are aware, with our move back, we have lost some significant support and our account has gone into the red due to the expense of moving back. We have already received a couple of year-end gifts towards this need, but would invite you to consider making a one time gift before December 31st, which is tax-deductable and would help us regain some footing as we go into the new year.
Some of you have really blessed us I doubling your support sometime in the last two years. That has been a huge encouragement. May we ask others of you to consider doing likewise. If you have been supporting us at $25 a month, would you be able to move to giving $50? If you have been giving $50, would you prayerfully considersupporting us at $75 or $100 a month? Some of you might also be in a position to come along side us as first time supporters or as a major partner at $200 a month.
We are so thankful for all of you and your prayers and your giving and look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to lead our family as we seek to empower rapidly reproducing churches in Europe.
Merry Christmas to you and yours from the White family, Tim, Jennifer, Connor, Katya and Marika
In order to make a one time gift, start coming along side, or increase your partnership with the White’s please either go to: http://www.gemission.org/Donate/ , and follow the links to give on-line,
or write to:
GEM USA18950 Base Camp RoadMonument, CO 80132
and inform them whether it is a one time gift, an increase, or a new supporter and identify us by name and account number. Tim and Jennifer White – acct# 46870
Thanks again
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