A visit to the UMC in Albania - May 14 - 19, 2013

At the invitation of my District Superintendent, who is also DS for Albania, I had the opportunity to present a seminar on teaching Sunday school for volunteers from the three small UMC congregations in Albania.  My husband Lee went with me to Albania; we saw Tirana, Durres, Kruja and Pogradec.  The people were gracious and welcoming.  The scenery was green, mountainous and lovely.

At the UMC in Tirana, with our DS Wilfried Nausner and his wife Jean.

UMC in Tirana, Albania

On the trip from Tirana to Podradec, we visited St. Paul's Bridge on the Via Egnatia, the road from Rome to Constantinople.

The Apostle Paul is said to have crossed this bridge.

UMC in Podradec, Albania

The view looking out from the church in Pogradec, toward Lake Ohrid

A gift to thank me for presenting the seminar!

Mother's Day - May 12, 2013

During the morning church service, the children presented a short skit and sang two songs.

In the skit, the mom encourages the children to pray for the girl they don't like.

Singing songs to honor mothers.

Flowers for mom

Children's Easter Program - May 5, 2013

On Easter evening, May 5, the children presented a traditional Easter play about the tomb and the resurrection of Jesus.

Roman soldiers guard the tomb.

Caiaphas, the high priest, bribes the soldiers to say the Disciples stole the body.

Look! The tomb is empty!

Mary Magdalene meets Jesus at the tomb.

The cast takes a bow.

 Next, there was a contemporary drama, about a naughty child who captures two birds and puts them in a cage in order to torture them.

An old man buys the birds and sets them free.

Scene two: the Devil has captured some people, trapping them in sin.  They are fighting with each other.  A young man offers to buy them.  The Devil demands the young man's life.

The young man agrees; he picks up the cross and the people are set free.  They hug each other.

Freed from sin, the people are happy.

At the end of the program the children receive chocolate bars.