MESSIAH UNIVERSITY TEAM

Our first team to arrive for the spring/summer season was a group from Messiah University (Mechanicsburg, PA). This 10-member team traveled to the city of Plock to teach English in the public high schools as a means of building bridges between the local church and the community. We are so thankful for Piotr Syska, Tomasz Zgorzelski, and all the congregation who hosted us and provided such a wonderful experience. We pray the seeds of the Gospel that were planted will bear fruit in the weeks and months to come.

ANNUAL CHURCH CONFERENCE

The annual conference for the Churches of Christ in Poland was held this year at the “North” church in Warsaw. This is a significant meeting as pastors and church leaders from across the nation gather to be encouraged and to address current issues relevant to the church. Many of the attendees commented that this year’s conference was one of the best. We were glad that two of our summer volunteer leaders could attend and be introduced to several of the pastors. May God bless the churches of Poland.

TEAM FROM TORONTO

Last summer a 5-member team from the Pilgrim Community Church in Toronto, Canada, came to serve at Ostroda Camp. This year the team returned and doubled their number. They did several work projects in preparation for the summer camp season, as well as spending time with the young Ukrainian refugees still living at the camp. We are thankful for Taemin Oh and the entire team who served with such willing and humble hearts.

HOWARD AND BOB

With so many teams arriving and serving in various locations, we are thankful for these two men, Howard Pittsley and Robert Sylvester. They are helping us in so many ways – making sure teams are picked up at the airport, settled into their work assignments, and later delivered to the airport. The work they are accomplishing at Ostroda Camp and their oversight of teams is invaluable. We so appreciate the smiles on their faces and the love they show to all. Thank you, gentlemen!

BROWNSTOWN CHRISTIAN CHURCH

In early May we had the opportunity to share a PCM update with the staff and mission team of the Brownstown Christian Church (Brownstown, IN) – a faithful supporter of Ostroda Camp. The minister from the First Christian Church in Scottsburg, IN, also joined us. Both of these churches gave special donations to help the camp provide Ukrainian refugee relief. A few of the ladies created a beautiful quilt, and it was our honor to present the quilt to camp director, Bartek Zdanowicz. We thank God for these Indiana churches and pray a blessing on them as they shine the light of the Gospel both locally and abroad.

REFUGEE RELIEF

In May, PCM sent $81,000 to Poland for the purpose of Ukrainian refugee relief:

1) Distribution centers in Poland – $22,000 for food

2) Ostroda Camp, Polish churches, and other housing – $35,000 for food and utilities

3) Transports to Ukraine from various Polish cities – $24,000

PRAYER REQUESTS

Praise God for…

• the 294 baptisms in the 48 Christian Fellowship churches in 2022.
• the timely and relevant annual church conference in Warsaw.
• the successful initiatives in Plock and Ostroda Camp with our first two volunteer teams.
• the PCM volunteers coming to serve in Poland in June/July 2023.
• the Polish churches and Ostroda Camp as they continue to care for Ukrainian refugees.
• the ongoing transport of goods into Ukraine.
• the generous response from supporters to enable the work in Poland to continue.

Please pray for…

• an end to the war in Ukraine.
• wisdom, perseverance and strength for our Polish partners as they serve Ukrainian refugees and transport supplies into Ukraine.
• the Polish churches as they adjust to a new Polish/Ukrainian/Belarusian reality.
• those Polish churches who are passing the baton of leadership to the next generation.
• the PCM volunteer teams as they prepare to serve in Poland.
• Adam Kosewski and his team at CSM as they prepare for the annual worship conference on June 17 in Bielsko-Biala.
• the churches in Radom and Lidzbark Welski who are in need of a pastor.
• the church in Wyszkow as they must find a new meeting place.
• David and Sandy Hatfield’s schedule:

June 3-11: Leading a team serving in Warsaw’s Bemowo district and Ozarow Mazowiecki.
June 4: David preaching at Warsaw West.
June 12-24: Providing leadership development sessions in Bialogard (14) Polczyn Zdroj (16) and Kolobrzeg (17).
June 17-18: Sandy speaking at the CSM annual conference in Bielsko-Biala.
June 18: (AM) David preaching at Bialogard (Henryk Wasilewski’s retirement).
June 18: (PM) Ordination service for Zbigniew Babicz at Kolobrzeg.
June 23-July 2: Leading Ukrainian children’s camps in Sosnowiec and Sandomierz.
June 25: David preaching at Sosnowiec.

If your church is interested in having PCM connect with your congregation in person or via Zoom, please contact David at dave.hatfield777@gmail.com or call him at 810-923-0226.