MINISTRY UPDATES

Well, we’ve seen some exciting growth in the church! After beginning August with many of our regulars on holiday (we were around 20 the first Sunday of August), we’ve been pushing and exceeding 40! One week we had around 46. Of course that makes even more urgent the prayer request for a bigger space to meet. We’ve also seen several of our children make decisions for Christ. We’ll be baptizing 4 this first Sunday of September, 3 children, and 1 Irish lady who is a recent convert. We are all very excited. Also, we are expecting to add to church’s covenant membership several families and individuals. So, it sure seems that God is working. Please pray that this would only be the beginning. As the university students return, we pray that God would give even more opportunities for us to grow. Of course, this keeps us all very busy. Please continue to pray that we would be able to do well in all areas, especially in the things that we do because we have to and not necessarily because we want to.

Our new colleagues, Kirk and Sandlin Poth, arrived at the end of August. We are very excited they are here as they bring gifts and abilities and passions that will fit nicely with the rest of us here. God has already blessed them in getting settled. They have found a house, a car, a bank account, etc. These are sometimes not easy things to find in Ireland!

At the same time the Poths have arrived, Tim and Joan will be heading back to the States for their 6-month home assignment. Please pray for them as they will dearly be missed.

UPCOMING EVENTS

September will see us move back into “full-out” mode. The students are back, the kids’ clubs are in full swing, and things settle back into their normal routine. The holiday season is officially over! Aside from the things mentioned above, there are a couple of big things we’d appreciate prayer for.

1. 1)The kids’ clubs: we’ll have a primary school aged club and a secondary school aged club going. Please pray that God would use these to reach into the lives of kids. Our prayers for workers have been answered, and we are very pleased to be fully staffed. Thanks for praying.
   

2. 2)DVD Nites: The university students back means that the DVD nites become a regular fixture again. Please pray for these, as well as for other outreach opportunities with students.
   

3. 3)Discipleship Opportunities: Please pray for opportunities we have to meet with other believers to help them grow in their faith. Also, please pray as we begin to specifically encourage some of our church members to meet up with others for discipleship.
   

4. 4)VISA UPDATE: Well, there really isn’t anything to update. Please continue to pray. We’re starting to hear more from other people that are in the same position we are. Most of what we’re hearing isn’t positive. We really do need to seriously lift this up before the Lord. In the midst of this uncertainty, please pray also that we can remain focused on the work at hand. We obviously want to stay long-term, but we are here now! Please pray that we would be “all the way” here now.
   

5. 5)New Believers: As mentioned above, please pray for our new believers who will be baptized this next weekend. Good weather would be nice, too, but the bigger request is that they would grow in their new faith.
   

6. 6)Family items: see below
   

FAMILY NEWS

We would appreciate prayer for the following things in our family.

1. 1)New child: Please pray for safety and health for Mandy and baby as we move into the home stretch. God willing, this time next month we’ll be able to report on a healthy delivery! We’re excited that Mandy’s mom will be here to help out, too!
   

2. 2)Emma’s school: Emma started school in August, and loves it! Please pray that she would continue to do well and enjoy the friends she makes and the things she learns. Please also pray for positive relationships to be built with the parents in the school.
   

3. 3)You might pray for the girls’ adjustments to the new baby. They are excited, but, especially for Zoe, don’t really understand what’s about to happen to them!
   

Thanks again for praying for us. You are an integral part of what God is doing here in Galway!