UPDATE Nov 2013 - Aris Metaxakis & Thassos Christian Fellowship (Greece)

Aris Metaxakis & Mary Oughtred,         
     Monday, November 11, 2013                                                                                        
     Limenas Thassos, Thassos Island, 64004, Greece,                                                                    

arismeta@hotmail.com; 
agnesoughtred@hotmail.com

Dear brethren and friends in Christ,

Greetings to all of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We trust you are all well; we are just fine here, the Lord has been very good to us, gracious and abounding in mercy.

We are grateful to God and we thank you for standing with us in prayer and in giving to God’s work. We are privileged to be here in Greece, on the island of Thassos. It is a spectacularly beautiful place here, but  more importantly, in spite of the hardships of a very bad economy, the people, in general are a tough minded, yet open hearted people. I do not share the doom and gloom concerning the people of Greece, as I sense that God has plans for this ancient nation, which has historically been very significant  in the birth of Western Civilization and also pivotal for our Christian faith and heritage.

We have rented a very nice one bedroom apartment that is very cozy and a God-sent. The landlord is a very friendly and warm hearted doctor named Dimitris, who cannot do enough to make us comfortable. He has a guard dog named Pluto who looks like a lion, and just like his master is a big “pup.” There are also lots of canaries in the side yard, which we love to listen to. God does care even about such peripheral things, as they are also God’s ministers to the heirs of salvation!

 Everywhere I have gone with Mary, we both sense there is a change here from previous visits. From my evangelistic  outreaches so far, I can say the great majority have a respect for God, a willingness to listen, as I tell  them about God’s grace in Christ and how He wants them to be saved. I use my own tract/flyer and added my and the Pastor’s names and phone nos.

So far, I have had opportunities to preach in the church and share in a smaller Friday night group with my testimony. In my first sermon I preached about “LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP.” The church here is called, Thassos Christian Fellowship, and it is an international church, with Greek, English, German, Albanian, Scottish and Serb people. It is small, still in its birth pangs, after being here for a number of years.

 What God is challenging me with, and laying before me, is to reach out to the whole island. It is a fair size, with about 30 villages, the whole population being about 13,000 people. I have already had many conversations with people and God’s seed is being planted in their hearts. I go out on the street, to the stores, neighbourhoods and reach out to them with simplicity. My Greek Cypriot accent gives me away but it has worked to the gospel’s favour as most Greeks are fond of Cyprus and her people.

Please pray/continue to pray for the following:

·         Perseverance and focus from day today

·         Boldness, love, faith and wisdom from above

·         Endurance  and strength in spiritual warfare … physical endurance…

·         For the right person to work alongside of me (pastor works full time  plus has the church on weekends and other related duties)

·         Stay in prayer and in the word more and more

·         Pastor Dimitris and wife Marjo Pelidis to have more free time, God willing

·         Guidance in discipleship and teaching in the church

·         A strong vision to abide with us and unity here in Greece for the churches to work together more in the bond of love

I attended a pastors/leaders conference in Athens, just this last weekend, and the challenge is to keep in mind God’s purpose for us, in light of the mandate He has given us with the Great Commission of the gospel.

We love all of you and we are also continuing to pray  as we remember you in prayer.

Sincerely in Christ,

Aris Metaxakis and Mary Oughtred

Proud Greek kids marching to celebrate "No" Day to the German Nazis in WWII.

 Pastor Dimitris on front left, with his wife Marjo at the back on left in front of Mary. Black brother behind Pastor is Apostle Anthony from Chicago. He  really touched all of us here with his ministry.