SEPTEMBER 2019
Dear prayer companions,
Because of the heat waves in Italy, many people usually concentrate their vacation in the months of July and August. This is the case especially in metropolitan areas where many factories and businesses close for at least two weeks. With the month of September, the new season starts and the atmosphere has somewhat changed with new hopes, fervor and projects. We too are looking ahead with hope, praying that the Chiesa Riformata di Perugia might grow in knowledge and grace and also in number. Our prayer is expressed well by the words of the hymn by Isaac Watts,
Pity the nations, o our God, constrain the earth to come;
Send your victorious Word abroad, and bring the strangers home.
We long to see your churches full, that all the chosen raceMay, with one voice and heart and soul, sing your redeeming grace!
Profession faith. The new season started with the encouraging profession of faith of our brother Adelio Scarpelloni (see picture). Adelio is a truck driver who usually spends Mondays to Fridays driving across Italy and Europe transporting trees, plants and flowers. From January to July, Adelio and I met at least every other Saturday afternoon for at least 90 minutes to study the Heidelberg Catechism and reflected on the basic principles of our Church Order. On the Lord’s Day of September 8, Adelio made a public profession of faith in the presence of many witnesses, some of whom were not part of our church and he partook of the Lord’s Supper for the first time. About 30 people were present and after the divine service, we celebrated by having a common meal.
Future plans for 2020. After having been 13 months in Perugia, the time came for some future initiatives. Along with the Presbyterian Church of Viterbo (led by missionary pastor Mike Cuneo), we are looking forward to launch in 2020 two annual joint conferences: a theological conference and a family conference. As for the Theological Conference, we invited Dr. Victor d’Assonvile from Heidelberg (Germany), who is a scholar on John Calvin. Given that his specialty is the theology of Calvin, we asked him to speak on Calvin and Self-Denial as the Sum of the Christian Life and 2) Calvin and the Practice of Good Works in Perugia and on 1) Calvin on Knowing God and 2) Calvin on Knowing ourselves in Viterbo. As for the family conference, we are tentatively planning to have it in the Fall and are in the process of finding a speaker.
Website. With the help of Kyle Lee (now part of Christ Reformed Church in Washington DC), we are working to prepare a website for the Chiesa Riformata di Perugia. Our brother Kyle has been very generous in giving time and energy to this project and we are deeply grateful for his big-hearted assistance.
As customary, I conclude with some prayer requests:
pray for Adelio and that the Lord may give the increase to the seeds that we sow and water through our evangelistic efforts;
pray for the organization of our conferences and for a fruitful cooperation with the Presbyterian Church of Viterbo;
pray that the website be completed soon and that the sermons and other material may prove useful for the witness of 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.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Andrea Ferrari