JULY 2021
Rev. Vincenzo Coluccia preaching to us on July 11
Dear prayer companions,
Greetings from the saints of the Chiesa Riformata di Perugia! We are grateful to God because his mercies are new every morning and because we have reasons never to despair about his bowels of mercy. In the last couple of months, we have been encouraged in many ways and we are sure that – in spite of Covid and many other (apparent) hindrances – God’s Word is not bound…
The COVID-19 epidemic and church life
After a long period of strict lock-down, we are now enjoying again a good measure of freedom, even though things are far from what was normal before the Covid epidemic. We continue to have just one public service on the Lord’s Day and two mid-week Zoom meetings. We hope that the situation will not go back as it was last winter and spring and to resume in the fall a break after the divine service followed by classes on the Heidelberg Catechism. On July 4th our new freedom allowed us to have a fellowship meal at the church building after more than one year and half. We had some people visiting with us and we were very happy to experience again the communion of saints being physically present with one another. This time of the year is very busy as we have a constant flow of visitors from abroad (Dutch, Hungarian, Canadian, and American people) who happen to visit the Perugia area for vacation. It is also a joy to have been and to be able at present to host some of the saints visiting with us from our sister church in Milan.
Visit of Rev. Vincenzo Coluccia
On July 11th, Rev. Coluccia ministered the preaching of God’s Word to us. Vincenzo, his wife Judit, and their cute daughter Abigail visited with us for a few days, bringing the warm greetings of the Chiesa Pietra Vivente of Lecce, in the Southern region of Puglia. It was very encouraging to renew fellowship with these saints and spend some time together remembering God’s faithful dealings with us in the past and praying to entrust our future into his hands. Rev. Coluccia preached an appropriate sermon on Matthew 28:16-20 dwelling on Christ’s supreme authority in the work of missions and church-planting, and encouraging us with the promise of Christ’s own presence with us as we strive corporately for the faith of the gospel. In reflecting on Christ’s Gospel Commission, Rev. Coluccia stressed the vital role of each church member in spreading the good news, especially in taking the pain to be with unbelievers so that they can be invited to participate in the life of the church and thus being in the holy place where God’s Word is faithfully proclaimed and the sacraments are passionately administered. On the occasion of Rev. Coluccia’s visit, many nations were represented to worship the Triune God: Italians, Americans, Canadians, Hungarians, Brits, Rumanians, Moldavians, and an Australian. As some of us observed, we had an opportunity to reflect on the promise to Abraham that all the families of the earth will be blessed in his seed, that is, Christ and having a foretaste of the new heavens and new earth wherein true diversity of people will be together in Christ, who is our hope.
A personal note
Some of you will probably remember that our first son Simone married last year Alison Marshall, a godly sister in the Lord from Australia. We are grateful to be able to share with you that Alison is expecting a baby and that – God willing – Cristina and I will be shortly grandparents!!!
Please, pray with us for the following prayer requests:
Pray for the growth in grace and knowledge of our church members;
Pray for the growth and strengthening of our church and that from Perugia the Gospel’s witness may extend to other areas of the region of Umbria;
Pray for the Covid epidemic asking 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 (and soon also a “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