November 2020

Setbacks and New Challenges

Some of you may remember that my October newsletter was titled “A New Season” and described the joy that our congregation has experienced in recent months. With the arrival of autumn, our Sunday attendance swelled, our midweek ministry was back on track, and we had carefully planned our second annual “Milan Conference on Reformed Theology” for October 31. However, I had no sooner sent that encouraging news than our situation suddenly began to change. As the graph below indicates, the number of Covid cases in Lombardy (the region in which we live) has spiked drastically since the beginning of October. Consequently, the state has reinstituted many restrictions on schools, businesses, and…churches.

For now, we are still able to meet in person on Sunday morning, although our numbers have naturally dropped. Our catechism service and Friday evening Bible study, however, must meet on Zoom. Moreover, we had to cancel our Wednesday night English classes for the community and postpone our Reformation conference. As you can imagine, all of this comes as discouraging news. We ask you to continue praying for the work here.

We ask you to pray for the Sulcapulma family in our congregation, who has tested postive for Covid and been ill. Please pray also for our sister church to the north of us, Chiesa Presbiteriana di Legnano, who has experienced an outbreak of Covid amongst its members, including the pastor, Rev. Humberto Arisa de Olivera.

We are confident that, whatever challenges we may face this winter, the Lord’s ever-sufficient grace will strengthen us so that we can continue to preach the gospel and making disciples in Milan.  

Residency permits granted!

After a gruelling two-year process and many frustrating appointment at dreary immigration offices, we finally received our residency permits (cue Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus). Italian bureaucracy is legendary.

 I must say, though, that the ordeal has caused us to have much more compassion and respect for immigrants. Moving from one country to another, especially one in which you must learn a new language, is no easy task. It takes courage, patience, and a lot of perseverance. We are very grateful for your prayers. Truly, the Lord has been gracious to us!

Janie meets our first grandchild!

The hardest thing about being a foreign missionary is being away from family. We are rarely able to see our three grown children in the States. In May, our first grandchild was born: Isabella Jane Corrigan. Janie had planned to be there for her birth and help our daughter Alysia for several weeks, but international travel restrictions due to Covid prevented the trip. Five months later, we were finally able to send Janie. She arrived in Alexandria, VA on October 20 to spend a whole month bonding with her grand-daughter. Needless to say, she is over the moon! Iain and I are scheduled to join her and the rest of our family during Thanksgiving week. Provided that Italy doesn’t lockdown again, this reunion will be the first time we have I have been together in over 18 months. We’re praying that we’ll be able to go.

How You Can Help 

2020 has been a very challenging year for churches and families to think about missions and support missionaries financially. I want to personally thank you for your courage and commitment in supporting us and all that God is doing through the gospel here in Milan. This mission is only possible with the faithful prayers and generous contributions of people like you.

If you would like to help by making a donation, please 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.

Grazie di cuore!

We are humbled and grateful for your prayers, encouragement and support, apart from which we could not be faithful to this mission. We ask that you continue to remember us in prayer, asking the Lord of the harvest to grow his church here in Milan in grace, maturity, and number. May the Lord continue to strengthen your faith in Christ our Lord, who rules and protects his church in this present evil age until the last trumpet when he returns visibly as the King of kings.

~ 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