This has been a good year for the Potter family and the work of God in Hungary. Trent Potter graduated from kindergarten, Ami Potter graduated from high school and Micah Potter graduated from seminary. We were able to attend all three ceremonies. Jean Potter retired after 25 years of teaching home school. The school alumni gave her a grand retirement party.

We also rejoice in the progress of God’s work in Hungary. Lighthouse Baptist Church of Nagykanizsa, under the leadership of Gedeon Olah, is growing by leaps and bounds. Bible Baptist Church of Pecs has transitioned to the leadership of Bela Horvath, a national pastor.

May God give you, our prayer partners, a spiritually prosperous New Year.

Here is a video of one of the musical numbers from our Christmas program. I sometimes joke with visiting pastors that they may not like classical music, but we have it in the chuch because the young people like it. God has blessed us with young people who are serious about serious music. This song is called, Rejoice, Rejoice! The music is by G. F. Handel. The performers are Arpad Bagdan, soloist, Brigitta Kovacs, oboe, Ami Potter, violin, Bela Gado, viola and Emilia Horvath and Eva Jambor, recorders.

Rejoice! Rejoice! from David Potter on Vimeo.

We rejoiced to have several unsaved relatives present to see the children in their Christmas program.  Click on pictures to enlarge.

Bell Ringer

Mary, Joseph and the Babe

Christmas Program

Recorder Duet

I was able to share the Gospel through the Christmas story.  Pray for the unsaved relatives who came to the program.

Preaching

Here are some pictures from last Sunday night’s Christmas musical program at Bible Baptist Church of Pecs.  Click on images to enlarge.

Choir Picture #1

Choir Picture #2

Bell Choir

Choir Ladies

Duet

Ensemble

Rejoice!

Yesterday Gedeon Olah baptized six believers into the membership of the Lighthouse Baptist Church of Nagykanizsa.  We rejoice at the great things God is doing in this new work.  A number of unsaved relatives attended the service.  Pray for their salvation.  Click to enlarge.

Baptism in Nagykanizsa

Dear Praying Friends,

Nikolett* was a total stranger to me.  I did  not remember meeting her in church before for a good reason: I was in Nagykanizsa the previous Sunday, which was when she first visited our church in Pecs.  This Sunday she was there again, this time with two daughters, Melody and Claudia.  She listened attentively to the preaching and occasionally took notes.

Nikolett moved to Hungary from Transylvania, an area of Romania where many ethnic Hungarians live.  Though she is not Hungarian herself, she speaks fluent Hungarian.  Her mother had a Baptist background, so when she and her husband moved into an apartment near our church, she saw the church sign and decided to come in search of spiritual help.  She found a friendly face in Gabi, a member of our church who is also from Transylvania and who speaks Romanian.  Pray for Nikolett and her family.  They are four out of about ten million reasons God sent us to Hungary.

Thanks for your prayers for our activities this month.  The preaching and the testimonies at the Pecs missions conference were an encouragement to the folks in the church.  Also, the time we have spent in Nagykanizsa was been profitable.  Attendance for the Thursday midweek services there was between 30 and 35 each time.  On Sunday morning, November 22, when I asked for those to whom the Lord had spoken to raise their hands, nearly everyone responded.  The Olahs and the Hughes are doing a splendid work.

We would appreciate your prayers for a major challenge facing the Pecs church.  Some time ago the church’s flat roof needed fixing.  The roofer said that he could either fix the roof right or do the minimum to get by for another five years or so.  The five years are up, and we must do something major.  The estimated cost is more than the church’s annual budget.  The church has a healthy balance in the bank, which will give us a good start.  Please DO NOT SEND MONEY.  Rather, send up your prayers that God will supply this need through His people here in Hungary.

Please pray for the following activities this month: two special Christmas programs on December 13 and 20, a special Christmas morning service on the 25^th, and a New Years Eve service on the 31^st.  An all-night youth activity will follow the New Years Eve service.  The students in Romania who are studying Greek will take their final exam this month.  Pray not only that they will pass the test, but that using Greek will become practical to them in their ministry.

Our quest for a permanent visa goes on.  Thank you for praying.  We now have until December 31 to get in all the paperwork.  Dealing with bureaucracy always seems to require more work, time and expense than you think it will.  The immigration department has always been good to us.  Pray that God’s will would be done in this matter.

Please pray for the following people who have spiritual needs: Anna, Attila, Janos, Miklos and Vivien.

Thank you again for standing behind us in prayer.

Yours for Hungary hearts,

David Potter

PS—If you have not done so lately, visit our web site: www.hungaryhearts.com.

*Not to be confused with Jean’s language helper, who is a different person.