News Update, Autumn 2007

21st September 2007

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Mallorca! The summer officially ends today, so this seems to me a good moment to write to let you catch up with us.

Summer

The summer has gone well, with the main ministry highlights being Reach the City in Bristol and the following Sunday my 25th anniversary of ministry celebration with the Fellowship of the King. Much has been written about 'RTC' in other staff reports and the official writeup can be read at www.oacgb.org.uk From our point of view it was a very effective week of training and evangelism – despite rather contrary weather. If there were not many 'decisions' to speak of, the key decision was perhaps made by Bristol based people, who decided to start up regular evangelism in the city after several years' break. This has now been going on over the past two months and dates are set for the future. From Bristol we went on to Germany and again had the opportunity to present the 25th anniversary programme in Hilde's home church fellowship.

In addition to ministry opportunities, we were happy to meet many family members on our trip. First we travelled to GB via Switzerland, to see my brother and family. Then we attended my sister's local village fair, which on this occasion was opened by my mother's cousin, Ken Wallis, the autogyro pilot, with a suitably 2- 007 theme. In Germany, we took the opportunity to visit the East for the first time and saw several Luther sites, as well as many other visit-worthy monuments in Dresden and area. On the return drive to the West we were accompanied by Hilde's niece and her boyfriend, on their way home from Berlin for a birthday party. This niece and her sister will visit us for a week in October. Various of my family members are due to be here with my parents about the same time.

Back in Mallorca, Sunday evenings have seen us on the Palma sea front park, joining in the open airs of the Murillo church. Our church has also started up a monthly book table on Sunday mornings in Santa Maria, a growing town, with a big market in the centre of the island, which we support. Otherwise,we have been happy to have air conditioning at home as work would otherwise be hard. And even so, we have often been down to the beach in the evening when there was nothing on. It's so hard being a missionary!

Autumn programme

Summer over, it's back to a rather busier regime, however. Hilde hopes to get back to her Catalan classes, with Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings blocked off. On Tuesdays there will be a local Spanish speaking cell group starting up – first ever non-Catholic activity (well – since the conquest in 1229) in this area, apart from the English language meetings – which celebrated their 40th anniversary this summer. This feature of the new church has more or less decided us to join it - your prayer for final decision welcome! English Bible studies are to be on Fridays. Wednesdays there is a women's meeting for Hilde -if she has no language class- and open air/book table for me, both in Palma. Thursday evening is the mid-week prayer meeting at church. One Saturday each month the church has an open air in town and once a month is the Sunday market stall. Enough to keep a webmaster away from his desk!

The webs continue to do well, getting a gradually growing flow of visitors. But it is necessary to keep everything up to date. At this time of year the summer events pages all need updating, for example. Reports replace application forms and prayer requests, themselves soon to be replaced by info. on next year's activities! Reporting other things from around Spain also keeps my head down.

Thank you for you continuing interest and prayer for our ministry. Keep that weekly diary in your mind!

Much love from us both,

Chris & Hilde