To: Reggie Hurdley Mis.Serv.

,[102774,1772]
To: Joe Parker, INTERNET:joepark@aol.com
To: Kris and Paul Pelican, INTERNET:kpelican@mdscom.com
To: Sherman Pemberton, INTERNET:sspem@aol.com

To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:

Mark Phipps, INTERNET:mphipps@prodigy.net

Bonnie Rennie, INTERNET:tworennies@aol.com
J Rosenback,INTERNET:jrossenbac@aol.com
Chuck Rosenback, INTERNET:crossenb@extremezone.com
Craig Schwarting,[75110,1700]
Jim Smelser, INTERNET:Jmsmelser@juno.com
Chris Smyth, INTERNET:gsmyth@one.net
LennieSutton,[74634,2216]
Cheryl Trueblood,[76165,3246]

To: Terry Wuske,INTERNET:Wuske@aol.com

From: Roger Schwartz,[74447,233]
Date: 1/6/98, 9:44/\M

Re: Glen'sJ/Veekly Report#72

fwardedTVtessage-

Kherson Strategic Partnership

Glen's Weekly Report # 72 - Dec. 17,1997 - Jan. 3,1998
HAPPY NEW YEAR

In Russian the New Year greeting sounds like this: S Novum Godum!
New Years is the biggest holiday in Ukraine. During the years of communism.
New Years was made to overshadow the religious holiday of Christmas. New

Years here has many of the traditions that those in the West associate with
Christmas: Santa Claus (called Grandfather frost), the tree with lights and
ornaments, gift giving, and so on.
We had a house full of guest who stayed the night. We ate and then welcomed
in the New Year together. Wendy had two girlfriends who stayed the night and
Vlad and Tanya Devakov stayed the night. Ifs too dangerous and unpleasant to
walk home at 2 or 3 in the morning and more relaxing this way.
We had one unpleasant situation. We had purchased fireworks to welcome the
New Year. One was the kind you are to light and leave on the ground. I wasnt
paying attention to Wendy who had one of those kind in her right hand. She
had lit it and it caught fire in her hand and she has 2nd degree burns (with
several large blisters). She's not in great pain, but it is a bit
inconvenient.

Many of the ministers and believers here have asked me to send holiday
greetings and if I tried to list everyone, I would probably forget some. But
each of the churches have asked that we pass on their wish for a wonderful New
Year in the Lord to all!
HOCKEY ANYONE?

Before the Tavriski Christian Institute holiday break, we decided to have the

administration/faculty play the students in basketball. I knew I was in

trouble when at the beginning they asked me to explain the rules of
basketball. It tumed out to be a combination of basketball and hockey. It
1

was a lot of fun, however!

Not having proper shoes and a bit of a rough game on a very bad playing
surface, I managed to tear the ligaments in my left ankle. I was down for
about a week and am now just slowing getting around.
To make things more challenging here, they decided to turn off the elevator
for an undisclosed length of time. Rumor has it that they didn't want the
drunks during the holidays getting them stuck and then having to come to
"rescue" them. So I have 7flights to climb with a bad ankle!
LITTLE BABY MURAVSKI ARRIVED ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Sasha Muravski Is the pastor of the newest church that meets at a building
called DKS (the old building where the KCC used to meet). His wife, Natasha,
gave birth to a healthy little Sasha on Dec. 24th! Please pray for this new
family and their important ministry in this new church.
NEW CHURCH CHALLENGES - #1

Sasha Muravski is facing a common problem that a new church here faces.
There are some in the church who say that one needs to receive the baptism of
the Holy Spirit and a sign that one has received this baptism after they
became a Christian. It is creating some tensions in the church. Sasha asked
if I would do some teaching on this. I agreed and tried to accomplish two
goals: look honestly at the NT pattern and norm and seek to maintain unity in
love and acceptance. It seems that both goals were acc omplished, but time
will tell the real results. Please pray for this new church and for Sasha as
the evil one will want to divide and distract them.
NEW CHURCH CHALLENGES - #2

The Church of Jesus Christ the Savior was the 4th church to be registered in

Kherson. They have a wonderful minister - Sergey Siney, and the church is
growing and has a wonderful youth program. They meet in rented facilities
that are too small.

They have the possibility of purchasing an unused kindergarten for a very

good price under $40,000. It will be more than enough space for a growing

church but it will require extensive repairs and remodeling. They have a
sponsor in America who has collected the funds to purchase the building. They

are to get an answer on Jan. 16th from the city on whether they can buy the
building or not. Please pray for God's will to be fulfilled in this
situation and that if it is pleasing to Him,that they could b uy the
building.

We wish you all a very wonderful New Year in our Lord. May you see His
blessings everyday - all around you. We thank you for allowing the Lord to
bless us through you.
Glen

To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:
To:

Reggie Hurdley Mis.Serv.,[102774,1772]

Joe Parker, iNTERNET:joepark@aol.com
Kris and Paul Pelican, INTERNET:kpelican@mdscom.com
Sherman Pemberton, INTERNET:sspem@aol.com
Mark Phipps, INTERNET:mphipps@prodigy.net
Bonnie Rennie, INTERNET:tworennies@aol.com
J Rosenback, INTERNET:jrossenbac@aol.com
Chuck Rosenback, INTERNET:crossenb@extremezone.com
Craig Schwarting,[75110,1700]
Jim Smelser,INTERNET:jmsmelser@juno.com
Chris Smyth, INTERNET:gsmyth@one.net
Lennie Sutton,[74634,2216]
Cheryl Trueblood,[76165,3246]
Terry Wuske,INTERNET:Wuske@aoLcom
From: Roger Schwartz,[74447,233]

Date: 2/3/98, 9:56 PM

Re: 1)020298

Kherson Strategic Partnership

Glen's Weekly Report#73- Jan. 4-24,1998
KSP VISIT

We have had a busy, enjoyable and productive week. Mike Rubush (the KSP
chairman), Judy Johnson (missions minister at Clovernook Christian Church),
and Valerie Schwartz(KSP secretary) have been here this week. It has been a
very full week of meetings. The main purpose for their coming was to prepare
the leaders here for "Phase III." Phase III of the project is when the
American missionaries have departed and it is the transition to Phase IV which
begins Dec. 31st, 1999.

Phase IV is when the KSP formally and finally concludes ifs work and
existence. In Phase IV,the churches here and in the States are encouraged to

pursue whatever level of involvement or relationship they chose on their own,

without KSP coordination.

There is a small amount of anxiety and lots of questions about this next
phase on the part of our Ukrainian partners, but this visit has helped assure
them we are not "dropping" them and forgetting them. Systems and procedures

are in place to help keep the relationship and cooperation running smoothly
after March 31st, when the Elliotts leave.

A key to Phase III is our liaison, Yulia Lubenetz. She has her own
email address now and already we are asking the Ukrainian and American
partners to begin working through her. She can receive, translate and send
emails to and from the Ukrainian and American partners and friends. I will
continue to help prepare her for this role until he departs. Her email
address is: yulia@yi.clvrn.kherson.ua
I am beginning to understand that many of our supporters are thinking the
project is over when we come home April 1st, 1998. While we are coming home
April 1st, we will still be on salary until July 31st. Further,the work here
still continues and the KSP budget will support the transition to full
independence in 1999. Until then,the Institute, pastoral salaries and other
needs still continue and need your support.
1

We are working on a couple of dates to meet with the all the networking
churches after we return. This will allow us to carefully evaluate what we
have accomplished and what the future looks like for this work. The current
plan is this (subject to change).

a) A west coast networking conference at Pantano Christian Church (Tucson,

AZ)on April 17 and 18.

b) An east coast networking conference at Clovernook Christian Church on May

2nd.

We would like to invite all churches and individuals interested to attend

either of these meetings. Valerie Schwartz will be sending out more

information regarding these meetings.

KCC BAPTISM

January 19th is a Orthodox holiday here remembering the baptism of Jesus.

The Kherson Christian Church decided this was a good day to do actual
baptisms. 22 people were immersed into Christ. 4 requested to be baptized in
the river - and I mean a cold river! That's commitment and dedication. The.

others were baptized in an indoor pool. Praise the Lord for these new members
of the Lord's church.
KCC AUDITORIUM

The KCC is right now seeking final architectural drawings and permits to
start on the roof for the worship auditorium. The initial, and NOT official,

cost is estimated at about $200,000. The KCC has about $60,000 and they think
they can raise another $40,000 before the work would be finished. I'll let
you know as I hear more information and concrete numbers.
NEW PASTOR FOR THE NEWEST CHURCH

The newest church, yet to be named, meets in a building called DKS. Sasha
Muravski is the current pastor. This week it was agreed the Nikolai(or
Kollya) Sulkov will be the new pastor and Sasha will focus on an outreach to
the Jewish residents of Kherson, with the hope of starting a Messianic church.
Please pray for Sasha and Kollya as they make this transition and these
evangelistic efforts.
BABY MATTERS

Oleg and Marina Shatalov had a baby boy this week. Oleg is a minister of the
KCC and is president of Blagadat - the clothing ministry. The medical people
told Oleg and Marina that the baby might be deformed and that they should
abort the baby. Oleg and Marina refused. The baby was born healthy and
without any evident problems and mother is doing well. PTL.
Tanya and Vlad Devakov are expecting a baby in February, but the doctors
placed Tanya in the hospital this week,fearing an early delivery and the baby
not being healthy enough to live outside the womb. Tanya is doing much
better, but continue to pray for them all.
MISSIONS

I am finishing teaching a mission's class at Tavriski Christian Institute

this next week. It has been a terrific class and the interest has been

strong. I've covered the basics of missions from a biblical, historical.

cultural and strategic perspective. I've also dealt with the current state of
the world in relationship to missions. Next week we focus on the major
religions of the world.
There is a group of students from the Institute that meet weekly regarding
missions. They mostly meet to pray and encourage one another. 4 students
have expressed serious interest in being missionaries. This week,there were
14 students attending and they met with Judy Johnson and Val Schwartz who were
visiting.

BILL CLINTON

We have just started hearing the news stories of the alleged affairs of the
President of the United States. So has the world. I went to get a haircut

yesterday. The topic of conversation with the barber was our president and
his guilt or innocence. I turned on Ukrainian TV yesterday and sure enough,
there was our President, with Yasser Arafat defending himself. These are not
good days for the USA's reputation abroad.
PRAYERS

I have mentioned many prayer requests In this report. We really value your
prayers. Please pray for me and my family. As we enter our final two months
here I am finding my schedule very full and a bit stressful. This week during
some of our meetings,the leaders began to tearfully express their sadness of
our leaving. I realized I really am not prepared for the good-byes yet and
maybe never will be! Please pray for us.
Glen

To: Reggie Hurdley Mis.Serv.,[102774,1772]

To: Joe Parker, INTERNET:joepark@aol.com
To: Kris and Paul Pelican, INTERNET:kpelican@mdscom.com
To: Sherman Pemberton,INTERNET:sspem@aol.com
To: Mark Phipps, INTERNET:mphipps@prodigy.net
To: Bonnie Rennie, INTERNET:tworennies@aol.com
To: J Rosenback, INTERNET;jrossenbac@aol.com
To: Chuck Rosenback,INTERNET:crossenb@extremezone.com
To: Craig Schwarting,[75110,1700]
To: Jim Smelser,INTERNET:jmsmelser@Juno.com
To: Chris Smyth, INTERNET:gsmyth@one.net
To: Lennie Sutton,[74634,2216]
To: Cheryl Trueblood,[76165,3246]
To: Terry Wuske,INTERNET:Wuske@aol.com
From: Roger Schwartz,[74447,233]
Date: 2/12/98, 4:36 PM
Re: Glen's weekly report#74

Kherson Strategic Partnership

Glen's Weekly Report#74 - Jan. 25 - Feb. 12,1998
A SAD HONOR

It has been recently reported that Kherson is the number one place in the
world for abortions based on percentage of pregnancies that were aborted
versus delivered. Of course I can't prove that figure, but experience
suggests that it is right. Several of the church members of recent have been
advised by hospital personnel to abort rather than risk deformed children.
One of the ministers of the KCC and his wife had been told there was a VERY

HIGH chance their baby would be born deformed and they were ad vised to abort.
They refused, believing all life is sacred. The baby was born normal and
healthy. Any time there is any danger or doubt, abortion is recommended by
the hospital nurses and doctors. The church here is just awakening to this
travesty. However, remember that the Protestant churches make up less than 2%
of the population. Please pray for the church and it's witness to grow in
this city.
FIRST EVER SEMESTER OF THE TAVRISKI CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE ENDS

This has been an outstanding first ever semester. We have outstanding

students, wonderful administrators, and awesome teachers(I'm going to run out
adjectives soon). We really do have incredible people here. I see an
incredibly bright future for the churches and missions with such quality
future leaders being prepared.

There are 13 registered Bible courses (certificate level) and Institutes(BA

level) in Ukraine now. Most are located in the Kiev area. Of these organized
training centers, Tavriski Christian Institute is rated 5th in terms of depth
and breath of curriculum and 2 in terms of facilities. Not bad for the first

semester of operation. Thank you for helping make this a reality.

On April 1st, after I depart, there will be an interim president. He is the

current business manager - Nikolai Balalyenko. He will serve as business
manager and interim president until our new president begins in September. In
September, Pavel Smalyakov will become president. He will retire then from
working with the Ukrainian security service (the old KGB)in August and can't

assume this job until official retirement I am currently meeting with him to
prepare him for this role. Please pray for Nik olai and Pavel.
THE LAST LAP

In high school I was on the track team. I ran the mile and two mile races.
I always started out slow, but made a hard dash at the end. It wasn't the
greatest of strategies as I almost always came in 2nd or 3rd I But, none the
less, my last lap was always my best and fastest lap. It feels like I'm
entering the final lap of our work here. There is barely enough time to get
everything done. We are trying to prioritize our work with the churches and
the Institute.

But this race is more like a relay race. When we finish our work here, we

will have passed the baton on to the Ukrainian leaders and Yulia Lubenetz, our
liaison. Praise God for a good team to run this race with. Pray for our

family and the Ukrainian leaders as we all prepare for the passing of the
baton - always the critical moment in a relay race.

We are all doing well and staying healthy. We are all feeling the mixture of
the sadness of leaving and the excitement of starting anew in the States. All
this will intensify over the next6 weeks(yikes -6 weeks!).
We love you all and look fonvard to seeing you again.
Glen

leiq BI\iofl~
June 1,1998
Dear friends;

Please forgive us for sending this "form letter," but we want to communicate with all of
you who have been interested in our mission work the last 5 years. This letter will
update you oh the work in Kherson, our personal plans and the future of the Kherson
Strategic Partnership (KSP).
THE PROGRESS OF THE WORK IN KHERSON

We arrived back in the States on April 1st after having served in Ukraine for 4 years. It
was by the power and grace of God that we were able to complete our on-field work

one full year ahead of our scheduled 5 year term. Phase 2 of the Kherson Strategic
Partnership was completed upon our return. The chart below explains the plan and
phases of this project:

Phase 1 - March 1991 - March 1993:, Research and investigation of the field and
recruiting of the missionary field team -"birthing the partnership."

Phase 2- April 1993 - March 1998: American missionaries(Alexanders and Elliotts)

working in Kherson focusing on leadership development and missions -"childhood and
adolescence."

Phase 3- April 1998 - December 1999: Interdependence, reduced involvement by the

American partners, on going consultation and visits. A support group will be organized
to help fund and support Tavriski Christiain Institute (TCI). There are no American
missionaries living in Kherson. The missionaries will visit twice a year for consultation
and additional training in phase 3-"young adulthood."

Phase 4- January 2000 - Individual churches and organizations will choose the level of
involvement they desire. The focus here is on completing the work among the Tatars
and continuing support of TCI - "adulthood."
GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE

This is a time to rejoice and celebrate. Much has been accomplished in Kherson. Your
support and partnership has resulted in the following (and much more):
5 growing churches in Kherson, each having it's own trained leadership.
New churches started in the surrounding villages.
Millions of dollars of medical supplies and clothes shipped to Kherson.

2 Ukrainian missionary families working among the Crimean Tatar, an unreached

Muslim group. An additional family will be sent this Fall.
The Tavriski Christian Institute is about to complete it's first year of training. 36
students are in preparation for leadership.
The new Dom Molitve church building is nearing completion.
An closed kindergarten was purchased which provides facilities for the Kherson
Christian Church and the Institute and has become a training center for TCM.

The Kherson region has the highest growth of church members and churches of the
25 regions in Ukraine. The Kherson region growth is almost double the average of

the other regions. Leaders of other regions are asking the Kherson leaders for
guidance and help to achieve such growth.
We are confident that the Ukrainian leadership in the churches and Institute and the
missionaries working among the Tatar people are not only capable of continuing the
ministry, but will expand the work and that their vision will grow. Our goal at the
beginning was to develop a work that would be led by Ukrainians and would not be

dependent long term on American support and guidance. This goal in many ways has
been achieved.

Glen will visit Kherson approximately twice a year to provide on-going consultation,
encouragement and additional training and teaching as needed. This will assist in a
smooth transition and not create a situation of sudden "abandonment."
THE NEXT CHAPTER FOR THE ELLIOTT FAMILY

Our family will be moving to Tucson, Arizona in early June. Glen has accepted a
position of mission's pastor at the Pantano Christian Church. The church will allow him
to continue to be involved with the work in Kherson. He officially begins at Pantano on
August 1st, and will remain on mission support with the KSP through July 31st. Here's
how you can reach us:
HOME:

8161 E. Mesquite Ridge Circle

Tucson, AZ 85710

520-296-6092 (after June 8th)

email: glenelliott1@juno.com (please discontinue use of our old email address)

CHURCH:
Pantano Christian Church
10355 E. 29th St.

Tucson, AZ 85748
520-298-5395
Fax: 520-885-7182

Wendy will start high school(9th grade>and^BradwiH startmiddle 3chocL{6tlvgrad8)

this Fall. They are already looking forward to Joining basketball leagues! We have
found a house (the address is above)and anticipate getting settled there this summer.
As we come to this time of transition, please continue to keep the leaders and
missionaries in Ukraine in your prayers. Please pray for our family as we move to a
new city, home, schools, and church.

Thank you for your years of faithful support and encouragement. You mean so much to
us. We desire to continue to stay in touch through this time of transition.

The Elliotts