August 24, 2009


This has been an exciting year of ministry and it is not over yet. We are beginning to see God bring in the increase after 36 years of sowing and watering. Every Sunday our new worship area is being filled with new people who are searching to know God or who have just finally found a church home.

We never imagined last year in June, when we made the decision to leave our rental hall, what God was going to do. True, the old church building had become too small and many Sundays people would have to stand in the back for lack of seats. But how were we going to worship in a building while the remodeling project was going on? We stepped out believing God was saying to do it.

The new place had no room divisions except what we had made using big cupboards, and the only facilities were two rather old and decrepit bathrooms. The heating system had already been dismantled with the hope of a future electrical system powered by solar energy, but we had no idea how soon the project would become functional, especially since it was going to be almost totally paid for by an incentive program of the Italian government.

But move we did, and within months we had gone from the usual 50 or 60 people in attendance to 70 and 80. Our recent record of 189 at a baptismal service made us realize that very soon we are going to be too tight. It would be helpful to be able to move into the other half of the building that is currently being rented to a store, as it would double our capacity. (However we have a rent contract that we must honor for another 4 years or so, and besides, it is helping us pay the mortgage!)

The challenge to do work projects during the week and then remove the debris and dust off the furniture, floor, and chairs for services on Sunday and Wednesday has been met with great sacrifice on the part of those who come to work and to clean. Just recently work on the solar energy project began, and soon we can consider the installation of heating and cooling systems.

However, we have come to the end of our funds. Thanks to the Lord working through our churches in America, the sacrificial giving of our supporters and friends, and work teams that not only pay to come and volunteer their work, but also bring the money to pay for materials, we have made it this far.

Please pray specifically for:

• The needed funds to install heating and cooling systems, and the completion of the electrical project, which is needed to meet the building code
• Workers that could volunteer professional help in electrical, masonry, and flooring jobs
• Unity for our folks as decisions are made
• Wisdom in planning the platform, sound system, and baptistry projects
• The funds needed to finish the mortgage payments, to avoid renewal of the renter’s contract for another 6 years