The service this evening went great. How good it was to see a young man come back to the Lord who has a bad drink problem. Please remember him in your prayers. The praise was good, the prayer was good and the Bible study went very well. PTL!
Philip is on the second leg of his 3 flights home from India - flying from Paris to São Paulo at the moment. He is utterly exhausted.
Thursday, 30 April 2015
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Tragedy in Patos (2)
The little girl who fell down the lift shaft in Patos (see previous article) was in fact 6 years of age and has tragically died in the Patos Children's Hospital this evening. Everyone in our neighbourhood is terribly sad and shocked beyond measure. Please pray for the parents who I understand were both Veterinary doctors.
Tragedy in Patos
We are very sad because a terrible accident has just happened in the lift shaft in Lynn's apartment building in front of the English school which our girls run. A little girl of about 7 had a lesson this afternoon and then left the school and went to the apartment block to play with her friends. Somehow she fell down the lift shaft from 6 or 7 floors up. Presumably the lift had opened the door at the wrong level and the little girl apparently did not notice. She has just been rushed to hospital in an ambulance literally between life and death. Please pray.
Preparation
I am an avid preparer of sermons. I can't stand listening to waffle and on the spot ramblings. Hence I am at present preparing a sermon in the book of Isaiah for this coming Sunday in Patos. Such preparation always takes me many hours and even days.
Sadly the rainy season has come to little at Green Pastures. I was there yesterday to check things over and we have now had 359mm of rain this year (15 inches). We would need at least double this for a reasonable year. Yes - we have prayed and are praying. There is hope of some rain as we go into May, but the main potential rainy season in our region is the first third of the year. Just like in the UK you don't get snow in July so we don't get rain in the second half of the year and little in the last two-thirds. This situation reflects on everything - life, nature, churches (people move away to survive) etc. We continue to pray and ask you to continue to pray with us as the thing is that 15 inches just doesn't fill the reservoirs for later in the year.
It is encouraging the way university professors are increasingly warming to our Green Pastures endeavours. This is both helpful and I learn a lot from them.
I have been handling the usual stream of matters concerning the work with people turning up here in the office to talk to me, discuss things, ask questions + constant emails and phone calls. Liz is equally on the go continually. At times I don't know how she copes. I also went to the dentist's yesterday and I'm still breathing!
Sadly the rainy season has come to little at Green Pastures. I was there yesterday to check things over and we have now had 359mm of rain this year (15 inches). We would need at least double this for a reasonable year. Yes - we have prayed and are praying. There is hope of some rain as we go into May, but the main potential rainy season in our region is the first third of the year. Just like in the UK you don't get snow in July so we don't get rain in the second half of the year and little in the last two-thirds. This situation reflects on everything - life, nature, churches (people move away to survive) etc. We continue to pray and ask you to continue to pray with us as the thing is that 15 inches just doesn't fill the reservoirs for later in the year.
It is encouraging the way university professors are increasingly warming to our Green Pastures endeavours. This is both helpful and I learn a lot from them.
I have been handling the usual stream of matters concerning the work with people turning up here in the office to talk to me, discuss things, ask questions + constant emails and phone calls. Liz is equally on the go continually. At times I don't know how she copes. I also went to the dentist's yesterday and I'm still breathing!
Monday, 27 April 2015
Service good
The Sunday night celebration service in the Patos church went off well with a full church as usual. The P&W group did very well. We had one of our pastors in as a visiting speaker and it could have been better.
Lynn is due to have her baby daughter in about a month's time so please remember her in prayer. That will be grandchild number 8 for us. Now surprise news for us is that Philip & Gylmara are to have a third child so that will be number 9!
QPR managed to miss scoring from a penalty against West Ham so ended up drawing a match at home they really had to win. Relegation looms larger and larger with 4 games to go, but I continue out in front in the QPR Prediction League by 18 points.
Lynn is due to have her baby daughter in about a month's time so please remember her in prayer. That will be grandchild number 8 for us. Now surprise news for us is that Philip & Gylmara are to have a third child so that will be number 9!
QPR managed to miss scoring from a penalty against West Ham so ended up drawing a match at home they really had to win. Relegation looms larger and larger with 4 games to go, but I continue out in front in the QPR Prediction League by 18 points.
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Princesa Isabel branch church
Liz and I travelled to Princesa Isabel's branch church yesterday in the borough of Maia where I preached at the 9th anniversary service and the P&W group from Patos also ministered beautifully. Liz and I visited 2 rural areas where this branch church is also already reaching out to. We made these visits in the afternoon prior to the service.
It was a very good trip and really blessed of the Lord. It is good to see this work slowly and steadily growing. PTL!
Now we're back in Patos and will soon be off to lead the evening service. Thanks for all your prayers and support.
It was a very good trip and really blessed of the Lord. It is good to see this work slowly and steadily growing. PTL!
Now we're back in Patos and will soon be off to lead the evening service. Thanks for all your prayers and support.
Friday, 24 April 2015
A good long day
Our leadership team meeting lasted 7 hours. It was exhausting but very united and positive. We have now entirely prepared the agenda for next month's Field Conference (we hope) and amply discussed a very wide number of topics. There will be one ordination at the Conference + I will lead the closing celebration and Pastor Wostenes will preach. I will lead the 4 general assemblies too.
We decided to focus on the topic of unity next year and the annual theme will be "Together we are Stronger" and we will use John 17:21 as our core verse. The ACEV year runs from Field Conference to Field Conference. We also discussed the possible formation of the leadership team as from next year when the team will be elected for the following 4 years (2016 - 2020).
We also defined the programme of the Leadership Conference for November which will be postponed from the usual September date owing to our UK trip. The next 10-day outreach is planned for the State of Ceará.
We also had a discussion on the dangers being faced in the new project which combats domestic violence, drug abuse etc. in a very violent borough in Patos. Much prayer is needed for our team.
We decided to focus on the topic of unity next year and the annual theme will be "Together we are Stronger" and we will use John 17:21 as our core verse. The ACEV year runs from Field Conference to Field Conference. We also discussed the possible formation of the leadership team as from next year when the team will be elected for the following 4 years (2016 - 2020).
We also defined the programme of the Leadership Conference for November which will be postponed from the usual September date owing to our UK trip. The next 10-day outreach is planned for the State of Ceará.
We also had a discussion on the dangers being faced in the new project which combats domestic violence, drug abuse etc. in a very violent borough in Patos. Much prayer is needed for our team.
Thursday, 23 April 2015
Leadership Meeting
I led the Bible study tonight which went very well. We had 5mm of rain last night at Green Pastures and 9mm today so we are grateful for small mercies.
Please pray for our national leadership team meeting tomorrow to discuss a whole host of topics. May the Lord guide us in every decision.
Please pray for our national leadership team meeting tomorrow to discuss a whole host of topics. May the Lord guide us in every decision.
Wednesday, 22 April 2015
As usual a hectic week
Today I have worked flat out preparing my sermon for Saturday when I will be ministering at the Princesa Isabel branch church in the borough of Maia to the south of the town. I was asked to preach on "If God is for us who can be against us"? I am not sure what they are expecting asking for this but I have spent since early this morning working flat out so as to be able to expound what Paul is saying and to get the context I felt I had to give a flying overview of all the earlier chapers. It was hard work but satisfying. May the Lord bless it. The P&W group will also be going on Saturday minus Philip who will be on his way back from India.
Good news today from Ben Price is that his wife's visa has finally been sorted today so she will be able to join him and the kids in the UK next week. (DV) Ben says his mum's health is stable.
I worked lots on Monday and Tuesday on the Field Conference to be held next month as we have a preparatory leadership meeting for this on Friday. This is a lot of work. Philip sent me from India the electronic forms the churches have to fill in for the conference so I have sent these to all our church leaders.
The married couples' ministry had a nice day at Green Pastures yesterday.
I have also been sorting out one or two church problems - not in Patos but in other places. I have also been working on things linked to next January's 10-day evangelistic outreach.
Good news today from Ben Price is that his wife's visa has finally been sorted today so she will be able to join him and the kids in the UK next week. (DV) Ben says his mum's health is stable.
I worked lots on Monday and Tuesday on the Field Conference to be held next month as we have a preparatory leadership meeting for this on Friday. This is a lot of work. Philip sent me from India the electronic forms the churches have to fill in for the conference so I have sent these to all our church leaders.
The married couples' ministry had a nice day at Green Pastures yesterday.
I have also been sorting out one or two church problems - not in Patos but in other places. I have also been working on things linked to next January's 10-day evangelistic outreach.
Monday, 20 April 2015
A Great Weekend!
Liz and I left straight after lunch last Friday and travelled up the Teixeira mountain and then along the ondulating mountain ridge to the end of Paraíba at Manaíra. There we called in to see the local EAB/ACEV pastor Francinaldo and his wife Carla. From there we travelled to Mandacaru arriving there about 4.30pm for the church opening service that evening.
The little church was all spick and span ready for the service and I had a nice chat to the local leader Sitônio (to my left) and Pastor Valdemy and his brother Valdemar who are from the mother church at Caroá. Liz was soon involved with the local kids and having a good old chin-wag too.
The service went off beautifully with both Liz and I speaking. It was a great night. We decided to sleep the night at Caroá and with the heavy rains they've had there the road was the worst ever! It was 4-wheel drive all the way and taking great care - but we made it.
We visited the sick during the day at Manaíra on the Saturday and then travelled in the evening to Tavares for the opening of another church - this time a much larger one as this was in a town. This too was a blessed joyful service at which I also preached. We travelled back to Patos late at night as we had a full day yesterday ahead of us back in Patos. I even had to finish off the preparation of my Patos Sunday sermon on Sunday morning so I was pretty tired by the time I got into church last night, but all went very well. PTL!
It was a very tiring weekend with much ministry and travelling - but the Lord blessed us abundantly. Thank you for your prayers and support.
The little church was all spick and span ready for the service and I had a nice chat to the local leader Sitônio (to my left) and Pastor Valdemy and his brother Valdemar who are from the mother church at Caroá. Liz was soon involved with the local kids and having a good old chin-wag too.
The service went off beautifully with both Liz and I speaking. It was a great night. We decided to sleep the night at Caroá and with the heavy rains they've had there the road was the worst ever! It was 4-wheel drive all the way and taking great care - but we made it.
We visited the sick during the day at Manaíra on the Saturday and then travelled in the evening to Tavares for the opening of another church - this time a much larger one as this was in a town. This too was a blessed joyful service at which I also preached. We travelled back to Patos late at night as we had a full day yesterday ahead of us back in Patos. I even had to finish off the preparation of my Patos Sunday sermon on Sunday morning so I was pretty tired by the time I got into church last night, but all went very well. PTL!
It was a very tiring weekend with much ministry and travelling - but the Lord blessed us abundantly. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Friday, 17 April 2015
On the road (and tracks!)
Last night's Bible study went off nicely in Patos. My granddaughter Louisa led the P&W very well. In the study we handled the 3 accounts of the man (or men?) possessed by demons who lived amongst tombs and who was (were) delivered by Jesus. The main headache is to understand why all the pigs got involved. I have read many possible explanations but none of them convince me. Anyway one way or another the exorcism/s was/were accomplished demonstrating Jesus's amazing and total power over evil.
Liz and I leave shortly to open the new church at Mandacaru and then go on to Tavares to open a new church there too on Saturday. Sermons are ready for both places - just Sunday in Patos is yet to be done.
Our tickets are now bought to fly to the UK (DV) for out visit in the late summer/autumn - arriving Heathrow on August 26th and returning to Brazil on November 3rd. We look forward to seeing everyone and value your prayers always.
Ben Price and his kids are now in the UK for a year with his wife Miriam to follow once she sorts out her visa.
Liz and I leave shortly to open the new church at Mandacaru and then go on to Tavares to open a new church there too on Saturday. Sermons are ready for both places - just Sunday in Patos is yet to be done.
Our tickets are now bought to fly to the UK (DV) for out visit in the late summer/autumn - arriving Heathrow on August 26th and returning to Brazil on November 3rd. We look forward to seeing everyone and value your prayers always.
Ben Price and his kids are now in the UK for a year with his wife Miriam to follow once she sorts out her visa.
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Preach, preach, preach
I am working flat out preparing sermons. First I finished the Bible study for this Thursday. I am now working on the message for the opening of the new church at Mandacaru and then I need to prepare for preaching at another church opening at Tavares prior to preparing for Sunday back in Patos. Your prayers are valued.
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Please pray for Ben Price
Please pray for EAB associate missionary Ben Price who will be going to the UK with his two children to be at his dear Mum's side who has advanced cancer. Ben's wife can't go owing to British visa problems.
Gypsies have water in their well
EAB/ACEV has just successfully drilled a new well - this time for the gypsy community, which is very large, at Sousa. The well has a production of 1,300 litres an hour of good quality water. PTL!
The service in the Patos church on Sunday was a blessing. Full church, blessed praise and worship and the sermon went really well. Thank you for praying.
The service in the Patos church on Sunday was a blessing. Full church, blessed praise and worship and the sermon went really well. Thank you for praying.
A Great Night Out!
“A GREAT NIGHT OUT”
Another Great concert presented by Cadnum Methodist Church and friends at Copythorne Parish Hall. Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne, Southampton - SO40 2NZ on Saturday 18th April 1915 at 7pm. Tickets £10 per person, children go free.
All proceeds to EAB. For more information phone 01794 323279 or jene.pelletier@gmail.com to book your tickets
Another Great concert presented by Cadnum Methodist Church and friends at Copythorne Parish Hall. Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne, Southampton - SO40 2NZ on Saturday 18th April 1915 at 7pm. Tickets £10 per person, children go free.
All proceeds to EAB. For more information phone 01794 323279 or jene.pelletier@gmail.com to book your tickets
Sunday, 12 April 2015
Exorcism
My sermon is now fully prepared for tonight in Patos and will be the second in a series going through Mark's Gospel where I will speak on the first exorcism done by Jesus in his ministry. It is a challenging topic in this modern age because of the two extremes faced on the matter. On the one hand here in Brazil we see "exorcisms" live on TV every day with neo-pentecostal sects - and on the other hand we have the "modern man" who has written off such matters as superstitious rubbish. Where in the middle is the truth?
Philip arrived in Mumbai last night. It was good that he gave me a site where I was able to follow the progress of his flights in real time. Very good.
The singles ministry's meeting went great last night. PTL! This is so important. Churches need to wake up about this and treat singles with dignity and respect.
Philip arrived in Mumbai last night. It was good that he gave me a site where I was able to follow the progress of his flights in real time. Very good.
The singles ministry's meeting went great last night. PTL! This is so important. Churches need to wake up about this and treat singles with dignity and respect.
Friday, 10 April 2015
Flying high
Philip left Patos last night for Recife and is now on a flight to Rio prior to going via Paris to India where he will be working for two weeks. Please pray for Philip's long flights and heavy work schedule whilst there in India. It leaves a gap in the Patos church for 3 weekends - one going, one returning and one in the middle there.
We had nearly two inches of rain on Wednesday night at Green Pastures, which was quite a relief. We continue to pray for a lot more because we sure need it.
I am working on the preparation of my sermon for Sunday in Patos. I have to pop out to Green Pastures this afternoon to pick up seeds being gathered today for university research.
We had nearly two inches of rain on Wednesday night at Green Pastures, which was quite a relief. We continue to pray for a lot more because we sure need it.
I am working on the preparation of my sermon for Sunday in Patos. I have to pop out to Green Pastures this afternoon to pick up seeds being gathered today for university research.
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
Lumpy Day
Liz and I went to Campina Grande at 6.30am today and got back at 4.30pm. First of all I went to see a dermatologist about lumps on the back of both hands, my chest and one eye. What a lovely doctor he was and soon had me cheerfully checked over and said the chest lump is nothing - just leave it alone... and none of the others are potentially malignant but best have them out anyway. OK I said - we'll book a day for the bits of surgery and be back.
We left his office and presented his secretary at the reception with the form he had given me with what I need done and she said... well... when can you come back... or would you like it done today? Oh, yes, today would be great I said... and half an hour later I was being de-lumped! Brilliant stuff! So here I am typing this to you courageously having had 3 surgeries today! Now beat that!
Following this we sorted out some other matters in Campina Grande prior to having lunch together (a bit of Chinese food with only the sour for me - no sweet of course!) and then heading for home. At Santa Luzia it was raining hard and we hope it will reach Green Pastures soon. We sure need it!
So many thanks to the Lord for another good positive health day. Thanks for your prayers always.
We left his office and presented his secretary at the reception with the form he had given me with what I need done and she said... well... when can you come back... or would you like it done today? Oh, yes, today would be great I said... and half an hour later I was being de-lumped! Brilliant stuff! So here I am typing this to you courageously having had 3 surgeries today! Now beat that!
Following this we sorted out some other matters in Campina Grande prior to having lunch together (a bit of Chinese food with only the sour for me - no sweet of course!) and then heading for home. At Santa Luzia it was raining hard and we hope it will reach Green Pastures soon. We sure need it!
So many thanks to the Lord for another good positive health day. Thanks for your prayers always.
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
I have survived the dentist's!
I have been to the dentist this afternoon and I am still breathing! I go back next Monday as I prefer things in small doses! I had no teeth with decay or pain - just a general clean up and one or two sensitive teeth to be fixed with some sort of enamel.
QPR drew at Aston Villa tonight 3 x 3 which was exactly the score I predicted. I also predicted 2 of the Rangers' 3 goal scorers. Hence with six games to go in the season I expect my lead to have increased considerably in the QPR prediction league. Watch this space! However QPR are balanced on a knife edge as regards relegation with more chance of going down than staying up in my view.
I have been doing masses of varied work this week. I have worked with the Patos Bible College and different issues with the Patos church. I have also been lining up the new deaf interpreters course to start this Friday and another meeting for the single and divorced this Saturday.
I have also had lots of discussions with university professors. These seem to be coming thick and fast. It is really good how things are working out with university cooperation at Green Pastures. Sadly we are in a bad state as regards rain there, having had about half the rain there than that received in Patos only a few miles away. We hope and pray for a turn around in the situation this month. Please pray.
The EAB facebook English language page is increasing in followers which is good. People have started following recently from India, South Africa and Portugal so that we are now approaching the 800 followers mark, which is encouraging. You can visit the page at https://www.facebook.com/eabrazil
This blog has now passed the 136,000 visits mark and my Flickr photo page has passed the 173,000 mark. Many thanks.
QPR drew at Aston Villa tonight 3 x 3 which was exactly the score I predicted. I also predicted 2 of the Rangers' 3 goal scorers. Hence with six games to go in the season I expect my lead to have increased considerably in the QPR prediction league. Watch this space! However QPR are balanced on a knife edge as regards relegation with more chance of going down than staying up in my view.
I have been doing masses of varied work this week. I have worked with the Patos Bible College and different issues with the Patos church. I have also been lining up the new deaf interpreters course to start this Friday and another meeting for the single and divorced this Saturday.
I have also had lots of discussions with university professors. These seem to be coming thick and fast. It is really good how things are working out with university cooperation at Green Pastures. Sadly we are in a bad state as regards rain there, having had about half the rain there than that received in Patos only a few miles away. We hope and pray for a turn around in the situation this month. Please pray.
The EAB facebook English language page is increasing in followers which is good. People have started following recently from India, South Africa and Portugal so that we are now approaching the 800 followers mark, which is encouraging. You can visit the page at https://www.facebook.com/eabrazil
This blog has now passed the 136,000 visits mark and my Flickr photo page has passed the 173,000 mark. Many thanks.
Sunday, 5 April 2015
It has been a happy Easter
I've just got home from the big Easter Sunday Celebration in the Patos church. It was a great night. This morning's fellowship breakfast was also excellent. At both we sang Easter hymns and I preached Easter messages at both.
The church activities started on Maundy Thursday with 15 youth evangelizing at the Coach station and even getting use of the intercom system! On Good Friday morning evangelism by a different group of 10 was done at the traffic lights beside our church. Unfortunately the service scheduled for that evening in a very rough part of town had to be cancelled as a 16 year old lad was murdered there that very day.
This morning's fellowship breakfast was beautiful with such a mix of all age groups and social classes just like the Church should be. Lots of poor kids came from the rough part of town mentioned previously and boy - did they eat! Bless their hearts and tummies! They even took food home with them for mum and brothers and sisters too!
We had a nice family time over Easter at Green Pastures. It was lovely. Just not enough rain, but apart from that perfect.
QPR even managed to win yesterday! That was a miracle!
The church activities started on Maundy Thursday with 15 youth evangelizing at the Coach station and even getting use of the intercom system! On Good Friday morning evangelism by a different group of 10 was done at the traffic lights beside our church. Unfortunately the service scheduled for that evening in a very rough part of town had to be cancelled as a 16 year old lad was murdered there that very day.
This morning's fellowship breakfast was beautiful with such a mix of all age groups and social classes just like the Church should be. Lots of poor kids came from the rough part of town mentioned previously and boy - did they eat! Bless their hearts and tummies! They even took food home with them for mum and brothers and sisters too!
We had a nice family time over Easter at Green Pastures. It was lovely. Just not enough rain, but apart from that perfect.
QPR even managed to win yesterday! That was a miracle!
Thursday, 2 April 2015
A Hearty Day!
Liz and I travelled to our cardiologist in Campina Grande yesterday for our routine periodical check-ups well overdue. Easter traffic was already hectic making the journey to get there take 3 hours rather than a possible 2. Anyway after hours of waiting to see the doctor we finally ended up happy with the results and all well, subject to a couple of follow up tests (treadmill and echo cardiograms), so we praise God for another set of good health check results.
The special Easter church activities start this morning with evangelism at the coach station and then evangelism at the traffic lights tomorrow morning and in a poor borough of Patos at night. Sunday will see a fellowship breakfast and a great celebration of the resurrection at night with communion. I will be preaching on the final of the 7 "I am" sayings series of Jesus in John's Gospel: "I am the Ressurection and the Life"!
A very happy Easter to one and all. We will be having our tradional family Easter at Green Pastures and be back in for Easter Sunday.
Our prayers are especially with Kathy Glover and all at the Bristol Pentecostal Holiness Church. We learnt yesterday that their pastor Dave Glover went to be with the Lord after courageous cheerful battles with his health for years. He was a faithful EAB supporter. We praise God for his life and example and pray that the Lord will be with his wife Kathy and all his loved ones.
The special Easter church activities start this morning with evangelism at the coach station and then evangelism at the traffic lights tomorrow morning and in a poor borough of Patos at night. Sunday will see a fellowship breakfast and a great celebration of the resurrection at night with communion. I will be preaching on the final of the 7 "I am" sayings series of Jesus in John's Gospel: "I am the Ressurection and the Life"!
A very happy Easter to one and all. We will be having our tradional family Easter at Green Pastures and be back in for Easter Sunday.
Our prayers are especially with Kathy Glover and all at the Bristol Pentecostal Holiness Church. We learnt yesterday that their pastor Dave Glover went to be with the Lord after courageous cheerful battles with his health for years. He was a faithful EAB supporter. We praise God for his life and example and pray that the Lord will be with his wife Kathy and all his loved ones.
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