We're willing to go . . . are you willing to send us?
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Back to Russia with love!
Around the time the Sculley family returned from Russia, the Perm Vineyard invited Vicki Hale (Russian Vineyard church planter, now back at the Atlanta Vineyard, too) to lead a women's retreat for our sisters from the Russian Vineyard Churches. She has lead at least a dozen of these retreats over the years for all of the Russian Vineyards, and immediately began gathering a team to go with her. My heart leapt when she invited me to join her, and God has put together two wonderful teams - one hosting the retreat in Perm (lead by our close friend Alyona) and the one I'm blessed to be a part of traveling from Atlanta.
We'd like to invite you to partner with us as we go to Russia to serve women, primarily in leading the women's retreat with women traveling from 7 cities on the last weekend of November. During the week preceding the retreat, I will be visiting loved ones in Nizhny Novgorod while the rest of the team serves women in the city of Perm through the WomenCare ministry that assists expectant and new mothers and babies.
Here are the official biographies each of our team members wrote, along with some personalization from me. Please scroll down for ways that you can partner with us, in sending us, in helping Russian women attend the retreat, and in equipping Russian believers with resources. What a joy it is to serve our great God together! Also, be sure to read the blessing at the bottom of this email . . . I recently came across this, and it is a treasure.
KAREN SCULLEY: Karen Sculley is very excited about this opportunity to be with her beloved sisters in Christ in Russia again. Karen and her husband, Paul, and their six children lived in Nizhny Novgorod from 2008 till 2009, serving God at the Nizhny Vineyard. Karen has walked with Jesus for 34 years, and has served at the Atlanta Vineyard for 20 years. She has a heart for prayer, unity in the body of Christ, and encouraging leaders. She loves worshiping God, spending time with family and friends, and attempting great things for God.
ANASTASIA TATARSKY: At the age of 4 I accepted Jesus Christ to be my Savior, not knowing that my faith would ACTUALLY be tested in my beliefs. Around 7 years of age, God told me that I was supposed to be a missionary. Throughout the next 6 years I visited 44 of the continental United States with my 8 brothers and sisters, my mother, and my father. I am a senior at Norcross High School and am pressing slowly but passionately toward my Jesus and the calling He has on my life.
I've known Anastasia her whole life - our families met when we had one child between us - now there are 15! She's a wonderfully gifted 17 year old young woman who has a lot to give. Her bright smile and heart for God bless all who know her. Our two families are closely connected - rarely a week goes by without some subset of Tatarsky's and Sculley's hanging out!
HEATHER HUNNICUTT: Heather is a mom to three lively children ages 5, 3, and 1. She's been married for seven years to Patton, who is a music teacher. Though she holds a college degree in psychology, her job and primary ministry is home with her kids. Heather has been a Christian for four wonderful years and is so grateful for the changes God has made in her life so far. She enjoys reading, baking, and exercise and is excited to go to Russia!
Heather is a new friend whom I'm enjoying getting to know. Her passion and determination will be a huge encouragement to the women in Russia! She is already an inspiration to me - she puts her whole heart into what she does. C enjoys helping out at Sunday school, and has fallen in love with Heather's 3 year old daughter Hadley.
NANCY PENTON: Nancy Penton is the wife of Allen Penton and mother of three grown and married sons. Nancy loves the Lord and has been a Christian since childhood. Nancy loves teaching about prayer and mentoring women. She serves as the Director of Prayer and Prophetic Ministries at Atlanta Vineyard Church. Nancy traveled to Russia in the summer of 2008 and went to the Vineyard National Conference in Nizhny Novgorod and joined a team traveling to Yekaterinburg.
Allen & Nancy and Paul & I met in 1997 and have enjoyed many shared experiences together over the years. Nancy is a very dear friend. God has blessed us with similar hearts and passions and opportunities to serve alongside one another, in prayer, on worship teams, as leaders, in small groups, as fellow teachers, weeping and rejoicing together!
CELINE PEAVY: My full name is: Catherine Celine Peavy but I have always been called by my middle name. I was born in the United Kingdom and have lived in America for 41 years. My husband Jack is an American by birth. I became an American Citizen in 1976. We have four children, two daughters and two sons. The desire of my heart is to serve the Lord by teaching others to pray. I am a Prayer Warrior. I have worked outside the home as a Real Estate Agent for the past 31 years.
Celine is another new friend whom I'm enjoying getting to know. Her faith and boldness will be a huge encouragement to the women in Russia! She loves praying with and for others, and I've already been blessed and encouraged by her ministry.
NANCY LEDOUX: I was born in Washington DC in 1952. After high school I immediately began working in the Telecommunications field for one of the major "telephone companies " in Washington DC. In 1972 I decided to give college a try where I met my husband Marc. I left college after one semester and married Marc a year later. We have one son, Dustin and our precious grandaughter Emilee Sarah. I have been married 35 years. My life truly began June 12 1996 the day I gave my heart to Jesus What I desire most in life is that my life reads like a love letter to Jesus.
Marc & Nancy and Paul & I have become very dear to one another over the past 5 years, and have similar hearts for seeking God's face. We enjoy being a part of the small group that meets in their home that strongly resembles the soaking group we hosted in Nizhny! Nancy has a huge heart for all people and always has a word of encouragement on her lips.
VICKI HALE: What can I say that you do not know! I have been a Christian for over 19 years and have spent nearly 11 of those years in Perm, Russia. I am returning because God continues to move there and He wants the women in Russia to take hold of their call to fulfill His purposes. I hope to equip the saints and commission the women to expand the Kingdom! I have a 12-year old son, Austin, who wishes he could come with me. And my husband, Ralph, continues to serve the world through missions and leadership training at the Atlanta Vineyard.
Ralph & Vicki and Paul & I met in 1996 - our first common missions experience was Vicki and I standing pregnant at the airport as we sent our husbands to Brazil for the first international team sent from the Atlanta Vineyard. Vicki and her family are very dear to us, and we're enjoying living only 10 minutes apart now! We first began serving in Russia thanks to Ralph & Vicki's influence as they planted the Vineyard church in Perm many years ago. Our sons M and A are inseparable friends. Vicki has gathered women in Russian Vineyards together many times over the years, and it's a joy to serve alongside her again!
Thanks for all your prayers, encouragement, and support! We love you and appreciate you!
Financial Partnership Opportunities:
We'd like to offer you a variety of opportunities each month . . . let us know if you'd like to partner with us in any of these ways. THANK YOU for your support . . . it is a joy to walk this road together with you!
• Sculley Family support
o We're trusting God to provide Karen's travel expenses . . . $2000 total includes airfare, accommodation, and team contributions
Leadership Development
o We'd like to help as many women as possible from Nizhny Novgorod attend the women's retreat in Perm . . . $80 will sponsor one woman to go
We trust God to provide everything we need to do all that He wants us to do in and through us. If you would like to invest what God has given you in Kingdom activity, through financial partnership, here's how (all financial contributions are 100% tax deductible in the U.S.A., and are processed through the Atlanta Vineyard, our sending church to whom we are accountable):
• automated giving (automatic monthly deductions from your checking or savings account - click here for the form - be sure to write "Sculley - Russia" in the space under "recommended giving"). Once you print out and fill in the form, please mail it to the address indicated at the bottom of the form.
• online giving via PayPal (www.atlantavineyard.com — just mention “Sculley - Russia” on the online giving comment line)
Praise Reports:
• We praise God for the countless ways He's helped us in readjusting to life back in Atlanta. We're grateful for each person who has helped us, with prayer, counsel, wisdom, compassion, and listening ears!
Please pray for us:
• Please pray for every detail of the planning and preparation for the women's retreat, for both the Atlanta team and the Perm team. We want God's heart.
• Please pray for each woman who will attend the retreat. It will require a high level of sacrifice for many women to be able to attend, due to travel distances, work and family commitments, and financial considerations.
We pray for you, too - please let us know your specific prayer requests. It's such a joy to pray for one another! We have all of our email and facebook friends' names written on our prayer wall in our home.
Our vision:
• mobilize prayer
• promote unity in the body of Christ
• encourage and equip leaders
We appreciate your prayers so much! Thank you!
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” (1 Samuel 30:24)
With love,
Paul, Karen, P, J, M, C, E, & K Sculley
A Franciscan Benediction . . . our prayer for you . . .
May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and the exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those
Who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to
Comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do
What others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness
To all our children and the poor.
