Not many would choose two days before Christmas (23 Dec) as a suitable time to open a new church building, but that is exactly what the leadership of the Church in Miersig, Romania, decided to do at the end of last year. They felt it was a good time to impact the local Orthodox community with the Gospel, a time when they were more likely to respond to an invitation to attend an evangelical church meeting. This service to mark the opening, was the culmination of two years’ work by the local believers.
As previously reported in Breakthrough, a fellowship has existed in this village for many years, currently being pastored by Sergiu who is supported under our Leadership Support ministry. The old building, a little house, had fallen into a state of disrepair and latterly had become dangerous for the church to meet in, with the walls and roof in an advanced state of movement.
For several years the believers had been praying that the Lord would provide them with a suitable site on which to build, and also the funds to carry out the building, so that they could reach out more effectively with the Gospel. A local Orthodox man offered them a strategic site free of charge, so that was the first answer to their prayers. Then SGA was able to fund the building through gifts from some of our generous supporters.
The whole project has been carried out with vision, enthusiasm and precision. Today they have a beautiful facility holding one hundred and fifty people and ancillary rooms including a Sunday School/Youth meeting room, which also doubles as a prayer room.
The new church building in Miersig.
|
|
The opening was a memorable occasion on a frosty Sunday morning when more than two hundred folk gathered, many of whom were unsaved people from the village who had never before attended any evangelical services. Among those who attended was the local Mayor who stayed throughout the three-hour service. Also in attendance was a Christian Romanian MEP.
That evening a series of Gospel services began and continued throughout Christmas week. Unsaved people attended and several souls were saved.
The believers are aware that the provision of this building marks a new era in the witness of their church, in a community where there are still many lost souls who need to hear the saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Please join them in prayer that God would continue to move in the village of Miersig.
Part of the large crowd who attended the opening service in the new church building.
This group includes five deacons along with the MEP, Pastor Peter Vidu (front left), William Smylie and Pastor Sergiu Cuirdar (front right) |
