Missionary Meet Up In Stockhom

In early June missionaries serving in Sweden were invited to the Uniting Church (Equmeniakyrkan) headquarters in Stockholm to spend a day together with church leaders. The purpose of the gathering is for the church leadership to come alongside missionaries they have welcomed to Sweden and to listen to how God is at work in the places they serve and encourage their ministries. What I experienced was a genuine appreciation on behalf of the Uniting Church leadership for the partnership in ministry and a desire to stay connected with local mission within Sweden.

Eric and Bonnie Sparrman (left) are serving in Lund and are planting Life International Fellowship in partnership with the Uniting Church. They are a part of our Serve Globally personnel in Europe. Steve and Barb Swanson, also with our SG team were not able to attend this meeting.

Issac and Phoebe Zakry (middle) come from Cairo, Egypt and were invited to Sweden in response to the church’s desire to care for Arabic speaking Christians. Isaac pastors a growing Arabic speaking fellowship just south of Stockholm that numbers over 300 members. They have a shared ministry with the Swedish speaking members of the church and worship together once a month in Swedish and Arabic, have shared youth ministries and partner together to help recent immigrants learn Swedish and integrate into society. His wife Phoebe also serves the church and is finishing her training as a pastor and will be the first woman to be ordained in her denomination in Egypt.

Gerdine Willemsen Zuidema comes from the Netherlands and along with her husband Gerard were first missionaries serving among the Sami people in the very north of Sweden. She has recently been called to pastor a church in the suburbs of Stockholm and is bringing her passion for mission into her local community.

This was a special day of connection and I was really encouraged to hear how these friends felt God’s leading to come and serve in Sweden, and how these partnerships in the Gospel are bearing fruit around Sweden.

Join me in prayer for these brothers and sisters as they serve with the Uniting Church to share the love of Christ in Sweden.