15th Anniversary of Grace Baptist Church

This is a view of the congregation spilling out of the front of Grace Baptist Church, Odessa, Ukraine on June 22, 2008 after the celebration of their 15th anniversary. The congregation also included members of the 5 mission churches planted by Grace and other digntaries from sister Baptist Churches in the Odessa Oblast as well as the President of the Baptist Convention from Kiev.

The congregation and guests actually posed on the front steps while a photographer on a very high ladder took a picture of the group. It was quite an impressive view! The building on the left is the Children's Shelter. The children and this ministry is in clear view of the front door of the church so that all who come can know that these children are loved by the entire church body.

Can you imagine preparing dinner on the grounds for close to 500 people without the help of a caterer! That is exactly what the kitchen staff of Grace Baptist did along with the help of volunteers. You can see the picnic lunches on the table as Victoria prepares to hand them out to people. In each container were boiled potatoes, a chicken cutlet (think chicken fingers) as well as a half tomato and cumcumber slices. We also were given a bottle of water and the ladies of the church supplied the desserts. We ate under the trees and around picnic tables.

Over the next few weeks you will see picture albums around the church, on the WMU table and circulating through Sunday School classes. Please take time to look through this picture diary of the work that is taking place at Grace. Also, please pray for the Joshua Team preparing to leave on September 23 to go and meet with the leadership of Grace to determine how we can learn from each other to further the Kingdom of God.

Blessings to you all,

KJ and John Proctor