February 2022
Top left: Rev. Andrea Ferrari, pastor of Chiesa Riformata di Perugia (in central Italy), top right: Rev. Michael Brown, pastor of Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia (in northern Italy), and Rev. Vincenzo Coluccia, pastor of Chiesa Pietra Vivente (in southern Italy).
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Once again, we give God thanks for his mercies to us as we minister to his precious flock in Milan, Italy and seek to make disciples of our Lord Jesus. We are excited to share with you some of the latest news from the mission field.
First Meeting of the Coalition of Reformed & Presbyterian Churches in Italy
On January 18 and 19, I met with Rev. Andrea Ferrari (the URC missionary serving the Reformed church in Perugia) and Rev. Vincenzo Coluccia (the PCA missionary serving the Presbyterian church-plant in Lecce) to discuss how we can work more closely together and begin planning the formation of the first Reformed & Presbyterian denomination in Italy. I am grateful to God for these brothers and thier labor for the kingdom. It was an encouraging meeting. As a first step, we decided to begin drafting a constitution for a Reformed coalition of churches. We will discuss this further at our next meeting on February 10-11. We pray that the Lord will strengthen our bonds with one another for the wellbeing of Christ’s church in Italy and the preservation of the gospel into the next generation. We invite you to pray for this meeting and for our future collaborative projects.
New Members Class
I am currently teaching a new members class to four people (a family of three and a single adult) who live in the city of Turin, which is about an hour and a half from Milan by car. These dear saints attend our church once a month in person and online on the other Sundays. They are very excited about our church and want to be members. We are praying that the Lord would provide a faithful ordained minister to plant a Reformed church in Turin, which is the second largest city in northern Italy.
Remodel Complete
With the generous gift we received from a donor, we were able to complete the remodel of our building. The only items left are two windows which have been ordered but will not arrive until May. However, the entrance to the building, the floors, the ceiling, and the massive front windows are finished. The building is now more spacious, luminous, and aesthetically appealing. We are grateful and very encouraged that the Lord has blessed our church in this way.
Family Conference Planned for April 22
On April 22, author Simonetta Carr will speak at our annual family conference on her excellent book, Broken Pieces and the God Who Mends Them, which chronicles her son’s tragic decline into mental illness, the effects this had on her family, and how she found hope in the gospel and the care of the church. This is an important and practical subject not only for families struggling with a loved one’s mental illness, but for all in the church so that we can be better equipped to care for hurting people with compassion and wisdom. Please pray for this event, as we advertise it and seek to reach many people in Milan, especially non-believers who are looking for hope .
Family Matters
Janie is doing well, working as a teacher of English as a second language. She continues to do most of the tech support for our church, and is also leading a ladies’ book discussion group that meets monthly. They recently read Rosaria Butterfield’s The Secret Life of an Unlikely Convert. Now, they are reading Nancy Guthrie’s book, God Does His Best Work with Empty. We are grateful that these titles are available in Italian. There is such a need to translate and publish more good books in the Italian language.
Iain is halfway through 11th grade and beginning to think seriously about what and where he wants to study after he graduates. His high school here in Italy is five years long, going until 13th grade, so he has some time to think. But he seems to be interested in studying medicine. We would appreciate your prayers for him. We are grateful to God that Iain continues to walk with the Lord unashamedly.
I am busy preaching through the book of Exodus, teaching the Belgic Confession in our catechism service, and the book of Romans during our Wednesday night Bible study. (We recently changed our Bible study from Friday to Wednesday evening.) In my spare time, I have been cycling a lot, usually to nearby Lake Como and back. It’s been a great way to enjoy God’s creation, relieve stress, and stay in shape.
Janie and I remain grateful to all of you who read these updates and pray for us. Thank you for your encouragement and generous support. Mission Milan is only possible because of people like you!
~ Pastor Mike
“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” ~ Acts 20:24
If you would like to help by making a donation, you may give online here on our website or send a check to:
Escondido United Reformed Church
1864 N. Broadway
Escondido, CA 92026
Attn: Mission Milan
Checks should be made out to Escondido United Reformed Church. Please indicate that the support is for Rev. Michael Brown as a missionary to Milan, Italy.
