Connor Farris
Missionary to Russia
 

                                               

Summer 2018

 

From our hearts to yours. . .

Summer is finally over, and what a summer it was! For the first time since I moved to Russia, my brother was able to come and visit. On top of that, he brought two tickets to the 2018 World Cup with him! It was a real treat for Natasha and I to be able to take him around and show him the Russia I’ve come to know and love. While I can’t say that I’ve ever been a huge soccer fan, being able to attend one of the biggest events in the world with my brother was a real treat. It was a privilege to introduce him to our church family here. He said one thing he loved was finally being able to connect faces and places he has heard so much about to the real thing. It was a highlight of the summer to introduce another member of our family in America to our family here.  We would love the opportunity to do the same for others. If you or your church would ever be interested in coming to see us and the church here, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Trevor (my brother) and I with some excited fans from Morocco   This July was our annual church camp, and it was a huge success! It was at a new location, and it’s with great pleasure that I can say that for the first time ever, we had…wait for it…TOILETS AND SHOWERS AT CAMP! I know, I know. We really went over the top this year, but it was well worth it. The weather was great all week, the kids had a blast, and when we got back home, two of them decided to give their lives to Christ and be baptized!         Many years we have youth that desire to be baptized, but as they are from Orthodox families, their parents don’t allow them to do so, so this is an exceptionally happy moment for us.        Natasha was the official camp photographer this year, and I was one of the family leaders. This was a special experience for me, because my co-leader was a girl name Dasha who had been one of my first students when I moved to Russia back in 2011. My kids are growing up!        Please pray for our students that have made their decisions to follow Christ and that many others will do the same. A quick side note: Natasha and I were blessed to be the camp missionaries for Overnighters and Niners' week of camp via Skype. We'd like to give a very big thanks to them for all the support they raised for us. It was a huge help!   My current visa says that I can stay in Russia for three years, but I have to leave the country every six months (this is a common practice in many countries, not just Russia). Usually this means I take a short trip back to the States, but this year we did something special. Rather than the folks coming to Russia this year to see us, it was decided to we would meet up somewhere in between.  The halfway point between the Midwest and Russia is actually somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but as nobody in the family really fancied visiting Atlantis for our vacation, we decided on Denmark. Natasha studied and worked there some years ago, so it was nice for her to be able to visit and catch up with old friends and for us to make new ones. While there, we attended an English speaking church, and visited/toured many churches--one in particular with volunteers who chatted about church history, a topic I'm becoming more and more passionate about. All and all it was an incredible experience, and I want to give a very special thanks to my parents for helping make it possible. We love you guys!   Back to School  School in Russia starts nationwide on September 1st every year. Since that falls on a Saturday this year, kids only have to go to school for a few hours for a little ceremony, then are free until Monday when the schoolwork begins. Natasha will start back teaching at the university again soon, and I’m currently teaching some new students, as well as a few old ones. Earlier this year, a friend and I started teaching an English class for home schooled students. Word has gotten out and we’ve gained a few more kids, even a few public school kids. The kids really love it, and while I was a bit skeptical of the idea at first, I’ve really come to enjoy it as well. Please pray that God uses this opportunity as an opportunity to share the gospel with families in our area. This month at church I will be starting up a church history class/Bible study. My brother brought over some books that I needed, and I’ve spent a good chunk of the summer pouring over thousands of pages of church history books creating a lesson plan that can condense 3,000 years of events into a few months of material while still remaining useful. To many, I’m sure this seems exceptionally boring, but I absolutely love it. My goal is to teach people why we believe what we believe, and how we came to believe it. The history of the Christ’s church is an exciting thing, and seeing how we play a vital role in this story can do a lot to strengthen us spiritually. Prayer Requests: Youth Group: Our youth minister took a job outside this summer, so for the time being we are running on volunteers.  In order to keep this running well without a full time youth minister, we’re going to be making a few changes as the year goes on. Pray that these will be well received and useful. Volunteers: With the extra work they’ll be doing, it will be easy to get burnt out. Pray for them to have diligence and patience. School: As I mentioned, school has started up, so please remember to pray for our students and teachers to grow in Christ and stand strong in their faith. Paperwork: Please continue to pray for the successful completion and acceptance of all of my paperwork. Gospel: Pray that the gospel continues to spread and take hold in the hearts of people, and for the upcoming class I will be teaching. Thanks: Join us in thanking God for His work here, and the opportunities He gives us to partner together across the globe

 

Commission Coffee Corner
Every Sunday, coffee is ready at the Commission Coffee Corner before worship and ABF Classes. Coffee is free, but as you fill your cup, you may notice a jar for donations on the counter. Your donations support a different mission organization each month that is working to bring the good news to all corners of the world.

In September & October, Commission Coffee Corner donations with be shared with South Sudan African Mission
                                        ________________________________

 

Dawn Farris
Director of Children & Family Ministries

Years ago I was part of a Bible study group that went through the book, Lord Change Me, by Evelyn Christianson. This fall, twenty some years later, the ladies' small group that meets at our home began studying the same book.

The premise of the book, and the study, is simple--it's not about God changing my children, or my spouse, or my co-workers, neighbors or family members--it's about God changing me. 

Throughout the study we are being challenged to be changed through reading the word, studying the word and applying the word. But as we meet together each week and talk about what God is doing in us, the words, "Lord, Change Me," come through our conversations again and again.

When we lose patience in traffic, we pray, "Lord, change me." When we are tempted to judge, "Lord, change me." When we are slipping back into places where we once had victory, "Lord, Change Me."

God is answering our prayers. It's not always easy. But it's evident. We see God at work. We hear His Spirit. We sense His guiding and prompting, care and love.

This month, I hope you will be encouraged and challenged to begin to pray, "Lord, change me," and then give Him the glory for the change that comes as you allow Him to work His change in you.

TheLoft for Junior High

Keokuk Christian Academy just finished our first grading period and we are off to a great school year! We hope to see the whole school community at the CPTA’s annual Spaghetti Dinner on November 9. It will be a wonderful time to eat food, fellowship with the community, and see the kids perform. If you would like to help out in any way, please give the office a call at 319-524-5752, and we may have jobs available.

Also keep our school in prayer as we recognize Red Ribbon Week on October 22-26. This is an important time when we try to send fun message to help students realize the importance of saying no to drugs and bullying.

KCA is also searching for a few veterans to share briefly at an assembly scheduled for November 12. If you have a testimony that is Christ-centered and reveals the love and dedication to our country, please let Cullen Hartley know that you would like to share. We would love to have you!

Important Dates

October 12: Fire Department Visits KCA

October 22-26: Red Ribbon Week

October 26: Harvest Parties

November 9: Spaghetti Dinner

November 12: Veterans’ Day Assembly