January 2015 – The Year in Review
Furlough and
Support:
2014 was an amazing year in regards to our support. In
October, 2013 we began our transition to a new sending church and mission
board. We were soon faced with the need to replace about 50% of our support. It
was quite remarkable to see how the Lord met this need. Several supporters
increased our support significantly. We also had a number of new churches join
our support team. We are very grateful for the help of Pastor Messer and others
at Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville for their help in connecting us with
new supporters. We are also thankful that we did not need to take an extended
furlough to meet this need. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support
during this transition time.
Family news:
This past year was a time of transition for our family
as well, as Nancy and Ben began Bible College in the US. It has been a major
adjustment to have them gone, and we are still trying to get used to having
just 4 chairs occupied at the dinner table. We were very grateful that they
were able to return to Hungary for three weeks during the Christmas break. It
was great to have our family together once again. Both Nancy and Ben have
adjusted remarkably well to life in the US. Their grades were excellent, and
they both are doing well with their jobs. It is exciting to see them grow and
mature.
Esther and Hannah continue to do well. They are both
very involved in the youth ministry at church. Esther also plays the piano and
helps in Sunday School. Charin is busy teaching at school three mornings each
week. She also is very involved in the music program, Sunday School program and
Ladies ministry at the church. I am very grateful for Charin. She is a great
wife, mother and helper in the ministry.
Esztergom Baptist
Church:
2014 was an interesting year in Esztergom. We baptized
two adults and two teens. We also added another family of four to the
membership. Nevertheless we lost more people than we gained. Most of the core
of our youth group graduated and headed off to college. We also had several
adults leave the church, some who had even been with us almost from the
beginning. Both attendance and offerings were down about 15%. I believe we have
made some positive adjustments and that we are moving in the right direction,
but we have still not see a real turn around in regards to growth. Please pray
with us that 2015 will be a year of growth – both spiritually and numerically
at our church in Esztergom.
Tata Baptist
Church:
At the same time Esztergom was struggling, Tata has
been flourishing. 2014 was another year of amazing growth. God continues to
bring us new families who are saved and looking for a good church. He also
continues to bring us lost people who are seeking the Lord. Our average
attendance is around 70, and we have even hit 80 on some Sundays. We have
outgrown our current auditorium and are making plans to build a new one. Even
our offerings almost doubled over the past year. Our focus in 2015 will be on our
building project and also integrating the new converts into our church family.
Nagysáp Baptist
Church:
Our church in Nagysáp is going through a time of
rebuilding. Two of the most faithful families moved away, and several others
dropped out. Nevertheless there have been some positive signs as well. Some of
the children we have been working with for years are now teenagers and have
made professions of faith. The soccer ministry is also going well. We are very
grateful for the faithfulness of our team in Nagysap despite the hardships and
setbacks.
Teaching Ministry:
Our Bible Institute in Esztergom continues to do well.
We usually have 16-18 students from 5 different area churches. I also continue
to teach one week each school year at Word of Life Hungary’s Bible Institute.
This past year I was asked to join the teaching staff of the Sunergosz Bible
Institute which is operated by the Baptist Union. I will be teaching both hermeneutics
and homiletics during the spring semester. Sometimes I feel like I have taken
on a bit too much in this area, but I hate to turn down opportunities to
influence the future leaders of Hungary.
Mentoring
Ministry:
I continue to mentor Gergo Szimon and Marci Csiha on a
weekly basis. Both are involved in our church plant in Nagysap as well as our
main church in Esztergom. I also had another young pastor from the town of
Toalmas, Hungary ask if I would mentor him. He has been driving to Esztergom
one day a month to spend a few hours in mentoring. It is a privilege to invest
in these young men, and I believe it will pay dividends in the future.
A Look Ahead at
2015:
1. Esztergom – We are planning a big evangelistic
outreach for Easter. We are also planning a big event to celebrate our 20th
anniversary of the church in September.
2. Tata – We hope to have the building plans completed
and turned in by the end of February. We would really like to begin
construction of our new auditorium in May and would love to have it finished
before winter sets in…
3. Nagysap – We are focusing on reaching new people –
especially adults.
Thanks again for your faithful prayers and support of
our ministry!
The Marc Patton Family
Family picture - Christmas 2014
