Peter writes: Dear praying friends, It is such a long time since we have been in touch with you all. However, after completing the task of putting down a new wooden floor in our living room which has taken me around three weeks , (I don’t have the stamina I used to have). I sat down yesterday and began to work through the long list of tasks which has been growing in leaps and bounds.

Having completed the ‘too urgent to leave for just one more day’ pile, I can now sit down and share with you what the Lord has been doing in our ministry over the recent months.

The success of the first Contextualised Leadership Development course on Personal Evangelism and Discipleship which I have been teaching on behalf of MidWestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Spurgeon College), in Kansas City, has been beyond my wildest dreams! Although we only had a limited number of students on the first course we have seen students lives transformed in spiritual growth and changed lives. We finished this first course a few weeks ago and are awaiting the arrival of the Accreditation Certificates from the States.

MidWestern is one of the largest colleges in the world and has around 4000 students. They have been absolutely incredible in the amount of encouragement and support they have offered to us. Students taking the course in America at the College could pay over a thousand dollars in fees, however, the only cost to our students is for the purchase of the four required textbooks. The College have even permanently removed the legal requirement for each student to pay the $25 college registration fee. Our next course will begin in January next year. It lasts for 15 weeks, (around 1 hour a day) and is taught over the internet (via the ‘free’ Canvas Learning Management System). Please contact me if you would like details.

 

Although I have continued to ‘shelter’ a fair amount during the Covid pandemic, I am now beginning to engage in various evangelistic opportunities. This coming Saturday I will be speaking in Walsall. An opportunity leading towards outreach in the Messianic Jewish Communities. Then on Sunday I will be speaking at the Emmaus Romanian Church.  During the pandemic we have ‘sorned’ my car and just used Maureen’s little Yaris.  Now we have to consider if we should pay for MOT, Tax and Insurance to get my car on the road again, in case we both need the car at the same time?

Maureen writes: Hello Friends, I wonder how you are after all these months of pandemic? I found this year more difficult to cope with than last year, I think to myself, ‘this has gone on long enough,’ and I find it harder to motivate myself. But in spite of that the Lord has been with us and blessed us.

Our Grandson Jack married Caitlin at ‘The Well’, in Sheffield in July. Most of our extended family were there and it was a very special occasion. We felt truly blessed as we worshipped together with all our children, grandchildren and in-laws who all are followers of Jesus. My sister was able to get a lift here for the wedding and stayed a few days with us. Afterwards we took her back to Minehead and had a few days holiday with her. My brother had a prostate cancer operation 10 days before the wedding, we thought that he would not be able to attend, but he made it, and joined in everything that was going on. And we heard recently that the operation was successful.

 

Rob was out of work when I last wrote, he now is very busy having two jobs! One was supposed to be temporary! The Christian firm is beginning to take off again after lockdown. Anita is working as a classroom assistant again and enjoys it more than the child minding she had to do when only the children of key workers came into school. Peter still works at Brize Norton and Larissa is almost at the end of her dental nurse training. Joe is now a policeman in Suffolk. Lynzi is a medical secretary for respiratory and cardiology and gets second opinions on Pete’s treatment from her consultants. She joined a trial of people who had Covid. A blood test is taken regularly and she still has antibodies from nineteen months ago. Paul is back at work full time. Life for Katrina has been very difficult as nationwide there is a shortage of midwives and it is very stressful for all the staff. Jack now lives in Rotherham and works in Wakefield and Caitlin is teaching in Sheffield.

Peter now has stage 2 heart failure, the medication he is on is intended to keep him from getting worse. Some of it gives him bad hot sweats, and I am mostly cold, so that adds to the fun! He doesn’t have as much stamina as he did. Though as he told you, with some help from our grand-daughter and lots of rest,  he has laid a laminate floor in the living room. It was too much really and he is having to rest now. It looks very nice though.

I am still part of the Prayer Ministry and Pastoral care team at church. I have also joined the Erdington Litter Busters team and keep our road clear of any rubbish. We are both getting older and more forgetful but taking life one day at a time. The Lord is good.

We pray that the Lord’s Love, Presence and Peace will be very real to you every day.

 

Peter & Maureen’s Christmas Newsletter

 

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 | NKJV

 

Maureen writes: Dear Prayer Partners, A friend wrote, ‘What a bizarre year!’  That sums it up very well!

 

If told this time last year that in 2020, we wouldn’t be allowed to go to Church, meet together to pray, sing or worship the Lord. Be with our family and visit their homes, share meals with them or hug and kiss them. We must not go out with friends for coffee or a meal.  We could not put our arms around a newly bereaved person or go to funerals to show our support because there are too many relatives going and we must not exceed a stated number. Weddings had to be changed or postponed, new grandparents could not visit their children and meet the new family member. Terrorism, stabbings, shootings. Increasing persecution of Christians around the world. Education suspended for months. People needing medical treatment were put on hold and many left in pain. Needing to wear masks and using hand sanitizer! Beside all that the number of natural disasters have been devastating, fires, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, hurricanes, snow storms, the Beast from the East, the hottest November ever recorded and a pandemic sweeping the world! We were warned in Scripture that these things would happen in the last days before Jesus returns, look up for your redemption draws near! Luke 21:28

This year has been tough for everyone! Our struggle has been with Pete’s health issues but we are very grateful that he is so much better. Pete says he feels normal and has been doing DIY around the house but he needs to build up his stamina so we go for walks most days 30-40 minutes.

Anita finds her school work challenging, with doors and windows open and a very long one way system in place, all which are measures to try and reduce the risks of Covid19.  At one period of time, 14 members of staff were at home as they all had contracted Covid! All but one have now returned to school.

Rob was made redundant just before Christmas last year. During this time, he has applied for well over a hundred jobs and two weeks before the one year anniversary of being jobless, he secured two jobs!  The Lord makes me laugh sometimes! One job is temporary, and the other part time at the moment,  so he is working hard juggling them both currently.

Grandson Peter and Larissa are still doing the same jobs, but Larissa’s hours have been cut. Joe is  training to be a nuclear police officer.

Lynzi and Paul still work, one for the NHS and the other for the RAF. Lynzi and our grand-daughter Katrina both caught Covid over Easter. Lyn was very poorly for around 4 weeks but didn’t have to go into hospital. Katrina’s only symptoms were loss of taste and smell for a few days.  She complained that she couldn’t taste her Easter eggs! Both of them are well now, Praise the Lord! They are delighted to announce that Jack got engaged to Caitlin recently, she is a lovely keen Christian and we are very pleased. Planning a wedding for next year is difficult as they have no idea presently how many guests they can invite.

I am well, and actually better than I have been for years. Giving up dairy, as well as gluten was hard but worth it! My garden was a real oasis during lockdown and I really thank God for it. I do feel for people that have no outdoor space. In the summer we loved having family and friends over in the garden for coffee and a chat, keeping to six at a time and social distancing. The girls came for a few hours on different occasions and Bryan and Alive, (my brother and sister-in-law), even had their Golden Wedding meal in our garden! It was nearly as good as Switzerland where they had been booked to take their whole family!?

Christmas will be different this year but I pray that you all may enjoy the Presence of the Lord and the Peace that He came to bring. I also pray that you and your families be kept safe and well during this pandemic.

Look up, for Jesus is coming back, wouldn’t it be amazing if He returned on the day we celebrate His first  coming?

 

Love from Maureen

 

PS Looking forward to the day when like St Paul, we find ourselves on the road to Damascus (de-mask-us)

 

Peter writes: As I think about it, the last year seems to have been a ‘tunnel of illness’ for me, and its only recently that I have begun to see some light at the end. Beginning in January I caught Influenzae A, along with a severe chest infection and Pleurisy, causing an enlarged heart with severe atrial fibrillation! This put me in hospital twice. Then, I had to experiment with the timings that I should take the many types of medication with which they supplied me, in an order in which they didn’t conflict with each other, producing a feeling of ‘the battle of the pills’ raging internally.

 

Having eventually solved that problem I was attacked by a 4mm Kidney stone resulting in such excruciating pain the paramedics phoned my doctor and requested morphine for me before taking me to hospital again.  I was then sent hometo pass the stone naturally. The pain however increased to the point where I was put back into another hospital to be operated on. Unfortunately the surgeon only pushed the stone further into my kidney, and he had to insert a stent until they could get me to a Covid clear hospital for a further operation. After a further two months of agonising waiting together with side effects, which meant I would to spend two thirds of each day in bed, the hospital sent for me again.  The same surgeon who originally pushed the stone deeper into my kidney, removed the stent.  He said the stone, which had now grown to 5mm, almost fell out on its own. I’ve never seen a happier surgeon!

 

The hospital overseeing my heart failure has recently referred me to the local Community Heart Failure Nurse, which is a very welcome move. I had my first meeting with her on November 13^th (one and a quarter hours – face to face, not that common these days). And I had my second meeting with her colleague yesterday. She has started me on a new heart drug, which has experienced marvellous results on 90% of patients who take it. I am praying that I am part of that 90% and not the other 10%!

 

Looking to the future I’m still straining at the leash to begin teaching the Contextualised Leadership Development Course for MidWestern Baptist Seminary in Kansas City (to be taught locally). Each time we get close to setting the start date, the Government imposes yet another set of Covid restrictions! We’ve adapted all the materials, received approval from the Dean of MidWestern and also received approval for transmitting the Course to Romania and Poland. If Government restrictions continue to be extended much longer then we may have to begin by making the Course available electronically here too. You may wonder why I am so eager to begin sharing the materials. Let me explain. The Course core subject is Personal Evangelism and Discipleship, and the main reason for my eagerness comes from the effects arising from the Covid Pandemic. I think that it has caused folk to consider their future, and the afterlife more than ever before, and this will result in a host of folk seeking answers to their questions. Those who take the Course will be able to share the Gospel in a friendly and easy manner. Using some of the many methods demonstrated on the Course, I believe it will lead many to make a positive response to the Good News! Is it possible that you may be interested? Contact us for copies of the course brochure and the syllabus – it will be our pleasure to send them to you.

 

Now let me share something with you which may be a great help if you are connected with a Christian church, charity, or other Christian organisation: The Christian Supply Chain Buying Group. Join this group, which will cost you nothing, and you will be able to save money from loads of different companies supplying things like Beds/Bed Linen; Coffee & Tea; Catering; Furniture; Insurance; Office Products; Print & Design; Photocopiers; Utilities; Telecoms etc. Discounts from companies like Screwfix, Staples, B & Q etc. Look up this Christian Company for more information, and if you would like a free account Allison their Cost Reduction Manager has sent me the following link for you:

 

https://www.memberscscbg.org.uk/user/create/

 

Every blessing for a very Happy Christmas

 

Peter

Christian Family Ministries News – October 2019
Peter goes back to Poland, thrilled that Alfred can still
speak English! What a thrill to work with the Polish Police in
Szczecin again. Two full weeks, working together in several
different schools, three a day sometimes. In addition, we spent a fair amount of time brainstorming future events, including making more Alfred movies, coming up with a brilliant and much simpler way of distributing the Alfred Programme’s, on USB stick format, instead of DVD’s! We also decided to produce new ‘give away’ stickers like the one’s West Midlands Police designed for me when we were working in Birmingham schools. Instead of artistic drawings produced by WMP art department, we decided to use real photos this time. Meet the Polish ‘Alfred Programme’ Schools Team on the left. We also have yet another additional item of news to share in connection with our Polish Ministry. Although Alfred returned with me to England, we are now able to introduce you to another member of Alfred’s family, his sister Anya. A dear brother in Open Air Campaigners, Alan Offord, died earlier this year and his widow is selling his vent doll, Charlie, together with some of his other evangelistic materials. Professional vintage vent dolls are very expensive and I felt led to offer £500 for Charlie. I paid almost £1500 for Alfred when he was new, all those years ago. My offer was accepted and I will be picking Alfred’s sister up next month.  We were thrilled when a few days after arriving home from Poland to receive a cheque for CFM for £500 from some very dear friends. Ewa (Eva) is a young woman from the Evangelical Church I work with in Poland. She is keen to be the operator and voice of Anya. I will be training her, and she will be able to appear with Alfred in future films and help to expand the programme in Poland, as there must come a day (hopefully many years in the future) when my Polish ministry will ultimately come to an end. It will also mean that Mariusz Socha, Pastor of the Evangelical Church, who is the Polish Director for my Alfred Programme won’t have to translate for Anya who will already be able to speak Polish!
– – – – A New Ministry – – – –
Some of you are already aware that I have been in touch with Mid Western Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, USA with a view to teaching one of their Contextualized Leadership Development courses on Discipleship and Evangelism here in Birmingham. You have to be approved by the Seminary and hold the minimum qualification of a Master’s Degree in Theology. It seems that I have been approved as a lecturer and we hope to begin teaching the first Course in the Spring. The Diploma awarded on completion of the course will be accredited by the Seminary. Please pray for the completion of all our preparation and plans.
We lead our next ‘Bible Comes Alive’ Tour with 30 members at the end of this month. Then at the beginning of December, we are having some long awaited work done on our house.
We wish you all every sincere blessing as we prepare for the fast approaching season of Advent. Peter and Maureen