Read the Bethany Lutheran Mission News Posted by Pastor Palangyos -Their Building Brings Back Memories

 The second phase raised enough to obtain most of the materials. Read more here - from Pastor Jordan Palangyos.

We started in New Ulm, Minnesota, where the CLC (sic) pastors helped two or three people fuss over pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. 

We rented a place for Sunday worship and looked for something permanent. God provided. When nothing was available, an elderly man wanted to sell his land to us. We obtained a loan for the down payment and a mortgage from the bank. The seller wanted to stay in his house and pay us rent, which paid the mortgage installments.

A carpenter in our midst saw the potential for a chapel by closing in the carport. That came together with a gift, our labor, some rented skilled labor, a donated organ, donated chairs, and donated hymnals. We started with nothing but a defenestrated group and faith we could worship in spite of the obstacles.

The group named the congregation after Bethany, where Jesus - by His Word - raised  Lazarus from the dead. That was about 23 years ago. Since then we have worshiped and broadcast - by phone - from Phoenix, and - by Internet video streaming - from Arkansas.

I mention these details because nobody could predict all this in advance. The opposition was like a hive of yellow jackets stirred into a stinging frenzy. But God can take the greatest evil and turn it into the greatest good, as He did with the crucifixion of His Son.

Wouldn't "conservative" Lutherans welcome books based upon the Reformation? Quite the opposite was true. However, that has only made it easier to distribute free and low-cost books for this generation and generations to come, God willing.

People have given with great joy so Pastor and Mrs. Palangyos can gather their own people to hear the Gospel.

Glen Kotten has visited at least twice to help.

 Pastor Jordan Palangyos and his wife Amabel are from this region and they are bringing the Gospel Word to their people, with help from everyone there.

Bethany Lutheran Mission in the Philippines - Raising the Roof

Pastor Jordan and helpers waited six hours to get their order filled for the roof materials.
Read about the progress of Bethany Lutheran Mission here.

 The building materials are in the background of the open air chapel.

 Getting the construction materials and delivering them was a big chore.

 Work starts soon on the permanent roof.

 Many children come to worship and learn about Jesus.

 Pastor and Mrs. Palangyos chose to teach Justification by Faith and be a witness to the truth of the Reformation. They are thankful to God for the support they receive from faithful Lutherans everywhere.
Read about their labor of love at Bethany Lutheran Mission here.

Approved! - The Non-Profit PayPal Account for Bethany Lutheran Mission in the Phillipines

 The non-profit account, which was tied up by legal issues in the region, has been restored. Once again, the PayPal address is -  
lutheranautonomousmissionsphil@yahoo.com

Our mission in the Philippines had an approved non-profit account, thanks to our attorney, Glen Kotten. Regional issues led to that being a problem for a short time.

We are back to using the non-profit address -

lutheranautonomousmissionsphil@yahoo.com

They are about half-way to their goal of $2,000 for the permanent roof. If you have seen news of the typhoons in the last month, the need for concrete and steel is obvious.

"The Christmas typhoon swept west across the islands of the Eastern Visayas region, southern Luzon and Western Visayas on Wednesday, toppling electricity pylons and trees, tearing off roofs, damaging more than 2,000 homes and causing widespread travel disruption over the busy Christmas period." Death Toll Rises

Typhoon Strikes the Philippines - Evacuations and Power Outages

The Bethany Lutheran Mission does not have a typhoon proof roof. We are donating toward a permanent one, which can be built once the roof fund reaches $2,000.

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-12-03-philippines-typhoon-kammuri-death-toll-damage

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/world/asia/philippines-typhoon-tisoy-kammuri.html

"Manila airport was ordered shut for 12 hours and nearly 500 flights were canceled. Officials suspended marine traffic in affected areas as Kammuri, packing wind gusts as high as 150 miles per hour, battered the Philippine archipelago for a second day."

GJ - I discussed the typhoon with Pastor Palangyos today, via Facebook instant-messaging. Several new gifts have been sent.

Update from Pastor Palangyos - the typhoon has passed by and the sun is shining. 

 The resourceful members have already established a location and a permanent first floor. The temporary roof gives them shelter in moderate weather.

A Thank You Note about All of You

 Pastor Shrader, Glen Kotten, and moi.

I am thankful to God for all of you. So many things have happened lately.

The trip to see the Howell and Shrader families (plus Glen Kotten) was a great experience, showing how the Faith brings us together and unites us.

 Here is a good close-up of Pastor James Shrader, who has a jolly rating of 10 (out of 10).

Having our Bethany Philippine Mission  teaching and preaching (with Glen Kotten present) is another example. He just arrived in Manila and had another seven hours to ride in a bus to Pastor and Mrs. Palangyos' home. The mission is some distance north from there and difficult to reach. Yet all that is done to reach people with the Gospel.

What members of Bethany (USA branch) are accomplishing in broadcasting the Word is also remarkable.

Glen Kotten, Chris Shrader, and Pastor Shrader

Every church body says, "If we only had money," when they only need the living Word of God, far more powerful than a stack of greenbacks. I keep looking at institutional histories that show a paradoxical relationship to wealth - the more they have, the worse they are in every respect. They die with golden teeth and jewels for food...painful. Glide Memorial Church is one famous example.

So I am thankful to God for all of you.

 Pastor Jordan Palangyos and his wife Amabel, a PhD in linguistics.

Now on the International Market - The Bible Teaches Faith in Jesus the Savior - translated by Pastor Jordan Palangyos

The Kindle ebook version of The Bible Teaches Faith in Jesus the Savior is available in Ilocano (ilocano) - one of the Philippine languages. Pastor Jordan Palangyos translated it for his mission work.

Norma A. Boeckler illustrated the book and designed the covers.

The printed, full-color version is NOT available. Amazon limits the number of languages they use for printing, and Ilocano is not on that list. However, here is the link for the completed book in full cover, translated by Pastor Palangyos.

Translated into Ilocano - The Bible Teaches Faith in Jesus the Savior.

The main idea in using Amazon was to make the ebook available for only 99 cents, all over the world.

The mission has a computer printer for creating books locally. There are plans and hopes for using inexpensive tablets for literacy training and Christian teaching.