(Article taken from the June edition of the Trinity Newsletter)
 
 
How to Keep on GROWING!
 
 
“Put into action God’s saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him.”
 
Philippians 2:12-13
 
 
The apostle Paul was telling his friends at Philippi about the process of salvation whereby we can GROW in Grace and are conformed to the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Most of you know that I love to read and study scripture and that my most favorite readings are those from the apostle Paul. I have claimed him as my ‘Spiritual Mentor’. Paul in his letter to his friends was warning the church against stopping along the way in their Christian life. He told them there was “more”- he was, in essence, telling them to GROW as Christians.
     
    Revisiting the study of Paul’s concept on Christian growth spoke to me in such a profound way,
that I have felt lead to share this in depth with you, my Trinity family, during the course of the next 6 month.
   
   
Following is an acrostic of the word GROWTH that will be the key to better understand the tools the apostle Paul says are needed for us to grow in our Christian walk. The apostle Paul took his Christian life pretty seriously (read I Corinthians 9:24-27), he knew if he did not grow, if he did not move forward, he could easily fall back into the old life. If this was such a major concern to a man like Paul, it seems the rest of us ought to take GROWTH seriously as well.
   
   
G -- Go to God in Prayer daily. (John 15:7)
R -- Read God’s Word daily. (Acts 17:11)
O – Obey God, moment by moment.(John 14:21)
W - Witness for Christ by your life and words. (Matthew 4:19)
T -- Trust God for every detail of your life. (I Peter 5:7)
H—Holy Spirit – allow God to control and empower your daily life. (Galatians 5:16-17, Acts 1:8)
   
   
Here it is our GROWTH acrostic to use as we study, apply and grow together during the next 6 month.
   
    From: ‘Power For Living’ by Jamie Buckingham
     
   
Chile Mission (Chris Feuillade) Update
   
   
Pray letter from Chris Feuillade
    June 4, 2010

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)
 
I have now been living in Santiago more than three and a half years, and I continue to thank God for the privilege of being here to share the lives of the Chilean people. I am especially grateful to him for my local Christian family at Iglesia del Salvador, and for many faithful friends in Christ, who continue to support my ministry in prayer, and in other ways. Time has passed so quickly, and I have been so busy, that I have allowed more than six months to pass without writing a prayer letter to you. A lot of things have happened during this time, and I would like to relate some of them to you.
 
Late in 2009, my Mother, whose health had deteriorated quite rapidly over the previous 18 months, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. These days there are apparently very strong and effective medications available to treat this disease. She was prescribed one of them, and I am very happy to report that the results have been very good, leading to a marked recovery in her health. I had shared this prayer need with you when her health problems were developing, and I want to thank you again for lifting this situation up to the Lord.
You are encouraged to contact Chris in Chile by mail, or e-mail at: Avenida La Marina 1431, Depto. 31,San Miguel –Santiago - e-mail: chrisfeuillade@sams-usa.org Contributions towards the monthly support of his ministry can be made to Trinity Church, Please note the check’s memo ‘CHILE Missions’ Look for updated information and pictures coming soon.
Last Autumn, I decided that it was important for me to spend some extended quality time with my parents, and I left for the UK in the middle of December, staying there until early March. It was a blessed visit in many ways. Not only was I able to enjoy being with them, but I was also able to be a part of the fellowship of their local church in Devon, as well as at St Paul's C of E church in Lancashire, where I also have many friends. One of the highlights of my visit occurred on 3 January this year, when both my Mum (80) and Dad (83) were baptized in the same service, and I was privileged to be the preacher! I praise the Lord for all the blessings for them that this signifies, and all the good things he did for them and me during the visit.
My return to Chile, intended for 3 March, was delayed a week by the 27 February earthquake. Like many people, I was extremely concerned by the news reports of the loss of life and damaged that had occurred. When I finally arrived back in Chile on 9 March I found everybody in our church basically safe and sound, with essentially no damage to homes or property due to the earthquake. Our pastor lives on the 6th floor of another building, and he and his wife were in bed when the earthquake struck. His wife was greatly traumatized by the event, and I believe has not been able to sleep in the apartment since. They are presently in the process of buying a house (houses are not nearly as frightening as apartments in an earthquake). My apartment and personal possessions were also undamaged. However, on Thursday 11 March, just after I got back, there was a series of quite strong aftershocks, which occurred while I was at home. The building began to sway backwards and forwards, and this lasted for about 30 seconds. I was praying, and could hear other people praying in the building too. The first aftershock happened at the very moment the new president of Chile was being sworn in!
    The real damage was done about 200 miles south, in and around the city of Concepcion. I have seen footage of the wreckage, and it truly is devastated. The new president is going to have his administration dominated by reconstruction projects. Some members of our church have been going down on short-term mission trips to visit an Anglican church in the affected area, to help with clean-up, carry blankets and other supplies, and build temporary accommodation. There is great concern for the many people still living in tents, because the southern hemisphere winter is almost here, which will bring cold weather, drenching southern ocean rains, and possibly ice and snow, in the next 2-3 months.
    This academic year I have been teaching at the Catholic University of Chile. I am giving a course in general physics to first-year students, lecturing in Spanish. As a result, my Spanish has improved greatly, especially on my teaching days! This teaching is one of my main ministry areas. I also continue to have joint responsibility for the music ministry at Iglesia del Salvador, and I am involved in bible teaching and preaching. On Sunday 16 May I preached at IdS in Spanish, and I have been invited to preach on 4th July (!!) at the Santiago Community Church, in the center of Santiago, in English.
    During the time I have been in Chile, many people have generously given me financial gifts to help the ministry. One of the delights of my work here is the disbursement of these funds, and I am always looking for ways to channel the money into different projects. Iglesia del Salvador owns a house next door to the church building, the "Yachal" center, which is used as a ministry outreach to children and teenagers in the surrounding neighborhood. It is directed by Lucila Gonzalez, a member of the church. Last December I was able to use some of the funds to finance a Christmas party for the children who attend the daily sessions in the center. It was wonderful to see how far, with God's blessing, a relatively small amount of money can stretch to bring joy into a child's life. In addition to games and a tea party, with cake and other goodies, every child received a Christmas present. These are typically children from deprived backgrounds, for whom such events mean a lot. The Yachal ministry is one I frequently support though the gifts that have been entrusted to me.
   
    Here are some prayer needs we have:
   
    (1) Please pray for the people of Chile, especially those in the Concepcion area, as they recover from the earthquake.
    (2) Please pray for the people of Iglesia del Salvador, that they continue to grow in their relationship with the Lord, and grow in their understanding of service and mission
   
(3) Bishop Tito has called for every church in the Anglican Diocese of Chile to develop a local plan for doubling membership over the next 10 years. On Saturday 5 May, our church is to have a retreat, to seek the Lord's guidance as to how to do this. Please pray for us as we have the retreat, that we will be open to the Holy Spirit, and to each other, so that we may discern God's will in this matter.
    (4) Please pray for Pastor Abelino and Patricia, for wisdom and guidance as they lead the church.
    (5) Please pray for the Yachal Center ministry, and for Lucila and Juan, her husband, as they lead it. May many children, and their parents, come to know Jesus through this ministry.
    (6) Please pray for Lucila's health. She has an undiagnosed illness that causes her intense pain throughout her body, especially her arms and legs. It is possibly rheumatoid arthritis, but she is presently undergoing a further battery of tests to try and find out.
   
(7) Please pray for Juan and Lucila also as they pass through the bureaucratic process of undertaking legal guardianship for a little boy, Matias, who is unwanted by his mother and father. Juan and Lucila have made several appointments with the attorney to sign the papers, but the parents have not even turned up. Please pray for a greater sense of responsibility for the parents, and for Matias, who is understandably very upset. (Matias is the child at the bottom right of the picture above, holding his Christmas present.)
   
(8) Please pray for me, that I will have opportunities to share my faith with the students and Professors at the university, and that I will have the boldness and presence of mind to take advantage of them when they arise. Also pray that I continue to discern the Lord's will for myself.
     
    Thank you again for your prayers for me, which I depend upon. If there is anything you need prayer about, please let me know. I will pray about it diligently and with complete confidentiality.
   
    God bless you,
    Chris
     
   
HONDURAN Ministry Update
     
   
Arnulfo & Silvia Matute and Dr. & Mrs. Mariano, Honduran ministers in the poor rural areas of Honduras. I was able to speak with Dr. Mariano recently and was informed of a ‘NEW” project that the ministry is starting, building a Medical/Dental Clinic in a rural area of in-land Honduras. You may make contributions towards the annual support of these 2 ministries. Please note your check’s memo ‘Honduran ministries support’
   
     
   
“The Order of St. Cuthbert” Ministry (Michael Brent)
     
    A “NEW” ministry is in the works. Our own Michael Brent is now fully engaged in his ministry in Darien Kentucky. He has answered a call to be the leader in forming a community which will evolve into eventually the development of ‘New Church Plants.’ This ministry is being operated out of St. Paul Episcopal, Darien Kentucky.
     
    Please keep Michael in your prayers as this is a non-paid position and he will be self supported. We will keep you informed of his progress and as with the two ministries above, we will be looking for your help in the support his ministry with your prayers and gift offerings. We look to be able to send him a love offering twice a year, pending the support we receive. Please note your check’s memo ‘St. Cuthbert’ ministries support'
     
   
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