What a privilege it has been over the years to have been upheld by your prayers as we seek to reach out to the people of Naples with the gospel. Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity and friendship!

Please give thanks… 

• Workshop Predicazione For two national events that Mark has been involved in – the Workshop Predicazione (preaching workshop, 1 – 3 September) and The Gospel Coalition Italia (TGCI) day of prayer and discussion (25 September). The former is a residential workshop that seeks to train and encourage preachers from across Italy. This is the third year that it has been organised and over this last year we’ve doubled in numbers (see photo). The TGCI day was organised with the aim of gathering pastors across Italy to increase our numbers and sense of ownership. We then prayed for the perceived national needs. 
• Women's lunch For a return to relative normality in the home, the children’s schools opening up for physical lessons and church activities resuming. For the start of a new preaching series in Revelation 4 – 22. For the opportunity to eat together again at our Tuesday evening bible studies this term in Genesis 25 – 35. For our weekly prayer meetings in each other’s homes and for a recent women’s bible study and lunch (see photo). For the blessing of face-to-face fellowship. 
• For Neapolis Minis (pre-school), Neapolis Kids (primary) and Neapolis Rock Solid (Teenagers) – the church’s children and youth ministries. As a church family we are thrilled to have members from each of these age groups. Rock Solid has been a particular encouragement with an average of 19 children (mostly non-Christian) coming along to our Friday evenings of pizza, games and bible study. For the five adults that gather fortnightly to serve these children. We’re particularly thankful for the visit and training of Rory Bell at our church study day (see at top of page). He is the author of Mustard Seeds Sunday school material and he spoke about raising up the next generation in the Lord. His visit was very timely and a great blessing. 
• For Chiesa Evangelica Neapolis’ fifth birthday on 10 October. For the Lord’s kindness and faithfulness to us over the years. For his choosing to establish the work of our hands and build a church in the centre of Naples where there wasn’t one. For the conversions we’ve seen over the years. For growth in maturity and number. For the many opportunities we’ve had to sow the gospel into the hearts and lives of local Neapolitans. For the people that have served alongside us and then left and for those that have remained.

Please pray for… 

• Buildings: it has been a great blessing to have been able to use the buildings of Christ Church Naples over the first five years of Chiesa Evangelica Neapolis’ life. In a spirit of gospel partnership we have not been asked to pay a rent but to cover our costs. Recently Christ Church’s new chaplain met with Mark to ask that we now start paying rent. Please pray for wisdom and godliness as we consider our options: (a) to seek to raise the figure requested; (b) decrease our usage of the buildings to decrease our costs (meet in homes for our Tuesday evening bible studies); (c) look for an alternative building to rent / buy in the centre of Naples.
• For A, a single grandmother who has been attending our meetings regularly for the last two years but remains confused when it comes to the gospel. She speaks very warmly of our church family and the difference it has made to her life. Pray for a work of the Spirit to open her eyes to grasp the truths of the gospel. For F, a father of two teenage daughters who lives next door to the church. He has been coming to church for the last three and half years but still won’t commit to following Jesus. Please pray that his heart would be softened. For L, a local mother who came very close to being baptised but then pulled back. She continues to come on a Sunday evening but it’s hard to tell where she stands spiritually.  
• For ongoing gospel intentionality as we seek to reach our friends and neighbours. For the distribution of 1,000 John’s Gospels into a neighbouring area of central Naples on 23 October. For a walk-up evangelism initiative as we use questionnaires to start conversations with folk in a local park on a Sunday morning before church in the evening (7 November). For an open air preaching and graffiti event (4 December). This is the third time we’ve tried to organise this event! Please pray that it would happen and that the Lord would mercifully bear fruit from our labours. In the past we’ve organised a Christmas evangelistic meal which has always been well attended. It’s unlikely that we will be able to use Christ Church, Naples – please pray for an alternative location.  
• For us as a family: Luisa (13) and Archie (11) have started new schools recently. Pray that they’d clearly see the wisdom of God’s ways and that he would enable them to stand as Christians in their classes. Likewise for Inez (15) in her second year of senior school in Naples and Fia (17) in the Upper VI at Dean Close School, Cheltenham.  

Thank you so much!!!
Mark and Jane