Keeping Our Focus

Survivor of Garissa University attack.

Just over 200 miles northeast of Nairobi was the location of the worst terror attack in Kenya's history since the bombing of the US Embassy in 1998. Current figures list 147 dead and 79 wounded with Christians being the specific targets. People are shaken and doubt that there is a reliable deterrent to terrorism. Please pray with us as we both care for those impacted by this horror, and at the same keep focused on the ministry tasks before us.

Ministry Tasks


Financial Freedom

Sue leading Financial Freedom Course

With a high rate of unemployment - 67% for those under 35 - and an ever increasing cost of living, many Kenyans list finances as their number one concern.
Sue & a team led another Financial Freedom Course as one way we endeavor to help our community.
Almost invariably troubled finances are related to other relational challenges and God works in people's lives at all levels.






Leaders Developing Leaders

Joseph Musyoki

After three years of study Joseph Musyoki will graduate in June.  Joseph says that when he began VSM courses he felt like he was spread thin and had a hand in most ministries of the church. Interactions with other church leaders attending VSM courses, and provocative classroom conversations about church leadership caused him to reevaluate this leadership style.  He feels like he has discovered his area of calling – developing people.

Doug and Bernard

He began mentoring Bernard, now also a VSM student, and observed how Bernard has now changed. Joseph discovered more about himself and Bernard in the process. Joseph recently commented that “The uniqueness of VSM is that it focuses on practical theology and equips people for ministry in the real world. “

Five Year Plan 2015-19

VSM Africa Board

The Board of VSM has developed
and is now seeking to implement its
5 year plan. The unique curriculum combined
with the distinct delivery method makes
VSM Africa a transforming tool that can be spread through more of Africa.

Sue keeping the Board on track

To paraphrase Paul in Philippians 3.13-14 "One thing we do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, we press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us . . . "

for the kingdom,
Sue and Doug

Is Christ a Stranger?

Is Jesus considered a stranger to the continent of Africa? The class discussion was about the trinity.  Few Africans have a problem understanding God the Father or God the Spirit as African Traditional Religions have beliefs in versions of both.  But God having a son whom serves as a Savior and Mediator for humanity has no history in traditional African philosophies. This missing piece is also the case for other cultures around the world.

However, on the African continent stories abound of Messiah-like personalities who have done something heroic to stop a plague, prayed passionately for rain, or endangered their lives on behalf of others. These legends provide the bridge into more detailed conversations about how the gap between fallen humanity and God is filled. Christ's mission and therefore ours is to make God's transforming power accessible to troubled humanity. This accessibility is accomplished by entering the other's world with the good news contextualized to their context.  This is exactly what we are attempting to do through VSM Africa.

VSM Instructors with 20 Diploma Courses

Twenty Diploma Courses Completed!

Small Business Entrepreneurs

A 3 year journey of dialogue with instructors, pastors, and leaders from other disciplines accompanied by researching and writing, has resulted in the completion of twenty Diploma level courses. One guiding principle in the writing of these courses is that the student pastor or leader would be equipped to minister to their people in ways that are comprehensible to their setting and therefore intensely practical.  It has been said that there is no Systematic Theology in Africa, only Practical Theology.

Distributing Chickens

Poultry Business
In a world where macroeconomics and big business makes the news, it is perhaps amazing to some that 3 or 4 chickens can change someone's life. Donations made by the Children's Ministry of Vineyard Community Church has empowered small businesses to take a step forward in providing for their families!

Prayer Requests

Please Pray:
For Sue as she assists various ministries with their finances.
As we train new teachers.
As we roll out a Certificate program in rural areas.
As we explore extending VSM Africa to other nations.
for the Kingdom,
Sue & Doug

Doing what we've Learned

Hills of Rwanda

Rwanda has been called "the land of a thousand hills". This beautiful land marked by green sloping hills is mostly identified in the West with the genocide of 1994. While the healing of the land and people's souls will go for years, sowing seeds of future hope is happening.

Dorcas the missionary

Vineyard School of Ministry student Dorcas Karuiki is not only learning a tremendous amount in her classes, but she is implementing what she is learning.
Having already made one exploratory trip to Rwanda's capital Kigali, she is planning another trip in 2015 as she wants to be a missionary to this war-torn country.

Dorcas with fellow VSM students

There is nothing theoretical about what is learned in VSM and the student's attitude is consistently one of implementing what they are learning.

Please pray for Dorcas and other students like her who are passionate about Jesus and have a hope for Africa.

Jesus said, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7.24

for the kingdom,
Sue and Doug

Merry Christmas!

As we reflect on the past year we are reminded of the tension of living a Kingdom life. This year has brought us both challenges and blessings.

Ben & Atara's Wedding

October Festivites
Our eldest daughter Atara married Ben Parkinson. Ben is a quality guy who adds value to the family. He and Atara are settling into a life together. We celebrated the 'joining' together with exuberance!

Sue with cast feeding Shiloh

November Challenges

Sue fell and severely fractured her arm in multiple places requiring not simply a cast, but the insertion of a titanium plate.

One week later Doug's mother Janey passed away. She had lived a rich life of long service in Congo and later in the US. She left behind a legacy that is still palpable.

Sue & the Grads

December
VSM - We have just completed three weeks of intensive courses. What made this last series of classes special was that it marked the completion of our Diploma Program for several students who will now graduate in June in Daystar University's program.

Empowering the poor

Finally, due to the generosity of the Children's Program of VCC Pomona, we were able to purchase goats for Maasai pastoralists whose economy is dependent on livestock. The distribution of the animals resulted in a celebration that reminds those of us who live in abundance how much we take for granted.

While the past quarter has been difficult on a number of fronts we are overwhelmed with gratitude for you faithful prayers and support. With Christmas now upon us we remember . . . . For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8.9

Christ is Born!

Sue and Doug

Growing despite Drought

Drought conditions in Southern Kenya

The Ordination ceremony for the Pastors was delayed because the community had taken their goats and cows in search of water. Despite the fact that these Pastors had been eagerly waiting for this ceremony for months, the possibility of losing their animals, which is their entire livelihood, took precedence. They've had to travel further and further away from their villages and the precariousness of life here is almost tangible.

Maasai Community Gathered

Despite these challenges, perseverance is not an option, but a necessity. The same qualities that have developed a toughness in the Maasai have served them well in their approach to their faith. Once a commitment to follow Christ is made, it is taken with great seriousness.

Wives of the Pastors

The charge to the Pastors and their wives during the service was that the Pastors would respect their wives and include them in the ministry. The charge also included a strong encouragement to put an end to female circumcision which often ends in the death of young girls.  Both of these challenges were a strong challenge to the culture.

Proud Pastors with their Certificates

                                                                                                                                             


The Ordination ceremony and the accompanying certificates represent an endorsement of a leader in the eyes of the community.





                                                                                                                                                       

Celebrating with Dance!

This event not only brought joy to the Pastors and their families, but to the whole community who broke out in dancing.                              

Please Pray For:
Transitions - Karen Vineyard Church has just moved to a new venue, hired new Staff, and is filled with new faces. Pray for sustained continuity to follow our vision and fresh inspiration for the future
For Doug as he participates in the Vineyard Institute Board meetings in Columbus, Ohio, Aug.26-28.
For Atara Brown, our eldest daughter, who marries Ben Parkinson in early October.

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;" Romans 5.3

Among the Poor

"there need be no poor people among you . . .: Deuteronomy 15.4

About three years ago we launched Vineyard Economic Empowerment (veekenya.org). Vineyard Economic Empowerment (VEE) is a NGO whose main objective is form an independent, self-reliant and sustaining society through small business or enterprises. There are now 200 people involved in this effort to address poverty with 150 now making regular contribution to loan pools in their regions. Our method is called table- banking. Table-banking is a group strategy funding strategy where members of a particular group meet once a month, place their savings, loan repayments and other contributions on the table and then borrow either long term or short term loans from the pool of funds.  Two examples of this are Bridget and Gladys:

Masai Entrepreneurs

Bridget writes "I was given a loan of KES 10,000/- to do a saloon, with it I managed to buy a blow dry, basins and combs and few other items to start off. Am happy that i can now earn a living through it. Thanks to VEE."

Bridget Muhoja

Gladys says, "I was given a soft loan of KES 10,000/- by VEE which I was able to purchase the stock for my green grocer and shift from an open place to a kiosk, and now am happy that my business is doing well. Every month I have enough to feed my family and repay my loan.  It may not be much, but I have no stress like before." 

Gladys Luka

In God's kingdom finances play a vital role, but also provide a spiritual metaphor which Paul expresses in 2 Corinthians 8.9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for you sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."





Prayer Requests 
For our health
For August VSM Courses and our preparations
For the Strategic Planning process for VSM
For Karen Vineyard Church and our planning process as we grow

for the kingdom,
Doug and Sue

The Measure We Use

In Luke 6.38 Jesus says, "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." We feel like we have been positioned to measure generously and have given accordingly.

Lavington Vineyard Church's First Service

 Church Plants
The Association of Vineyard Churches Kenya, planted 5 new churches last year bringing the number in Kenya up to 75 churches. We, Karen Vineyard, planted the 76th church - the Lavington Vineyard Church - which went public on Easter Sunday. Half of the 150 people in attendance were sent by our church along with a generous measure of financing.

Teacher Edward Khaoya

VSM Africa - Kenya

People are to be the recipients of our good measure. Thanks to your generosity, leaders from fifteen churches, including non-Vineyard churches participated in April courses.  One course focused on Advocacy and Socio-Economic Justice and the other on Suffering.  Both courses were founded in Scripture and touches on issues close to the African Church's heart.  

Edward, who taught the course on Socio-Economic Justice, pastors a church near Lake Victoria which leads the community in reaching the poor and advocating for their
 rights. 

Pastor Byamungu addressing class

Pastor Byamungu
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo where Doug was raised, Byamungu now pastors a church in Nairobi which is comprised mostly of refugees.

Jane, in purple, was a first time student at VSM this term. She has recognized that her views on suffering were not entirely Biblical. She feels she has been changed by the course so that she might help to change others.







Uganda Update
We are flying to Kampala in early May to do our second series of courses. We hope to pour out a good measure to leaders from around the country.
Sue will be teaching on leaders and their finances, while Doug will be addressing leadership structures.

 

Please Pray:

For our safe travel to and from Uganda

For the Ugandan students to be transformed by the Holy Spirit

For our networking with Ugandan leaders from around the country

For discernment as we assess future investment in Uganda