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Meet the Woods
Matthew, Kali, Laurel, and Eleanor serve in Medan, Indonesia with LCMS International. Matthew supports our partner church, The Indonesia Christian Lutheran Church, by mentoring pastors, providing continuing education, and overseeing translation projects. We also proclaim the Gospel through relationships as we raise our family in Indonesia.
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Pray for Palu, Indonesia and all those impacted
by the earthquake and tsunami!
Palu is on the Island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. On September 28th a 7.5 Mag earthquake a twenty foot tsunami rocked the city. At least 1,400 have been confirmed dead and more than 70,000 people are now homeless. Pray for the rescue efforts. Pray for those who mourn over dead loved ones. Pray for the process of rebuilding. Pray for the people. Pray that the Lord can somehow work through this disaster for the good of those who love him.
This city is almost 1500 miles from where we will be living in Medan on the island of Sumatra. Yet, the impact of the catastrophe is felt across the country, even across the globe. Events like these get people asking why? We as Christians don't always know the answer to the why question. But we do know the answer to the Who? question. We can point to Jesus who, though unseen, rules over creation and assures us that this suffering we see and experience is not going to be the end of His Story!
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Two of my nephews attend Mt. Olive Lutheran School in Des Moines, IA. Oliver, is in first grade. His teacher, Kendra Limback, was teaching a unit about the economy. She had a great idea to end their unit by having a marketplace.
The first graders spent time making necklaces to sell in their marketplace to other classrooms and parents. They did not charge a set price but asked for a freewill donation. She has chosen to give the money they made to toward our work in Indonesia. She turned a economics lesson into an example of generosity!
I appreciate the monetary gift, but even more I appreciate that she taught them how to give generously for the LORD. That can be a hard lesson to learn for all of us not just first graders.
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We look forward to partnering with her class as the year goes on. Please consider partnering with us in a similar way, whether it be a class in your Lutheran school, your Sunday school, or homeschool co-op. We’d love to connect with you through emails, letters, video chats, and anything else we can come up with.
from Kali
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Listen
- Website Coming Soon: theseaside.asia
- Read our Newsletter
- Follow us on Instagram:
instagram.com/seasidewoods
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Pray
- Smooth Transition
- Health and Safety
- Funding
- Network Building
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Tell
- Talk with your friends and family about Indonesia
- Help us connect with your congregation, LWML, men's group, etc.
- Share our Newsletter!
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Give
- Visit: lcms.org/wood to partner with us financially
- Call 712-882-1029 to support us through our MC friends in Mapleton, Iowa.
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Thank you to all who listened in September!
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Peace, Robbinsdale, MN
Immanuel, Parkers Prairie, MN
Mount Olive, Mound, MN
New Life, Hugo, MN
Trinity, Farmington, MN
Emmaus, Roseville, MN
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Redeemer Christian Academy
Rochester, MN Circuit
Dessert Party Alexandria, MN
Redeemer, Wayzata, MN
Peace, West Bend, IA
Immanuel, Lotts Creek, IA
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On the evening of September 13th, my uncle Pastor Angland invited members of his dual parish over to his house for a presentation followed by coffee & dessert.
This was a great setting for a presentation. The setting was a little more informal, which allowed for a lot more conversation than a typical presentation. Overall 19 people came over and heard all about our ministry in Indonesia.
This is a great reminder that providing an international worker time and space to present their ministry doesn’t have to happen at church. A small group Bible study is a great setting!
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Children's Sermons, Sunday School,
& Chapel Talks
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Children exude great curiosity and excitement. When I bring out my 36” beach ball globe I can see the excitement in their eyes. I see the awe when they find Indonesia and look through the globe to see where they live. They know its all for a purpose. They know people need our Lord, Jesus Christ!
After the children find Indonesia on the globe I have them recite John 3:16 for me. They always know it—Way to go parents and teachers! Then they realize that someone had to teach them. That teaching is what I get to go do for Christians in Indonesia.
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 Let us not forget we are all called to listen and learn as well. That is an important calling for these children. These children need teachers. They need to hear and learn about the Love of Jesus Christ. Thank You to all those who instruct the Children in the way they should go. Your work is indeed stressful at times, but it is always eternal through Christ. |
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I returned to my roots during the month of September. I attended Redeemer Lutheran School (now Redeemer Christian Academy) from 1989-1998. A couple teachers from back in my day are still there. To the right I am pictured with my 5th grade teacher, Mr. Gesch, and my 8th grade English teacher, Mrs. Wiebold.
Redeemer Christian Academy invited me to lead chapel. The teachers did a marvelous job of preparing the children to ask excellent questions! All were excited to hear & learn about Indonesia.
I was also blessed to meet with the Redeemer LWML! They invited me to stay for their Bible study and I got to hear all about their plans for LWML Sunday.
On our last Sunday in town I preached and presented at Redeemer. I was filled with gratitude and joy as I walked the halls of my youth. These halls, these teachers, the pastors of my past are the instruments God used to build up and preserve my faith.
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The impact of Redeemer on my life cannot be overstated. I think back and I vividly remember Pastor Nordlie teaching confirmation. I remember devotions and prayer. I remember Christmas programs and spring musicals. I remember discipline being grounded in repentance and forgiveness. I remember Christian fellowship. I remember the Gospel proclaimed and applied.
I remember Redeemer with thanksgiving.
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Web Domain Registered!
theseaside.asia
Our family website where you can keep up with the latest news from the field will be: "theseaside.asia" You read that right! No .com for us. The site is currently under construction, but it should be too long now!
On the website you will be able to read an over view of our ministry, leave encouragement and feedback, sign up to receive our newsletter, and download previous issues. Building a website is a bit tedious so please be patient with us as we get it going.
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We're on Instagram!
instagram.com/seasidewoods
We are being careful with how we share our work on Social Media. Words can certainly get us into trouble.
So follow us: seasidewoods on Instagram! It’s a great way to check in quick, see what we’re up to, and leave some quick encouragement.
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Christianity Arrives on Sumatra!
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The Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church has its origins in the work of The Rhenish Missionary Society. A German named Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen was the first successful missionary to the northern part of Sumatra Island. (The earlier ones were seen as a threat and were eaten.) His work began in 1862 and by 1865, 2,000 people were converted to Christianity.
Nommensen was different, because he knew the language of the Batak people. During his career he translated the New Testament into Batak, tried to protect the Batak people from imperialist Dutch, and fostered the creation of a church body run by the Batak people. By the time of his death in 1918 the church numbered 180,000. Stephen Neill describes Pastor Nommensen as, “one of the most powerful missionaries of whom we have record anywhere.” (Neill, A History of Christian Missions, 348)
The church Nommensen founded would become the Huria Kristen Batak Protestant (HKBP), which translates into English as the Batak Christian Protestant Church.
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The HKBP would go on to have several identity crises resulting from the unionistic nature of the Rheinish Mission and the influence of the Dutch Reformed theologians.
In 1963 this conflict would split the church and two new church bodies would result: the Indonesian Christian Protestant Church (GKPI) and the Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church (GKLI), our partner church. In the coming issues there will be more about the founding of the GKLI.
Despite the conflicts that later arose the GKLI thanks God for working through Pastor Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen. |
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The first part of network building has been great four our children. It has been filled with visiting cousins, aunts, uncles, and grant-parents. For the first several week it has felt to them like a giant family vacation. Because if we are visiting family we are on vacation, right?
Well, maybe we play into it a little bit. While we were in Minnesota we took the kids to Mall of America. There’s a theme park inside! It was Laurel’s first time on a roller coaster. She was scared and nervous as the coaster bounced back and fort and leaned this way and that, but she was brave. She even asked to go a second time.
Eleanor had a delightful time on Uncle Tim’s boat. She loved being up front and feeling the wind in her hair. Both girls had a great time watching dad struggle to get out of the water with one ski. The wonderful day on the lake was concluded with a nice meal in down town Excelsior, MN and a walk on the beach, ice cream cones in hand.
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Where We’ll Be
- Virginia
- Oct 7: Good Shepherd, Roanoke
- Oct 10: Saint John’s Lynchburg
- Oct 14: Saint Paul’s Mechanicsville
- Oct 15: SED Regional Pastor’s Conf.
Silver Spring, MD
- Ohio
- Oct 16: Hope, Sheffield Village
- Oct 17: Grace, Cincinnati
- Missouri
- Oct 21: Concordia, Maplewood
- Wisconsin
- Oct 28: Prince of Peace, West Salem
- Nov 1: Covenant, Milwaukee
- Florida
- Nov 4: Good Shepherd, Gulf Breeze
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