We appreciate hearing from many of you through Thanksgiving and Christmas, expressing your prayers for us or simply reaching out to encourage us. We never take your communication for granted! December brought several new milestones and ministries that we attribute to your prayers and God’s grace.
We began assisting with and leading a Bible study located one hour from our church, mainly to disciple a couple who have recently started attending. Their neighbors have been faithful witnesses for forty years before seeing this fruit from their labor. This week we will begin discipleship with another couple who God led to our church several weeks ago and have since trusted Christ. Please pray for John and Heather as they grow in the Lord.
One of the milestones this month was God providing a home for us within minutes of the church. This is a perfect location and layout to have an open home for church family, new Christians and the youth group. Another milestone was our first holiday season in New Zealand. I mention this simply to give God the glory for placing us with the church family that He has. We had ample opportunity to join them for Christmas gatherings and never felt far from our family.
As our prayer support team asks frequently about the church building status, I’ll just give a brief word of update. We have not been given a final answer on a long-term lease; however, we are using the property for midweek services in the interim.
Looking forward into the new year, there will be opportunities for preaching here and at sister churches, holding further Bible studies, discipleship, and working with the youth. The area of ministry emphasis we would most appreciate your prayers in would be a 4pm CST soulwinning time during the week. If we come to mind, especially during this time of the day, please pray for souls to be saved.
Lastly, we were given the opportunity to attend the North Island Family Camp the final week of December. It was encouraging to see a good number of churches represented with roughly 140-170 in attendance throughout the week.
Thank you for praying,
Josh, Alyse and Bentlee Szwarga
