Center for Christian Education in Martin is very blessed by beloved friends from New Heights Church, Vancouver, WA. We have a special relationship with people from New Heights who are helping us in leading and encouraging people of all ages to learn and experience the love of Christ in our post-communist part of the world.
Center for Christian Education in Martin (CCE) has had the privilege of partnering with them in a variety ways, including welcoming New Heights´ first short-term mission team in 2007.
New Heights team is serving in Martin, Slovakia, by teaching conversational English to Slovak citizens of various ages, preparing classrooms for the coming school year and planning and staffing a week-long and very favorite camp for high school students from Lutheran Academy in Martin which is part of CCE. As their purpose New Heights team states„to connect with the Slovak people in relevant ways so they’ll be open to hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ.“
The New Heights 2014 Serving Slovakia Team! Pictured on front left to right.
Back row: Shelly Johnson, Mark Johnson, Dean Black, Cal Swanson, Pat Marmion
Second row: Russ Price, Shannon DeVito, Nancy Anderson, Breanna Doyon, Kyle Anderson
Third row: Genia Melton, Michelle Cup, Mary Hamilton, Dawn Shipman, Brenda Fast
Front row: Cambria Kainu, Amy Walz, Cassie Shipps, Kirané Shipps, Lori Graville
(not pictured: Drew Bryant, Jeremy Kimber, John McDonald, Martha Hurlburt,
Dana Schagunn, Cameron Bedrosian)
English is a good way how to communicate to people about God and His love to all of us. People from CCE in Martin may see it every day in CCE´s Christian schools – in Lutheran preschool, Lutheran elementary school, Lutheran Academy and also in college level which is provided by our Department of Religion Studies in the University of Zilina.
“New Heights is blessed to be able to partner, even in a small way, with the CCE. It´s a huge encouragement to us to see all God is doing in and through our friends here”, said Shelly Beier Johnson, coordinator of New Heights team in Slovakia.
We hope all of us and all of you, dear faithful New Heights´s friends, are that we’ll show Christ’s love in all that we are saying and doing. May God will be with all of us in this our effort.
* * *
Please, read wonderful testimonies about first day and first experience at teaching English in Slovakia that has been written by Pat Marmion
Today was my first ever experience at teaching EFL. I was nervous, especially when I discovered my assignment — team leader for five high school boys! I am comfortable teaching medical students, after all they are all college graduates. My three adult sons would probably agree that I don’t interact well with teenage boys!
Right away I was challenged by the disruptive one, “Why do you come here?” “Because I love you” I replied. You have to know that I don’t talk like this!
“…for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:20
What a faith building experience I am having!
For more information about this ministry look at: http://servingslovakia.org
***
For more information about ways to help contact our Director of Development, Sisa Schudichova, at sisa.schudichova@gmail.com.
It’s so good to see people I know from past summers of crossing paths in Slovakia teaching EFL side by side. I love seeing the faithfulness exhibited by the New Heights church returning year after year. I am with you in spirit!