Salzburg, Austria

Frohes neue Jahr

2011-12-31T09:33:00.000-08:00

Dearest family & friends,

How can another year already be coming to end? The close of a year and the beginning of another compels one to reflect and ponder the amazing faithfulness and glory of the Lord in our lives. So undeserving yet He continues to love, protect and bless His children. “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all……”

As we reflect on the last year and how the Lord has led and directed our family, we are left in awe of His unfailing goodness. We considerate it an honor and a blessing to be here in Salzburg; in whatever way we can be His hands, His feet to spread the good news of the gospel. We trust and know that the Lord has a mighty plan for this dark city and our prayer in the next coming year is that the Lord’s light of grace would shine even brighter.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your continued prayers and support for us and Calvary Chapel Salzburg. It truly is humbling to have been serving here the last 3 years with such an amazing army of support behind us. We look forward in anticipation of what the Lord has planned for us and CCS and will continue to update you all in the months ahead. Thanks again und Gottes Segen im neuen Jahr!

In His Service,
Ivan & Michelle (Nollie, Ella & Emery)

Prayer requests:
• Visas would be granted for another year
• German course beginning in January for Michelle
• Spiritual growth for Calvary Chapel Salzburg
• Continued financial providence for the year ahead
• Good health

Praise Report:
• Ivan passed the German exam required for the visa
• Faithful men and women who serve in the church

Blessings.....

2011-11-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Family & Friends,
So first and foremost I have to start out by saying, our God we serve is good; our God we serve is righteous and our Lord is at work here in Salzburg, Austria.
" Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and conviction of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:1
As most of you already know in the beginning of this year when we had to renew our visas, we were told that we would not receive them this year due to finances. So shortly thereafter we returned to the states, still carrying a burden for Salzburg but trusting that the Lord had a reason for this even though at the time it was hard to understand. Through much prayer and waiting on the Lord, we decided to take a step of faith and return to Salzburg and try again to obtain our visas regardless of our financial status. During our time in the states the Lord confirmed that our place and ministry still belonged in Salzburg. Not knowing whether or not we would upon our return, receive our visas, we returned anyway knowing that this was the Lord’s will for our family. Miraculously despite the fact that our financial situation had not changed our Heavenly Father provided us with our visas and put us right back where he wants us. We now see why the Lord took us out of Austria for those 8 months; it was a test of faith and trust for us and also a test of endurance, strength and trust in the Lord for sustainability for the church. As the Bible says, His ways are not our ways; this challenge of trust for us and the church really matured our faith in our heavenly Father.

We have been settled here now for about 2 and a half months and we are nicely nestled in the top 6th floor of our cozy, little apartment in a very multi-cultural part of the city. Not where the tourists go, I’ll just say that :-). Although the Lord has placed us right where he wants us for now and for that we are thankful.

Upon our return to Salzburg, we hit the ground running and jumping right back into the ministry the Lord has called us to. We could not have been more blessed these past couple of months and continue to be blessed at how the Lord sustained Calvary Chapel Salzburg during our time away. Each week the Lord is drawing His people unto himself, and it’s exciting to see the joy of the Lord in His faithful servants within the church who so diligently serve and follow the His leading. The Lord has time and time again proven himself faithful and righteous and so worthy to be praised. He has so gently and lovingly cared for us and Calvary Chapel Salzburg that as a result the church is maturing and growing, which is such a blessing for us to witness.

We most recently were blessed to have a small outreach team from the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Hungary come minister here. Through music, dramatization, practical work ministry and street ministry the Lord’s name was proclaimed loud and clear. The Holy Spirit led and guided this 10 day outreach time far better than we could have ever planned. Seeds were planted and the rest is up to the Lord.

Soon approaching is our annual Thanksgiving Feast, celebrated American style with a full spread including a turkey (or a couple), stuffing and much more. Each year this is such a blessed time of great food and fellowship with one another. We want this Thanksgiving event to also be an opportunity for those attending our church to perhaps invite their unsaved friends and family so please join us in prayer over this time.

We also are happy to welcome the birth of our men’s ministry which began in October. Lead by one of our faithful servants within the church the men are being sharpened by one another through sweet time in the word as well as fellowship. To Him be the glory for beginning a good work there. The women’s ministry continues strongly as well through bi-weekly bible studies and worship meetings also. The Lord is a good Shepherd over his flock here in Salzburg.

During this Thanksgiving season we really are counting our many blessings and also just reflecting on the Lord’s goodness and grace He has pored over us as well as Calvary Chapel Salzburg and it simply puts a smile on our faces. So much to be thankful for yet so undeserving; this is the Lord we serve, is there anything better?

Many thanks to all our dear family and friends for your love and support; praying the Lord may bless you and keep you and remind you how much you are loved!!

In His Service,
The Ibbotsons (Ivan, Michelle, Nollie, Ella & Emery)

Praise Report:
>Obtaining our visas
>Calvary Chapel Salzburg (how the Lord strengthened and matured the body)
>Raising up more servants within the church

Prayer Requests:
>Thanksgiving dinner (outreach)
>Christmas Choir outreach in the city
>Renewing our visas in December (seems like an endless cycle)
>Learning the Language (for Michelle and for the German course starting in January)
>Men’s and Women’s ministry (growth and development)
>Favor with our neighbors
>Salvation of the lost that attend Calvary Salzburg.
>Health & Safety

The Return

2011-06-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Family & Friends,

And so the adventure continues…………Life would be boring if it were predictable right? As most of you know we have been living in the states since the beginning of January 2011 since we did not receive our Visa’s to remain in Austria in December 2010. Unsure of what our future would hold at that point we returned to the states for a time of rest and reflection on the Lord and his guidance for the next step in our lives.

After being back for a little over 3 months Ivan alone returned to Salzburg for almost 2 months to resume his pastoral role as well as to pray and seek out what the Lord would have for our family. During his time in Salzburg the Lord clearly confirmed to us that Salzburg is where we should be. This is both exciting and challenging at the same time. It’s exciting to have a direction and move forward in faith in that direction, but it’s also challenging to embrace the unknown. God’s promises to never leave us nor forsake us have never before been such a vital part of our motto in life.

So therefore in faith, here we go again. August 29th we have one way tickets headed right for the heart of Salzburg to continue the good work the Lord has started. In faith we believe and trust that this is where the Lord is leading us and therefore we know that He will provide for our every need.

When Christ said to count the cost of following Him, it means we must surrender everything. God wants us to trust Him with abandon and He wants to show us how He works and cares for us. He wants to be our refuge!!

God is on our side and He gives us His courage and strength to take this step of faith and right now more than ever we take great comfort in that. We look forward to continuing to share with you the mighty things that the Lord will do through Calvary Chapel Salzburg.

Love from all of us,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie, Ella and Emery

Praise:
The Church is doing great in Salzburg and God is moving mightily.
God is continuing to work in our lives.

Prayer:

Our Visas - It is a step of faith moving back to Salzburg not knowing if we will get them, but we know that He is in control.
Home - That the Lord would provide us with a place to live that we can afford.
Kindergarten - Nollie and Ella both start in September. Pray that they will continue to pick up the language quickly.

Finances - that God would provide what we need to live there.
Church - that we could rent a place 24/7 to do ministry out of.

In closing I'd like to share this verse that has been echoing in my mind as we have been waiting on the Lord as to what the next step in our lives would be. It is Mark 8:36 where is says..."For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?"
It asks the Question of our purpose in life. I pray that you as I would not want to forfeit your soul, but to live for Him alone and what He has called you to be.

2011-03-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

Friends and Family,

The God we serve is just, faithful, patient and perfect (among numerous other awe-inspiring attributes) and He is a God who deeply cares for you and I. How can this alone not compel us to want to live our lives for Him and Him only? As we were reminded in church once again this past Sunday, “God’s past faithfulness demands our present trust.” This my friends is where we’re at.

As most of you already know from our last prayer letter we are currently living in the states and have been here now for 2 months. After the New Year for financial reasons we were denied our Visa’s for 2011 and therefore had to leave the country. So once again we packed up our belongings; unsure of what our future holds and headed back to the states.

Calvary Chapel Salzburg has been continuing strong with the help of the Lord’s faithful servants Daniel Ornelas and Rene & Sabrina Podesser. It is exciting to see how the Lord is working there in Austria and to watch His mighty plan for Salzburg unfold.

As I mentioned earlier right now for our family we are in a time of waiting on the Lord. I’m sure many of you have been in perhaps a similar situation that ‘demands’ full and complete trust in the Lord and whatever His plans might be for your life. Then as you also may know it’s not an easy position to be in. The Lord has been faithful though through thick and thin and we trust Him now for His provision and guidance which will place us right where he wants us.

So therefore since much is pending right now for us as to what lies ahead for our family, I would ask you to join us in prayer for the His perfect leading and guiding for our family. As it stands right now Ivan will be returning to Austria next month for what may be as long as two months while the girls (Nollie, Ella, Emery and Michelle) remain in Washington with (Grandma and Grandpa Gifford). Ivan will take this time to step back into ministry as Pastor of Calvary Chapel Salzburg and will also be looking into what the possibilities might be for us to return to Salzburg and the ministry the Lord has started there. We of course are open to where ever the Lord may lead.

We ask that you would pray for us...

Gods direction - That we would clearly know where He wants us.
Our health - That God would sustain our health.
The Church in Salzburg - That they would grow in Christ
The Lost - That the Church would be bold in Sharing their Faith.
Travels - As Ivan goes back to Salzburg.
His provision - That He will provide for what we need to get our visas.

Thanks so much to those of you who pray for us and support us!

Blessings,
Ivan and Michelle

2010-11-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Family & Friends,

It’s been awhile, greetings from Salzburg, Austria we hope this update finds you well. I don’t know what it looks like for you but here in Salzburg it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The city is getting all decked out for the holidays and each day is getting colder and colder. As we approach this holiday season we are reminded how the Lord has carried us through this past year and are blessed.

With the change of the season much has changed for us personally as well. Beginning of September we enrolled Nollie in German kindergarten (the equivalent of pre-school in America). Attending 5 days a week for 4 hours each day, therefore as you can imagine this is a huge change for us and her. Leading up to this exciting time we were counting down the days, “how many more sleeps until I get to go to kindergarten mommy,” Nollie would say? She is enjoying each and every day and it shows; her teacher commented how, “Nollie is the sunshine of the class,” always happy and wanting to participate in everything. We couldn’t be more proud of our little lady. Another big change for us is the arrival of our 3rd little baby girl, Emery Anne Ibbotson; arriving right on time (on her due date) Monday October 11th at 1:00am. She is a joy and such a sweet addition to our collection of girls. Then to keep the ball rolling 2 weeks after welcoming Emery to the family we had to move out of our flat. As you can imagine these two big changes alone have been a challenge and somewhat of an adjustment for us all.

Change can be a good and healthy thing if you stay strong in heart and mind and move forward with whatever the Lord has for you next. Which brings me to my next point to share with you; throughout this past year we as a family have been prayerfully waiting on the Lord for what the next step might be for us here in Salzburg. It’s been a year of big question marks and the unknown for us. At the end of each year it is the season to gear up for reapplying for our visas. With that in mind as we approach the end of this year the resounding question echoes, “Will we get our visas for next year.” With our family having grown new requirements are laid upon us regarding the qualifications for our visas. Having waited and saturated this situation in prayer we were told by the visa office that we do not meet the requirements in order to receive our visas for next year. We know the Lord has a reason for everything and are at peace with whatever His plans might be for us and for Calvary Chapel Salzburg.

As it remains right now we will be leaving Austria beginning of January, as that is the time that our current visas expire. With that planned we are amazed how the Lord has raised up an Austrian couple that had been planning on moving to Salzburg beginning of January to help out with the ministry. They are amazing people that love the Lord and a couple that we feel the sheep will be well cared for. God is good and gracious and we trust he has mighty plans for us and for Calvary Chapel Salzburg. Please join with us in prayer regarding this big change; for continued health of the church and everyone this effects as well as for us as we move forward and wait on the Lord for whatever doors he might open up for us.

Thanks for all your prayers and support,

Ivan, Michelle, Nollie, Ella and Emery

Where does time go?

2010-04-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Family & Friends,

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

It’s so comforting to know that no matter if we are at home or away in some other country we serve the same God, a big and powerful God who has already equipped us to serve Him by His strength in us. Therefore we continue here in Salzburg rooted and built up in our faith in Christ, supported by our dear friends and family that we are so thankful for.

With the start of this New Year much has already developed for us here in Salzburg; new changes and progress. Our church as of February has relocated to downtown Salzburg, right in the heart of the city. We currently meet at an old vacant theater style building centrally located downtown; the Lord has definitely blessed us with this location and most people know where it is just by mentioning the name of the place. So carry on the theme of new changes and progress, we are happy to announce that we will be welcoming our third child come beginning of October and we are completely stoked about that. Please pray along with us for a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery, EXCITING!!!

Seeds are being planted and little by little we have seen the tree bear fruit, yet this is hard ground we tread on here in Salzburg; steeped in tradition and rich in heritage that just takes love and time to break down and soften. Please continue to pray along with us for more co-laborers to carry a burden for Salzburg. As Matthew 9:37 states, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” We expect the Lord to do great things here in Salzburg and for His will to be accomplished and we are honored to take part in that. Know that we are sincerely appreciative for all of your prayers and support and look forward to sharing more good news about all of the remarkable things the Lord is accomplishing here in our corner of the world. Until then, be blessed!!

In His Service,

Ivan & Michelle, Nollie & Ella & baby Ibbotson

Praise reports:

-New believer in our church ( Pray for here growth)!!!

-New location (church building)!!!

-New baby on the way!!!

Prayer requests:

-More co-laborers

-Healthy and safe pregnancy and delivery

-Jason, for God's Hand of leading in his life

-Martina, continued growth

-God’s provision and continued direction in our lives.

a new year...

2010-01-25T05:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Family & Friends,

Frohes Neue Jahr, (Happy New Year) 2010 already!!! Another year come and gone and the Lord remains faithful still. We are so loved and blessed by our Lord who has carried us through another year. There is much to remember as we reflect on this past year but here are just a few of the highlights.

To begin this past year we were blessed to have received our Visa’s for a year, God is good!! Then prior to moving into our new flat we had a spring outreach featuring Calvary Chapel Eastside’s own Larry Gifford, as well as a team from Siegen, Germany that assisted in preparing for our move. As summer arrived we geared up for another outreach team from Calvary Fellowship in Seattle, Washington. Then come fall as a church body we celebrated an American Thanksgiving with 2 turkeys and all the trimmings, it was a sweet time of food and fellowship. Then next on our calendar was our Creation outreach which entailed an evening where we viewed the film, “The Voyage that Shook the World,” put out by Creations Ministries International, we serve an awesome Creator.

Shortly thereafter we were blessed with the opportunity to travel back to the states for a short time for our dear friends wedding. It was such a treat to be back home amongst all of our dear friends and family. Upon our return we of course celebrated Christmas and New Years with friends and family here, and then prepared for our next concert outreach which was this month. Singer/songwriter Austen Case and band as well as the opening Austrian band “Inem” blessed us all with such a remarkable evening. Thank you to everyone involved, the Lord’s presence truly did fill the theater and His name was magnified that night.

It really has been a wonderful, challenging yet glorious year watching the Lord move and work in ways that only He can. We serve a big God who has great plans for the city of Salzburg and we are grateful to once again have received our Visa’s for this year so that we may continue to serve here in Austria. Please continue to lift up in prayer Calvary Chapel Salzburg, that we may be a light in this dark city and shine bright for His glory. Our desire as a church body is that we may seek rich spiritual growth and thus bare fruit for His namesake.

We trust the Lord for all that concerns us and all of our needs; He knows us better than we know ourselves and He only wants what’s best for His children. So thank you to everyone for all of your love and support for us here in Salzburg, we expect the Lord to do mighty things throughout this next year and we will continue to update on all the latest and greatest.

In His service,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Prayer request:
-Individuals that received the Lord at the concert
-More co-laborers to come along side (incl.worship and children’s ministry leaders)
-wisdom and guidance for Calvary Chapel Salzburg (possible relocation)
-Good health during the winter months

Praise report:
-for receiving our Visa’s once again
-for the blessed and fruitful concert outreach
-for the faithful servants that already do serve in our church

2009-10-20T03:52:00.000-07:00

Salzburg Update
September/October

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings from Salzburg, it’s been a while since our last email update and there is much to share. With the change of the season we have already been greeted with the first snowfall of winter, just a light dusting but nonetheless; breathtaking!! Salzburg really is a gorgeous place to be this time of year and with the holidays approaching the people here are gearing up for the festivities downtown. In addition we at Calvary Chapel Salzburg are gearing up for our annual Thanksgiving outreach. We celebrate with an American style feast and reflect on all the reasons we have to be thankful to our Lord. This is a sweet time of food and fellowship and we have taken an outreach approach with this time and encouraged others to extend an invitation to their friends and family as well.

In other news next month on November 26th we have been given the opportunity to host a Creation Seminar put on by Creation Ministries International (The Voyage That Shook the World). This is a film that documents the life of Charles Darwin and the Evolution verses Creation debate. Philip Bell, a scientist and educator who lives and works in the United Kingdom and studied biology and geology at the University of Wales will be our quest speaker of the evening. We will have a time of worship and Phillip will be leading an open question and answer time following the film as well. We are extremely excited about this outreach opportunity and we expect the Lord to do great things.

The Lord is good and as we have been learning in Romans, “…we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We feel honored and privileged to be even just a small part of God’s glorious plan for Salzburg. Thank you to each and every one of you for your faithful prayers and support!!

In His Service,

Ivan and Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Praise:

> A blessed first year
> His faithfulness and the opportunities He brings our way

Prayer requests:

> Thanksgiving outreach/Creation outreach
> Visa renewal
> Church building
> Co-laborers
> Children’s ministry helpers
> Spiritual growth for church body
> Finances

Pressing on......

2009-07-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Well it’s the end of July and for us here is Salzburg it’s just now starting to feel like summer. I love how the Lord gives us His beautiful warm sunshine but then just when we need it, sends us His refreshing rain. God is so good!!

So we just finished our July outreach with the outreach team from Calvary Fellowship in Seattle, Washington. It was such a fun and uplifting time with friends from home. The outreach team brought their swing dancing skills and smiles to Salzburg and with open hearts reached out to many of the lost. We were able to nail some prime locations for outreaches like Mirabell gardens, Mozart platz and the Forum at the train station, each place centrally located downtown. Moreover each one of these great locations brought new faces stopping to check things out and giving us the opportunity to in some way share how much Jesus loves them. Through testimonies shared then translated to one on one divine appointment that the Holy Spirit directed, it was a prime time to step out and be used by the Lord and see what He will do.

Following the outreaches we retreated to a mountain getaway nestled by the lake for a time of rest, relaxation and reflection. Calvary Fellowship outreach team hosted a retreat for missionaries from the Northwest now serving in Europe. This was a sweet time of resting in the Lord and allowing Him to use Pastor Wayne Taylor and Craig Finley as well as each other’s personal testimonies to really encourage and spur one another on in the ministry. During this time as well the Lord gave us the opportunity one more time to share His love for the lost through the swing dancing and translated testimonies to the other people staying at the retreat center. Everyone was excited for the opportunity and we took advantage of it as long as we could, or at least until the lights went out…literally!! Nevertheless it was a good time and we rest assured knowing that the Lords word does not return void…Praise Him for that!!

So then, we continue on here in the ministry back in Salzburg and look forward to what’s ahead and what the Lord will do next. Shortly we will be saying goodbye to our dear friend and co-laborer Janos Hench as he will be returning home to work and prepare for his wedding in November. We pray the Lord’s richest blessing for him and his fiancé and hope the Lord will lead them back to Calvary Chapel Salzburg soon.

Thanks to everyone who served on the outreach team from Calvary Fellowship (Seattle), the joy of the Lord truly illuminated from your each and everyone one of you. We greatly appreciate all of the efforts done to make this outreach and retreat possible. The Lord is doing a mighty work here in Salzburg and we look forward to sharing more with you soon!!

In His Service,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Prayer request:
> Janos Hench upcoming wedding and that the Lord’s will would be accomplished
> For more children’s ministry workers to come along side us
> Mission’s conference next month, that it would be a relaxing, encouraging and uplifting time for all who attend.
> Church Building

Praise reports:
> For the fruitful outreach and the relaxing and spiritually uplifting retreat in Germany
> So many open doors

Been A While...............

2009-06-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Well it’s been a while since we last updated everyone on what’s been going on in beautiful Salzburg, our schedule has been overflowing but with all good things though of course. From moving into our new flat, an outreach, ministry, Bible study and church our schedule has been overflowing. It’s so fulfilling to be about the Lord’s business!!

Your loving-kindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies (Psalm 36:5). The Lord’s everlasting goodness has been our resounding theme these past couple months. We have felt truly blessed with several family and friends coming to Salzburg for a visit and also with the way our church body is growing and developing such strong unity. The Lord has been prompting us to really focus on fellowship and communion with our brothers and sisters in the church body and take the time to develop close knit friendships with each other. Besides our Sunday service, Tuesday prayer night and Thursday home Bible study we have also opened up Friday evenings to outreach on the streets during the summer months; simply worshiping the Lord and opening ourselves up to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

It’s been a blessing to see the Lord raise up servants in the congregation who have stepped out and expressed as desire to serve in the church in various ways. We have an established children’s ministry team that rotates each week and a Bible curriculum that we go through starting in the beginning (Genesis). It’s touching to see the children each week so excited to learn about their Lord and Savior. Nollie last Sunday couldn’t wait to show her daddy what she had made in Sunday school; awesome!!

Still to come we have a retreat and outreach planned for mid-July with Wayne Taylor and Calvary Fellowship. We are eager to see what the Lord will do. Yet unfortunately come mid-August, our dear friend and co-laborer, Janos will be leaving us temporarily to return to Siegen where he will work and prepare for his wedding come November. Janos has faithfully served Calvary Chapel Salzburg since the beginning and we pray the Lord’s richest blessing for him and his fiancé.

More and more as time goes by the Lord is revealing the reason He has placed us here in Salzburg and each week we look forward to seeing what the Lord will do next. We greatly appreciate your strong support for us and Calvary Chapel Salzburg and we look forward to sharing more soon.

In His Service,
Ivan and Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Prayer request:

-July outreach
-For the Lord to raise up another assistant while Janos is gone.
-discernment is all areas
-Church building
-finances

Praise report:

-For an established children’s ministry team
-Finally in our own place we can call home
-Spiritual growth within the church

Moving forward

2009-04-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

Greetings Family and Friends,

Well our first day of April brought sunshine and warmth with the arrival of spring finally here. It was such a beautiful day and we look forward to many more sunny days to come. Salzburg is an amazing place to be this time of year we are so blessed to be here and experience the four seasons as they come and go. The Lord has been so good to bring us this far; we look forward to what He has in store next. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

As summer draws near our calendar is filling up with several exciting things approaching. From family and friends coming to visit to outreaches and conferences planned, we have a busy summer ahead of us but it’s exciting and rewarding to be about the Lord’s business. This month an outreach team is coming from Siegen, Germany CC Bible College. They will be here for a week doing street ministry, worship and practical service in assisting us in moving into our new flat. This week of outreach will lead up to a musical concert featuring CCE’s own Larry Gifford. Please join us in prayer for wisdom, guidance and fruitfulness during this outreach as well as for Veronica Mickel who will be leading this outreach team.

We are still waiting upon the Lord for a church building, there are a couple of prospects on the horizon that seem to be a perfect fit and therefore we are praying and asking the Lord if this is what He would have for us. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God,” Phillipians 4:6. This would be a huge step forward for us as a church body so please join us in prayer over this next step for us and CC Salzburg church.

Well dear family and friends I hope this email update finds you well and our prayer is that no matter where we serve the Lord that we may be like minded in this: “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”

Grace and Peace,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie & Ella Ibbotson

Praise Reports:

-Family vehicle
-An apartment
-A great Easter Service (see picture above)

Prayer request:

-All the work that’s needs to be done to the apartment so we can move in
-Church building / trusting Him that he will provide
-April outreach
-Good health
-Wisdom and discernment

SETTLING IN

2009-03-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

Dear family and friends,

Well I think it’s safe to say that winter is finally fading into spring. Our temperatures our rising, snow is melting and the sun is shining. One can’t help but feel joy and refreshment with the change of the season. What glorious and magnificent Lord we serve.

This past month the Lord has poured out his blessings upon our family, we received our Austrian driver’s licenses and we can’t help but feel as though we have been given freedom and independence. In addition to our cool pink and blue driver’s licenses we were able to purchase a vehicle so we can put our licenses to use, praise the Lord for His goodness!!

The Lord is building His church here in Salzburg and we continue to meet at a Youth Hostel although we are considering a few prospects to rent, please join us in prayer for the Lord’s leading and guiding regarding this. Next month we are kickin’ off the spring time with an outreach in late April. CCE’s own Veronica Mickel (who is currently in Siegen as an intern at Bible College) will be leading the outreach team. Please pray for this ministry opportunity as well as Veronica as she organizes and plans the outreach.

It seems as though there has been a continuing theme this past month, perseverance, patience and trust in our heavenly Father. As we have been learning in the book of Joshua the Lord has given us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us; pray and wait upon the Lord and see what He can do we are instructed. As the priest experienced at the river Jordan; it takes faith to trust that the Lord has already stopped the rivers rage 19 miles up the river’s bank, before they even took that first step of faith. In like manner we are instructed as Christians to practice that same kind of radical faith and trust in our Lord who sees what’s up ahead and has a plan and is in control. May we learn to rest in Him more!!

Until next time dear family and friend, take care!!

In His Service,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Praise Reports:
-Acquiring our drivers licenses
-Family vehicle
-An apartment

Prayer request:
-All the work that’s needs to be done to the apartment so we can move in
-Church building / trusting Him that he will provide
-April outreach
-Good health
-Wisdom and discernment

Answered Prayer

2009-02-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord!! “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever,” Ps.118:1

We cannot begin to fathom how good our heavenly Father is; He is so worthy to be praised. We serve an awesome, almighty God do we not? The Lord definitely has a plan and is in control as we have already seen these past 6 months here in Austria. Through many months of waiting in anticipation we are thrilled to say that the Lord has provided our visa’s to stay here in Austria and we couldn’t be more excited. Ivan had the privilege last month to attend the Pastor’s conference in Siegen, Germany along with Janos Hench and Kurt Ibbotson from Leipzig, Germany. Six hours into his journey to Siegen for the conference Ivan received a call to return to Salzburg right away, there were papers to sign for our Visa’s. The next day we picked up our Visa’s then Ivan hopped on the next train back to Siegen. Despite the many hours of travel the Lord gave Ivan rest and refreshment during the Pastor’s conference in Siegen.

Now that we know we have our visa’s to stay for another year we are excited to move forward in taking the next step to settle into our own home. We are blessed to already have an apartment to live, although much work is required to fix up the place yet we hope to move in the end of March. Also in the next couple of weeks we should be receiving our driver’s license which will allow us to hopefully obtain a small reliable vehicle for our family. The Lord is so good and we look forward to seeing how the He will provide for our needs.

Our Thursday home Bible study continues as usual, this study is taught only in German and our church service on Sunday’s is taught in English then translated to German. We are praying for the Lord’s wisdom and guidance for renting a church building. Our desire is to be able to use this facility 7 days a week for Bible study, church and ministry opportunities and we would like it to be central in the city. Rent is high and the selection is small but we know the Lord is more than able to provide.

We would like thank you all for your continued prayer support for us and for the city of Salzburg, we are eternally grateful. We expect the Lord to do great things here and we look forward to sharing those things with you all in the future. We hope this letter find you well, until next time.
In His service,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Praise report:
-Receiving our visa‘s
-An apartment
-Getting our Drivers licenses
Prayer request:
-Church building
-Good health
-A vehicle for our family

Reflecting On God's Goodness

2009-01-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Well Happy New Year, its 2009 can you believe it? A year goes by so fast, it makes you realize how short life is and how important it is to seize every moment God gives you here on earth. This morning when we woke up we were greeted with a thick pure white blanket of snow covering everything in sight and the snow was continuing to fall. This reminded me of God’s love and grace that covers all of our mistakes and short-comings in the past and gives us a pure, fresh and clean start to a new life, a new beginning, a new year. God is so good!!

The year 2008 ended with a bang (so to speak) as we said goodbye to CCE (Calvary Chapel Eastside’s) outreach team on December 28th. God richly blessed this fruitful outreach; we enjoyed singing on the streets during the Christkindelmarkt (Christmas market), caroling for the elderly and giving gifts and spending time with the homeless. Then on top of it all to end this amazing week we put on a free classical concert featuring CCE’s own James Robertson accompanied by the Christmas choir. The evening was delightful and blessed, the word of God was proclaimed and through music, songs, a testimony and a salvation message. We want to truly thank each and every person involved in our 2008 Christmas outreach as we were greatly blessed and more importantly the Lord’s name was magnified.

Now moving forward the year 2009 holds many possible changes for us which linger on the horizon. Early Friday, January 2, 2009 we readily and eagerly turned in all of our visa papers. Holding firm to the promise our Lord gives us that He will never leave us nor forsake us, we earnestly continue to pray for His perfect will to be completed in us. Come the end of January we should know whether or not we will get our visas this year so that we may remain in Austria. It’s comforting to know the Lord has a plan and is in control and as we have seen firsthand the Lord answers prayers, so we would encourage you to remember us in prayer.

We praise the Lord for the good work He has begun here in Salzburg, continuing on with our study in Philippians we have moved our Bible study group from Thursday evenings to Sunday mornings and are currently meeting at a Youth Hostel for the next 4 weeks. We also are rejoicing in the fact that we are now recognized by the city of Salzburg to be an established organization which is necessary for the rental of a church building. As I previously stated the Lord has a plan for this great city of Salzburg and we are just delighted to be a part of it. May this New Year draw each and every one of you even closer to our heavenly Father who is so worthy to be praised!!
In His service,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Praise report:
-Praise the Lord for His tremendous blessing on our 2008 Christmas outreach and for all the new believers who accepted His love and grace.
-That we are now meeting on Sundays
-For the Cities recognizing us as an “Organization”

Prayer request:
-Acquiring our Visa’s
-Church building
-New believers
-Good health throughout the winter months
-A vehicle for our family
-A home to call our own

Winter is here.....

2008-12-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings from Salzburg Land, Frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr, (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year), we hope this update finds you well. Well, with the opening of the annual Christkindelmarkt on November 20th the Holiday season has filled the streets of Salzburg. We were excited to welcome our first winter snowfall on November 22nd the same day as our Thanksgiving turkey bowl and we were delighted to see that the bitter cold did not keep anyone from coming out to enjoy the breaking of bread and fellowship with one another. The snow covered ground only added to pure the enjoyment of a friendly game of flag football for the guys and later on the house was packed and the tables were full of delicious foods. It was a sweet time, and the Lord’s presence was felt as we each shared what we are truly thankful for.

As we have continued to learn in our study of Philippians, true joy in life comes from right thinking, “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus,” we are told in verse 5 of chapter 2. Finding joy in life seems to have been a theme for us in the lessons that the Lord is teaching us day by day. “Pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 3:14). We strive to do just that, and all the while rest in the knowledge that the Lord has a plan and is in control.

We have seen week after week many faithful people attend our home Bible study; servants who are excited about what the Lord is doing in Salzburg and are ready and willing to reach the lost. As we prepare for the Calvary Chapel Eastside outreach team coming in a few weeks we are excited and anticipate that the Lord is going to do great things. From singing on the streets and a Mozart concert to caroling for the elderly and blessing the homeless our Holiday schedule will be busy. This time of year is perfect for sharing about our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and with the help of CCE outreach team our goal is to do just that.

The Lord is gracious and almighty and worthy to be praised; may we never forget that. We thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and support and trust that your heart will be blessed this Holiday season as we remember the birth our Lord and Savior and His redeeming love for all.

Gute Nacht und bis später,
In His service,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Praise report:
Praise the Lord for His blessing on our Thanksgiving outreach and for the opportunity to do another outreach this month.

Prayer request:
-Acquiring our Visa’s
-Church building
-Outreach coming up
-Good health throughout the winter months
-A vehicle for our family
-A home to call our own

Fall is Here.......

2008-11-08T11:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Family & Friends,
Well the leaves are changing and falling and there is a chill in the air and with the change of the season comes a renewed peace of mind that the Lord has a plan and is in control.
We have lived here in Salzburg now for 3 months and have just returned from Croatia. As previously mentioned in last month’s update we currently are working towards acquiring our Visa’s. Therefore since we have not yet obtained our visa’s we had to leave the European Union after 3 months. Croatia and Switzerland are both countries that are still not part of the EU (European Union) therefore it was either one or the other. We had a nice relaxing time as a family but we are very excited to be back in Salzburg with family and friends.
As we approach the holiday season the city of Salzburg is preparing itself for the Christkindelmarkt which is a delightful little Christmas market that fills the streets of downtown Salzburg. This Christmas market draws out several tourist as well as the locals and is a perfect time of year to share about our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With the outreach team from Calvary Chapel Eastside coming in December we are hoping to do just that; spread the good news to all who will hear.
Our mid-week bible study continues as usual, even while we were gone our steady right hand Janos took over. This month we are planning on celebrating right along with America the cherished holiday of Thanksgiving. On the 22nd we will start our celebration with a turkey bowl football game for the guys, then in the evening enjoy an Austrian turned American thanksgiving meal. This should be a sweet time of breaking bread together as a church body as well as an opportunity to invite those who may not know the Lord.
We hope all is well and trust that the Lord is alive and doing a mighty work in your lives, and as we enjoy this holiday season may we remember to rejoice in the Lord and press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Thank you again for taking the time to learn what the Lord is doing here in Austria.
Until next time God bless,
Ivan, Michelle, Nollie & Ella

Praise:
That we made it to Croatia and back.
For God's continued blessing on our bible study.

Prayer:
Our visas.
A place for us to meet as a church.
The outreach coming up in December.
Our Thanksgiving Outreach.
That we will all stay healthy as the winter approaches.

The Start Of A Good Thing

2008-10-04T02:32:00.000-07:00

Dear family and friends,

Well it’s hard to believe another month has passed already and God’s faithfulness is still so evident. As we have been studying in the book of James at our mid-week Bible study, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” It’s so comforting knowing that our heavenly Father is with us wherever we go and He never grows weary of pouring out His blessings on His children whom he loves and adores.

The month of September was the start of a good thing here in Salzburg. Calvary Chapel Leipzig came down with a team and did an outreach and with that we started our mid-week Bible study and each week we have seen the Lord bring somebody new to our fellowship and we are excited about that. We currently have a variety of either only English or German speaking people and therefore the message is being taught in English then translated into German. We will continue in this fashion for now until we meet on Sundays and in the future adjust accordingly to the needs of the congregation. Already we have seen the need to have a larger place to meet for our Bible studies, therefore we have been praying about where God would have us go from here. We have looked into a couple of prospects and are praying and waiting on the Lord to lead and guide us according to his will.

We were fortunate enough this month to receive a couple of blessings from home. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit of our dear family Lyle and Jessica, Makai and Jade Ibbotson for a few weeks. Also during their visit we welcomed the safe arrival of our shipment of household goods from home. God is so good and so faithful to provide for our needs including another form of transportation. Included in our shipment of household goods was our bicycles and bike trailer, therefore we have been taking advantage of any good whether we have to ride into town and run errands; the exercise has been great.

Well upon the conclusion of this month we will have been here living here for 3 months in Salzburg, therefore since we have not yet received our Visa’s to live here we must leave the EU (European Union) for at least 1-2 days. Croatia and Switzerland are both countries that are not part of the European Union yet, therefore we have already planned to travel to Croatia which is approximately 5 hours away and spend a few days there. Upon our return to Salzburg we must once again register to live here for another 3 months then continue to pursue acquiring our Visa’s. God has given us a peace that He is in control and we are simply enjoying each and every day we have here in Salzburg to serve Him.

We press on and are looking forward to the outreach team coming from our home church Calvary Chapel Eastside in December so please join us in continuing to pray for all the lost souls here in Salzburg, Austria and that God’s saving grace would flood this great city. Therefore, “Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised.” Hebrews 10:23

In His Service,

Ivan, Michelle, Nollie and Ella Ibbotson

Praise report:

A good outreach with Leipzig

-Safe arrival of household goods

-Start and growth of our Bible study

Prayer request:

That our visa will be granted

-Safety and good health

-Outreach team in December

-Need for a church building

-For the lost souls of Salzburg

God Is Good

2008-09-01T04:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings to all, well through God’s faithfulness we have safely arrived in Salzburg, Austria. It’s been a month now since we left the states and already God is showing him-self strong on our behalf. We are starting to get settled into our little mother-in-law apartment nestled in the foothills of Salzburg in a little town called Elixhausen. Little by little we are getting acquainted with our surroundings and the public transportation system, although we are getting a fair amount of exercise with walking here and there as well. We were privileged to have the help of my sister Katy (a.k.a. Nanny Katy) during the first couple weeks of being here. She was such blessing to both Ivan and I as well as the kids, we were very grateful for her time spent here.
Shortly after arriving we were blessed with the opportunity to attend the 2008 Missions Conference in Millstatt, Austria. This week long conference was a refreshing time in God’s word, hearing from various pastors and it was also an encouraging time of fellowship with other missionaries. Our time at the conference again confirmed that this is exactly where God wants us right now and as you know there is no better place to be than in the will of God. After the conference was over we headed back to Salzburg by train and began settling in to our temporary home. Ivan’s family here has been a huge blessing and has really made us feel welcome and comfortable here in Salzburg.
As of right now we are gearing up for an outreach team coming next week from Kurt Ibbotson’s church in Liepzig, Germany where we will be doing street witnessing and praying about starting a Bible study. This is an exciting time, yet taking such a big step of faith is never easy but we have been encouraged by the Lord’s promise in Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

In His Service,
Ivan & Michelle, Nollie & Ella Ibbotson

Praise God for:

Safe arrival & good health
Private German lessons for Michelle
Encouraging time at the conference
A temporary place to live
Co-laborer in ministry (Janos)
His grace and faithfulness

Prayer Request:

For no obstacles in acquiring our Visa’s
For a home to call our own
Upcoming outreach
For the unsaved people in Salzburg
For wisdom and discernment in ministry
For continued health and safety

On Our Way At Last

2008-07-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Family & Friends,

At last the time has come to end this chapter of our lives here in Washington and at Calvary Chapel Eastside. As we know, all good things must come to an end, yet we leave our dear loved ones completely humbled and blessed by all of your prayers and support. We are confident God has a mighty work in store for Salzburg, Austria and we expect the Lord to do great things.

We would like to thank each and every one of you for just really pouring out your love, encouragement and support on our family and this adventure that God has called us to. We stand strong in the Lord and His will for our lives knowing we have such a mighty army of God’s children here supporting us at home.

As James 5:16 states, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Therefore we would greatly appreciate your continued prayers for the following things: safe travel to Salzburg, acquiring Visas to live in Austria, the shipment of our belongings, finding a place to live (to call home), favor with the people, open heart to the Lord’s will, for love and sensitivity to others needs around us, for contentment with where God has placed us, and for good health for our whole family.

Thanks again to each and every one of you for your love, support and encouragement these last few months as we have been preparing to move. We leave with the promise from Isaiah 41:13 which states, “I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, and I tell you, “Don’t be afraid. I will help you.” We will continue to keep you all updated on how the Lord is accomplishing his mighty plan for the great city of Salzburg, Austria.

Love always your brother and sister in Christ,
Ivan and Michelle, Nollie and Ella

Ella Jane Ibbotson

2008-05-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Psalm 139:14

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

We proudly welcome

Ella Jane Ibbotson

(meaning "All God's Grace")

We serve a big and mighty God and we are once again blown away by the amazing work of His hands. Ella Jane Ibbotson graced us with her presence on May 20, 2008 @ 3:35pm weighing in at 5lb. 7oz. 18 inches long. Labor and delivery went very well and big sister Nollie was there shortly afterward to welcome her new baby sister.

Ella is named after her godly Great-grandmothers

Ella Gifford

Jane Houston

Please pray.........

......Ella will remain healthy

....... Ella will get her passport soon.

.....Nollie will adjust to being a big sister

......Quick recovery for Michelle as we prepare leave

March 2008

2008-05-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Therefore we would like to start off by saying thank you so much for all of your encouragement and prayer support so far. Since we first felt the Lord calling us out to the mission field in Salzburg, Austria, it has been a long and trying road. Yet God is so faithful to see us through and we are very excited to see what He has in store for us in Austria.

Last September we decided to take the first step in preparing to move to Austria, by putting our house on the market. This past January we were delighted to say goodbye to our home in Maple Valley, Washington, knowing that the Lord has so much more in store for us. God granted us patience during this strenuous time and really gave us a peace that He was in control. Thank you again to everyone who kept us in your prayers. God is good.

Recently this past January, Ivan was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Siegen, Germany, for a Pastors’ conference. During his weeklong stay he was able to meet with several other pastors from the area and share his heart for the city of Salzburg. Ivan was greatly encouraged and blessed during this time. The uplifting fellowship with others and sweet communion with the Lord allowed Ivan and several other pastors to really bathe in prayer the city of Salzburg. Even though during this conference Ivan was not able to visit Salzburg, he did feel once again a firm confirmation from the Lord that we are in His will. That’s a great place to be, is it not?

Meanwhile we are extremely excited to be awaiting the arrival of our second baby girl this May. With our move to Salzburg on the calendar, Lord willing we are hoping to be in route in mid-July. We believe we have been called out for His purpose and for His glory. Therefore we are stepping out in faith and in the power of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Knowing difficult times will come, we press on in the strength God has given us to fulfill His desire for our lives right now. Your continued prayer is cherished immensely and we look forward to keeping you informed on God’s great work in the grand city of Salzburg, Austria.