Out of the old - into the new

Colonel Kleman cuts the ribbon

The 'congregation'

February 18th 2014 was one of those 'red letter days' in the life of the Estonia Region. Territorial Leaders Colonels Johnny and Eva Kleman were guests of honour at the official opening of the new Regional Headquarters. They were joined by the cadets of the Messengers of Light session, RHQ staff and representatives of the officers and soldiers of the Region. After a few words of welcome Colonel Kleman shared thoughts from scripture and reminded us all that the office was not just a place of business but a place of mission, support and encouragement before cutting the red ribbon and declaring the new office 'open for business'. After crossing the threshold the small congregation joined in a rousing rendition of 'To God be the Glory'.


Board room and Leader's office

Having searched for some months for a suitable property this rented facility offers significantly improved working space. It comprises a large central office - large enough to host Management Board meetings - plus 2 additional offices - each large enough for 2 people - and a room which will initially be used as a prayer room and informal meeting area. Along the corridor we have a toilet and a small kitchen/dining room, so staff can now eat their meals away from their desks.




Evelin and Kerlin's new office

Situated in the busy Narva mnt, we are just 100 metres from the Methodist church and seminary, so ideally placed to support the cadet training programme which meet there each month. It is also walking distance from the Ferry terminal and easily reached by visitors from THQ when they travel from Finland.

The office allows us space to grow. With property schemes

Reception area

in the pipeline and the need to develop a trading programme, we look forward to welcoming a business/property officer. The recently commenced training programme also marks one step in developing a wider training focus for soldiers and local officers. We also hope to introduce specific support for youth work with the Region. Finding this new office is a positive step towards these goals.

And what of the old office? Plans have been approved to renovate and return it to use as a 2-bedroomed apartment. This will be home to trainers who visit to conduct sessions for the cadets each month and will also be available for officers and leaders making necessary visits to Tallinn. With plans to equip and decorate the apartment to a high standard, we also hope to market this as a suitable holiday let for friends visiting Estonia. This will generate some much needed income and cover costs of the new RHQ.

Having been stationed on IHQ I was privileged to be there when the new, glass building was opened at '101'. The vision for that building was, amongst other things, that it would be evangelical in nature. That mirrors our prayers for Narva mnt. We might not be so transparent and visible as the glass building in London but we are easily seen from the busy main road. It gives us a presence in another part of town and allows us opportunity to build new relationships. We pray that the office might be a support to the Region's current programme, an extension of our mission and a place of vision and leadership for the future.