I had a couple of very good and instructive opportunities during the month of September. First, we had a site team from Dawson Baptist Church in Alabama to visit with us. We’re planning for them to bring a large youth choir (about 150 people, including adults) to North Wales in summer 2023. It’s a huge project, but we’re very excited about it.
Second, as serving on the Council of the Evangelical Alliance UK (representing the EA Wales), we had our annual Council meeting in September. It was a great blessing to meet and pray and learn with like-minded believers from all across the United Kingdom.
Preaching
One area of local ministry that I really enjoy is having the opportunity to share the Word from the pulpit (always in Welsh) in local Welsh Chapels. As Church life here is slowly getting “back to normal,” I’ve been having a lot more of these opportunities, and it’s always a joy.
There are some exciting things happening with the local Church plant here in North Wales, as well as some community ministry opportunities. I’m sure that those on the Team here, who are more involved in the leadership of these initiatives will share more as they can over the months to come. Please, keep this new, but exciting work in your prayers.
Health Issues
The past three months have not been a great time for me in terms of personal health issues. From early September (while our friends from Dawson Baptist Church were here actually), I came down with a pretty serious throat and upper respiratory infection. I can’t remember the last time I was that ill. I lost my voice with it, and it lingered for 2-3 weeks. I was concerned that it was COVID, but I took a COVID test about every five days, and it was always negative. I was put on a fairly long regime of strong antibiotics, which in the end helped.
However, within a couple of weeks of that throat infection, I actually did come down with COVID (the second time), which I contracted a couple of days before the True North Church team arrived in Italy, but I didn’t know it until after they arrived, when I tested positive.
I’m over both infections for the most part, but there are still a few days, when I’m feeling pretty drained physically. Prayers for ongoing health concerns are appreciated.