Nr. 113, January 5, 2010
1. Europartners Leadership Retreat 2010
2. Sharing Christian Ethics in Serbia
3. CBMC Events in England
4. Crown Europe Review 2009
5. A Visit to Southern Spain
6. News on the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine
Europartners Leadership Retreat 2010
 We wish you and your families a Happy New Year and hope to see you at our Leadership Retreat, February 10-14, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem. If you plan to attend, please register immediately.
—Dominique Faessler and Johann Kaiser, Europartners
Sharing Christian Ethics in Serbia
 Belgrade Business Initiative (BBI) has been promoting and sharing enthusiastically Christian principles and business ethics in the market place and society in Serbia for the last six years. The conference “Social responsibility and ethics of the global financial crisis” which took place November 20-21, 2009 in Belgrade expressed the efforts to present a Christian view on the current developments to business people, professionals and politicians. The event was opened by Dusica Petkovic and Samuil Petrovski, both representatives of BBI, followed by Leo van Doesburg who represented the European Christian Political Movement (ECPM).
 The main speakers of the conference were Dwight Holloway and Dr. Misa Djurkovic. Dwight Holloway is the Executive Vice President of PIMCO (Pacific Investment Management Company) in London. He explained the “Credit Crunch” of 2008 and shared biblical principles on investing. Dr. Misa Djurkovic, a Researcher at the Institute of European Studies, challenged the guests with the topic “Wealth – just a goal or the source for good deeds and glorification of the Lord?” The presentations were followed by a time of sharing ideas and experiences. [Picture: Samuel Petrovski, Dwight Holloway, Dusica Petkovic]
The next day started with several lectures and a panel discussion. The first session was given by Dwight Holloway on the topic “Principles of reconciliation as an essential element of being successful in business and politics”. During his time in Belgrade, Dwight Holloway attended various meetings in the Parliament and in the royal palace, talking to representatives of the current and the former government, as well as the royal family. The purpose of meeting members of the former socialist regime in Serbia was to experience the degree of reconciliation that is needed and how a neutral Christian approach can further this process to build a new political system.
 Dr. Misa Djurkovic spoke about the topic “Can we get out of the crisis the way we got into it - Back to the Christian roots”. This session was very interactive and dynamic as he explained the global market and the Serbian society. He gave an outstanding presentation on how the new capitalism is far away from the traditional capitalism. Not only did the capital move from real economy to speculative economy stimulating loans, fast earnings, consumption, speculation, also life standards have changed loosing their traditional values of family, morality and integrity. He called us to go back to the Christian roots and emphasized that revitalization is only possible within a Christian frame.
The conference closed with a panel discussion on “The crisis of ethics and the call for moral responsibility” with Slobodan Milivojevic, Director of the National University “Bozidar Adzija”, Emil Krijestorac of the People’s Party Montenegro and Leo van Doesburg of ECPM.
—Dusica Petkovic, President of Belgrade Business Initiative
CBMC Events in England
 From November 4 - 7, 2009, Dominique Faessler (President of Europartners) met up with Paul Davis (Europartners Ambassador to Great Britain) and visited CBMC groups in Kent and Nottinghamshire. [Picture: Paul Davis]
November 5 saw them both at the CBMC Kent pre-Luncheon committee meeting. At this informal get together, Dominique shared of the wonderful things that God is doing through the ministry around Europe today. Paul also spoke words of encouragement to the local CBMC.
 Following this meeting, Dominique gave his testimony at the Outreach Luncheon which was held in the same hotel. It was great to see a number of new contacts in attendance. We enjoyed a lovely evening in Sevenoakes at the country home of Marshall and Susie Pont before leaving the next morning for Nottinghamshire, via London. [Picture: Marshall Pont and Dominique Faessler]
Please pray for CBMC Kent as they face many changes. Roy Savery as the outgoing Chairman and the new joint Chairmen for 2010: Marshall Pont and Philip Alexandre. That the Lord would truly bless their leadership and the new outreaches which are planned for 2010, changing from Luncheons to Breakfast Outreaches.
 On November 6, Dominique and Paul arrived in Worksop, to be met by Dave Bloomer (Chairman of CBMC Worksop) and his wife Chris. In the evening, CBMC Worksop hosted an Outreach Dinner at which Dominique gave his testimony. A good crowd attended including many unsaved business people and also those who had committed their lives to Christ at previous outreaches. It was encouraging to hear of a man who came through for the Lord, six months after attending an outreach dinner the previous year, when Abraham Maldonado was testifying! (‘One plants, another waters but God makes it grow!’) [Picture: Dave and Chris Bloomers with Dominique Faessler]
Please pray for CBMC Worksop Chairman, Dave Bloomer and his committee that God would greatly use them for the advancement of His kingdom in Nottinghamshire and beyond. For their monthly prayer breakfasts in Worksop and for the planning of the 2010 CBMC GB+I Conference on April 24.
After an enjoyable night with Dave and Chris and the following morning in Sherwood Forest, Dominique and Paul travelled to Manchester airport for their flights to Zurich and Dublin respectively.
—Paul Davis, Europartners Ambassador to Great Britain
Crown Europe Review 2009
 In January, Crown Europe Leaders organized a retreat, where 24 leaders from 16 nations gathered together to help and encourage one another for the year ahead. They were able to introduce Crown for the first time into Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Slovakia, Albania, Estonia and Hungary. They spoke at business conferences in Netherlands, Romania, Latvia, Estonia, England and Italy, encouraging business leaders to do “Business by the Book” and to form local discipleship groups. They returned to leaders in Romania, Poland, Portugal, England, Switzerland and Bulgaria to encourage and support them in their own local Crown ministry. [Picture: Crown Retreat 2009 in Switzerland]
Peter Briscoe visited the FCCI conference in the US and the global leaders retreat in Canada to learn more about the marketplace ministry of FCCI and how this could be a blessing to Crown in Europe. After that he visited the Crown home office in Gainsville twice for strategic discussions with Crown leadership. Towards the end of the year, 16 leaders from Crown Europe visited Crown’s Global Reunion in Asheville (USA) where almost 400 Crown co-workers gathered from all over the world.
Most of all, they could see Crown fulfilling its mission to teach people to learn, apply and teach God’s financial principles, so that they may know Christ more intimately, be free to serve Him and fulfill the Great Commission.
The Crown theme for 2010 is “Helping people all over Europe to understand and experience God’s economy!”
—Peter Briscoe and Andrew Nedelchev, Crown Europe
A Visit to Southern Spain
 Dominique and his wife Françoise visited Malaga, November 16-19, as guests of Abraham and Mayra Maldonado of ECLA (European Christian Leadership Academy). Europartners and ECLA have a partnership agreement since 2006. Abraham has been helping Europartners to train Christian business leaders in Europe. He has been active in several countries for Europartners, such as Russia, Switzerland, Germany, Albania, Italy, Finland, Ireland, UK, Hungary, Portugal and Poland. [Picture: Abraham Maldonado]
Abraham is also the Europartners coordinator for Spain. We are still praying to revive the AiPEC ministry to business people in Spain.
On November 17, they met a group of Spanish and English speaking businessmen from the Gibraltar and Algeciras area in South Spain. Dominique presented the Europartners marketplace ministry and encouraged them to start a group by praying and listening to the Lord. He explained to them how to start the ministry and invited them to come to Jerusalem in February 2010 to get the vision and see God at work in the marketplace in Europe.
The Faesslers and the Maldonados enjoyed deep fellowship and could encourage each other. Plans were discussed for 2010 on how to further train the Europartners leaders in evangelism and discipleship. Abraham will be with Europartners in February 2010 in Jerusalem and will hold workshops on “How to bring God’s Kingdom to the workplace”.
―Dominique Faessler, Europartners President
News on the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine
Following is a report of Tilo Steinbrinck on his visit to the Baltic States, Belarus and the Ukraine, in November and December 2009.
LATVIA
 Dainis Smits, architect and President of CBMC Latvia planned the following schedule: National Prayer Breakfast, meeting with the Board of CBMC, drive to Siaulai and Klaipeda In Lithuania to meet Christian business brothers and sisters. [Picture: Dainis and Vaiva Smits]
Latvian National Prayer Breakfast in Riga
Mrs. Inese Slesere, Member of the National Parliament of Seimas, a group of Christian activists, together with the Evangelical Alliance (including all churches, CBMC and other Christian associations) organized the fifth Latvian National Prayer Breakfast. Over 250 guests came: the leaders of the major denominations (Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox, Baptists), parliamentarians, politicians from regions and cities, representatives of many groups of society. Aldo Vinkel and Vytautas Umbrasas, friends from Europartners groups in the Baltic States Estonia and Lithuania also attended. The motto reflected the Latvian National Hymn “God bless Latvia, our dearest fatherland, do bless Latvia, oh, do bless it”.
The President of Latvia, Vladis Zatler and the former President of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus held the main addresses. The meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer and the National Anthem. God is blessing this nation despite its catastrophic budget and financial situation.
Financial crisis
 further meetings with CBMC Latvia Board members, the financial crisis came up as one of the main concerns of Christian business people. Some of them had to dismiss their staff with whom they had worked for many years. Some did not even have the money to pay their next business trips. I spiritually prepared them for a long “march through the desert”. This topic also proved to be of main significance at the following visits in other cities of the Baltic States. [Picture: Tilo Steinbrinck]
FCCI Business by the Book and Forum groups
CBMC Latvia Board members praised the success and fruits of the “Business by the Book” seminars and the forum concept in Riga. They had translated it into the Latvian language and presented the texts on audio and on DVD videos (subtitles). Out of one seminar in May, four forum groups could be formed in which Christians regularly meet. They also spoke with great appreciation of Jan and Anneke Suk from Holland and their role as mentors of Young Professionals in Latvia.
LITHUANIA
Siaulai
Dainis and I drove to Siaulai in the north of Lithuania where we met with Viktoras Raila. The next morning, Dainis and I met with six Christian businessmen in a restaurant. After our morning prayers, they shared about their fears due to the economic crisis. Some of them also praised God that their businesses are doing well – evidently signs of blessing from the Lord.
Dainis Smits introduced the FCCI concept “Business by the Book”, with the documentation and the DVDs available. The group in Siaulai was so enthusiastic that they want to translate the documentation into the Lithuanian language. Dainis promised them the support of the Riga group. They also plan a FCCI seminar during 2010. Christian ethics actually is widely discussed in their business community.
Klaipeda
Pastor Karosas and Eduardas Bytautas belong to the leadership team of Christians in Business. Since my last visit they have changed from their club-style meetings to seminars in which a great part of the 40 participants are interested but not yet Christians. The actual seminar on team building originates from the Willow Creek movement. Biblical principles are conveyed to the audience, similar to “Business by the Book” and the forum group concept. The leadership team in Klaipeda plans to work together with the group in Siaulai on this project. During the following night, Dainis Smits drove 400 km back to Riga.
LCC University in Klaipeda
The LCC University in Klaipeda is a private Christian university with full status of a university according to Lithuanian and US standards. Since summer 2009, Dr. Kyle B. Usrey serves as new President. Dr. Usrey is working on closer connections to European Christian business people by sending out invitations each semester to Christian leaders and business people for speaking engagements about business related topics at the LCC University. More on LCC University: www.lcc.lt.
Kaunas
In Kaunas, the former capital of Lithuania, Mr. and Mrs. Verpentiskas plan to form a group of Christian business people. They are also interested in starting a “Business by the Book” seminar (in Lithuanian). Dzintas Pauzers of the Riga group will visit them.
Vilnius
In Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, a meeting with Mr. Vytautas Umbrasas (for many years the Europartners contact person in Lithuania) shows again that it is not easy to maintain a group of Christian business people in a country’s capital. Many active Christians are called by the Lord in responsible positions and cannot make enough time available for our work in the business world. As an illustration: Vytautas Umbrasas has become Vice-Minister of Defense in the government of Lithuania. It proves that our Lord evidently calls some of His key people and promotes them into special tasks and responsibilities.
ESTONIA
In Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, the National Prayer Breakfast was held on December 16. Together with influential parliamentarians, Aldo Vinkel, Peeter Vösu and Peep Neimann from the Association of the Estonian Christian Businessmen (EEK) belong to the initiators and organizers. There is increasing cooperation and networking between the groups in the Baltic States. This is especially valuable in current economic crisis.
BELARUS
From the Belarusian government, the Christian Business Initiative BCD, our partner association, held its annual conference on December 12 in the Biblical College of Christians in Minsk. The general topic was “Belarus in and after the crisis, prospects of development”. The conference was led by George Dmitruk, Chairman of BCD. It was accompanied by a Messianic-Jewish music group called “New Jerusalem” and the (in Belarus) well-known Christian pop singer Igor Sorokin. Economists and the talk show master highlighted the topic from various Christian perspectives. As a guest speaker I spoke on “Belarusians in the crisis – a friendly view from an outsider”. Participants were coming from all parts of Belarus, from various professions and denominations.
UKRAINE
Alexander Shelpuk, Chairman of Christian Business People in Ukraine (UACB), reported on a successful Crown Financial seminar in Russian language in Kiev last November. It is also planned to organize the same seminar in the city of Charkow in the eastern part of the Ukraine.
The next course of the Kiev International Christian University (KIUV) will start in January 2010. A team around Alexander Shelpuk is responsible for the organization of the university courses. UACB is also working with some young Christian IT specialists to develop an own internet site. The next edition of the “Reflections” magazine in Russian language is in preparation. It will be published in February 2010. In these times of worries and crisis, the words of Jesus in John 14:1 give direction and strength: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me”.
—Tilo Steinbrinck, Europartners Coordinator for the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine
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