Dear gospel partners, 

Please give thanks… 

• For the way the Lord has refined and strengthened us as a body of believers. It has been a joy for us to see relationships deepen within the church over this time of instability. We’ve been thrilled to see brothers and sisters looking out for each other and sharing each other’s burdens. We thank the Lord for the work that he is doing in our church family and for the way that we genuinely love being together.
• For the addition of five new members to the church (two couples and a lovely older lady), all of whom have joined over the last year. This takes the church membership to 17 adults (we started with three!). For the different gifts that each member brings to the body and for the sense of unity that we currently enjoy.
• For Matteo and Luca, two of the young men in church who are currently being trained in preaching and leadership. For their wives Flavia and Marianna and for a common desire to grow and serve.  
• For opportunities to physically spend time with each other, such as a church picnic (see photo below) and monthly prayer and pizza evening at our flat (followed by the Italy v Spain match – see photo at top of page). 
• For the opportunity Jane has to mentor a local women’s worker. For the opportunity Mark has to meet regularly with three younger local church leaders with the aim of discipling and encouraging them in their preaching.  
• For the 30 men who have signed up to the annual preaching conference Workshop Predicazione that Mark helps organise (1 – 4 September) near Rome. Thanks for a gospel partnership with Chris and Andy the other organisers. 
• For the Lord’s protection of our four children over this last academic year. Fia (17) is in the Lower Sixth at Dean Close School and has been able to come back to Naples only once in this last year. Inez (15), Luisa (13) and Archie (10) have had lots of virtual learning. Give thanks for the Lord granting us all good health at this time. 
• For our incredible family in the UK who have looked after Fia and continue to make it sustainable for us to be here. We are so thankful for them. 

The 70:30 rule 

Mark writes: I remember hearing of someone asking Dick Lucas (the then Rector of St Helen’s Bishopsgate) if he was a church planter. He thought for a moment and answered that he was a church plodder. And that is very much how we’ve felt over these months, we’ve been plodding on.