‍Ravenna, Italy

In July, we travelled to Ravenna to serve alongside Manuel and Jania Morelli at Chiesa Solo Cristo (Christ Alone Church). Manuel has a particular heart for reaching local children, running an ‘English Scouts’ club throughout the year, and hosting an annual beach mission.

With over 60 children attending through a local summer scheme, Manuel needed help running the activities and teaching the Bible. Our Go Europe team of eight young adults prepared a ‘Holiday Bible Club’-style outreach with games, crafts, sports, English lessons and Bible teaching.

We arrived in Ravenna and joined the church for Sunday worship, where I had the opportunity to preach. After the service, we shared a meal, prayed for the week ahead, and met the church family. We were also joined by a team from Greenisland Baptist Church, whose help and encouragement were a real blessing throughout the week.

On Monday, around 60 unchurched children arrived for Manuel’s ‘English Scouts’ Beach Mission. Each day included a large group game, a memory verse, Bible teaching and a rotation of activities. As we spent time with the children, we were able to build friendships, hear about their lives and speak with them about Jesus and the hope of the gospel.

Our memory verse was John 14:6: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ In a predominantly Roman Catholic context, this was a particularly precious truth to teach. It was encouraging to hear several of the children reciting the verse from memory after only a few days.

We worked through familiar gospel stories, from the feeding of the five thousand to the crucifixion and resurrection. Each team member had the opportunity to teach, and it was a joy to see the children following along in their Italian Bibles. Please pray that God would use his Word and that the Holy Spirit would soften and regenerate their hearts.

The heat presented its own challenges, with temperatures approaching 40 degrees. We began the week in a nearby park before moving to the beach later in the week, where we added water games to the programme. Despite the heat, the children were enthusiastic and engaged.

There were several encouraging signs throughout the week. Parents connected with Manuel, children asked if they could take Bibles home, and we were able to present the church as a safe and welcoming place where children are cared for and God’s Word is taught.

A growing group of young people from the church also joined our team, helping with translation, activities and conversations about the Bible. We formed lasting friendships and were encouraged to know that the ‘English Scouts’ are in good hands.

It was a great encouragement to serve alongside Manuel. His energy, clear teaching, and love for his people were evident throughout the week. We thank God for the healthy and growing church in Ravenna and for how he has been at work through Manuel, Jania and the wider church family.

Please pray that the children who attended will return to the weekly ‘English Scouts’ events, that the church’s profile in the community will grow, and that those involved there who do not yet believe will put their faith in Jesus.‍

Aarhus, Denmark

Our second team looked very different. In the final week of August, a team of ten travelled to Aarhus, Denmark, to serve alongside Tobias and Julie Haslund-Thomsen at Haven Church.

Haven is a young church with a new building in a strategic part of the city. Aarhus is also a young city, full of students, and our visit coincided with both Freshers’ Week and Aarhus Culture Week. This gave us many opportunities to meet people and invite them to hear about the church and the good news of the gospel.

The theme of Culture Week was ‘breaking down borders’. As Northern Irish people, this provided an excellent opportunity to share something of our own history and, more importantly, to share God’s Word.

Working with Haven, we organised a ‘Beyond Borders’ event, featuring seminars, a Great British Bake-Off, a traditional Irish meal and a Celtic Hymns concert. During the week, we handed out flyers across the city, ran outreach stations in busy university areas, and had many conversations about faith.

We were encouraged by the openness we encountered, particularly among younger people. There were numerous long conversations about Christianity, the Bible, and spiritual questions, with several people expressing interest in a church, like Haven, where they could explore these things more deeply.

Tobias also taught us about the spiritual situation in Denmark and the realities of church planting in the Nordic countries. His passion for planting and strengthening churches was clear, and it was valuable to hear about Haven’s history and the opportunities and challenges of ministry in Aarhus.

Saturday brought the ‘Beyond Borders’ event. We began with a seminar on the history of conflict in Northern Ireland, and how the Bible speaks to themes of peace and reconciliation.

The bake-off saw Danes attempting the Northern Irish delicacy of ‘fifteens’, before around 80 people gathered for an Irish meal. The church was encouraged to see the new building filled with people, and the meal provided many opportunities for conversation and further invitations to church events.

The day ended with a Celtic Hymns concert, where the church was full of more new people, young and old. The church’s musicians joined us, and we were able to share traditional Irish worship songs alongside brief explanations of their Biblical context. It was a wonderful opportunity to proclaim the gospel in a setting that brought many people through the doors of Haven for the first time.

One of the greatest encouragements came on the Sunday, when a young man was baptised. It was a joy to hear his testimony and to see the close-knit church community gather around him.

We praise God for answered prayers throughout the trip. Our travel was smooth, the weather held off when we needed it to, and more than 150 people attended the various parts of the ‘Beyond Borders’ event.

Please pray for Tobias and Julie as they continue serving in Aarhus. Pray that those who encountered the gospel during the week would continue to explore Christianity, that spiritual interest would lead to faith in Christ, and that Haven Church would continue to grow and reach out into the city.

Looking ahead

Two countries, two very different contexts, but the same gospel and the same mission. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve alongside our missionaries, encourage local churches and proclaim Christ to people who may otherwise never hear the good news.

It was a joy to lead two great teams of energetic young people who have left their mark on Europe and were a great encouragement to our missionaries.

Thank you for your prayers and support. We praise God for all he has done this summer and pray that, in his timing, he will cause these efforts to bear lasting fruit.

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