24+14 NEW STUDENTS
We shared in the beginning of September that this year we admitted 24 new students together with Lutheran Church Seminary. In addition to that I want to inform that 14 new students were accepted also for a year-long pastoral training (internship) program.
Here is a photo with all new students taken on September 9th when they all started their studies.
BECOME A PLANTER
With your help we have been able to plant many seeds across Estonia. Because of the establishment of Home of Hope it has been possible to initiate several new and innovative ideas for mission work in Estonia. Please help us to finish Home of Hope establishment and continue this work.
Please watch this video for more information.
NOVEMBER 15, 2024 is the due date of the mortgage.
$100,000 CHALLENGE GIFT was given in the end of august to encourage others to give.
We praise Lord and we are so grateful to all our donors!
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION
We have received a number of very good questions. Maybe the same questions have popped up in your mind as well. In this and some of our next emails we’ll share with you these questions and our answers (see also FAQ section on our website tatest.org/faq).
If the Home of Hope mortgage is paid off, what then? Do you have a bigger picture of where you are moving to?
The primary vision of Home of Hope that we had in the beginning of 2018, when we started to build up this outreach center, has already been exceeded in five years. Home of Hope was opened at the end of 2019. But, we also had a bigger plan behind the scenes and it seems that these plans are also slowly coming to fruition.
PLAN #1
A low threshold helping people get close to God for those for whom the threshold of the church seems too high. – Achieved and growing
The idea behind the scenes with the establishment of Home of Hope was to create a Christian center that is not in the church and does not look like the church but does the same work as churches do and much more. This gives us better opportunity to welcome people from different backgrounds through regular training sessions, seminars, and conferences that take place at Home of Hope like events that rent our space. Nowadays in Estonia people are quite often afraid to step through the door of the church. But at Home of Hope we offer a much easier door to walk through. We make it easier for people to step into learning about God. Even when we rent space our guests see the chapel, they can read the story of the plaque on the wall, and we present, on the screen, advertisements of our events, etc. Quite often they ask questions about our center. This is all part of our testimony that God is alive and active today.
Here is one example.
We rented a main classroom of Home of Hope to an organization for their event. One young lady participating in this seminar passed the chapel as she walked to the classroom. She came to Pastor Siimon Haamer and asked him: “I’m not a beliver but could I go to the chapel and pray?” Siimon encouraged her to do this. This lady went to the chapel, closed the door and spent several minutes praying. Afterwards, Pastor Siimon talked to her and encouraged her, because once one believes in the power of prayer they are actually not far from Jesus.
PLAN #2
Synergy and empowerment. – Achieved and growing
The plan with Home of Hope was to give an opportunity for different Christian organizations to work together. By doing this we save our money and use our workforce much more efficiently. Christian Radio joined, a Christian student organization joined, and many people have volunteered to contribute to various initiatives. As a result, a Bible school, prayer fellowship mornings for men and women, several youth events, and pastoral work, etc. have come into being. We realize that people have been attracted by the story of the establishment of this center and all the work that is done here. Also, our very welcoming interior space makes people want to come back again and again.
PLAN #3
Involve various Christian media organizations with Home of Hope. – Achieved
Christian radio joined the center. In the early stages of Home of Hope establishment we offered the opportunity for the Estonian Lutheran Church weekly newspaper to join us as well. At the time that didn’t seem a good option for them. But, five years later they still have rooms in the same real estate development in the building next door to Home of Hope. Now there is also a Christian newspaper editorial office next door to us and we have a good cooperation with them.
The fact that Christian media channels (radio and newspaper) are in the same place with us gives us good opportunity to inform people about all our activities.
PLAN #4
Home of Hope is an open platform that allows different Christian activities to be involved. – Achieved and new opportunities are on the horizon
Today we have a situation where more Christian activities/organizations would like to join our center but we lack space. If we had the money to buy more space in the large real estate development in which Home of Hope is located, we could involve more Christian organizations and activities in this network.
PLAN #5
Involve retired pastors as mentors for younger clergy. – Not achieved
The founder of Home of Hope, Pastor Siimon Haamer, had a dream in the early stages of the Home of Hope project. If there would be more gifts coming in than needed to build up the Home of Hope facility, then some apartments in the same residential building could be purchased and offered to retired pastors to live in. In Estonia, often pastors live in parsonages throughout their service years. Their salary does not allow them to buy any real estate. Once they retire they have no place to live. If we can offer them an apartment with reasonable rent in the same building with Home of Hope, we can also involve them in our work, particularly as mentors for younger clergy.
Let’s go on prayerfully and trusting God!
Pastor Siimon Haamer
President of Tartu Academy of Theology
