March 2025

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

As 2025 marches on, Milan is showing the first signs of spring. The cold winter air is beginning to lose its bite. Locals are lingering longer in the piazzas, basking in the growing sunlight. Cherry blossoms and magnolias are starting to unfurl their delicate petals in a brilliant display of pink and white. Every spring, the city slowly awakens from its winter slumber, bringing people a sense of renewal and a faint glimmer of hope.

Human beings cannot live without hope. A life without hope is too dark and unbearable. As Dostoevsky said: "To live without hope is to cease to live". Only the gospel can give us true and lasting hope because it alone addresses the deepest problem of the human condition—our separation from God due to sin—and provides the only sufficient remedy: salvation through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Every other hope will fail, but the gospel assures us that we have been reconciled to God, our sins are forgiven, and eternal life in the resurrection is our inheritance. This is why Peter could say, even in the face of suffering and death:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pietro 1:3-5)

This is the hope that we seek to proclaim in Milan and throughout Italy. This country needs more than a sense of renewal that comes every spring; it stands in need of a new Reformation - one that restores the authority of God’s Word, recovers the gospel, and revives the church’s witness in a culture of secularism and superstition. The need is urgent, and the call is clear: Post Tenebras Lux (“after darkness, light”).

Thank you for standing with us in prayers and support as we seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ and preach his gospel of hope in Italy. Here is a brief update on what the Lord is doing in Mission Milan through the light of his Word.

In January, we welcomed three people as members in full communion: a beautiful couple named Onelio and Simona Francioso, as well as Onelio’s dear mother, Marina, who is 101 years old. Onelio and his mother have been lifelong Roman Catholics. After attending Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia for nearly a year and then completing the new membership class, Onelio and Simona were eager to join a confessionally Reformed church that faithfully preaches the Word and is governed by a plurality of elders. Both Simona and Onelio are involved in the life of the church and seek ways to serve the body of Christ. We give God thanks for wonderful addition to our congregation and ask that you would remember them in prayer.

In February, I was invited to preach at Chiesa Presbiteriana di Pistoia, a presbyterian church in Tuscany, one of the very few Reformed or Presbyterian churches in Italy. The church is about four hours from Milan. The pastor, Rev. Samuele Baroncelli, is a missionary sent by the Presbyterian Church in Brazil. This church is confessional and conservative. They are brothers and sisters in Christ and share with us the Reformed faith. You may remember from my December update that our Consistory invited Pastor Baroncelli to preach at our church last year. Having exchanged pulpits, our churches are now planning a joint-family retreat together in May. We give thanks for this new relationship and pray that it will bear fruit for God’s kingdom in Italy for many years to come.

At the beginning of this month, we were pleased to have with us Rev. Chris Coleman, pastor of Peace United Reformed Church in Vancouver, WA, and his beautiful family. It is always encouraging when Reformed pastors from the States visit us and bring the Word. It helps our congregation feel connected to the broader body of Christ and other Reformed churches. Pastor Chris preached a comforting sermon on Christ calming the storm, reminding us that Christ is sovereign over every difficulty we face and has promised to lead us through every trial. After the service, we had a fellowship meal in which about 80 people remained for lunch. In classic Italian fashion, the meal lasted for about 3-4 hours. Our fellowship meals are always a wonderful time to comune with one another and spend time together as a family in Christ.

Janie continues to lead the monthly “Ladies’ Book Club”. They are currently reading J.I. Packer’s classic, Knowing God, which is available in Italian. The group has become a fellowship of spiritually mature women. We give God thanks for their selfless serivce to the congregation and their example of devotion and godliness. They are a blessing to the church.

In the providence of God, our church has become involved in an outreach to the many arabic-speaking immigrants in Milan. our Consistory has developed a relationship with Pastor Shawkat Rezkalla, a missionary of the Presbyterian Church in Egypt. He and his family have been attending our church for about a year. His mission is to evangelize arabic-speaking Muslims in Milan and plant a church to make disciples of Jesus Christ. During the winter, our Consistory invited him to use our building on Sunday evenings. We give God thanks that a new work has begun!

Our weekly podcast “Ad Fontes” continues to grow and be a blessing. I greatly enjoy working with my friends and colleagues: Rev. Vincenzo Coluccia and Rev. Gavino Fioretti. The show is available on Spotify, Apple, and Youtube. In addition, our church Youtube channel, where we post all of our sermons, now has over 1,300 subscribers and regularly receives hundreds - sometimes thousands - of views every week. We give God thanks for this opportunity to reach people throughout Italy with the gospel and solid Reformed teaching.

Prayer Requests

1. That God will bring more young people to our church, as we seek to reach the next generation.

2. That God will use us to reach the lost and disciples new converts.

3. That God will strengthen our elders and deacons in the church, and that he will raise up more leaders in our church.

4. That God will be glorified in our labors for his kingdom in Italy, keeping Janie and me encouraged, healthy, and focused.

5. That the Lord will bless the work of our podcast “Ad Fontes” and use it for his glory.

Grazie Mille!

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

How you can help

Making disciples of Christ in Milan is only possible with the faithful partnership of God’s people. If you want to get involved in the Great Commission in Italy, here are three ways you can help:

1. PRAY for the church in Milan (Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia) and for Pastor Mike and his family. Pray that the gospel will be proclaimed boldly, that people will come to know Christ, and that they will grow in their faith. Pray that more faithful churches will be planted in Italy.

2. SHARE the news about Mission Milan. Pass on this newsletter to others and tell them about the need in Italy. For more information, visit our website: missionmilan.org.

3. GIVE a donation of any amount. Your gift helps! You can give online at missionmilan.org. Or 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.