Friends of Estonia

29/08/2025

Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary - Funding the Future campaign results

Dear Friend of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary,

Greetings from Camp Gideon, where our seminary was founded 31 years ago in August 1994! I am delighted to share some wonderful news with you.

Today marks the start of a new academic year, and we have joyfully welcomed nearly 20 new students who have responded to God’s call.

It also marks the conclusion of the first phase of our Funding the Future campaign, and I am overjoyed to report that the campaign has not only met its initial goal but surpassed it—with a total of $64,750 raised. And because every gift up to $50,000 is being generously matched by Mt. Bethel Church, the impact is doubled to $114,750. Praise the Lord—and thank you, each one of you!

This is more than numbers on a page—it is a lifeline for our students. These funds will provide scholarships that enable men and women to follow God’s call into pastoral ministry, chaplaincy, missions, and Christian service here in Estonia and beyond. Every gift you have given is truly an investment in the future of the church and the spread of the gospel.

On behalf of our students, faculty, and the entire seminary community, thank you for joining this mission. As a token of our gratitude, please enjoy this short video greeting from us: https://youtu.be/RYi1YQP_Yxw.

We are especially grateful to Mt. Bethel Church for their generous partnership. Your combined support means that more than 50 students will have their annual scholarships covered—and many more will be encouraged and equipped for the work God has placed before them. For the seminary, this generosity also opens the door to new opportunities: expanding continuing education programs and preparing to launch a Master's degree in the near future.

Together, we have witnessed a miracle of provision. May this be a reminder of the power of prayer, partnership, and faith in action.

BMTS will continue to rely on your support in the days ahead. If God is leading you to continue walking with us in this mission, details can be found on our website: https://emkts.ee/donate

With heartfelt gratitude,
Dr. Laur Lilleoja
Rector, Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary

Eesti Metodisti Kiriku Teoloogiline Seminar

21/08/2025

Dear Friend of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary,

What a summer of blessings this has been! I am thrilled to share that, thanks to your generosity and prayers, our Funding the Future campaign has already reached $48,500— that’s 97% of our initial $50,000 goal. And because every dollar will be matched by Mt. Bethel Church, the impact will be doubled. Praise God for such a wonderful response!

This support is already making a tremendous impact: when doubled, it will help cover 45 students’ annual scholarships. Yet the need remains. New students will arrive soon, many of whom depend on scholarships to follow God’s call into ministry, missions, and service. Your gifts make it possible for them to prepare for pastoral leadership, chaplaincy, and outreach here in Estonia and far beyond.

We are so close to the finish line—just $1,500 more is needed to reach our matching goal by August 27. And even after that milestone is reached, every additional dollar will continue to be life-changing for students who do not yet have scholarship support.

Would you prayerfully consider making a gift this week? Every contribution—large or small—helps provide scholarships and resources to equip the next generation of Christian leaders.

👉 To give online:
Visit mb.church/bmts, select Missions as the fund, and type BMTS Estonia in the note section.

👉 To give by check:
Make it payable to Mt. Bethel Church – Missions, write BMTS Estonia in the memo line, and mail it to:
Mt. Bethel Church – Finance Department
4385 Lower Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30068

Thank you for standing with us. Together, we are investing in a hopeful future for the church in Estonia and beyond.

With gratitude and expectation,
Dr. Laur Lilleoja
Rector, Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary

17/08/2025

https://friendsofestonia.org/?mailpoet_router&endpoint=view_in_browser&action=view&data=WzM5LCI2ZGU0ZTdmNzYyOTYiLDE2MCwiMTBpNGF5MzE5OTY4bzhvY3NvdzhnNDRrd3cwc2Nva2siLDM2LDBd

13/08/2025

https://wp.me/paHlO3-1yQ

Below find the prayer concerns and requests from leaders of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary and the congregations in Estonia.

12/08/2025

Dear Friend of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary,

Greetings in the name of Jesus from Estonia!

I hope this email finds you well and that summer has given you time to relax, rest, and gain new strength for the upcoming fall.

I’m excited to share a greeting from our longtime friends and teachers, Dr. Wes and Dr. Joy Griffin, who helped launch the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary in the summer of 1994. Thirty-one years ago, in August, we began the new school year at Camp Gideon on the beach in Aa. This year, Wes and Joy plan to return to Estonia to teach and preach at Camp Gideon as we open the new school year once again in Aa.

Please visit the following link: https://www.emkts.ee/index.php/et/matching-campaign

As of today, we’ve received $40,650, which means we’ve reached 81% of our $50,000 goal in the Matching Gift Campaign—right on track, with 76% of the campaign time elapsed.
Thank you for standing with us!

Would you prayerfully consider helping us reach the finish line? Every gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar and will help equip future leaders, pastors, missionaries, and church leaders to step into their calling.

To donate online:

Visit mb.church/bmts, select “Missions” from the fund list, add “BMTS Estonia” in the note section, and enter your amount.

To send a check:
Make it payable to Mt. Bethel Church – Missions, note “BMTS Estonia” in the memo line, and mail to:
Mt. Bethel Church – Finance Department
4385 Lower Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30068

All gifts received by August 27 (the start of the fall semester) will be matched!

On behalf of the Seminary, thank you so much for your prayers and dedicated partnership. Your support helps us continue advancing the Kingdom of God in this part of the world.

With deep gratitude,
Taavi Hollmann

Assistant to the Rector
Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary

Eesti Metodisti Kiriku Teoloogiline Seminar

11/08/2025

Please take a moment to watch two short videos from recent Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary graduates. They share their experiences and highlight the vital role scholarships played in their journey. Their stories remind us why we are so committed to supporting these scholarships through our Funding the Future Fundraising Campaign.

Please refer to the previous post below for information on how to make a meaningful gift that will support the students at the seminary. Your generosity truly makes a difference.

Eesti Metodisti Kiriku Teoloogiline Seminar

05/08/2025

Friends of Estonia,

We are delighted to share updates on our Funding the Future Campaign for the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary, launched in partnership with Pastor Jody Ray and Mt. Bethel Church. Thanks to their generosity, all gifts will be matched through August 27th, which also marks the first day of classes at the Seminary.

In this update, we have included a recent message from Mark Nelson, Dean of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary, and a previous message from Dr. Laur Lilleoja, Rector of the Seminary. We look forward to keeping you informed as the campaign progresses.

We invite you to join us in prayer for a fruitful season—not only during this campaign, but also for the Seminary’s ongoing mission and impact. Your faithfulness and support mean so much to us as we work together to invest in the future of the Seminary.
With gratitude!

05/08/2025

Dear Friend of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary,

Grace and peace to you!

I am writing with a heart full of thanks and a sense of hopeful urgency as we enter this new season of ministry and learning at BMTS. Your support, prayers, and encouragement continue to make an incredible impact—and today, I want to share a few glimpses of what your partnership is making possible.

Our “Funding the Future” campaign is gaining momentum. With just three weeks to go, we’ve already reached 76% of our $50,000 goal—and every dollar continues to be matched by the generous commitment of Mt. Bethel Church. Praise God!

We are now finalizing the recruitment of our new class and look forward to soon welcoming another group of Estonian and international students—eager to be equipped for their calling in pastoral ministry, cross-cultural missions, chaplaincy service, or wherever God sends them. Many of these students rely heavily on scholarships, which your generosity helps make possible.

👉 Please take a moment to watch two short videos from recent graduates as they share about their experience and the vital role scholarships played in their journey:
www.emkts.ee/testimonies

Meanwhile, our faculty is hard at work laying the foundation for our future Master’s program, and new continuing education tracks are launching to meet the needs of Christian leaders in local churches. The work is thriving—but the need is real.

Would you consider making a gift this month to help us finish strong? Every contribution—no matter the size—helps provide scholarships, resources, and infrastructure to train faithful leaders for service in Estonia and beyond.

To donate online:
Visit mb.church/bmts, select “Missions” as the fund, and type “BMTS Estonia” in the note section.

To donate by check:
Make it payable to Mt. Bethel Church – Missions, write “BMTS Estonia” in the memo line, and mail it to:
Mt. Bethel Church – Finance Department
4385 Lower Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30068

Remember: All donations received by August 27 will be doubled!

Thank you for standing with us as we train the next generation of Christian leaders. We couldn’t do this without your faithful partnership.

With deep gratitude,
Mark Nelson
Dean
Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary

Eesti Metodisti Kiriku Teoloogiline Seminar

05/08/2025

Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary - Funding the Future Campaign…..

Dear Friend of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary,

With joy and gratitude, I’m writing to share some exciting news from the Seminary. Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we’ve already reached 33% of our $50,000 goal in our Funding the Future campaign—an initiative that Mt. Bethel Church has generously agreed to match dollar for dollar!

This support is not just a number—it’s an investment in real lives and real ministry. In June, we celebrated the graduation of nine new students, bringing our total alumni count to 297. These graduates are already serving across Estonia and beyond—carrying the light of Christ into churches, communities, and chaplaincies. (See attached photo.) Thank you for helping make this possible.

As we look ahead to the new academic year beginning in August, we’re filled with anticipation. We’re preparing to launch thematic courses, focused areas of study designed to deepen theological and ministry training, and to expand our continuing education offerings to reach an even broader learning community. We are also prayerfully advancing the development of a master’s program, with a preliminary target launch in Fall 2026.

Would you prayerfully consider helping us move closer to our goal? Every gift—large or small—makes a meaningful difference in equipping future leaders for God’s kingdom.

To donate online:
Visit mb.church/bmts, select “Missions” from the list of funds, add “BMTS Estonia” in the note section, and enter your contribution amount.

To send a check:
Make it payable to Mt. Bethel Church – Missions, note “BMTS Estonia” in the memo line, and mail it to:
Mt. Bethel Church – Finance Department
4385 Lower Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30068

All gifts received by August 27 (start of the fall semester) will be matched!

Thank you again for your prayers, generosity, and faithful partnership in ministry. Together, we are truly Funding the Future.



With gratitude and blessings,
Dr. Laur Lilleoja
Rector
Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary

PS! For more updates and recent news of Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary, please see our latest 👉 newsletter

And for the history see our 👉 webpage
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31/07/2025

https://wp.me/paHlO3-1xW

Dear Friends of Estonia and Supporters of the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary, As Co-Chairs of Friends of Estonia, we are deeply grateful for your faithful support and prayers for the Baltic …