fellowship north speaks

a place to talk about what's going on at FN

April 8, 2010 • 3:13 pm 0

Israel in January 2011

Have you ever dreamed of visiting the Holy Land? Your chance is coming early next year! Craig has organized a trip to Israel that will be taking place in January 2011. Here’s what he has to say about the experience:

Several years ago, Julie and I had the chance to go to Israel to take a guided tour. I was excited for the opportunity because I expected that I would learn a lot and that it would help me understand the Scriptures better and therefore help me be a better Bible teacher. The trip turned out to have far more influence on me than I ever dreamed it would have. I was surprised at the depth of its impact. I had no idea it would have that kind of effect on me. Julie and I kept saying – We have to come back. We need to bring a group from church. This is too good to keep to ourselves. We planned a trip soon thereafter, but some turmoil in the area ended up making it unrealistic. Things are relatively stable today and we believe the time is right to try again. Come with us and let us show you so many things that you will always remember.

Want to know more? The Israel 2011 page on our website has links to the trip brochure and to a detailed schedule of the tour. Take a look around and see if this is the trip for you!

Filed under: Craig Loibner, Holy Land, Israel, tour

January 18, 2010 • 5:24 pm 0

Craig in Kenya

One of our pastors, Craig Loibner, is in Migori, Kenya. This email was received on Sunday. He will be returning to Arkansas at the end of this week.

Yesterday was a full day. Since it was Saturday, all the children were out of school and hanging around the compound. It also was a good day to visit widows since they were more likely to be home with their children. We went by both Pamela’s house and Florence’s house. They are two widows that are new to our widow’s program. We were able to cut Felicia and Consolada loose after giving them two years support. They are now able to make their own way since they have been able to repair their homes with our help. We are hoping it only takes one year for Pamela and Florence to become self-sufficient so we can use that money to help other families. There is no shortage of need.

After that, Fred and I went all around learning about many different situations. I saw Maurine’s place of business. Maurine has about 10 other women that she employs and they take the fish carcasses from the local canning company and have developed a cottage industry. They render some of the fish remains into oil and prepare some of the remains for local consumption. There are about a hundred large scavenger birds that hang around hoping to get in on the action. From there we visited Romanus’ extended family who have homes on the company grounds. Romanus is a gifted preacher that FN helped go to seminary. He has recently graduated and is doing wonderful work. We then drove several miles to get to an outdoor crusade where Gordon was preaching. Fred wanted me to hear Gordon because he aspires to go to seminary someday and Fred wanted me to have a chance to access his potential. We are currently supporting Robert and John by paying their seminary school fees but they will be through at the time Gordon is ready to begin. I already knew Gordon from his help in the clinic. He served as Julie’s translator and they became good friends. Julie, in fact, had recommended Gordon to Pastor Fred as someone with leadership potential for the Lord two years ago.

Did I mention that Fred had secured a small motorcycle for me to ride so that we could be the “easy rider” pastors for the day?

Last night as Fred was reminding me that I had told him I would preach this morning, I told him that I was ready and I felt like I had a word from the Lord for his church. Fred told me to “just be Craig” as I preached this morning. My style is a bit different from these Pentecostal preachers and Fred might have thought I might see the need to bump it up a notch. I appreciated that he wanted me to just be who God had made me.

We met in the new worship space this morning and we had quite a service. There were at least 5 different choirs and we had been meeting for an hour and 45 minutes before I finally got the microphone. No one seemed to be in any hurry. It was a privilege to teach and I felt like it went good, but it is hard to tell. Then we all went to Fred’s house for a lunch and a meet and greet. John, Robert, Romanus, Gordon and their wives were all there. Fred and Maurine and Fred’s mother and some teachers and children for a brief program. It was a great opportunity for all these old friends to meet Cary and Robin Nail and their two children, Josh (16) and Katy (14). I have spent a lot of time with the Nails and I am very encouraged with how competent they all seem in every way. I think there are good things in store for Kenya Relief.

I finally got over to Irine’s this afternoon. I have seen her many times but have not seen her children. So I got to see Faith and Diane and Beatrice and Samuel and Craig. (The two older children were away.) It was fun to see how much all the children have grown and to have a brief time with them.

Tomorrow, Michael and Sandy and I are leaving early in the morning to drive the three hours to the Masaai Mara. I will spend one night at a lodge before catching a small plane to Nairobi. Michael and Sandy will stay one more night before returning to Migori for their final three weeks. A brief time away will help the Nails see what things they still need to learn. The three of us are looking forward to being on our own for a brief time. It is amazing how much their responsibilities involve seeing and helping someone hundreds of times every day. We seldom are able to complete conversations. They will miss Michael and Sandy here. It is a privilege for me to see them at work. The Nails have gotten a good look at the challenges that are in front of them, but they are also responsible and spiritually mature people and I believe their children will also be an asset here. But they will need our prayer support.

Hope things went well in church today at FN. I’ll be back in church next Sunday, God willing. I have surely missed it. When I am away, God reminds me of how blessed I am to be in such a church.

Together in Christ,

Craig

Filed under: Craig Loibner, Kenya Relief, missions

January 14, 2010 • 5:16 pm 1

craig’s words from kenya

This afternoon we got an email from Craig with a wonderful story to share. Here’s what he said:

Greetings from Kenya,

This afternoon Pastor Fred had arranged for me to meet with the congregation of a new church plant between here and the Masai Mara. It was about an hour and a half down a bumpy dirt road. There is no telling what all Pastor Fred had told them about me, because I can’t remember being more warmly welcomed. The church had set up in someone’s back yard with a tarp for shade and some sound equipment on a generator. There were about 40 adults and 30 small children. The founding pastor is on leave from the Kenyan Air Force and is an accomplished musician. The time of worship was incredible. The dancing started when our car pulled up and things built for about 20 minutes. It was especially fun for me watching the young children watching the adults and learning to worship.

Then the pastor introduced himself and began to give his testimony. He is a recent convert from a crusade at Fred’s church who is on fire for the Lord. As the pastor began to transition from his testimony to introducing Fred (who would then introduce his special friend from America) something happened that I’ll never forget. Three vehicles pulled up quickly and out poured about 10 Kenyan uniformed police led by some other official who was not in uniform. He demanded to see the church’s permit to use sound amplification equipment. (A new law exists in Kenya requiring such a permit.) The pastor calmly reached into his Bible and handed the official the required permit. The official was unfazed and proceeded to scold the pastor long and loud for such an unlawful assembly. (Fred was quietly translating for me.) He had his officers haul the pastor away and confiscate all the sound equipment. He also told the congregation to disband immediately. (No one moved.)

The pastor was wonderful. He did not argue back but quietly listened to all that was said without comment or fear. As he was being escorted out, he told Fred to finish out the meeting. After they left, Fred shared with the congregation that sometimes trying to do something significant for God draws opposition from the powers of darkness. He then told of his own story of going to comfort a family late at night who had experienced a death in the family – then being arrested for being out so late, spending the night in jail and God using him that night among his fellow prisoners. He then introduced me to the congregation by saying that maybe God had a word for them through me.

It was such a privilege for me to be able to tell this congregation with great confidence that we can count it joy when we encounter trials of any kind. I told them that they would tell their children and their childrens’ children about this day. That the day would soon come when they would count it a deep privilege to be a part of this special day when darkness tried to oppose what God was up to. That this day would be greatly used by God IF they responded properly to it. That Jesus had been clear about the way he wants his followers to respond. That WE are to return love and forgiveness when we are treated wrongly. That this was a God-given opportunity to love these ones in authority who had treated them so shamefully. That if we will love our enemies AND if we will love each other, then God will be greatly honored. That we especially needed to love the pastor and his family in this.

Then we all circled up and I prayed for this young congregation (The church is 4 weeks old.) In wrapping up, Fred repeated everything I had said calling it a word from God and helping overcome any communication barriers that might have kept each one from understanding.

As is the Kenyan custom, they proudly brought me a warm Coke for me to enjoy as they watched and then presented me with the gifts of some decorative gourds and a large, lively chicken to take back in the truck cab. I will treasure the gourds; the orphans will eat the chicken.

Later this evening Fred called me to excitedly report that the entire congregation went to the police station to show love to the police and to their pastor. The police let him go without any fines or repercussions. I feel inadequate to explain what a deep privilege it was for me to be involved in this. It is a day I’ll never forget and that I hope has marked me.

A privilege to be here in the name of Jesus and Fellowship North,

Craig

Filed under: Craig Loibner, missions, Kenya, Migori, Pastor Fred

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