JANUARY 2022
Andrea with the Consistory of Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia in Milan
Dear prayer companions,
At the beginning of the new year, we think of you with a grateful heart for your prayerful and practical interest in the life and witness of the Chiesa Riformata di Perugia. At the beginning of this new year, we are especially aware that the Lord’s mercies never come to an end but are new every morning (Lamentations 2:32). Yes, because of God’s presence with us, we can begin 2022 with a sure hope and an encouraging expectation for the One who began a good work in us will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6).
Experiencing Covid
Cristina, myself, and my Mother Ivana – along with our first son Simone and his wife, Alison, and our second son, Daniele – got infected by Covid at the end of last December (Rev. Cuneo and his wife, Ivana, also was infected by Covid as we had a meal together on Christmas Day). Simone, his wife, Alison, and Daniele are now Covid free, but the rest of us are waiting to have a test in a few days. We are grateful for God’s sustaining and strengthening presence as it seems that after a couple of weeks with fever, bodily pain, headache, weakness, and cough, we have begun to improve, slowly but steadily. Lord willing, I should be able to resume my pastoral labors late in January or early in February.
Meeting with the Consistory of Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia in Milan
On December 20th – just a couple of days before getting infected by Covid – I drove to Milan to bring my mother with us to Perugia. Having the opportunity to spend some time in Milan, I met with Rev. Mike Brown and the elders of the Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia as we had planned together a few weeks ago. The meeting was encouraging as we spoke about how to look to the future after two years of restrictions due to Covid. If the Covid crisis will not compel us to have restrictions as in the previous two years, it is our hope to be able to plan more opportunities to discuss shared projects to be developed in the near future.
Visiting the Pietra Vivente of Lecce Church
In mid-November, Cristina and I attended a funeral of a relative in Southern Italy and we took the opportunity to drive a little further in order to worship with the saints of the Chiesa Pietra Vivente of Lecce, in the region of Puglia at the very bottom of the heel of Southern Italy. It was a blessing to renew fellowship with Rev. Vincenzo Coluccia and his wife Judit and their relatives. Moreover, I had the privilege to preach to a group of about 20 people and to enjoy fellowship with these beloved brothers and sisters who joined Rev. Coluccia with the purpose of planting a confessional reformed church in the city of Lecce, which is known as the “Florence of the South”.
Rev. Richard Bout’s Visit
Early last November, we had the visit of Rev. Richard Bout, who is the Coordinator of Foreign Missions of the URCNA. Besides the opportunity to preach and to give a report of the various missionary efforts of our churches worldwide, Rev. Bout was able to spend time in personal conversations sharing words of comfort, encouragement, and exhortation. We are grateful that Angela, his wife, accompanied Rev. Bout and that she could spend time with my wife, Cristina, in strengthening her heart through dialogue and prayer. We also enjoyed having with us Jacob and Rebekah Bout who added a familial tone to the time we could spend together.
Please, pray with us for the following prayer requests:
pray for the development of a growing fellowship and cooperation between the churches of Milan, Perugia, and Lecce and for the mutual encouragement and reciprocal care between Rev. Mike Brown, Vincenzo Coluccia, and myself;
pray for God’s blessing on our Gospel’s witness in the region of Umbria in 2022;
pray for the Covid epidemic to subside and for protection and for a deeper realization of the life of the world to come;
lastly, pray for me that I may be a faithful Christian, husband, father, grandfather, church member, and minister.
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