September 16 — Matt & Jenn Irvine

Warm greetings to all of you. We truly rely on your prayers and are so grateful you are willing to receive these and pray over them.

I (Matt) arrived safely back from the six-month, once-every-five-year "Social Security-related Home Assignment" on June 28.

It's been a very full first two months back, so hence only getting to write now.

This prayer request/reflection has to do with my own heart, but really provides a helpful way to pray over all the other requests.

In July, I had been preaching through Mark 8 & 9. It challenged me to reflect on Jesus' call for us to "Believe!" and his calling us out ("unbelievers" & "believers" like the disciples ... and me/us) for our "Unbelief!" 

So the honest cry of the "believer" is, "I believe (through the gracious work of Jesus & the Holy Spirit)," but help my unbelief!" 

I look back over the last two months, six months, year, further ... and see the evidence of God faithfully at work again and again. I look at His Word telling of His Work past & present & the promises He says will come to be, and haven't yet.

But still in the face of so much that is so tenuous around me (and within me), I functionally live in a state of "unbelief" without even recognising it. And it's helpful to see that and name it and confess it and ask you to please pray with and for me along these lines: "Lord, I believe. I believe your promises. I believe that the Gospel says that you are making all things new, and you are and will make good on every last one of your promises! And yet, Lord, I don't believe. Help me in my unbelief! Lord, fill me with faith. Lord help me walk in humble dependence that is filled with steps of courageous risk." It's so good that the Lord welcomes these honest prayers and that our faith does not rest secure in our faith but securely in the One who multiplied the loaves and fish and delivered the oppressed boy and is the Glorious Son of God and who died and rose for us and even now reigns victorious for us. 

Ministry Prayer Points:

Pray for the autumn youth & mums & tots ministry that will restart in the next couple of weeks.

Pray for wisdom & guidance for the team & church as we seek to prioritize various responsibilities and make wise plans.

Pray for two important UK conferences (Hethne-UK '25 & Advance London '25) in October we are supporting and contributing to in various ways, both of which are seeking to raise awareness for & catalyse ministry among South Asian peoples from other faith backgrounds.

Family Prayer Points:

Pray for Luke as he prepares for his big UK "year 11" exam year, which ends with about 25 exams in May/June, all cumulative regarding the last 2 years.

Pray for Arielle as she prepares to start her second year of uni.

Pray for Malachi both has he starts his 4th of 5 undergrad years AND for him & his fiancée Carys as they prepare for a wedding, Lord willing, in July 2026. 

Thankful that my mom's back surgery went well in July and pray for her continued recovery.

Continue to pray for Jenn's extended family as we turn the corner from the loss of her folks and all that is involved over the past 2 years. Thankful God has been so faithful. 

Pray for daily faith & encouragement & courage for Jenn and me as requested above.

Thanks for standing with us in so many ways.

in His Love,

Matt & Jenn and the fam

September 9 — International Friendships, Inc. at RIT

International Friendship Incorporated is a national ministry that focuses on providing hospitality and welcome in Christ’s name to international students attending universities in the United States. IFI volunteers provide very practical service to our international students: rides to and from the airport, trips to the grocery store, visits to the doctor’s office, driving lessons. At the core, the mission of IFI is to invite our international guests into flourishing relationships with Jesus Christ so that when they return to their countries and gain positions of influence, they are able to share the Gospel and to open up their countries to the message of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, August 24, IFI hosted a welcome picnic for arriving international students at Ridgeland Church, near the RIT campus. We began with icebreaker games, then had a cookout, followed by games of volleyball, bocce, and cornhole. About 40 international students attended, along with 20 volunteers.

Mason Pell (m.pell@ifiusa.org) is the IFI campus minister at RIT and Tiffany Khamphoune joined this year to provide part-time administrative support (organizing events, keeping track of students and volunteers, etc.). In addition, Peter and Hannah Putz continue to provide leadership support for Mason and Tiffany.

How can I get involved with IFI?

1. You can learn more about IFI by watching this video (https://youtu.be/ebIyZkToFN8?si=_XolkD3H2HYMZOAf) or visiting the IFI Partners website (https://www.ifipartners.org/).

2. Please talk with Dave Beinetti or Paul Craig if you would like to attend an IFI event or host an IFI guest for a meal. We are particularly interested in hosting international students for holiday meals (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter) or during breaks when the campus is very quiet.

3. You can attend IFI events and simply befriend the students. Dave and Paul can provide information about upcoming apple picking in the fall and a sledding event in the spring.

4. Please pray for IFI at RIT and around the nation.

• For good attendance and participation at the IFI Bible studies for men and for women.

• For upcoming on-campus meals that are designed to welcome and engage more international students

• That more international students would attend IFI events and that we would see five international students decide to follow Jesus

• That the IFI team, which is classified as a club at RIT,  would have effective communication with the Campus Life office at RIT, and especially that they would receive prompt responses to their emails and phone calls.

• For our student officers to be effective in leading the fellowship and in their interactions with the RIT administration.  

• That we would have enough volunteers to fully support the ministry and to host students for meals and events.

August 12 — Max & Samantha Herbert, YoungLife

Hey Friends!

We just returned from an unforgettable week at Saranac Village, and I can’t wait to share what an amazing experience it was!

Our students had the opportunity to parasail over the lake, hike through mountain trails, dive into classic camp activities, and most importantly, encounter the life-changing love of Jesus Christ.

Thanks to your generosity, prayers, and support, this trip was not only possible but deeply meaningful for so many. Here's a glimpse of what our students had to say:

“I truly did have the best week of my life at camp. I learned about and encountered God in new ways.”

“As a senior, this was my last camp trip—and it was one of the best ones. I learned more about God and grew closer to Him through the talks.”

These stories are just a few of the many hearts that were moved this week. Your partnership makes moments like this possible, and we are so grateful.

As we return home, we’re excited to keep the momentum going through Summer Campaigners—a time to gather, go deeper in faith, and keep building friendships rooted in Christ.

Thank you again for investing in the lives of these amazing kids. You are making an eternal difference.

For Christ and for kids,
Max

August 5 — Jody Collinge

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

1. Some areas have resistance to Christ and even persecution of those sharing the gospel. Please pray for the team that is traveling this weekend to northeastern Kenya. In that Muslim area, girls often go through a FGM initiation rite and are given or sold in marriage at a very young age to older men. Pray that these girls and their families and their culture may be set free in Christ. Pray for protection for the girls and for those giving Christ-centered training and preparation to them. Pray that those in danger may be safely cared for until they can be reconciled with their families. Pray for the resources that are needed for this. Contact me if you would like to support them.

2. Please pray for our Global CHE Network team in the midst of many challenges, changes, and opportunities. We have made major changes to make our training materials more available to teams around the world. Please pray for us as we are gearing up for the International Wholistic Missions Conference in October in Albania.

"Half the people in the world need access to lifesaving care.

Together we can change this."

3. Next week, the Christian Health Service Corps will be giving an orientation for a new group of medical missionaries who will serve in hospitals and communities around the world. I look forward to meeting them and will be working with their children. Please pray for practical preparation and encouragement for each of them and for energy and enthusiasm for all those hosting them.

4. I have enjoyed being part of a Hispanic church, Iglesia Bautista La Fe, in Grand Saline, Texas. Thank God for our lively vacation Bible school. Please pray for our outreach to the surrounding community.

That was followed by an excellent regional conference for women.

5. ¡Muchas gracias!

Thank God for all his protection and care. 

And many thanks to you for your prayers, encouragement, and support!

Let me know how I can be praying for you.

Dios les bendiga. (May God bless you.)

Jody

July 22 — Matt & Jenn Irvine

• Praise God for walking Jenn and all of her family through her mother's memorial service in late May. 

• Praise God that Matt's HMA period through June 27 finished well. Enjoyed so much the visit to Grace and other churches as well. Also had a time to meet with some friends for peer mentoring and also attended the PCA General Assembly. All went well. Also Jenn got to make another quick trip to be with Matt for a few days and celebrate the 50th Birthdays of her Twin brothers. Praise God for this.

• Praise God for Matt arriving safely back in UK on June 28, after an additional 24-hour delay due to connecting flights being delayed. God was good. So good to be back.

• Praise God for a wonderful outreach Sunday at our church on June 29. Our friend and visiting speaker Rahil gave a good Gospel message and some visitors were blessed along with regular attenders.

• Praise God for a wonderful LEAP outreach week from June 29 - July 6. Great worship and training and learning and vision casting and great hands on evangelism. Lots of seeds were sown. Pray that the word of the Lord would not return void.

• Pray for wisdom for a couple who are staying with us this week (July 7 - 14) as they seek to discern whether God would lead them to join this team.

• Praise God that Matt was able to officiate the wedding on July 9 of a young man who had become part of our church when he wasn't away from university. It was a beautiful day. Pray for this couple as they begin a new life together about two hours south of London. Pray that God would bless their new marriage and shine his good news through them.

• Pray for some good rhythms of rest and renewal over the next six weeks as we settle back into normal ministry patterns but also recover from this sort of "running start" and also seek to prepare for the Autumn.

• Pray for four summer outreach events that are in the schedule for July & August.

• Thanking God for his goodness to us each day. Pray that we would taste this goodness and be renewed in His love each day. 

July 8 — Souls Winning Ministries

Seminary in Jacmel

Has be able to meet for a week of training 5 times so far in 2025. Most recently the Gospel and Epistles of John, then just finishing a week on Biblical Hermeneutics.
10 Laptops were recently sent for the 25 students, but they are hoping for another 15 to be sent by Shippex in the future. 

The New Joy House Orphanage

The leadership has been able to provide activities to the kids over the summer while school is out, and a VBS coming in August. Repairs being done to the solar panel system and a new generator will allow them to have electricity. 

The Presbyterian Church and School in Marin

Pray for the safety of the church in Marin and the associated school.

The Medical Clinic
Enough supplies have been able to be sent to the medical clinic that it is able to provide some care, to kids in the Orphanage, church and some from the surrounding community. 

People
Osseille Joseph
Reformation Hope is trying to find a way to get him to the US this fall to visit churches including Grace. Haiti is on the Trump Administration travel ban so that is presenting challenges, but they are looking for a way to make it happen anyway. They have lost their house to gangs, so are looking to replace items like a bed for their kids, etc. 

Wisnel Louissaint and family were again displaced by gangs in Mirebalais. His wife’s business was again lost, and they are trying to raise $1500 to restart it again in their new location. We are helping him in his supporting 5 students to go to school who would otherwise be unable. We were able 3 students take the Haiti National Exams, 2 on June 30, and one due July 14. There are a lot of opportunities to help Wisnel support students needing to go school if there are folks at Grace with interest in that. 

Ancelotti Pierre Louis that he be able to finish his law degree, and that his family stay safe and not displaced by gangs that have been threatening them. 

Presbyterian Church of Haiti Presbytery
There is a group meeting online monthly with a plan to formalize a Haiti Seminary once travel opens up enough to travel to formalize it. 

Other Prayer Requests:
Pray for a resolution to the gang problem in Haiti so that security and normal functioning can return.

Pray for Osseille to be able to come to the US, including Grace this fall, despite the travel ban.

Pray for funding and security to continue the teaching schedule of the Jacmel seminary, and for 15 more laptops which would greatly assist the pastors in training now and ongoing in the future.

Pray for the New Joy House kids to stay safe and grow.

See also most recent Newsletter
Link: https://mailchi.mp/7e080724a800/haiti-10148120?e=22e255267d 

June 24 — Max & Samantha Herbert

We are in full summer mode here. Luke is working at a YL Camp this summer, running the waterfront. We miss him, but we are grateful that he is getting to serve in this way.  Ellie is graduating this weekend from HS and is planning on attending Fisher for nursing. We are so excited for her and would love prayers for wisdom in covering that financially.  Madi is done with her freshman year of HS and enjoying her time with friends, looking forward to summer camp in July.  

Sam recently lost her job at Roberts. They had a number of layoffs, and her position was one of the vulnerable ones.  This has impacted our plan for covering college for our kids, and we are praying that an opportunity for her would open up quickly.  Ideally, we would love for her to be working in another position at Roberts or at Fisher as this would allow our kids to receive free tuition.  In the meantime, we are enjoying some time together at home!

Our camp trip to Saranac is July 15-20 and it is full. Praise God!  We would love your prayers for that week, that students would clearly hear and respond to the Gospel message.  One student coming with us - Andrew - has special needs, and I will be his buddy for the week.  I would love prayer for myself and Andrew. I have never been in this role at camp, and I am praying that God would give me wisdom in how I can help make this a special week for Andrew.  

June 17 — Jody Collinge

Prayer and Praise
Jody Collinge
May 29, 2025

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:10-11 (NIV 1984)

View from behind the cabin

Prayer and Praise:

1. Did I tell you that I am feeling spoiled in Texas? Hot showers! A dryer! Tap water that you can drink! Air conditioning! And a beautiful location! I think we often do not realize how luxurious our lifestyle is in America, and how many others are struggling with poverty, trauma, and even persecution. As much as I enjoy Texas, I also look forward to returning to Zihuatanejo from January to March each year.

2. I have become involved with a local Hispanic church, Iglesia Bautista la Fe, which is very friendly with solid Biblical teaching. I will lead a Bible study tomorrow, and we have a VBS and a women's conference coming soon. Please pray for our outreach to those living nearby.

3. Meanwhile, the Lord keeps on opening doors for our community health evangelism ministries. Today, I met online with leaders who are working in Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and other areas. Jo and Ben traveled 12 hours to work with families in a remote Muslim area. Janet and Rhodess are getting ready for a CHE training in Malawi. They also work with children and mothers and report, "As we are reaching the children, we are reaching the Moms." Sammy is heading to Tanzania for a children's ministry. Thank God for all his connections! Please be praying for each of them for fruitful ministries, strong connections, and safe travels.

4. Please also pray that we can expand and strengthen our CHE with youth ministries. In the United States, Barna reports that nearly two-thirds of those who regularly attended church as a child or teenager later dropped out of the church. But some remained as "resilient disciples". How can we build more "resilient disciples"? How can children and youth hold strong to their faith and grow to share Christ with others? That will be the main theme for our workshop at the International Wholistic Missions Conference in Albania.

¡Muchas gracias!

Thank God for his protection and care.

And many thanks to you for your prayers, encouragement, and support! Let me know how I can pray for you.

Dios les bendiga. (May God bless you.)
Jody

May 27 — Matt & Jenn Irvine

Matt and Jenn Irvine were here at Grace Church on Sunday, May 25. We had the privilege of hearing from them briefly during the worship service. Those who were able to stay after had a chance to hear more about God’s work in NW London from these faithful missionaries. Here are a few quick thoughts from Matt which include a few points & prayer requests he shared in his after service report:

Dear Brothers & Sisters at Grace,

It was a joy to be with you and we want to start by thanking you both for your faithful partnership in the gospel AND for your very generous and thoughtful anniversary card and gift. You all have walked with us in ministry and life since sooner after Grace organized as a church. We are humbled in this. Thank you. 

Points Shared & Prayer Requests:

• By God’s grace we are celebrating 25 years tomorrow (May 28th). We are also gathering with Jenn’s extended family this weekend to give thanks to God for the earthly life of her mum and to take heart in the Gospel Hope of Resurrection.

• Jenn and Arielle and Luke go back to London on June 1st. Pray for the fam as Matt finishes a period of USA assignment until June 26th. Matt will continue to visit supporting churches and also attend the PCA’s General Assembly in TN.

• Pray for summer outreach at the church in London including an “outreach Sunday” in mid June with a special guest speaker and as we help to host our Serge summer short term outreach week called LEAP week which this year is June 29 – July 6. 

• Praise God that he already answered your prayers as Malachi found 2 summers jobs in the last few days. Please pray for somehow the Lord to provide a summer job for Arielle in July after she finishes a few weeks of “summer term” at her university. Pray also for Luke as he finishes his freshman year (till July 20th) including a 4 day “work experience” placement in an hospital re-hab unit in mid-June.

• Please continue to pray for God to meet needs and open doors as our church seeks to share the love of Jesus and build bridges into our local community. Pray for people to respond to the gospel. Pray for discipleship & leadership development. Pray for the Lord to provide what is needed. 

• Pray for partnerships that are developing both with a British Gospel Centered Church Planting Network (co-mission.org) and with a global church planting network under second generation Indian leadership (advanceinitiative.org). We are jointly organizing a second Advance conference in the UK in Oct 2025. Please pray for this to help raise awareness for Gospel work in the South Asian diaspora and to develop younger leaders.

• Pray for the Lord to bless a marriage I’m officiating on July 9th – Josh & Ericka (a young couple who were high school classmates of Malachi). They love Jesus. Pray for the Lord to lead and provide for them. 

• In the report I shared just briefly about some of the verses that impacted me as I came to faith at a young age but needing to continue to learn what the work of Christ really meant regarding forgiveness & the love of God & the Missional heart and purposes of God and how those purposes lead us to build bridges that help our friends who don’t know Jesus to encounter the good news of Jesus. Here are some of those scriptures:

• There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

• But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5

• The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 1Tim 1:15-16

• For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them … I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Cor 9:19,22b,23

May 6 — Max & Sam Herbert, YoungLife

Hey Grace Family,

We are so grateful for all of your support and encouragement! We have been meeting with our High School students on Monday nights and will continue to do so into June. We would love for your prayer support on Mondays between 7:30 and 8:45.  We recently started a devotional on the gospel of John and we have been really enjoying it!

We have been meeting monthly on Friday nights with our Jr High Students for Wyldlife.  We have been having a great time and have seen a lot of growth in numbers!    

Our leadership meetings are Thursday nights, we have seen a lot of growth both in number and in depth from our leaders.  We are so grateful for them and all that they do to bring the love of Christ to our students!

Our camp trip this summer is July 15-20 at Saranac!  Our trip is almost full with 3 spots left.  We are so excited for our students to experience the love of Christ in a personal way during that week.  Would you pray for safety during the week as well as for our teens to be free from distraction to hear clearly the message?  

Thanks so much for all that you do to keep us going!

For Christ and kids, 

Max and Sam

March 11 — Jody Collinge

Malawi Ministry

1. We have been collecting stories of the impact of Children's CHE in different countries. Rhodess and Janet from Malawi wrote, "Before we received CHE training, we would not value our children. In many ways, culturally, we would think to wait for them to grow up and start trusting them. After CHE training, we saw that our children are also more important and to start now trusting them because they can also bring a change many lives in the society. Now we are teaching them to reach their friends and families. Good things are happening that these children are changing their families holistically." Thank God for how He is working!

Pray that we may also develop strong ministries of CHE with Youth. Please pray that the children and youth may continue to grow in Christ and reach out to their families and friends. Pray that we can work with and encourage CHE trainers and leaders around the world, and give strong follow-up to those who have received CHE training.

2. I also enjoy our Zihuatanejo children's ministries, especially when they surprise me with a birthday celebration! Pray that their families may come to know Christ.

3. Our online Bible study of Women of the New Testament is going well and will finish in a few weeks. In April, we will begin a new study of Foolish Decisions of the Bible. Let me know if you would like to join us. Pray that we may learn how to not to repeat their mistakes! In the meantime, I am starting to write a new study of Children of the Bible.

4. My apartment is getting emptier as I downsize! Thank God for providing good homes for the books, Greek books, medical books, household supplies, furniture, and clothes. And thanks to all the friends who are helping. In late March, I will be moving to the cabin at the Christian Health Service Corps base in Texas, and will spend part of the year in Texas and part of the year in Zihuatanejo (in addition to my other wanderings). Pray for the Lord's help with all the practical details. Pray that I may be able to take part in and encourage ministries in both Zihuatanejo and Texas.

¡Muchas gracias! Thank God for his protection and care. And many thanks to you for your prayers, encouragement, and support! Let me know how I can be praying for you. Dios les bendiga.
(May God bless you.)
Jody

March 10 — International Friendships, Inc.

International Friends Incorporated hosted a sledding event at Mendon Ponds Park that attracted more than 30 students and about a dozen volunteers for what seemed like the best day of sledding in Rochester this year. All of the students tried their hand at sledding and some were very adventurous, going down the hill many times and even trying their luck flying over ramps at the top and bottom of the hill. About 15 of them enjoyed chaining multiple sleds together and snaking their way down the hill.

These students are all eager for conversation and to learn more about our culture and opportunities in the US. It seems that they are all interested in learning about Christianity and discussing their own beliefs, some more than others. The mission of IFI is “to extend life-changing hospitality and friendship to international students out of reverence for Jesus.” This focus opens many doors for sharing the Gospel with young people who have not heard it before, including many Fulbright scholars who will return to their home countries and assume significant leadership roles. IFI volunteers provide hospitality in many forms: to and from airports, to and from supermarkets, helping students earn their driver’s licenses, hosting meals. Many international students participate in small group Bible studies. Young Christians in IFI are also given opportunities to serve and lead on the RIT campus.

Mason Pell (m.pell@ifiusa.org) is the IFI campus representative at RIT. You can learn more about IFI by visiting the IFI Partners website (https://www.ifipartners.org/). Please talk with Dave Beinetti or Paul Craig if you would like to attend an IFI event, host an IFI guest for a meal.

Please continue to pray for IFI

• That more international students would attend IFI events and that we would see five international students decide to follow Jesus

• That the IFI team, which is classified as a club at RIT,  would have effective communication with the Campus Life office at RIT, and especially that they would receive prompt responses to their emails and phone calls.

• For new students to serve in officer roles in the club on the RIT campus

March 4 — 441 Ministries

Hey, Grace Church!

Here are some prayerful and practical ways you can help 441 Ministries in this season:

Spring Cleaning/Maintenance Projects
I could really use some help with a number of projects around the properties in the next month. We need volunteers to replace some gutters, move old appliances to the trash, clear out and organize our basement, etc. We also need some handy folks willing to help us refresh TWO apartments - that might include drywall, painting, carpeting, cleaning, etc. These could be perfect projects for a small group to tackle in an evening or over a weekend. Anyone that is interested can contact me directly and I can coordinate project days!

Volunteer Orientations
We are going to offer monthly volunteer orientations so people can learn more about 441 and find ways to serve. These last about an hour and a half, and we'll try to offer zoom options as well.

We have an extensive list of volunteer serving areas, and a sign-up page for folks to register for an upcoming volunteer orientation here. We'll keep the dates updated for future orientations!

https://www.441ministries.org/get-involved

Kids Camp
We are looking forward to the return of Kids Camp this summer, and we are actively recruiting volunteers. We need folks interested in committing one day a week during the summer to come down to the neighborhood and help us run Kids Camp (the program is 11 am to 1 pm, but volunteers are there from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm). We'll have some info meetings soon, as well as training. Anyone that is interested can sign-up for a volunteer orientation or contact me directly and I can keep them on the communication list.

Cafe Operations Director
We are hoping to hire a new supervisor for New City Cafe that would focus on the operations side of things. If you know of anyone that might be a good fit and interested, have them check out the job description and apply here:

https://www.441ministries.org/cafe-operations-job-description

Volunteer Orientation at YOUR Church
If it's helpful, I'm always willing to visit you to provide an update on the ministry and help people figure out ways they can get involved. I can bring along Jaime, our new Mentorship and Teen Outreach Director to share about what's happening there and how people can get involved with teens and mentoring! Just let me know if that interests you.

Please share with those who might be interested in getting more involved. Thank you!

Joshua Horn
Executive Director for 441 Ministries

February 26 — Matt & Jenn Irvine

Friends, thanks for your faithful partnership in Jesus financially and through prayer. You all are very much part of all that we are thankful for below. You are part of the small gatherings like this happening in the ministry we get to be part of. This is all a foretaste of the truly here, but not yet fully here, Kingdom of God. 

In November, for the first time, our church gathered in a joint "Giving Thanks" worship service with a Sri Lankan Tamil church that meets in our building in the afternoon. What a joy it was to sing in English, Gujarati, Hindi and Tamil.

What a joy it was to hear the pastor of the Tamil church tell how he came to follow Jesus from a another faith background 30 years ago; he was an immigrant in Paris and had a substantial health issue. A Jesus-following friend was trying to share the Gospel with him and he wanted nothing to do with it. But the friend told him where some Sri Lankan Jesus Followers gathered to worship and in a low moment of need he went there and while he watched the worship from a distance he experienced a sudden healing that made him realise the uniqueness of Jesus. Now he is a lay pastor in London and his son and daughter-in-law help to lead worship at our church and his church. 

What a joy it was (during an open time where people could "give thanks") to hear really concrete ways in which God is at work, including a few others wanting to give spontaneous testimony to the joy of knowing Jesus. 

What a joy it was to hear a British Sri Lankan preacher-in-training share a brief devotional from 1 Thess 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." He reminded us that our present ability to give thanks even in very troubling circumstances is rooted in God's past faithfulness and future promises. Amen!

Was this a "friendsgiving"? Was it a "family thanksgiving'? Was it a little taste of Revelation 7? Yes and Yes and Yes.

A few from our team/church went to a British church planters gathering that we are praying about linking up with. It was such an encouraging day. Pray for wisdom and direction. 

One of the things we do is offer training to different groups who want to get classroom and hands-on experience in cross-cultural outreach. We have done this for Operation Mobilisation groups and recently for a wonderful team of YWAM-ers who are all preparing to go to places of "frontier mission." Pray for the Lord to lead this group. 

In His Love,

Matt & Jenn and the fam

February 4 — Max & Samantha Herbert

Dear Grace Family,

Thank you so much for your continued encouragement and support! Here are some updates and things we would love prayer for.

We are starting up our spring semester this week with our first YL Club of the new year. Would you pray that our room would be full of teens and that they would experience the love of Christ?

Our volunteer leadership team is growing! We are so excited to add a few new members. Would you pray for our volunteers who give of their time to build relationships and share the Gospel? My hope is that our team will grow closer to Christ as they minister to our teens.

Our Jr High ministry, Wyldlife, is really starting to take off. Would you pray that as that ministry grows we would be able to increase that volunteer base? That club meets monthly at this point, but if we can increase the number of volunteers, we could increase the frequency of those meetings.

Our budget is always an area that could use prayer. We have a fundraiser coming up in March; our hope is that it will be a great opportunity to highlight what the Lord is doing through this ministry as well as financially support the area.

Thanks so much for all that you are doing to come alongside us!

For Christ and kids,
Max and Sam

December 31 — Souls Winning Ministries

A BIG thank you to Grace Church from Martin Hawley and the folks at Souls Winning Ministries’ New Joy House Orphanage for the generous special offering of $5446.59! 

View a video message recorded of thanks to the folks at Grace who provided for their Christmas meal and celebration and have helped them this past year.

A few photos of the kids of the orphanage…

Jacmel Seminary Update
The 22 Jacmel Seminary Students are finishing up their curriculum.

Samuel Charles, one of the students, president of the class committee, got married on 12/28/24. He made all the clothing himself! He is teaching tailoring to kids there. A new group of students will start after the current group finishes. 

Here is a link to the latest Reformation Hope newsletter.  

Prayer requests:
1. Praise for the safety of the kids in the orphanage in Marin, and pray for ongoing safety for all those associate with the various ministries.
2. Prayer for a stable government to emerge able to restore security and stability in the country.
3. Prayer for the Jacmel seminary and church under Maxito Raphael’s leadership.
4. Prayer for the development of the 2 other seminary sites, in Hinche and Cap Haitien. 
5. Pray for direction from the Lord for Osseille’s future ministry.

December 17 — Max & Samantha Herbert

Dear Grace Church Family, 

      As we reflect on this past year of ministry we are so grateful for all of the ways that we have seen and experienced God's faithfulness!  What a blessing it is to be able to share the love of Christ with teens in our community and see God at work in their hearts.  Thank you for partnering with us, you have been such a blessing to our family.  

      We have officially wrapped up our meetings for the year and will take a break from club until February.  Even though we will not be officially meeting in January we will still have some events to keep the kids together.  We will have a night out ice skating, a hot cocoa party, and of course leaders will still continue to spend time with kids.  

     We would love prayer for our leaders, kids, and our family as we continue to prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Christ. 

     Specifically for the ministry we would love prayer for continued growth in depth and in number for our teens.  We would love prayer for an increase in volunteers so that we can expand our reach into surrounding towns.  We would also love prayer for greater involvement from adults in our community, for adults to jump in with us on committee and also for our donor base to grow. 

     For our family we would love prayer that we would draw close to each other in this season and that we would draw close to Christ.  We are planning a trip out to visit relatives in Arizona and would appreciate prayers for safe travel during that time.  

    Thank you so much for all that you do to walk along side us and support this mission of sharing Christ's love with teens on the West Side! 

For Christ and kids, 
Max and Sam Herbert

December 10 — Jody Collinge

November 30, 2024

Travels:
November 18- December 3: To Syracuse and Rochester, NY

December 4-19 To Kenya

Prayer and Praise:

1. We have much to give thanks for! First of all, I thank the Lord that he is good and his steadfast love endures forever. Thank God for all he is doing in Zihuatanejo, Kenya, and around the world. I thank God for my friends and family, and for their gracious hospitality in New York. Thank the Lord that he will guide us and protect us in our travels in Kenya. And I thank God for you--for your prayers, your support, your encouragement, and your friendship.

2. I have enjoyed visiting Syracuse and Rochester, New York--visiting friends, family, and a few churches. Thank God for your warm fellowship and ample food. (I will have to roll onto the airplane.)

3. Next stop: Kenya (Dios mediante). We will visit several ministries where Jo and Ben Kijabe have been working. Jo, Ben, Sammy, Simon and I have worked together for several years, both online and in person. Jenna and Guido Schmid will be sharing about disability ministries. We will be visiting several ministries--near Nairobi, in Nakuru, and near Narok (see the map). And the Bridge Ministry of Kenya has invited us to train their leaders in CHE/ Children's CHE/ and CHE with Youth, as well as GameLife training. Praise God for all he is doing in Kenya! Please pray that the Lord will oversee all of this--our travels around Kenya, building relationships, developing a vision for disability ministries, visiting the Kenya ministries, and our training and outreach with Bridge Ministries and GameLife. Here are some images of Jo's ministries in Kenya:

4. Finally, I thank God that we have finished the first part of the Women of the New Testament online Bible study. We will be starting again in January with Part Two. I hope you will join us! Let me know if you are interested.

¡Muchas gracias!

I thank God for each of you. Let me know how I can be praying for you.

Dios les bendiga. (May God bless you.)

Jody

November 26 — International Friendships, Inc.

The mission of International Friends Incorporated is “To extend life-changing hospitality and friendship to international students out of reverence for Jesus.” This focus on service to the international community opens many doors for sharing the Gospel with young people who have never heard it before, including many Fulbright scholars who will return to their home countries and assume significant leadership roles. Most of the international students on the RIT campus are in graduate programs, so these are often young men and women in the twenties and early thirties, a different demographic than most other campus groups. The IFI program also provides support to young Christians from around the world who come to RIT to study. IFI volunteers provide hospitality in many forms: greeting new students as they arrive at the airport in Rochester for the first time, offering rides to the supermarket, helping students earn their drivers licenses, hosting them for meals. Many international students participate in small group Bible studies. Young Christians in IFI are given opportunities to serve and lead on the RIT campus. 

Mason Pell (m.pell@ifiusa.org) is the IFI campus representative at RIT. He organizes the Bible studies and other IFI small groups at RIT. He also provides IFI supporters with opportunities to meet and host international students while they are studying at RIT. You can learn more about IFI by watching this video (https://youtu.be/ebIyZkToFN8?si=_XolkD3H2HYMZOAf) or visiting the IFI Partners website (https://www.ifipartners.org/). 

Would you like to attend an IFI event to learn more about their activities? Would you like to host an IFI guest for a meal at Christmas or Easter?  Are you interested in teaching someone how to drive? Please talk with Dave Beinetti or Paul Craig and we can help you connect with IFI. 

Please continue to pray for IFI

• That the IFI team, which is classified as a club at RIT,  would have effective communication with the Campus Life office at RIT, and especially that they would receive prompt responses to their emails and phone calls.

• That more international students would attend IFI events and desire to follow Jesus

• That the international students will find companionship while they are studying at RIT, especially during the breaks and holiday times.

November 5 — Max & Sam Herbert

Dear Grace Family, 

Thanks so much for all that you do to support us!  We have had a great semester of ministry and we are looking forward to finishing strong!  We are so grateful to see a new young crop of students in both our High School and our Junior High clubs.  Connecting with new students both in club and at the school has been such a joy for our team.  We would love prayer for:  

    1. For increased opportunities at the schools for our leaders to connect with students. 

    2. For our clubs to continue to grow in depth as we share the Gospel. 

    3. For an increase in support, we are trying to raise an additional $10k by the end of December so that we can end the year in a positive cash position. 

    4. For health for our family, we have had some struggles over the past couple of weeks. 

    5. That our family would continue to grow closer to each other and to Christ. 

For Christ and kids, 
Max and Sam