August 2024

Proverbs 25:25 says, “Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” It has been several months since my last online update, so I would like to share with you some news about what God has been doing in Mission Milan through His Word.
PROFESSION OF FAITH
In April, we had the blessing of witnessing Abraham Sulcapuma, 19, publicly profess his faith in Jesus Christ. Over the past two years, Abraham has demonstrated a lot of growth and maturity as a disciple of Jesus, attending worship and the monthly men’s meeting on his own, and joyfully serving the church in various ways. In January, he informed the elders of his desire to profess his faith. He then completed a nine-week course of study with me through the Heidelberg Catechism. After being

interviewed by the Consistory, he made public vows during worship (pictured above) and was received as a member in full communion of Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia. Paul tells us in Romans 15:7: “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Pictured below is the church joyfully greeting Abraham and welcoming him into fellowship after the service.

Please remember to pray for Abraham and his continued growth as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

MEN OF THE COVENANT
By God’s grace, our monthly men’s meeting “Uomini del Patto” (“Men of the Covenant”) has continued to be a blessing to many men in our congregation. We meet at the church on the first Friday of each month to pray for each other, sing to the Lord, study a book, and eat together. We are still going through Tim Keller’s book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, which was recently translated and published in Italian. Getting together with these brothers is always a joy. I

pray that the Lord will raise up more leaders of his church from this group of men. They have a passion for the Word of God and a love for Christ’s church.

DEATH OF A MEMBER

In March, we mourned the death of a member: Pina Bellitto, 76, the wife of deacon Tonino Bellitto. Pina and Tonino were married in 1967 and were blessed with three children and five grandchildren. For the past 19 years, Pina suffered from Alzheimer’s. Nevertheless, here joy in the Lord and love for the Word of God continued even amid her illness. Although we mourn her death, we rejoice that she is with her Savior and awaits the resurrection of the body.

REV. MIKE CUNEO PREACHES IN MILAN

In May, we were blessed by the ministry of Rev. Mike Cuneo, PCA missionary to Italy and pastor of Chiesa Riformata del Trasimeno. Pastor Cuneo plays an important role in the development of our future Reformed denomination, Chiesa Presbiteriana e Riformata in Italia. His knowledge of presbyterian polity is very helpful as we continue to work on a church order for the churches in Italy. Pastor Cuneo preached a Christ-centered sermon on David’s kindness to Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9.

FELLOWSHIP MEALS
Table fellowship is an important part of Italian culture. To share a meal means more than enjoying good food; it also means entering into the lives of others. As the family of God, however, it has an even deeper meaning: It provides us with an opportunity to celebrate God’s goodness, extend hospitality, and make room for others to find life by sharing in our own. Our congregation enjoys the

blessing of eating together. Four times a year, we spend Sunday afternoon together in an extended meal after the worship service. This simple ritual is an invitation to share our common life together and live in reconciliation with one another. May the Lord continue to unite our hearts and bless us with true community through and in Jesus Christ.

CONFERENCE IN RAVENNA

In May, I had the privilege of serving as a speaker at a conference on preaching that was held by Chiesa Solo Cristo, a small Reformed Baptist church in the historic city of Ravenna. I gave three lectures: “How to Preach Christ-centered Sermons”, “How to Preach Christ from the Old Testament”, and “How to Interpret the Bible.” The fellowship at the conference was very encouraging. I am grateful for the opportunity to strengthen relationships with other Christians and pastors here in Italy, and pray that Christ will be proclaimed all over this country.

SYNOD 2024
In June, I had the blessing of attending the Synod meeting of our federation, the United Reformed Churches in North America, which was held in Escondido, California and hosted by my overseeing church, Escondido United Reformed Church. Over the years, I have been a delegate to Synod many times. This time, however, was different. I was able to attend Synod as a guest along with elders Mimmo Altobelli and Vittorio Calderaro. It was the first time that these brothers had been to Synod. It proved to be a positive experience and a wise investment for the future of the Reformed church in Italy, as Mimmo and Vittorio were able to witness firsthand how an ecclesiastical assembly functions.

They were particularly impressed with the decorum and mutual respect among the delegates, as well as the warm fellowship. They were also able to meet many pastors and elders of our federation, as well as reconnect with some whom they already know. Pictured below is Rev. Chris Coleman, pastor of Peace United Reformed Church in Vancouver, Washington. Pastor Coleman was a summer intern at Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia many years ago while he was still a seminary student at Westminster Seminary California. We are grateful to God for providing this important opportunity for our elders, and pray that it will bear fruit here in Italy for years to come.

SWEET REUNION
One of the biggest blessings of being at Synod is seeing so many friends and colleagues. Among those whom I was able to see were a number of ministers who are also former interns at Christ URC in Santee while I served that congregation as its pastor. Pictured below are five of these men. From left to right: Rev. Taylor Kern (co-pastor of Ontario URC in Ontario, CA), Rev. Chris Smith (associate pastor of Phoenix URC in Phoenix, AZ), Rev. Mark Vander Pol (associate pastor of Lynden URC in Lynden, WA), Rev. Mihai Corcea (pastor of Biserica Evanghelică Reformată in Bucharest, Romania), me, and Rev. Daniel Ventura (co-pastor of Ontario URC in Ontario, CA). It is hard to describe how encouraging it was to see these men who are faithfully serving Christ and his Church. May the Lord continue to bless them and strengthen them in their ministries!

FAMILY MATTERS
Janie and I are happy to announce that our youngest son, Iain, graduated from high school and completed the international baccalaureate program. We are very proud of him and his hard work. By God’s grace, he overcame many challenges over the past six years, as he adapted to a new home, culture, and language. We are grateful to God for his faithfulness. In August, Iain will begin his studies in biochemistry at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, a conservative Christian college known for its rigorous academics. We are very excited for our son, but struggling with the idea of being empty-nesters. We humbly ask that you remember Iain in your prayers as he begins a new chapter in his life.

Grazie di Cuore
As always, Janie and I give thanks to God for all who support Mission Milan. Thank you for your prayers, letters of encouragement, and generous support. May the Lord continue to strengthen your faith in Christ, your hope in heaven, and your love for others.

Pastor Mike and Janie

This mission to Milan is only possible with the faithful prayers and generous contributions of people like you. If you would like to help us meet our goal by making a donation, you may send a check to:

Escondido United Reformed Church
1864 N. Broadway
Escondido, CA 92026

Checks should be made out to Escondido United Reformed Church. Please indicate that the support is for Rev. Michael Brown as a missionary to Italy.