Celebrating World Day of Prayer - March 7, 2014

This year we celebrated World Day of Prayer in our church, along with women from the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church.  The liturgy was written by the women from Egypt, on the theme  "Streams in the Desert".  More than 100 women attended in Strumica.  Services were held in 9 other UMCs as well.

Decorations on an Egyptian theme

Decorations highlighting "Streams in the Desert"

Decorations

Altar decorations

Speakers, including four women depicting different faces of Egypt: ancient times, business woman, village farmworker, modern young woman 

Sister Martina gives the homily.

After the service everyone enjoyed fellowship with coffee, tea and cookies.

The youth who set up and served the refreshments, relax before beginning the clean up.

A birthday visit to Kavala, Greece - February 8 - 10

In February Lee and I went to Kavala, Greece to celebrate my birthday.

A monument to Paul and his call to Macedonia (Acts 16:9).  Kavala used to be called Neopolis and it is the place where Paul arrived in Europe, around 50 AD.

A view of the 16th C Aqueduct, Kamares, bisecting the city

The Aqueduct, Kamares

The Aqueduct, Kamares

A photo of Lee a me taken at the castle above the city

Playing Bingo with English Words

A favorite activity on Saturday is to play Bingo with English words - especially if there are prizes at the end!

More Saturday Fun

At our Saturday morning classes we learn a little English, talk together, laugh a lot and make things.  We love being creative!

We played Bingo with English words and then we made snow globes.

We know the English names of all the animals.

Another day we made these little decorated boxes - to keep or to give away.

The text on the box says, "Look inside to see the most precious thing God has created."  Inside there is a mirror!

One Saturday we made dolls from craft sticks - and the dolls had OUR faces!

Another Saturday we made Santas and snowmen from TP cardboard tubes.

Another day we painted with our fingers.

January 7, 2014 - the Children's Christmas Program

In Macedonia we celebrate Christmas on January 7th, the Orthodox date, even in the United Methodist Church.  (December 25th is a working day, not a holiday.)  On Christmas evening, the children presented an hour-long program, including two dramas, songs and recitations.

This first drama was "Expectations" a traditional portrayal of the events around the coming of the Messiah to the people of Israel who had waited so long.

After the play "Expectations" about the birth of Jesus, the children sing two songs they have prepared.

The second drama was "Straw" and told the story of the straw in the manger, how it grew from small seeds and some produced the grains that became the bread that Jesus talked about and shared with us.

Lighting the Advent Candles - December 15, 2013 - January 6, 2014

For the four Sundays of Advent, the children read a Bible verse and a text about the candles and lit them.  The candles represented Hope, Peace, Love and Joy.  The final white candle, the Christ Candle, was lit on "Badnik" or Christmas Eve, January 6.  That evening the children also dramatized "The Parable of the Birds" by Louis Cassels.

The Nativity figures and the Advent wreath on the worship table

Speaking at First UMC - Fox Hill, Hampton, VA - November 17, 2013

After the In Mission Together Roundtable, Lee and I traveled to Virginia where we spoke at First UMC - Fox Hill on November 17.  During the Sunday school time we talked via Skype with Pavlina Manavska who had spent 2 months volunteering in the church a year earlier.  What fun for the group to see and hear Pavlina!