Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Copenhagen Vineyard Praise



For several years, Copenhagen Vineyard rented the facilities of the Apostolsk Kirke (Apostolic Church) but it became evident that larger space was required because of Vineyard’s growth. When I visited the church two years ago, I asked Pastor Flemming Mølhede what he saw as the church’s most pressing need. He replied that the church was bursting at the seams and needed larger facilities of its own. Flemming also felt it was essential that the church remain in the same area of Copenhagen in which it has been ministering. Ever since that conversation with Flemming, I have prayed with the church and its leaders for the Lord’s provision of a new and larger facility. Ever faithful, the Lord has answered the prayers of His people. All praise to God for what He has done.

At the beginning of this month, Copenhagen Vineyard began holding services at its attractive new building located at Nyvej 7, 1851 Fredriksberg C, near the Fredriksberg Shopping Center and close-by to a Metro station. The property, purchased earlier in the year from another congregation, was renovated by Vineyard Church volunteers who worked hard and long to ready the building for occupancy. The first service, one of worship, prayer and thanksgiving, was held on Saturday, May 3. The first week in the new location, May 3-10, the church engaged in a 24/7 cycle of prayer leading up to the Global Day of Prayer on Sunday, May 11.

Copenhagen Vineyard Church was planted in 1997 through the efforts of a small team of workers. Since then it has become a church of 380 attendees, truly astounding growth for a new church plant in Denmark. For eight years, beginning in May, 2000, Vineyard had rented the facilities of Copenhagen’s Apostolsk Kirke (Apostolic Church) at Filippavej 3 in Fredriksberg. How good and gracious the Lord is in providing Vineyard’s new location and His answer to prayer that it would be able to continue its ministry in the Frederiksberg district of metropolitan Copenhagen.

Besides a regular schedule of Sunday services, a significant part of the ministry is the 25 small groups that meet throughout Copenhagen, including one that is English-speaking. A large part of the church’s ministry is to younger people and they form the largest segment of regular attendees. Besides its ministry to children, youth, adults, and seniors, the church is also engaged in several significant social and evangelistic ministries involving homeless people, prostitutes, and drug addicts.

For further details in Danish and English, view Copenhagen Vineyard’s website at
http://kbh.vineyard.dkj/forside/. The section in English may be found at http://kbh.vineyard.dk/english/.

PRAISE God for answered prayer in His provision of a new and larger property and space for Copenhagen’s Vineyard ministries.

PRAY for vision and great wisdom on the part of the church’s leadership, including lead pastor Flemming Mølhede; pastors Hasse Falk Jakobsen, Helle Rønne Samuelsen, and Thomas Lorenzen; pastoral assistants Søren Bladt and Christian Nissen; and intern Maria Lundbak Hinge, and others. They need the enlightenment of the Word and empowerment of the Holy Spirit in all the church attempts to do in its varied ministries.

PRAY for many opportunities for the exercise of spiritual gifts through lay ministry both within the church and outside its walls by such dedicated people as Erik and Liv Hansen and others.

PRAY for an evangelistic burden in which Christ will be exalted and many brought to faith in Him through the various age group, social, and outreach ministries of the church.

PRAY for the testimony of the many young people who have been attracted to Vineyard’s ministry, that they will mature in their understanding and application of God’s Word with growth in the grace and knowledge of Christ expressed in their daily lives and walk.

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