SEPTEMBER 2021
Dear prayer companions,
Warmest greetings to all of you from the members of the Chiesa Riformata di Perugia! We deeply appreciate your interest, prayers, and support and we are especially grateful for your gracious emails through which you personally reach out to us by sharing information, prayer requests, and giving words of encouragement. In this simple manner, we understand a little of Paul’s experience of being “absent in body, yet [present] in spirit” (Colossians 2:5).
Summer Visitors
Last summer was quite busy: we had a number of visitors! My mother, Ivana, and one family of 8 from Canada spent over two months here in Perugia. Moreover, we had two teenagers staying with us for three weeks from our sister church Filadelfia in Milan. Because of this, from July to the end of September, we had an unusual attendance on the Lord’s Days: an average of 30-35 people, and especially throughout August we had 40-50, and for a couple of Sundays, even over 60 people. Praise God! One Lord's Day in particular, there were about 30 Dutch visitors so the congregation was more Dutch than Italian!!! One Sunday morning, we had a funny meeting with a Dutch couple. After I introduced myself as Pastor Ferrari, the Dutch brother answered with a big smile by saying “Good to meet you, I am Mr. Porsche.” On August 8th, Rev. Cuneo began leading public services of the Chiesa Riformata del Trasimeno in the town of Passignano, which is about 25 miles from our place in Perugia. Currently, we conduct our morning worship service in Perugia and an evening service in Passignano at 6:00 PM. After the summer, we went back to our usual attendance: we have around 25 people worshipping in the morning and 10 in the evening. Every five Sundays, Rev. Cuneo and I exchange pulpits, so he preaches in Perugia and I preach in Passignano.
Fall 2021
In mid-October, we’ll resume our normal schedule so that in Perugia we’ll have the worship service at 10:00 AM and after a short break, we have the Heidelberg Catechism class conducted at 11:45 AM. As for my preaching responsibilities, after finishing the exposition of the Gospel of John, I am currently expounding a new topical series on the general theme of “The Spiritual Experience of the Desert” which is about forming a biblical theology of the desert with attention being given to the spiritual experience of Christians in their pilgrimage in the present evil age. Lord willing, if there aren’t any COVID-19 restrictions as done in previous years, on October 29-31, we’ll have some meetings to commemorate the Reformation. Alongside an appropriate sermon for the Lord’s Day, I am preparing an essay on “The Reformation as a Religious Revival in Europe” which is about some theological and historical information with the goal of stimulating Christians to engage in prayer for Europe, where the Christian witness of the churches has become very weak sadly in our secular age.
Some family matters
Our second son, Daniele, decided to move from Milan to Perugia and he found a job and now lives about 20 miles from us. After four years in which he rarely joined a worship service, it is our hope and prayer that he will start attending church regularly and that the Lord will bring him to deep and genuine repentance. My mother, Ivana, is also thinking of moving to Perugia. Next year Lord willing, our family might be reunited again here in Perugia.
Please, pray with us for the following prayer requests:
pray for the growth in grace and knowledge of our church members;
pray for God’s blessing on our Gospel’s witness in the region of Umbria in 2021/2022;
pray for protection for us from the COVID-19 epidemic 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 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