PRAYER UPDATE DECEMBER 2015

Refugee Ministry

Our last update focused on the tide of refugees who have been flowing into and through Austria and what our response should be. Since then we have seen a tightening of borders here in Europe, the tragedies of Beirut and Paris and an intensifying of political rhetoric both in the US and around the world. But the fact still remains that there are many newly displaced people in our midst who do not know our Jesus and who have many physical needs. We are working alongside Evangelical Churches here in Austria to put in place creative and effective new works among the refugees – to meet their physical and Spiritual needs short term as displaced people and longer term for those who transition to immigrant status.
  • Pray for God to continue to break the hearts of Christians toward those who have been displaced from all they know.
  • Pray the planning of a Christ centered Refugee Center in Vienna would continue and we would have wisdom as we consider what part we should take in this project.
  • Continue to pray that we would be able to start an informal leadership training program among Farsi and Arabic speaking churches.
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Brainstorming for Refugee Center in Vienna

Romania and Ukraine

att Eck and Tim joined Mike Scheer and Sam Buliga in Romania and Ukraine to focus on leadership training in the churches there. DBC has a 15+ year relationship with the Brothers in Romania and it is always a pleasure to see the relationships both Sam and Mike have cultivated among these men. It was from this backdrop of years of ministry and wonderful relationships in Romania that we then went to Ukraine to try and start a new work. We hope to return and start a BTCP class in February.
  • Pray for the class in February and that a decade from now we can look back and marvel at what God has done in developing our relationships with our Ukrainian brothers.

Visitors and a quick trip to the states

Several friends, colleagues, supporters and prayer warriors have visited us this fall. God has a way of sending just the right people at just the right time to renew us, challenge us and encourage us! We also had the opportunity to make a quick trip to the Houston area to attend the wedding of our niece and see both our daughters and their families. Our neice and her new husband are full of faith and are wholeheartedly pursuing a life of mission.
  • Praise God with us as we have been blessed by these visits.
  • Pray for Katie and Kade as they start their new lives together.

Upcoming visits: The Guess Family will arrive here in Vienna in the next day or two and stay for a week of music and art ministry.  Also, we are particularly excited that our son and his family will arrive here a few days after the Guesses leave and stay through Christmas!
  • Pray that God will use the Guess Family mightily, that the church here will be blessed and that some will come to know Him for the first time.
  • Pray that our time with Jason and his family would be full of wonder, particularly for our four year old grandson Myles.

Serve Team Austria

It has been good to have our entire team here in Vienna the past six months, we had missed Matt and Liz Eck during their time in the states. Lori, Liz and Kasey Krominga have been getting together regularly and are currently going through the Redemption study together. This has been a real encouragement for Lori. Tim meets with every team member a couple of times a month – lately it seems God has put each of us in a transition phase of ministry as most of us are completing or have just completed our first term in Austria.
  • Pray that Lori’s times with Liz and Kasey would continue to be sweet, gospel filled and encouraging.
  • Pray for our team as we all make decisions regarding ministry here in Austria moving forward, that we would each be open to God’s leading in our lives.

Local Church 

We continue to be amazed at how God is growing our church, New City Wien, here in Vienna. This church has been a great place for us to be rejuvenated, to have fellowship and to build into people’s lives. Some of the highlights are; Lori meets often with several young Moms and single women, together we are in a small group where the next oldest member is in their early 30s, and Tim is going through the preparation course to become an elder and is a part of the outreach team.
  • Pray for New City Wien
    • that God would continue to use this church in Vienna to bless the city
    • that it would be known for deep relationships
    • that the people of New City Wien would grow in their faith and their love of Jesus

As always, we can not thank God enough for you!

We praise Him for your love and friendship.
We praise Him for your prayers.
We praise Him for your financial support.

Even though we thank and praise God, please know .......
YOU are each appreciated.

Please let us know via email how we can be praying for you.
timandlorivienna@gmail.com

Mailing Address:
Tim and Lori Ford
​Baumannstraße 7/9
1030 Wien
Austria, Europe