The Philippian Fellowship grew just as our slogan says -putting the peoples together. In 1999, the Lord brought Roland Lussier, a businessman, and Jon Bubar, then a missionary with Word of Life serving in the Czech Republic, together at First Baptist Church in Waldoboro, Maine. Both of these men discovered that they shared a common burden, a burden for pastors in Eastern Europe. Many of these well trained men of God had to work one or two jobs to be able to be in the ministry. It cost fifty to sixty thousand dollars to place a US missionary in Eastern Europe. While these folks have a great love to serve the Lord, most do not speak the language or know the culture and often stay a short time and return home. Jon and Roland felt that the fifty to sixty thousand dollars could make ten to twenty of the national pastors full time. They began to pray, dream, and plan. They soon came up with a plan to link churches in Eastern Europe with churches in the US in a sister church relationship centered on mutual prayer, encouragement, and financial assistance.
They were soon joined in this new ministry by Jeff Norton, a retired Lt. Col who had served in the US ARMY as a helicopter pilot and also had lived in Europe. The Eastern European Pastor's Fund was soon born. First Baptist Church in Waldoboro was approached and asked to consider becoming the pilot church for this new ministry. The church whole-heartedly embraced this idea. Pastor Mike Peterson, senior pastor of the church, was asked to visit their sister church in Sumperk, the Czeck Republic. Thus began a wonderful relationship that has been a blessing to both churches.
New missions are always learning and growing. The name was changed to The Philippian Fellowship to better communicate our mission and to allow for the growth of the ministry to other parts of the world as the Lord would direct. We soon found ourselves called to minister to pastors and churches in Hungary and Romania. The Lord continues to broaden the scope of our missions as we have recently began to minister to an orphanage and an abortion rescue ministry in Romania. Changes are always coming as the Lord directs. Roland Lussier is our Executive Director and Mike Peterson is serving in a part-time position as Director of Outreach.
We would love to share more about The Philippian Fellowship-there is a lot more to share! You can explore our web site, e-mail , write or call us. We also have a free DVD that will tell you a lot more about this very special ministry. We would love to hear from you. There is a place for you in the ministry of The Philippian Fellowship.
The Philippian Fellowship, 99 Storer Road Bremen, Maine 04551
