Christmas Greetings

from Budapest!

Boldog Karácsonyt!

Thanks for your faithful support in 2016!

Looking back: We thank God for his provision for our family and ministries during 2016.  Here are some highlights:

Home Assignment (January-February-March): We enjoyed a blessed time of connecting with several of our partner churches and participated in our end-of-term debriefing at our mission headquarters in Indianapolis. As a part of the process we also had complete physicals, which led to the discovery that Katie had a very large cyst on her liver that would require surgery. We are thankful for Dr. Jones' careful diagnosis!

Set Free Movement Coordinator and Life Skills Program Director (April): Thanks to the vision of several churches and individuals, we were able to hire Ildikó Kóber. Ildikó works full-time in developing a network of churches and organization that are dedicated to ending modern slavery, offering sensitivity training to at-risk youth and their parents, as well as developing a life skills training program. Additional support is needed for her work to continue in 2017. Please see below as to how you can partner with Ildikó in this important ministry.

Missionary Retreat (May): Once every four years our Europe missionary team gets together for a time of refreshment and renewal. This year Supt. Darrel Riley and his wife, Peggy ministered to us as we gathered together in Venice, Italy. We are thankful for the value that our mission places on the mental and spiritual health and well-being of its missionaries.

Surgery and Recovery (June-July): Katie had her surgery here in Hungary and we were blessed to have kind and caring doctors working with us, both in the USA and in Hungary. While the surgery was more complicated than originally anticipated, all went well and she experienced a slow, but successful recovery during the summer months. We are thankful for Dr. Nagy's expertise and for the kind assistance that many people from the Budapest church gave us after Katie's surgery. 

Family Connections (August): We spent a week with Larry's mother and sisters and family in North Dakota and spent another week in Michigan with Katie's parents and our children and grandchildren. Our son Peter moved back to Michigan from Washington earlier in the year and we were able to enjoy one day together with our entire family. We are thankful for God's provision for our family members.

Larry's Europe Travel (September, October, November):  In his role as Europe Area Administrator Larry traveled to Brussels, Belgium in order to lead the national church's annual meeting; traveled to Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain to attend the national church's 10th anniversary celebration; traveled to Antalya, Turkey to participate in European Leadership Team meetings; and traveled to Arad, Romania for meetings with a potential ministerial candidate.

Fall Ministries and Events (September through December): The fall seems to be the busiest time of the year. English class started up again in September and we held a church conference in Komárom with Todd Daningburg from Warsaw, New York. In October Eric and Kari Perry from Battle Creek, Michigan were with us to share from their personal experience about dealing with grief and we participated in the annual Wesleyan Alliance Theology Day. The Life Skills program offered two seminars on conflict resolution (one in September and one in November) and a women's creative afternoon was held in November. December brought us to the annual Community Christmas program, which had its largest attendance ever this year -- it was standing room only! Throughout the fall we used the Christianity Explored and Discipleship Explored Bible study series in our Sunday morning worship services. We are thankful for the way that God is working in people's lives and pray that the work that has begun will result in transformed lives.

End of Year Finances (December): According to our latest financial report, both the Winckles Missionary Support Account and the Hungary Country Support Account have been fully funded for 2016! This is a miracle! we are thankful for your faithful prayer and financial support that has made this possible!

Looking ahead: As we continue in our 17th year of ministry here in Budapest, we hope that you will continue in partnership with us. Please pray with us about what is being planned for the year ahead, in addition to our ongoing ministries.

Classes for Ministerial Candidates: In January, Larry and Gerry McNamara will work together to teach a class on Free Methodist History and Polity to several ministerial candidates from Spain, Greece, and Hungary. They hope to host another class on An Introduction to Wesleyan Theology in June.

Opening of Life Skills Training Room: Thanks in large part to the generosity of the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church and its Ambassadors Class, the renovation of the cellar room in the Budapest Ministry Center is nearly complete. This room is already being used for life skills training programs and meetings. We plan on holding an open house for the new room on May 6.

Summer Home Assignment: We plan on being in the States for home assignment from mid-July to mid-September. We hope that we can connect with many of our partners during this time.

Freedom Rallies: In September we will take part in two Freedom Rallies, along with Ildikó, in Battle Creek, Michigan and Batavia, New York. We hope to raise awareness of and support for the Set Free Movement and its workers.

Church Leaders Conference: The Europe-wide Church Leaders Conference takes place every two years. In November 2017 we will host the conference in Budapest. The theme of the conference will be "Relevant: Our Lord, Our Lives, and Our Church."

We appreciate those that have renewed their pledge of support for 2017. If you haven't yet done so, there is no time like the present! Please see the information below or call Pam Sheads at 1-800-342-5531 to register your commitment.

May you and your family experience God's richest blessings this Christmas season and throughout the coming year!

With love,

Larry and Katie Winckles