Tuesday, September 11, 2007

 

Catching up

We are trying to get the blog up to date after a very long gap! Please excuse the delay. There is something about the process of changing countries, the resultant emotional turmoil and quase depression, that seems to make blogging very difficult. But we know that people are praying for us, and that we need to keep you all posted with information. So here goes.

Following the changes to blogger that have made picture posting more difficult, we are just popping a few photos into the text, to break it up and keep it lively, but will give links to facebook albums that have more pictures. That way the picture gluttons can get their fill, and those who just want text will not be deluged with pixels.


Visit to the UK - July August 2007

The visit to the UK was the most preplanned and busy we have ever had. It seems that every moment had already been defined before we even left Brazil, although we managed to do a few spontaneous things. It was broken up into three main bits: the Cornhill International Summer School (Andrew) and the Apologetics for Leadership Course run by the Christian heritage Centre in Cambridge (Cora); the Carey Family Conference, and a week at home in Haywards Heath as a family.

The main event at a personal level was Bec's engagement to Aidan Severs. We spent time with Aidan and his family at Christmas and again on this trip. All of us are very pleased!

Tom is going out with Emily Runciman, and she came to stay for some of our last week in England. We had a good time.

Separation from our children doesn't get any easier, but we are thankful for all that the Lord is doing in their lives. Here is a picture of the current shape of the family, as at Carey 2007.


Andrew, Tom, Emily, Aidan, Bec, Cora

General UK visit pics here.

More here


The Cornhill International Summer School

Bible Study group - each man represents a different country

Cornhill paid a large proportion of Andrew's ticket to the UK, in order for him to participate in this excellent event. Among 70 odd students, over 33 countries were represented - by far the most international gathering I have ever attended. The dominant continent was Africa, with Europe, Asia and Australia following, and the Americas crawling in a poor fifth. It was a great privilege to get to know brothers from so many countries, and to learn something of their work. What a time of opportunity and challenge we are living in!


While at Cornhill, Andrew stayed in Denmark Hill at Barbara Arscott's house. In a happy coincidence, ex-Grovies Ian and Heather Thompson (Christian Focus Publications, Scotland) and David and Ruth Jones (Presbyterian Church planting, Tasmania) were also staying in South London. It was strange and wonderful to be together again, in this photo with Barbara, Annie Ashton, and Adrian and Ruth Butler. What a privilege is friendship, and how good to be part of God's great family!


The Carey Family Conference

Carey this year was a very good one, that just seemed to fly by. Mark Troughton from York Evangelical Church was the main speaker, bring a series of studies on Conflict Resolution in the church. We both contributed: Andrew preached on the death of Sarah, and we led seminars on Music in the Church (Andrew) and a Biblical Theology of Nations. (Cora)

More Carey Family Conference Pics here

Back home to Florianópolis: at Sambaqui
(Photo: Mary Brown)


Yachts at Santo Antônio de Lisboa, looking towards the bridges.

Mary Brown

A University friend of Tom's, Mary Brown, is visiting us for 6 weeks. (Actually she arrived nearly a week before we got back from the UK - a little challenge to stretch her Portuguese!) Mary did the Apologetics course in Cambridge with Cora, which was a good way to get to know each other before the time in Brazil. Her visit has been a delight to us, and to others with whom she has come into contact. The younger Peregrinos have made strong friendships with Mary, and we hope and pray that she may be able to come back. The University scene in southern Brazil so needs godly, theologically balanced workers!

Visit to Maranata, end of August

We went with Mary to Maranata - the first time we have done two visits to the same year-group. It was good to work with students that I had already got to know in May, and even more encouraging to see thir progress. Maranata is as lovely in its surroundings as ever, and going through a time of recovery and development after a stormy period.

Micro-Regional Conference of the ABUB in Blumenau

Our local university CU having joined ABU (the Brazilian UCCF) we got roped-in to participate in a regional conference in Blumenau. It would seem that such ministry may begin to open up as a significant part of our lives in the future: please pray for wisdom and strength in this important work.

More photos of the ABU conference here.


IBE

IBE - Homiletics I class, with half the group young Peregrinos.
Front row from left: Demerval, Aimoré, Lara, Mary, Bernardo
Back row: Wladimir, Rogério, Rodrigo, Eric, Solomon


At IBE this semester Andrew is teaching Homiletics (Mondays) to a group composed in large part of young Peregrinos. On Tuesdays he is with a mixed-year IBE group looking at the general letters.


Peregrinos

We have returned to a sense of spiritual battle in the church. There are a number of issues that we need to address, and a number of people who are going through times of challenge and temptation. It is SO hard to get the agenda of decision-making and planning for the future up to speed.

We have also returned to find that we are losing some people. André and Josi have not been in membership long, and they arrived already knowing that they could be called at any time to move to the North of the state. However, they had already been waiting two years for the summons, and it is a blow to lose them so soon. In addition, Josi's brother Fábio, who was baptised in July, will move with them. André is now undergoing a period of training in Rio, before the definite move to São Francisco do Sul or Joinville. Please pray that they may find a good church in the new town: we already have some contacts.

On the positive side, Lara has now come into membership, and we have other visitors. We are currently unable to use the University Chapel, as it is undergoing (much needed) repairs. We may well have to pay for the use of the premises on our return. For the moment we are meeting in a house owned by the Southern Baptist Mission (IMB) and presently occupied by our friends Malcolm and Dana Philips, a young couple who we met earlier in the year who are considering service in Brazil, specifically in Florianópolis. Their friendship, hospitality and theological sanity have meant a lot to us in recent days.

We are also in the process of considering a possible pastor for the church: Taybar, whose wedding photos can be seen under September of last year. But there is so much to sort out! Please pray for us.

Cora's Girls' Bible study

Front, on floor, from left: Elisa, Kari, Dana Philips
Back, on sofa or standing: Cora, Patty, Fran, Roberta, Lara, Giovanna, Mary

More photos of Peregrinos' events and friends here



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