They listen to the live sermons Johnnie Lambert, an elder in New York, gives each Sabbath over the Internet to the brethren in Estonia, across the Baltic Sea from Sweden. They also receive sermons from the home office and from San Antonio, Texas.

"We try to keep in touch with friends in the Church via phone, e-mail, Skype and letters," they said in an interview with United News Canada (March-April 2007 issue). "It is hard sometimes to feel part of the 'big picture,' but every time we do meet Church brethren, it is a big treat to us."

Another Swedish member, Solveig Hammar, was at Ambassador Bible Center in Milford, Ohio, this year, but there aren't many members in the Scandinavian area. "There is a family in Finland who moved there recently from Thailand who is also in UCG," said Paul. "Being isolated is tough."

Kira is active in translating literature into Swedish, which is being posted to the Web site. The first Swedish booklet was printed earlier this year. The Spensers have also worked on advertising and brochure distribution.

"Last year we also organized an open house meeting here when Council of Elders member Victor Kubik visited the area with his wife, Beverly," said Paul. Mr. Kubik has since been named senior pastor for Eastern Europe and Scandinavia and has discussed plans with the Spensers to expand the preaching of the gospel in Sweden.

God's Calling

Paul was born in 1972 on the Isle of Man, an island between England and Ireland. "I heard the truth around 1991 through a friend who was also a Plain Truth magazine reader," Paul said. "He had many booklets, so I along with a best friend started to read and discuss the truth. We began attending church in '93 after open house meetings were conducted, and were baptized in '95 when we also attended our first Feast of Tabernacles."

The United Church of God in the Isle of Man formed on the day Paul was baptized, and eventually became a registered charity. Paul served on the board for eight years and also served as chairman.

Kira grew up as a Lutheran and worked in a cathedral as a caretaker and tour guide. "For years I had been unhappy with my former church and had studied religion at the university," Kira said. "While studying, I realized how pagan it all was and started to search for something else. So on the Web, I just put in different words like 'the Sabbath,' and UCG popped up."

Kira was baptized in 2000.

How They Met

"We first met in person in Manchester [England] where Paul picked me up to take me to the youth camp," said Kira. "But before that we had spoken on the phone. By using the YACOG Web site, I was looking for other Europeans who were going to keep the Feast, and Paul offered, with some friends, that we could stay in a house they rented in York."

Paul and Kira were married in Sweden in February 2001 and moved to Sweden in 2004. Paul was able to attend Ambassador Bible Center for part of the year in 2004.

"Paul is a floor layer, and he is getting on very well with the Swedish language," Kira said.

May 1, 2005, Isak and Aaron were born, and Viktoria joined her twin brothers Jan. 24, 2007.

"Prayers for the work in Sweden would be greatly appreciated." UN