October 2001 (Year 3, Number 3)
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News
Tidbits
1. Greetings friends! These are indeed interesting days as our world has been shaken up over the last few weeks. In places of brokenness and pain, we pray that God’s Kingdom may become reality through the words, actions, and love of God’s people. In spite of the sin and darkness that pervades our world in so many ways, we write to you today with hope and joy in our hearts to let you know that God is at work in Italy in mighty ways.
2. We just returned from our field prayer summit which was held at a beautiful Catholic retreat center overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy. Together with over 70 church leaders from more than 12 nations, we spent 4 days together praying that God would transform our own hearts and that the Holy Spirit would break through the spiritual darkness of southern Europe. The Spirit was truly present in a powerful and tangible way as God pulled us to our knees in prayer and confession throughout the week. We left the prayer summit with a powerful sense of urgency and anticipation about what God is doing and is about to do in our lives, in our churches, throughout our cities, and across our nations!
3. We found a wonderful 5th floor apartment in Palermo, and we have already spent a few days there. We believe that God has truly led us to this area of the city, and it has been a joy to begin meeting some of our neighbors – aka future disciples! Pray for this new home that has become for us a center for ministry in Palermo.
4. We celebrate together with Joel’s sister Jill and her husband Matt the birth of their son Gabriel Alexander on October 11. Congratulations Jill and Matt! May the Lord abundantly bless this new life!
5. Just a couple weeks ago, we welcomed Tim and Danielle Whetstone to Catania. They are the new Work and Witness Coordinators for the Western Mediterranean field. Much of their time will be spent helping to coordinate the construction of the new church building in Catania. We look forward to working alongside them here in Sicily.
Answers to Prayer
1. We are amazed that we received our actual residence papers in less than 6 weeks!
2. We have already met many people in Palermo such as neighbors and shop owners. There are many youth, young adults, and young families who live near our apartment.
3. We are very thankful that we were able to find an apartment in Palermo after just 5 weeks in Sicily!
4. In a few days, the engineers should finally begin the actual construction of the new church building in Catania. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for this for so many years!
5. We praise God for the safe arrival of Rob and Jane Kazee in Rome and of Tim and Danielle Whetstone in Catania.
Prayer Requests
1. Pray for the revival services on November 1-4 at the Catania church, which will lead into the South Italy district assembly on November 3-4. We invite you to join us in fasting and prayer over the next couple weeks that the Holy Spirit would descend upon us as we gather and that many hearts and lives would be transformed! The time is NOW for revival among all of God’s people in Italy, and we believe that a tidal wave of the Spirit is about to break loose among us!
2. Pray that children, teenagers, and young adults in our churches in Italy would sense that God is calling them to be pastors, teachers, and leaders in our churches. Without doubt, Italian youth are the future of the church in Italy!
3. Pray for Michele (and his wife Lucia), the doorman in our apartment building. This couple seems to be well known in our neighborhood, and they have been very kind to us. A strong friendship with them may be the key to meeting others who live nearby.
4. Pray for the Calatafimi church, a congregation of about 12 people in a small town about a 45 minute drive from Palermo. Pray that the pastor and his family might be encouraged in a very difficult and challenging ministry situation.
5. Pray that we would be able to get settled into our home in the next few days so that we have a place to invite people whom we meet in Palermo.
Miscellaneous Notes
1. Over 5 million people live on the island of Sicily!
2. Unfurnished apartments in Italy are truly unfurnished! On our first day in our new home, there were no light sockets (only wires hanging from the ceilings), and there was nothing in the kitchen except a water pipe sticking out of the wall. Needless to say, it has been a long and slow process to settle into this new home!
3. Whenever you prepare to partake of pizza or pasta, don’t forget to pray for the people of Palermo!
4. Feel free to share this newsletter with friends, family, your pastor, and your church!
5. Please email us anytime to “subscribe” or “unsubscribe” to Sicilian Sketches.
May the God of grace embrace you today!
Joel and Sara Mullen
1. Greetings friends! These are indeed interesting days as our world has been shaken up over the last few weeks. In places of brokenness and pain, we pray that God’s Kingdom may become reality through the words, actions, and love of God’s people. In spite of the sin and darkness that pervades our world in so many ways, we write to you today with hope and joy in our hearts to let you know that God is at work in Italy in mighty ways.
2. We just returned from our field prayer summit which was held at a beautiful Catholic retreat center overlooking Lake Como in northern Italy. Together with over 70 church leaders from more than 12 nations, we spent 4 days together praying that God would transform our own hearts and that the Holy Spirit would break through the spiritual darkness of southern Europe. The Spirit was truly present in a powerful and tangible way as God pulled us to our knees in prayer and confession throughout the week. We left the prayer summit with a powerful sense of urgency and anticipation about what God is doing and is about to do in our lives, in our churches, throughout our cities, and across our nations!
3. We found a wonderful 5th floor apartment in Palermo, and we have already spent a few days there. We believe that God has truly led us to this area of the city, and it has been a joy to begin meeting some of our neighbors – aka future disciples! Pray for this new home that has become for us a center for ministry in Palermo.
4. We celebrate together with Joel’s sister Jill and her husband Matt the birth of their son Gabriel Alexander on October 11. Congratulations Jill and Matt! May the Lord abundantly bless this new life!
5. Just a couple weeks ago, we welcomed Tim and Danielle Whetstone to Catania. They are the new Work and Witness Coordinators for the Western Mediterranean field. Much of their time will be spent helping to coordinate the construction of the new church building in Catania. We look forward to working alongside them here in Sicily.
Answers to Prayer
1. We are amazed that we received our actual residence papers in less than 6 weeks!
2. We have already met many people in Palermo such as neighbors and shop owners. There are many youth, young adults, and young families who live near our apartment.
3. We are very thankful that we were able to find an apartment in Palermo after just 5 weeks in Sicily!
4. In a few days, the engineers should finally begin the actual construction of the new church building in Catania. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for this for so many years!
5. We praise God for the safe arrival of Rob and Jane Kazee in Rome and of Tim and Danielle Whetstone in Catania.
Prayer Requests
1. Pray for the revival services on November 1-4 at the Catania church, which will lead into the South Italy district assembly on November 3-4. We invite you to join us in fasting and prayer over the next couple weeks that the Holy Spirit would descend upon us as we gather and that many hearts and lives would be transformed! The time is NOW for revival among all of God’s people in Italy, and we believe that a tidal wave of the Spirit is about to break loose among us!
2. Pray that children, teenagers, and young adults in our churches in Italy would sense that God is calling them to be pastors, teachers, and leaders in our churches. Without doubt, Italian youth are the future of the church in Italy!
3. Pray for Michele (and his wife Lucia), the doorman in our apartment building. This couple seems to be well known in our neighborhood, and they have been very kind to us. A strong friendship with them may be the key to meeting others who live nearby.
4. Pray for the Calatafimi church, a congregation of about 12 people in a small town about a 45 minute drive from Palermo. Pray that the pastor and his family might be encouraged in a very difficult and challenging ministry situation.
5. Pray that we would be able to get settled into our home in the next few days so that we have a place to invite people whom we meet in Palermo.
Miscellaneous Notes
1. Over 5 million people live on the island of Sicily!
2. Unfurnished apartments in Italy are truly unfurnished! On our first day in our new home, there were no light sockets (only wires hanging from the ceilings), and there was nothing in the kitchen except a water pipe sticking out of the wall. Needless to say, it has been a long and slow process to settle into this new home!
3. Whenever you prepare to partake of pizza or pasta, don’t forget to pray for the people of Palermo!
4. Feel free to share this newsletter with friends, family, your pastor, and your church!
5. Please email us anytime to “subscribe” or “unsubscribe” to Sicilian Sketches.
May the God of grace embrace you today!
Joel and Sara Mullen
Posted: Sun - October 14, 2001 at 11:19 PM
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