September 30, 2022 Praise and Prayer update

God is at work in Moncton and we are excited to be a part of what He is doing here.  We are very thankful for all of our prayer partners and it has been excited to see more commitment to prayer among the people with whom we are working. The men’s prayer meeting that began in August on Tuesday mornings at 7 a.m. continues for those who are able to make it.  Regular Wednesday night prayer meetings moved back to the pre-covid format with the men and women splitting up, then forming small groups for prayer after Bible study.  The men students of EBBI along with our son Caleb started a weekly prayer meeting on Thursday afternoons. And the ladies had their first monthly Bible study fellowship just last night which included a time of sharing and prayer. It is wonderful to see God’s people coming together to seek God’s will and to pray for one another, but it is even more thrilling to see God at work, guiding and blessing according to His will.

The French ministry has had an increase in attendance this month, with several visitors and two church members who have joined our core group.  Last Sunday, there were 16 present!  Last month we mentioned visitors to our French ministry from a church in Quebec that were in Moncton on vacation. This month, one of those visitors (who is a pastor) contacted us about doing a missions trip to Moncton to help us with this ministry with their youth group and some young adults.  There are 16 of them planning to be with us from October 7-10, Several church families in our church here are joining us to open our homes to host the team. With their help, we would like to canvas much of the greater Moncton area with flyers and tracts. We have been working to get those materials prepared, including a two-sided flyer presenting our ministry for French speakers (Espérance Vivante) on one side and the ministries for English speakers (Emmanuel Baptist Church) on the other side, along with websites, maps and contact info.  This flyer along with the bi-lingual Gospel tract that M (EBBI student from Quebec) prepared, will be included in packets delivered to doors and mailboxes across Moncton.  

Another way that God has blessed was through His provision just last week of French Bibles for us to give away. We hadn’t been able to find them at an affordable price and had just received word that a lady from Cameroon had asked an usher for a French Bible the Sunday before.  That same day, a man that has been attending church for several weeks asked me if we had a need for French Bibles!  He manages a thrift store ministry in Moncton and had just received a box of them and wanted to offer us some.  I picked up 12 copies last week and on Sunday, a student from Niger was back and he requested a Bible. We are so grateful for God’s timely provision!

Praise for

• a renewed commitment to prayer among God’s people here and for God’s Spirit at work.  Praise for visitors in both the English service as well as the French service, and for the addition of two members to our core group for French ministry.  Praise for the two that were baptized September 11, and for another baptism scheduled for October 23. 
• the Lord’s help for Cherith and for the excellent attendance and  good interaction between ladies for their first monthly Bible study fellowship last night with 27 ladies present.  
• God’s protection for us and many others during and after “historic storm” Fiona came through last weekend.
• God’s help for the EBBI students as they ministered in music, testimony and preaching at Emmanuel on Sept. 18.
• a good kick-off to the new year for the Homeschool co-op with 15 children participating.

Special visit from Mike and Elva Farrell

Pray for

• God’s help and guidance for the French ministry.  Pray for the special evangelistic outreach with the Quebec missions team on October 8 and for their ministry in our services on October 9.  Pastor G. will be preaching and they will be singing a couple of numbers in our French service as well as one song with some English and French in the English service.
• our work to prepare EBBI student musical groups and for opportunities for them to minister this month in the pastors and pastors wives fellowship on October 14, at Grace Baptist Church for EBBI Sunday on October 16, and at the PEI Bible Conference on October 21,22.
• all of the areas in Atlantic Canada that were hit hard by Fiona that are dealing with the devastation left behind.
• Caleb as he prepares for a missions trip with two pastors and three EBBI students to help build a church building in The Gambia, West Africa November 22 to Dec. 1. Pray that God will bring the necessary details together, including finances (about $1000 still needed) and getting the Gambian visa.
• Paperwork for our Canadian residency.  Pray for us as we take a required high stake English language test on October 15. Pray for our formal education assessment to be completed and submitted.