Parmenter Missions - April 2008

SHARING THE CROWN OF LIFE

Parmenters and the Mission to the Czech Republic

UPDATE

(adam@parmenterclan.com)

In March, time seemed to stand still or perhaps evaporate, and suddenly it's half way through April. As I've written earlier, in March, Marge's father, Henry Blunier, died and passed on to eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord. Marge has been healing emotionally as has the rest of the family.

Then mid March my father, Allen Parmenter, was getting treatment for a leg ulcer and leg pain. The pain medication made him dizzy and he fell and hit his head resulting in a head injury. I was there for two weeks at their winter Arizona home to help get him out of the nursing home and deal with some serious patient care issues. I'm happy to say that mom and dad are now in their summer home in LaGrange, IN and dad is receiving care in their home. It will take several months of recovery for both the leg wound and the head injury. Right now family and paid helpers are providing 24X7 assistance. Marge and I are going there tonight (Friday) to stay over night.

Please pray that my parents will not only be able to focus on dad's recovery, but that they can enjoy their time with each other.

On The Road

We had the privilege of sharing in the ministry at East Arlington Baptist Church in Lawrence, MI on April 13th in both Adult Sunday school and the morning service. We shared our testimonies, the spiritual condition of the Czech Republic and our desire to share the gospel in the Czech Republic.

ONLINE

Each week I try to post up something new at http://www.sharethecrown.com/. One new item is ShareTheCrown "Radio". We will regularly add new material, hopefully each month. Click here to listen.

God is Kind To Us

Even with the two week break in support raising, our support level went up to 17%. We are grateful.

If you aren't already part of our financial support team, we want you to join. Please send me an e-mail if you would like more information on how to be one of our financial supporters.

More important than the money, is our need for a team of people to join us in taking time each week to pray for us. This past weekend, two more couples joined our prayer team. We are excited to have the additional support. If you aren't already part of it, and are willing to take some time each each week to pray for us, please send me an e-mail. I'll add you to our prayer watch.

THE CZECH REPUBLIC - "Is Jesus Accepted in the Czech Republic?"

That was the question posted to a Czech message board. I have permission to post the response of an individual with the screen name of "eso".

This is my favorite topic, so I will answer with long post:

"Czech republic has very big number of atheists (or agnostics or somethingism). In 2001 census was all citizens of Czech republic asked about religion (and many other things) and 6,039,991 citizens (59 %) responded "no religion". Czech republic is often considered as most atheistic/secular country in the world and many Czechs are proud of it."

For the full article visit the Journey to Missions Blog. My thanks to eso for letting me reprint his posting. It is informative and interesting.

GIVING THANKS

• Safe travel around West Michigan.
• We are thankful that my dad is home

PLEASE PRAY

• That I'll be able to set up a full schedule of church visits so that we can share the exciting news that God is beginning to work in the hearts of Czech people.
• We will put our house up for sale when the children start summer break. We don't expect to make much, because of the housing market. Pray that we will make enough to cover our financial obligations.
• As always, please pray that each day our focus will be on Christ and that we would each have a desire to know and please Him.

PRE-FIELD PREPARATIONS

Speaking engagements:

*20-April Bethel Baptist Church, Kalamazoo, MI -- Morning Service

30-April Heritage Academy - Chapel

Financial Support

Currently we are at about 17.30% of our required $6,638.33 monthly financial support and 12.52% of our Outfit and Passage support.

Send checks to:

ATTN: Parmenter Support #013408

ABWE, P.O. Box 8585, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8585

Remember to mark it as monthly support if you plan to give each month.

Thanks for taking the time to read and pray for us.

Kind regards,

Adam, Marge & the Kids

1512 Bank Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Cell (269) 762-2202

Home (269) 373-5402

e-mail: parmenters@abwe.cc

This message was sent from Adam Parmenter to adammparmenter.journey2missions@blogger.com. It was sent from: ABWE Czech, 1512 Bank Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.

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Is Jesus Accepted in the Czech?

Is Jesus Accepted in the Czech?


That was the question posted to a Czech message board. I have permissions to post the response of an individual with the screen name of "eso". Eso lives in the Czech Republic. His perspective is informative.

This is my favourite topic, so I will answer with looong post

Czech republic has very big number of atheists (or agnostics or somethingism /this term I will explain lately). In 2001 census was all citizens of Czech republic asked about religion (and many other things) and 6,039,991 citizens (59 %) responded "no religion". Czech republic is often considered as most atheistic/secular country in the world and many Czechs are proud of it.


Foreigners sometimes assume, that it's because communist past. This is wrong assumption, because our post-communist neighbours, like Poland or Slovakia (Which was up to 1993 united with Czech republic into one country) are despite similar comunnist expirience mostly Catholic (Slovakia 69%, Poland 75-90%). Roots of Czech scepticism to organized religion (no necessarily to specific god, goddess or gods) are dated since 15th century.

Key history moments (compressed - you can look up details via Google)
1414-15 Prague priest Jan Hus, who criticized bad things in church is called to church congreation in Kostnice, he is accussed of heresy and then he is burned to death. This act raised husite rebellion. Church reacted to rebellion with 5 crusades against Czechs. Army of husites fought with crusaders and allways won.
1611... - After death of emperor Rudolf II discords again started between Catholics and reformists.
1618-20 - Bila hora battle. Czech army is defeated and protestants are punished. 27 Czech lords are publicly executed. Thirty year's war (1618-1648) decimate Czech nation from 3.000.000 to 800.000 people. Many Czechs are forced to leave country. Forced recatolization started. Many books were banned and burned.
1918 - "First republic" - First really independent democratic Czechoslovak state is established. First president T.G.Masaryk, national hero, is outspoken rationalist and humanist. He considered catholicism as anti-national power, which suffocated everything positive and valuable in Czech history.
From 1938-1945 was country under rule of Nazi ideology.
From 1948-1989 under communist ideology, which continuously changed from stalinism to "human-face socialism" to "normalization socialism" with Soviet tanks intervention as bonus in 1968. Through these 50 years, when lived under permanent censorship, Czechs learnt to identify propaganda and to distrust to any ideology. During communism every church partially colaborated with regime in order to preserve its existence. In context of Czech history isn't big surprise, that Czechs are distrustful to church.

Last 16 years After fall of communism, church should have chance to change its reputation, but failed. Instead of spiritual subjects, church dignitaries were more interested in acquisition of land estates and realties. After long lawsuit, Catholic church won famous St. Vitus Cathedral. Imediatelly after that they started collect a fee for chapel visit.

That was local church, but what about foreign missionaries and evangelists? They came. Especially in late nineties they roamed in Prague - Jehova witnesses, Church of Christ, World Changers, ESI, Christian Associates Int, all of them. But they experienced some problems. Besides of mentioned history, Czech people are rather pragmatic, realistic, material and cool headed than emotional, spiritual or believing. If you will exclaim: "Jesus will save you!", they tend to answer with inappropriate questions like "From what?" or "Do you have proof?". Some missionaries don't understant, that there can exists someone, who allready know story about Jesus, last supper, Golgota and ressurection, but for all that he choose to not believe. Some find out, that if they dance and jump and cry in public: "Jesus is great!", common no-emotional Czechs see him like he is little crazy. And of course - language barriere is big problem.

Few actual quotes: Young Czechs have a physical reaction of fear when you bring up the subject of religion or faith. Church is not a good or positive concept in their minds. Religion has been associated negatively with each oppressive party over the Czech Republic. John Philpott, anglican vicar in Prague

When you say church in Prague it closes doors. Jonathan and Daniela Augustine (www.ProjectAntioch.com)

Czech Thinking: · Passive · Closed · Logical, sort of an engineering mind set Artie Sposaro - Grace Ministries Prague

I can post links to diaries of frustrated missionaries in Czech republic, if you want Of course, there is complete religion freedom in Czech republic. Everyone can believe in whatever he wants. But maybe he doesn't want Generaly in Europe, faith is considered as personal thing and majority don't talk about it in public very much. But if you want to loudly thank to God and prays publicly, the worst you can experienced may be surprised smile of passers-by.

What else? Oh, I promised to explain, what is somethingism - When ordinary Czechs identify themselves as atheist, they usually don't mean it in the strict sense. When pressed, most Czechs acknowledge they believe in something bigger than themselves to make sense of their lives, not directly connected to any official religion.

Hissing Cockroaches

This is from Maryellen Parmenter:

We went over to the Shertzer's house after attending East Arlington Baptist in Lawrence, MI. They had two parrots, a ton of cockroaches, and two Geckos as pets. We enjoyed having a nice conversation with them, and ate Mrs. Shertzer's delicious meal.

At East Arlington, Dad presented in adult Bible study and in the service. He sang in the offertory, and Mom and Michael played Be Thou My Vision.

At the Shertzer's I was rather revolted by the writhing mass of hissing Cockroaches in their cage. Michael actually dared to touch one. Though I can't say that for myself. I found the larger parrot, Ariel, quite amusing. If she was left alone in a room or was unhappy about something, she would make a shrieking noise. She also liked to eat jelly beans. If let out, the other parrot would fly around the room in circles.

I wish I could have taken some cockroaches home, but my dad said no. He says, when I grow up and get my own house then perhaps I can get some for myself.

Signed,

Maryellen Parmenter