Wedding Bells

I have conducted many weddings over the years (just last year there were 5) but it was a first this week to conduct one on a Friday morning at 10 am! (It actually started at 10:30) It was the wedding of Thalyta and Ryury who are in their twenties but who first met some years back going to school together. Everything went off lovely with a nice reception after the service.

I went for my usual Friday afternoon walk at Green Pastures and saw 3 baby wild Guinea Pigs (the same colour as wild rabbits in the UK) scurrying off into a clump of Aloe Vera plants. (there are many of these plants at Green Pastures) I also saw the following birds: a black Shiny Cowbird, a Red-cowled Cardinal, many Picui Ground Doves, many Chalk-browed Mockingbirds and a bright yellow Great Kiskadee.

I have been having extensive discussions with our senior leadership team and have defined our social worker Marah Danielle to represent us at two events in September. First she will go to the 60+ evangelical movement's meeting in Sao Paulo and then on the way back she will go to the National evangelical Network's conference for churches involved in social action (RENAS) at Aracaju in the north-eastern state of Sergipe, which is 600 km south of Patos. 

I took the service last night at Green Pastures. There were parallel services held at Passagem and Ipueira.  

Sponsored Toddle

The 'sponsored toddle' organized by the 'Tiny Church' of Great Lumley Evangelical Church raised enough money to purchase 5 hair sheep for EAB's 4-Legs Project. This truly is wonderful and just shows what can be done! The initial aim of the toddle had been to raise enough money for one sheep so they did very well. The sponsored toddle also raised the profile of the church in their community. 5 very poor families will be very pleased with their sheep.

On Tuesday evening we held a good meeting with Pastor Rafael, his wife Rayla and youth leader Murilo. The couple will now lead the married couples fellowship and Murilo will teach the adult class in our Sunday school.

On Wednesday night Liz and I took part in a special service at the ex-landless settlement in Sao Mamede County to which about 100 people gathered. After the service the hosts, Dodora and Paulo, served hot dogs, cake and pop-drink to everyone. It was a lovely evening.

I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study last night and it was a lovely service.

Cooler

The warmest time in the year in the UK coincides with the coolest time in north-east Brazil. Today we had a low of 20 degrees in the night and a high of 32 degrees in the afternoon. Yesterday we even had a shower of 6 mm of rain which was the first shower since the 19th of May.

Our Kombi people-carrying vehicle, which carries 9 people including the driver, has gone into the garage for a service. It has a loud knocking noise underneath with something loose or warn. Also it is difficult to get into second gear when reducing from 3rd. We want to get the Kombi all ship-shape for the 20th when we will be receiving the visit of Pastor David Fiddy, his wife Margaret and their children Beth and Nathaniel from the Rock Community Church at Devizes in Wiltshire. The Fiddys will be with us for a fortnight until August 4th. Please pray for this trip.

On Monday night we held a meeting with all the leaders of the various ministries in the Patos church and had a good discussion about the progress of the work of the Lord.

I am very sorry to have just received the news that Bernard Hedgecock died on June 20th, aged 78, and will be cremated in Watford on July 16th. Bernard was a fellow member of Peniel Chapel in Notting Hill where we both spent our youth. We used to play football together on the Little Scrubs. He was a very good player doing sliding tackles and diving headers. These things remain strongly in my memory of Bernard who was a lovely person. I watched Tottenham win the European Cup Winners Cup at Bernard's house in 1963 when Jimmy Greaves scored two goals!

More baptisms

A further 8 new converts were baptized last Sunday at our Campina Grande church in the borough of Catole led by pastor Wostenes. This church is our largest church and is progressing very well. Praise God!

On Saturday night Liz and I went in different directions to cover 2 engagements. Liz stayed in Patos to speak at sister Socorro Help's 80th birthday thanksgiving service at her home. I travelled up the mountain to Matureia taking a group of the youth with me in the Kombi. It took us an hour and a quarter's drive to get there and a bit longer to get back as you have to take it very slowly coming down the mountain with many incredibly steep sharp bends. It was our Matureia's church's anniversary service and I gave a short word there. The main speaker was Pastor Hamilton from our second church in Campina Grande and he spoke very well. I had important meetings after the service with the different pastors who were present. I also talked to the Mayor of Matureia who also was present together with 7 town councillors. 

Last night I both led and preached at the main service of the week in Patos. It was the monthly communion service and the church was filled to full capacity. I preached on 'In the beginning... God!' It was an overview of the first 3 chapters of Genesis covering: 1. The creation of heaven and earth. 2. The creation of Adam and Eve. 3. The spiritual battle between good and evil. 4. The fall. 5. The prophetic pointer to Christ in Genesis 3:15. The service was really blessed. 

Prayer

I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study which went off very well despite numbers being down.

I saw the exit poll from the UK election before going to church, as 10 pm in the UK is 6 pm here, so I knew that Labour had won. I see that all the north-eastern constituencies have returned to Labour (including Bishop Auckland where my mother was born) and even Basingstoke (where our son Philip and his wife Gylmara voted) has gone from blue to red with the new MP having the Irish sounding name of Luke Murphy. I also noticed with interest that the Scottish Nationalists were nearly annihilated and that the Lib. Dems did exceptionally well. I watched the count on the BBC when I came home from church and watched it till nearly midnight. So congratulations to Sir Keir Starmer on becoming the new UK prime minister! I see he studied law at Leeds University where I studied for my Master's Degree in theology.

I go twice a week to the gym to keep up my exercises on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I enjoy this plus my walks at Green Pastures for my regular weekly exercise. On yesterday afternoon's walk I saw a Rufescent Tiger-Heron and a Red-cowled Cardinal, as well as a wild guinea pig.   

Sao Mamede

On Tuesday night I preached in the fortnightly street service (in front of Jose and Marico's house) in the town of Sao Mamede travelling the half hour journey there with the Patos men's fellowship. I preached, from Luke 15 on the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son... Lost on the farm (1% lost), Lost in the house (10% lost) and Lost in the family (50% lost). The message stressed the importance of repentance and the joy attached to it. Straight after the message Fabio sang a beautiful song about the prodigal son. It was a lovely service. Whilst I was preaching Rebeca worked with the children inside the house which was very good.

Liz and I went out to Green Pastures yesterday afternoon and nature lovers will be pleased to hear that we saw the following birds: White-naped Jay, flocks of Eared Dove, bright orange Campo Troupial (you can hardly miss these!), flock of Cactus Parakeet, Chalk-browed Mockingbird and Black Vulture.

Sunday service

I led the service in Patos on Sunday night despite being tired after the long journey back from Manaira. It was a good service with a full church. My assistant pastor Rafael preached from Luke 7. Our daughter Sacha led the worship together with Fabio and Erica. Rogerio was on keyboard, Rogaciano was on guitar and Ricardinho on bass guitar.

How great it was to see 98-year-old David Attenborough walking in to Wimbledon to a standing ovation yesterday! 👏

Last night Liz and Deaconess Deborah Maria interviewed 48-year-old nurse Ursula with a view to her becoming a church member in Patos. They had a very good chat and Ursula will be received into fellowship this coming Sunday.