FLETCHERS 2

 The Scottish weather has lived up to its reputation this year by being wet, dull and cool much of the time. However there were some hours of sun now and then as these pictures prove!

 Bob and son-in-law, Gary

Our friend, Janet accompanied us along Nairn Beach.

  

The famous rail and Forth Road bridges in the evening light.

THE FLETCHERS 1

 Meet Bob and Betty Fletcher, from New York State who visited us recently.

Also visiting are the Fletchers' daughter, and her husband, Brenda and Garry.

 

Yes, eating together is a wonderful occasion

Meet Angus our new gift for the garden

SERGE AND EVELIEN

Serge continues to make full use of different ways of building up relationships and witnessing to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

At the Book Club that he has been attending throughout the year he gave a talk on "Why I am a Christian, in spite of Christianity". There was an hour afterwards for questions and answers. Some people showed interest and indicated that they would like to speak to him in private.  Please pray for those who listened.

Costel has been welcomed as a member of the congregation, and shows evidence of his growth as a Christian. Please pray for him, his wife and daughter.

Remember also the preaching in the parks during the Summer .  Now and again people will approach and ask questions. Last year there was a Seventh Day Adventist who showed interests in the message. Now, one year later, he has been twice to Church and it seems that the Lord is working in his heart.

Serge is still in touch with the Jehovah's Witness. He has read 2 books that were lent to him, and it looks as if his heart is being touched little by little. The last book to be given him was "Grace abundant" by C. H. Spurgeon.

The Romanians, Claudio and Christina are going through a difficult time because of the economic situation. Claudio has now been unemployed for 2 years and the couple are considering returning to Romania.

Kike, Oscar's brother and a backslidden Christian has suffered a heart attack. Please pray for his physical and spiritual health.

Pedro has health problems, and has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation in Guadalajera. This has resulted in improvement in attention span, reasoning, and memory. Please give thanks for his recovery thus far, and for his further time of treatment.

Please join Serge and Evelien in their prayers for Dolores, who made a profession of faith a long time ago and stopped attending services years ago, but turned up recently at an evening service.

Agustin's brother, Antonio has personal problems. Ask that he may search of God in his difficulties.

Serge has signed up as a volunteer with an organisation that supports blind and partially blind people in Spain, and  is also in the process of being accepted as a volunteer for the Red Cross. Please pray for opportunities to share his faith.  Pray also for Manlo, another volunteer worker who has visited the church on various occasions.

It has been nice for Evelien to have met the one Dutchman who lives in Cuenca! There has been no opportunity for her to speak her native language in Spain until now. The couple have invited him and some friends for supper. Pray for a friendship to be established and a witness to the Lord to be seen and heard.

Serge and Evelien would like to thank those who pray and give to the work in Cuenca and that together we may be strengthened in the Lord. May He "add to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47 

WELCOME, ETHAN!

Here is the youngest member of our congregation, born 9th July  2012.

ALL-AGE HOLIDAY

The All-Age Holiday is just that, a lovely mixture of old and young. It is held in a lovely building belonging to the Boys' Brigade, which is a Christian-based organization.

 Despite all the rain there are lots of activities to keep everyone occupied. There are special times of worship morning and evening, and meals are an important time of their time together.

A boy likes a stick! (And he needs his wellies!)

May God bless all young people who attend Christian camps wherever they are held this Summer

BIRTHDAY

Guess who had a (big) birthday, and walked into a restaurant unsuspecting to find her family waiting there! She wondered why these people were taking photos!

 

Back in our home my 3 brothers and their wives with daughter Joy at the back.

WOE IS ME

After our visit to Bedford we made our way to friends of ours near Ipswich and "camped" on their drive. They welcomed us with their accustomed warm hospitality, and we were able to worship with them in  Walsham-le-Willows on the Lord's Day

They took us to see an old church in Helmingham, Suffolk.

The list of Rectors dates from 1307 and one name especially was of interest to us: John Charles Ryle, who was in this church from 1844 -1861.

Ryle was one of the leaders in the Evangelical Wing of the Anglican Church in the 2nd half of the 19th century. He disapproved of much of the ritual in the Church of England worship. He had every conceivable space of the walls of this church covered in Biblical texts.

The test above the pulpit is especially solemn; a continual reminder to himself and any other preacher to preach the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and nothing else.

Ryle became Bishop of Liverpool. He has left tracts, books and written sermons, many dealing with relevant issues of the time and all direct and challenging.