Reports 2019
Activity reports – Year 2019
Winter 2019
Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe that the year of 2019 is coming to a close. As you know, this past year has been for us unlike any previous one. Since its founding years, Life and Mission Ministry has been led by my parents – Henryk and Alina – together. Consequently, after my dear mom passed into eternity a lot has changed not just in our family, but also in our ministry. That is why we are writing you this personal letter today about what has changed in our work and where we are headed.
On behalf of our family and the staff at Life and Mission Ministry, we want to thank you for standing with us over the last 12 months. Thank you for supporting us in prayer, for your financial contributions, and for being with us personally – by attending conferences, reading “Our Inspirations” magazine and our books, attending our Fellowship and any other form of your presence. We truly felt that God was speaking to us through Your care and thoughtfulness. Thus, we want to say thank you for being the voice of Jesus not just to those who search for Him, but also to us who hold our trust in Him.
We appreciate your relationship with our ministry.
That is why we want to tell you about some of the changes that we are introducing to our work, depending wholeheartedly on God’s guidance. We know that God is always good and all-powerful, therefore we are eagerly awaiting to see what He has prepared for our country. It is a privilege to work for His Kingdom. A touching confirmation of His commission for our ministry is the fact that the important work my mom Alina has started is now being continued by her successors that she trained herself. It points to the fact that these dreams belonged to the Lord from the beginning.
This year we knew that the Board of Directors and Board of Advisors needed to expand. Therefore, since October 2019 I am now also a part of the Board, along with a few other trusted ministry partners. We are amazed by the wonderful staff we get to work with in Ustron, and the outstanding volunteers at our Fellowship. Despite the present difficulties, we have gained a new understanding of God’s nearness through those around us.
We want to share with you what has been happening at Life and Mission Ministry over the past few months and what dreams we are carrying into 2020. Eagerly awaiting our Messiah’s return, we want to be faithful in what He has entrusted to us. His Word and His Spirit are an encouragement to us every day. And aware of Your friendship and support, we thank God that we are not walking this path alone.
With gratitude
Estera Wieja
Board Member of Life and Mission Ministry
LIFE AND MISSION CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Halfway through the year we had the absolute joy to welcome in Ustron the new pastors at Life and Mission Christian Fellowship – Jacek and Dorota Sobieralski. In the years 2005-2009 Dorota was an assistant to Alina Wieja and event coordinator for the Women’s Conferences. Jacek was working in ministry in the city of Wrocław. After getting married in 2009, they were pastors at a church there. In September of 2019 Jacek and Dorota Sobieralski became pastors at the Life and Mission Fellowship in Ustron. We are amazed by God’s grace and precision in handpicking the right people for the right place.
TEACHINGS BY HENRYK WIEJA
In the first quarter of the year Henryk has put a lot of his ministry on hold. In his time of grief, he wanted to draw near the Father in Heaven and listen to His voice. We know that our loving God is the One who called Henryk and equipped him, so we feel grateful that still in the first half of the year Henryk returned to teaching and attended selected conferences. In his lectures and speaking sessions Henryk has focused on: the apostolic and prophetic foundation of the new testament church; one new man (as described in the Letter to Ephesians); spiritual fatherhood and sonship; a true connection between the church and the move of God in Israel. As a spiritual father to many, Henryk has also been fulfilling the role of a mentor and counselor to many young leaders. His passion is to lead every person to spiritual maturity and walking in God’s calling.
KOINONIA PUBLISHING
From the very first year of Koinonia Publishing, our goal was to publish materials that inspire spiritual growth, encourage inner healing and new quality of life. Looking ahead, we will continue publishing books that are an answer to the needs of our readers.
This month we published a new book by Henryk Wieja, titled “One on one with God”. It is a unique compilation of devotionals that will encourage everyone to spend time at the feet of our Savior. Considering that this book is coming out still this year, we truly see it as a testimony of God’s faithfulness. In 2020 we plan on releasing also a new book by Alina Wieja, which she was working on before her health deteriorated.
OUR INSPIRATIONS
An important change at our Ministry is happening with the „Our Inspirations” magazine. This December we released its hundredth issue! This anniversary issue that celebrates 25 years of Our Inspirations on the Polish market is also the last one to appear on paper. From January 2020 we will continue the magazine online! Our website will include the impressive archive of the articles published over the 25 years, and new ones will be added gradually. We are excited to expand our reach online also through social media: we are active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you are an English speaker, we are sorry to say that our online resources are available only in Polish. But we have been encouraged by traffic on our website, which surpasses (by a large margin) the number of our subscribers.
CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN
The conferences for women, that have been happening every year since 2005 and were a continuation of women’s conferences in the 1990s, were an answer to prayer and a dream come true for many women. For almost 15 years thousands of women have been gathering annually for a time of inspiration, prayer and worship. The first conference at Hotel Gołębiewski was initiated by Alina Wieja and coordinated by Dorota Sobieralska (at the time Dorota Heczko). We are in awe of our God who made it possible for Dorota to once again be the event coordinator for these conferences.
The preparations are well underway for this special event! We are delighted to share with you that on March 7, 2020 we will once again gather for the Women’s Conference at the Hotel Gołębiewski, which will be themed: Reaching for more. Legacy and calling. Registration is now open!
POLAND-ISRAEL
We see that God is doing incredible things in the land of Israel, and we know how significant it is and will be for the nations. The Poland-Israel Project (formerly: Poland-Israel Mission) was started because we do not want to sit idly and we know it pleases the Lord to seek Jerusalem’s good (Psalm 122). On the Israeli side, Estera Wieja continues to represent Life and Mission Ministry in Jerusalem. She is working with FIRM – Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries (pictured), as their editor and content developer. FIRM is a platform for building relationships between Christians in the nations and the believers in Israel. On the Polish side, we continue serving those interested in the subject. At the Life and Mission Fellowship we celebrate biblical feasts, meanwhile articles on Israel and Jewish history will continue appearing in Our Inspirations magazine online. We are partnering also with other ministries in Poland that strengthen the relations between Poland and Israel.
CHRISTIAN COUNSELING INSTITUTE
Another area of our ministry, that had been spearheaded by Alina Wieja, is the Christian Counseling Institute. For the past couple of decades the Institute has held trainings that have inspired Christian leaders to start doing counseling in their churches and communities. We praise God for the alumni of these courses who have taken up that challenge! We celebrated the growth of this work at the alumni reunion on October 26 in Ustron. The conference called “Strengthened on their Journey” was led by Henryk Wieja and included seminars by the Institute’s alumni who work as counselors today: Bożena Ciechanowska, and Małgorzata and Mirosław Wielchorski. The next reunion will happen in the Spring – another conference is planned for April 25, 2020. One of the main goals of the Institute for the next five years is to inaugurate the basic training for Christian counselors in every state in Poland.
JOIN US!
We are very aware that our work in Poland is only possible thanks to God putting people like You in our lives. Thank you for your trust and belief in us. If you have any questions about our work and ministry, we would be more than happy to hear from you! We treasure your support tremendously.
Henryk Wieja
and the staff of Life and Mission Ministry Poland
Donate online:
You can donate online with your credit card (Visa, Master Card or American Express) or through PayPal.
More info on Support page
Autumn 2019
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name… Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14–15, 20–21)
Grateful for His goodness, grace and guidance, we want to thank Him and give Him glory for continuing to lead us!
Our ministry is still going through a period of transition after we lost Alina. Looking ahead we continue to wrestle with some big questions, but we see God’s faithfulness and we are discovering His answers as we move forward. His Holy Spirit illuminates the road before us. Thank you for accompanying us on this journey. We are so grateful for your prayers, faithful support and encouragement as we make new decisions daily. We hope you will continue working with us as we take on new projects and endeavors in the season ahead.
Poland-Israel Mission
We are grateful also for your prayerful and financial support of the Poland-Israel Mission and the work of Estera Wieja in Jerusalem, Israel. Representing Life and Mission Ministry, Estera is working full-time with FIRM – the Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries, writing articles and educational materials on Israel. At the same time, as a member of the editorial team of Nasze Inspiracje, Estera has been very involved in the editorial process of the magazine this year.
We are grateful to the Lord for the Life and Mission Christian Fellowship that continues to grow! We cherish and appreciate all the faithful hearts and hardworking hands that serve the Lord through this ministry. In the upcoming months we will enter a new chapter, when new staff will step into leadership and pastoral roles at the Life and Mission Fellowship. We thank God for the special events we were able to organize in the past few months. These include:
Evening program for children at the Life and Mission Fellowship by King’s Kids
King’s Kinds International (KKI) is an international movement that promotes a ‘kingdom lifestyle’, which supports family values and encourages strong bonds between family generations. Our goal is to care for our children, youth and whole families, and to help them grow in knowing God and bringing Him joy. The purpose of the program is to bring the Kingdom of God to earth – in every generation.
MEGA EVENT youth gathering
Worship, connectedness, new friends, good food and a good dose of fresh inspiration! That was the MEGA EVENT that we put on together with youth groups from all over the Cieszyn Silesia (our region). We thank God for the great cooperation among the young people and we look forward to more events like it!
Shabbat performance of the Klezmer Band
When God completed the work of Creation, He established the day of Sabbath – Shabbat, the day of rest. It is a gift to mankind and a day to delight in the Presence of God. Recently we hosted a dance group called Klezmer that performed dances for the Shabbat. It is part of their repertoire called “Jewish festivals in dance”, put together on the group’s 10-year anniversary in 2017. Apart from Shabbat, the group presented also Chasidic and oriental dances.
Worship Night, prepared by children for their parents
This was a very special evening, organized together by the children’s choir, the youth group and adults. The event was open, while the program was focused in particular on the parents and grandparents. It concluded with a sweet surprise at the cafeteria.
Our Inspirations magazine Summer and Fall 2019
The summer issue of Our Inspirations focused on searching the presence of God as we rest, recuperate our bodies and rejuvenate our souls. He restores our innermost spirit! Our authors tackled subjects like discouragement and burnout, as well as the process of recovery and how to strengthen our lives in every area.
Next issue revolves around the subject of freedom. This one word carries great meaning and at its core represents a deep desire of every man and woman. In this issue the authors have addressed big questions like, what is true freedom, what does it mean to live free, and how can we experience freedom in our families, at our jobs and serving in the church.
Our Inspirations magazine will continue to be published through the end of 2019. The last issue – Winter 2019 – will be the 100th edition of Our Inspirations and it will be the last one available in print. We are so grateful for your partnership and support over the years. We will keep the magazine’s website alive (naszeinspiracje.com), where all the valuable articles and resources from the past 25 years will continue to be available.
Koinonia Publishing House
Over the past months the Koinonia Publishing House has released beautiful new stationary and new postcard designs. We encourage everyone to bless their loved ones with kind words and passages from Scripture.
Multimedia joins storytel.pl!
All teachings we release are now available on the popular Polish platform called storytel.pl, easily
accessible on all devices (computers, phones,
tablets etc.). Our latest new products are:
- Sustaining Intimacy with God (Henryk Wieja) – these brilliant teachings expand on the idea of pursuing God and partnering with Him in creating and multiplying. Through these valuable life lessons God is meeting us in a fresh way. Link to product…
- A Foreigner Welcomed to the House of Jacob (Rick Wienecke) – Rick shared his story of how God found him, in the most amazing way, and called him to serve in Israel. Surprised by God’s call for his life, Rick took a step of faith to get a confirmation. Link to product…
- The Old Testament Today, part 5 (Kazimierz Barczuk) – the Old Testament foretells the return of the Messiah and the redemption from death. Although God established a covenant with people through His Son Jesus Christ, He never annulled the former covenants. Instead they are built upon and fulfilled. Thanks to God’s covenant with His Chosen People, we can partake in the richness of promises and wisdom given to them. Link to product…
In the last quarter, Henryk Wieja ministered in many places nationwide and abroad:
- Conference in Wroclaw, titled: One New Man,
- Preaching at a Church in Wroclaw,
- Lectures at the School of Biblical Discipleship (Wroclaw),
- Participation in the Ceremony of Dedication of the Justice Center at Glory of Zion in Jerusalem, Israel,
- Ministering at the King’s Kids Conference in Kiczyce
WE INVITE YOU to continue walking alongside of us in this special ministry for Poland.
We encourage you to pray and support the meaningful projects we take on every month. The funds of Life and Mission Ministry are designated solely to fulfill the ministry’s statutory goals. We are very aware that our endeavors are possible only thanks to the kindness and favor we are shown by generous individuals like you who are changing the world through giving. On behalf of both our staff and the recipients of our work, we thank you for every single donation made to Life and Mission Ministry! Thank you for standing with us!
Henryk Wieja
Together with the staff of Life and Mission Ministry, Poland
Donate online:
You can donate online with your credit card (Visa, Master Card or American Express) or through PayPal.
More info on Support page
Spring 2019
This year has begun much differently for us than the years before. In the end of December 2018 Alina Wieja passed on to eternity.
Alina was the Co-Founder and Vice President of Life and Mission Ministry, Director of the Christian Counseling Institute and Editor in Chief of „Our Inspirations” magazine. She conducted numerous trainings, seminars and lectures on marriage, empowering family relationships, counseling and effective assistance in critical situations. She was an experienced Christian counselor and one of the leaders at Life and Mission Christian Fellowship.
She authored many books: „Return of a Woman to the Creator”; „Woman Embraced by Love”; „Seven Pillars of Wisdom”; „Embarking on an Abundant Life”; „Overcoming Discouragement”, and „Becoming a Wise Mother”. She was also a sought-out speaker, and released audio teachings: „ God’s Power for Every Day”, „ Discover God’s Plan for Your Life”, „ Life in Abundance”, „ Women Enjoying Life”, „ Who You are to the Father in Heaven” and „Discover Your True Value”.
We experienced a tremendous loss and still feel the painful absence of Alina among us. It is hard to believe or understand, but we know that God is Faithful and He is in control of all things. He is Good and Sovereign in all He does. Therefore, we are determined to uphold the work that Alina has begun and we will continue expanding the Kingdom of God here on Earth!
Thank you for your prayers, along with messages of encouragement and support. We would appreciate your continuous prayers in the days to come. Thank you for standing with us at this time. Above all, we thank our loving God for His strength and guidance. He is the author and finisher of our faith!
Allow us to share with you the God-given projects we had the privilege of undertaking in the first three months of this year.
Women’s Conference
The purpose of the women’s conferences is renewing women’s understanding of God’s view of them, emotional healing from the past and inspiring a life of freedom that we find in our Lord Jesus Christ. The teachings at the conferences encourage women to develop their relationship with Jesus, and remind them of God’s truths, promises and unconditional love.
This year the Women’s Conference, as organized by the Life and Mission Ministry, took place on March 9, 2019 at the Golebiewski Hotel and gathered over a thousand participants from all over Poland and abroad. It was 25 years ago when Alina Wieja initiated gatherings for women in order to inspire and encourage one another to live with God and to give Him all the glory. Although Alina, the leader of the women’s movement in Poland, was no longer with us, at the event we could feel in a profound way how special is the ministry which she left us as an inheritance.
The theme of the conference – Strengthened to live in abundance – was passed on to us as organizers still by Alina, before she went to be with the Lord. The event was inaugurated with opening remarks from Alina’s daughter – Estera Wieja, who in these difficult circumstances proclaimed over the participants a powerful declaration that God is Good. The main theme of the conference was then addressed from many perspectives: Aneta Szczełuszczenko (Strengthened to overcome obstacles); Norma Sarvis (Be strong and courageous to move into your future); Sarah Liberman (Endurance and Legacy), Katarzyna Kalupa (The road to being strengthened). We also heard testimonies from Beata Marczak („It was not supposed to be this way”) and Katarzyna Martinovic (Strengthened to make bold steps of faith).
Below are a few testimonies about the Conference from the attendees:
All the messages and the testimonies touched and moved my heart. I praise God for this time together! – Alicja
I really liked all the speakers. It was wonderful to fellowship with women from all over Poland and from different part of the world. Everything was great, thank you. – Kasia
Thank you for all the Women’s Conferences. They really strengthen me personally! – Leokadia
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was a very special and valuable time – I praise God for this conference and for all speakers who shared their hearts. I admire the organizers for putting this event on! – Honorata
Thank you so much for the hard work you put into this. It is a tremendous testimony of God’s power. This was a truly blessed time with wonderful women of God. May God bless you! – Agnieszka
Our Inspirations magazine – Spring 2019
The Spring issue of „Nasze Inspiracje” (Our Inspirations) magazine was a special edition. It honored the life and legacy of Alina, the inheritance of blessings and the spiritual heritage she left with us. The articles highlighted what a great inspiration she was to many on a daily basis. Among the memories and words of gratitude for her life, the magazine also included articles authored by her, which were published in Nasze Inspiracje over the years. They continue to be a great source of encouragement and a reminder that God never changes and His grace endures forever.
The magazine will continue to be published through the end of 2019. The last issue of the year, Winter 2019, will be the hundredth issue of the publication and will be the last issue to come out in paper form.
Koinonia Publishing
The Koinonia Publishing House releases materials that promote Christian values and the Biblical family lifestyle. The wide spectrum of titles published by Koinonia motivate personal development, inspire growth in relationship with God and address challenges of everyday life. Resources offered by Koinonia are recommended also for Christian counselors, therapists, Bible teachers and Christian leaders.
Books:
In the beginning of this year by God’s grace we were able to published the ‘Fascinating Israel’ album, filled with beautiful photographs of the land of Israel, accompanied by captivating descriptions written by Estera Wieja, explaining the cultural, historical and biblical significance of the pictured locations. The beautiful compilation of images and captions presents Israel as the land rich in diversity, captivating in its natural glory. It introduces the reader to the land of the Bible. Nevertheless, on top of the historical and biblical context, this unique publication also gives insight into Israel today – the modern, sole democracy in the Middle East.
Multimedia:
The Multimedia sector of the Koinonia Publishing includes video and audio recordings of valuable teachings and lectures that were recorded at the Life and Mission Christian Fellowship and at many conferences and events of Life and Mission Ministry. The online store of Koinonia offers a wide variety of multimedia resources (in Polish only).
New products have been released:
- Becoming A Wise Mother (Alina Wieja) – an audio-book, read by Katarzyna Podsiadło. It is a beautiful and warm publication, full of wisdom and encouragement.
- Strengthened to live in abundance (Estera Wieja, Aneta Szczełuszczenko, Norma Sarvis, Sarah Liberman, Katarzyna Martinovic, Beata Marczak, Katarzyna Kalupa) – teachings from this year’s Women’s Conference, available on MP3.
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- https://koinonia.org.pl/products/wzmocniona-by-zyc-w-obfitosci-cd-mp3
Members of the Life and Mission Team represented our Ministry and ministered at significant events, among them:
- Henryk Wieja, Roman Górniok, Sylwia Pinkas took part in a Leaders Conference in Kielce, titled: Towards Israel.
- Henryk Wieja took part in the Alignment Roundtable Consultation in Israel.
Life and Mission Christian Fellowship:
- The Nativity. Performed by children and adults alike, the story focused on biblical characters we know from the Gospels (Joseph, Mary, angels, shepherds and wise men) together with contemporary figures that represented the nations of the world who come to bow before Jesus, the King of Kings. The story was accompanied by wonderful music and visual art.
- Community Sleigh Ride
- Agape Gatherings
- Sunday Service dedicated to the Purim festival
- Israeli Dance Workshops – dancing in worship can enable us to experience joy, a sense of community, and it can be an expression of our thoughts and feelings for God. Through music and choreography the Israeli Dances retell the Biblical stories, speak of the love for the land and describe the daily life.
WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY INVITE YOU
to walk with us in this ministry through fervent prayer and financial gifts to the projects we are undertaking. We are a non-governmental, non-profit organization. Our statutory objectives are accomplished thanks to the donations and grants from our faithful supporters. We are very aware that a huge part of this tremendous ministry is having the support of likeminded people whom God uses to change the world. On behalf of our staff and the recipients of the work of Life and Mission Ministry, thank you for every generous gift.
Henryk Wieja
Together with the staff of Life and Mission Ministry, Poland
Donate online:
You can donate online with your credit card (Visa, Master Card or American Express) or through PayPal.
More info on Support page