Elim España Newsletter June 2021

Hola desde ESPAÑA

Hello and greetings from Andalucía

We hope that all is well with you where you are. Summer is fast approaching; the mosquitos are buzzing and it ´s getting hot, it was 38C the other day, 43C at 17.30 where Howard and I were. I was very red in the face! Phew!

A BIG THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL SUPPORT – Without you I don ´t know how we would still be here. Your prayers and your financial support are so needed here by us. There have been times when our faith has been tested. I ´m sure there have been times you have had to be mega focused on what is happening where you are, it is encouraging for us to know you didn't stop your care and support role to us. Thank you for giving during these trying times.

We have all had a ‘different’ year with lives being affected in so many ways. We have never experienced a global pandemic before and have had to adapt as quickly as possible to the changes. I ´m sure we all have many stories of challenges and successes. Sometimes the challenges have seemed massive, our God is bigger! However there have been low moments of despair, especially when tired. Of course, none of us have had a break since well before the pandemic started, there is so much to do, and restrictions have meant there are so few who can help.

Howard and I have had the blessing in that apart from our initial, severe 3-4 months lockdown, we have, with protocols in place, been able to have on a Sunday, an in-person meeting in our church building. Everything else, bible studies, prayer meetings, Radio and TV programs have been via the internet using different media ´s.

Howard has certainly been very ´Techi ´ and successful in his technological quests. God has certainly gifted him with abilities I do not have. He has spent many nights reading and studying how to connect to and broadcast via these new medias with success.

Our church has seen some changes, some folks continue to stay away and a few during the times when we were locked into our towns and villages and had a curfew; have found and decided to stay in other churches which are nearer to where they live. We too have had a few new folks visit.

A big change to our meetings is that we have re- amalgamated our English & Spanish meetings. Pastor Lucy and Bruno have done a wonderful job looking after and caring for our Spanish speaking folks, which they continue to do.

Reuniting in a bilingual meeting has enabled them to take responsibility for our Children's Church.

We seem to have a children’s praise band growing in love for Jesus. They practice after Sunday Church. They ´re aged 3-7 years, not especially tuneful, but loud and keen.

They are excited to see Jesus ´ power work through them, through their prayers and laying on of hands. They are keen to put action to what Jesus says.

We are hopeful that during the summer people here will find work, the covid-19 virus has made life difficult for many and we continue to give care packages to those in need , which is to less people now, Praise the Lord.

We rejoice there is now a low number of hospital admissions, and the Costa Del Sol is on Alert level 1 which is the lowest. This means hospitality venues can open longer and have more people inside and outside, which in turn will provide jobs. Social distancing, sanitization and masks are still mandatory. Many were hoping wearing masks outside would be halted because it is so hot with a mask on, but it looks like that may not happen. All people aged 6 and over must wear a mask everywhere except in the home or if putting food/drink in their mouths.

The restrictions have meant that many businesses and all schools have been able to stay open, even if curfews have limited their hours. The vaccination program is going well now that we have a supply of vaccines. They have started to vaccinate those aged 30.

Our eyes are fixed in faith on Jesus. If we look around us, we can easily become disheartened, and if I ´m honest that has happened. However, we know where our help comes from, it comes from the Lord and He works very often through His Church, His Children.

Again, thank you for standing with us. We endeavor to further His Kingdom here, and as we have had so many changes to how we ‘do’ church we must take care that as we go forward, we don ´t slip back into the old ways, we want to be alert to how God wants His church to be in this day.

We are very missional, always seeking to reach the lost with the gospel, to make disciples who make disciples. Howard and I build our lives on the foundation of Jesus ´ Commission that He gave us in Matthew 28/Mark 16/Acts 1 being careful to remember to nurture and care for the believers too.

We continue to build our project, ‘The House of Judah’ in Guaro and look forward to having some wonderful times there with our congregation and other Christians from home and abroad as we worship the Lord, being refreshed and refilled.

Howard and I are honored to continue as President and Secretary of the Federation Elim Pentecostal. We are busy organising and implementing the training programme and the pathway towards ordination for the future leaders of Elim in Spain and are encouraged to see the growth of Elim España as our Ministers in Training grow and establish new church groups.

This last year Howard has been busy updating the legal paperwork for new Elim churches to be able to be safe within the Federation framework. Of course, our roles are more than paperwork, we are overseeing their development as we care for their wellbeing.

PLEASE pray for us, for strength, abilities, enabling, wisdom, grace and peace. God's grace in our weakness will strengthen us all. Our precious, wonderful Holy Spirit will enable us all. Our Lord Jesus will continue to build His church here and where you are, and we marvel He can use people like Howard and I. He certainly confounds the wise. May the Lord continue to enable you to do all He has called you into. Please let us know if there is anything specific you would like us to pray about for you.

May the Lord bless you richly in Christ Jesus. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord be with you. (1 Timothy 1:2)

Sue and Howard
Elim Benalmadena, Malaga, Spain.

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