FEBRUARY 2023
Dear prayer companions,
We are sincerely thankful for the interest you continue to show toward us and the Chiesa Riformata di Perugia. As we are slowly learning, God moves in a mysterious way with his wonders to perform. Therefore, even in the midst of shattering events affecting Europe – such as the earthquake in Turkey, the Ukrainian war, and Covid just to mention a few – we believe that the Word of God is not chained (2 Timothy 2:9). That is our only hope and comfort: even though we are weak and insufficient in ourselves, the Word of God is powerful and able to accomplish God’s perfect will.
Meeting with Evangelical Pastors in Perugia
As the Covid epidemic seems to have subsided, we are experiencing again the freedom to reach out to other people. What a blessing!!! Therefore, I contacted the evangelical ministers in the Perugia area and invited them to meet as colleagues and fellow laborers. Rev. Mike Cuneo (PCA), who labors to plant the Chiesa Riformata del Trasimeno in Passignano (near Perugia), helped me and on a Monday evening, we had 14 people gathered together in our church building. I took the opportunity to give each of them a copy of Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon by B. Brian Chapell, which is available in Italian. The gift was well received, the fellowship was pleasant, and the shared prayer was edifying. I suggested to them that we consider another opportunity to meet again to study and discuss together Christ-Centered Preaching. May the Lord continue to bless our fellowship and outreach.
My Mother’s Move to Perugia
Early in February, Cristina and I have been busy helping my 78-year-old widowed mother, Ivana, permanently move from Milan to Perugia. Because of the Italian bureaucracy, it is more difficult to move and get the paperwork properly processed compared to the US. We have been engaged for about a month or so to assist my Mom in this matter, and we are now just helping her to complete the arrangement of her new apartment, which is only one mile from us. The Lord has been working to reunite our family since we left Milan five years ago and we look forward to our life together here in Perugia.
Evangelism
As I mentioned before, we have the blessed freedom to meet and visit people as we used to do. This means that we are experiencing new opportunities to reach out to people across Perugia and make many visits to families and individuals. As psalm 126 says, “He who goes out bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him”. That is our hope and prayer, that the seed will sprout and grow in such a way that the Lord would continue to build his church.
Please, pray with us for the following prayer requests:
pray for Cristina and me, and that I may be a faithful Christian, husband, father, grandfather, church member, and minister;
pray for the blessing of God upon the preaching of the Word;
pray for the efforts being made to reach out to other evangelical pastors in our area and for people joining our church.
On behalf of all the members of the Chiesa Riformata of Perugia, I express a felt sense of gratitude for your faithful prayers and generous support.
Those of Italy greet you (Hebrews 13:24) ☺
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Andrea Ferrari