The Christmas season was a blessed time, as we remembered the greatest Gift ever given, Jesus Christ. People at Gospel Baptist Church in Warsaw received gift bags. Jolie shopped for and filled over 20 bags with some basic food items and toiletries for all the people who attend faithfully. She also gave three poor families, including a neighbor, boxes of foods and gifts from our church. We praise the Lord that we have the opportunity to help those in need.
There have been people hearing the Gospel but not receiving it. Iza is a young lady whose grandmother attends our meetings at church. The grandmother has brought her three young great-granddaughters to church many times. Iza, their mother, has attended a few times. At Christmas, the church bought gifts and a box of food for Iza and her three daughters; however, they never came to get them. After Christmas had passed, the grandmother asked if she could take the things and give them to her great-granddaughters because they were looking forward to getting the packages. So, we loaded up everything, and she took it to them. We were told by the grandmother that her granddaughter has a boyfriend, and he is Catholic. He seems to be a hinderance in Iza’s life and has not allowed her to attend at all during the holiday time. Pray that the grandmother can have influence in the life of her family. Also pray for the grandmother, who is 87 and recently fell on a bus. Pray for her health and protection. She is very faithful in her attendance.
A young couple attended church on Thanksgiving Sunday, and we witnessed to them. The young man got very angry about our talking to them. He told us he wasn’t ever going to come again, and he even deleted us from his social media. On Christmas Day, we took two large boxes filled with gifts and food to their apartment, and they surprisingly opened the door and became friendly to us again. They later added us back into their social media and have thanked us for the gifts! The wife really opened up to us. She told us she loved us and wanted to be good friends.
Our church meetings have been faithfully attended by our people on Thursdays and Sundays. We are grateful for those who attend regularly and who love to be a part of the church. Several brothers have gotten very interested in going out to distribute literature, and others have filled other places where they can serve. We have a man who is helping around the church. He has painted walls and fixed and cleaned areas of the church; he is doing various chores that we need help with. He is also passing out literature on the streets. Pray for Mr. P. to grow, as he is a great help in the ministry here.
We started the year with a little bump or stress. The city of Warsaw sent us a new contract for the property which our church building sits on. They had not communicated with us for over two years; however, we continued to pay them monthly for the ground rent. (Our building is owned by the church, but the city owns the property where our building sits. Therefore, we have to pay rent to the city.) The city wrote us that our yearly payment for our building for 2022 would be 25,000 zloty (US$6,849.31) for the 12 months. After a pleasant visit to the office of the man who makes the contract for our building, we learned that we owe US$2,136.98 less than what we thought was written in the new contract. So, all glory to God, we do not have to pay a lot more.
As the year commences, we press forward, expecting greater things for God’s kingdom and glory. Pray that our church will continue to be a light in the darkness.
More than conquerors,
Paul & Jolie Sock