Since my last update on February 28, the number of reported cases of Coronavirus in Italy has skyrocketed from 888 to 6387, and deaths have climbed from 21 to 366. Again, it is worth noting that the majority of those who have died were elderly and/or in poor health. The vast majority of these numbers are here in Lombardy, the region in which we live. The entire region is now designated as a “red zone”, meaning that no one is permitted to enter or exit, and everyone is encouraged to stay at home and not leave unless absolutely necessary. All schools and churches in the entire country are under a strict mandate to remain closed until at least April 3. Scenes like the one above, in which the otherwise bustling and busy Galleria is now almost completely empty, are commonplace for the moment in Milan.

“Dio è per noi un rifugio e una forza, un aiuto sempre pronto nelle difficoltà” (Salmo 46:1) “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1) These words from Psalm 46 have comforted us richly during this time of uncertainty and concern. With the outbreak of the Coronavirus in northern Italy, the rhythm of daily life has been disrupted in Milan. Of the 888 reported cases of infected persons in Italy and 21 deaths (as of February 28), the majority have been in Lombardy, the most populated region in the country and home to the city of Milan. All schools in the entire region - from kindergarten to university - have been mandatorily closed, as well as most museums, public facilities, and professional soccer games (a major source of revenue in Italy). Iain’s school is holding classes via internet. Likewise, all churches are restricted from holding public meetings.

On January 5, the first Lord’s Day of 2020, Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia in Milan had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of Giacomo Rinaldi, a young man who professed his faith in Christ and made known his desire to follow Jesus as a disciple. We also were blessed to receive his parents Eliseo and Cristina, and his brother Giovanni into membership. The whole family previously completed a new members’ class with me and the elders. They took public vows and were welcomed into the fellowship of God’s people. What a tremendous blessing! Please pray that the Lord will continue to bring unbelievers and new families to Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia so that they can hear the gospel and be discipled in the faith.

We have now been in the country for a little over a year. By God’s grace, we are adjusting well. The transition was not easy, and a took a while to settle in and find a place to live, but now Milan is starting to feel like home to us. Iain is doing well in school and has made some friends. He is hard-working student and his Italian is outstanding. THANK YOU for all who pray for him!

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday in America, the end of November seems to be for many of us a time of reflection upon the goodness of God and the reasons we have to be thankful. Although Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Italy, we did enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner and took time to express our gratitude to God. First and foremost, we are thankful for Jesus, our gracious Savior and omnipotent King. As St. Ambrose, the fourth-century bishop of Milan, said so well: “In Christ we have everything…and Christ is everything for us: if you are oppressed by guilt, he is your righteousness; if you need help, he is your strength; if you are afraid of death, he is life; if you desire heaven, he is the way; if you want to escape darkness, he is the light.”

On Saturday, October 26, we held our first Reformation conference since my arrival last year. Dr. Michael Horton was our guest speaker. He gave two outstanding lectures from his book Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World. This book has been translated and published in Italian, and we provided free copies to all who attended. In addition to our members from our church, we had about 40 visitors from the city of Milan, which, by Italian standards, is an excellent turnout. Dr. Horton also did a Q&A session and spent ample time speaking to the people personally during the breaks. He also preached in our church on Sunday, October 27. We were very blessed by Dr. Horton’s ministry to us and pray that it will bear fruit for the mission to Milan in the coming years.

With the arrival of September, a new season has begun here in Milan. Everyone has returned from their annual vacations in August, children will begin a new school year in the coming weeks, and we have recommenced our catechism service. Our church was completely full yesterday (Sep 1), with nearly all members in attendance plus some new and regular visitors. This coming Sunday I will conclude my series on the Psalms. It is truly amazing to see the gospel at work, even as it is preached by a minister with an American accent! God is good, and we are encouraged. 

We are able to look back over the past eight months and see how the Lord had been very gracious to us through the ministry of his Word. We are delighted to see some fruit on the tree, as people are attentive to the preaching and regularly inviting others to worship. We are seeing more visitors, some who are attending to every week and beginning to participate in the life of the congregation. What a blessing to see our Lord make disciples through his Word and Spirit!

God willing, on the first Sunday of July, I will finish my series on the letter to the Ephesians. This marks a milestone as it will be the first complete book I have preached in Italian since arriving in country. The congregation has responded well to the Word and seems hungry for more. They have been very patient with my American accent, which I am trying hard to lose. Preaching and teaching in a second language is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It is a constant reminder to me that power rests not in my talents or abilities, but in the Word of God.

As always, Janie and I want to say thank you for your prayers, notes of encouragement, and financial support. The work load is immense and it always feels as if there are not enough hours in the week. Yet, the Lord is so faithful and continues to show us mercy. Preaching in a foreign language is, as one missionary put it, “hard and humbling”. But the salvation of sinners does not come through our gifts and abilities, but through the power of his gospel. All we need to do is be faithful with the time and opportunity that he has given us to make disciples of Jesus. Thank you for remembering us in your prayers!

It brings me great joy to report that the gospel ministry here in Milan continues to flourish by God’s grace. Services are well attended, the congregation is learning and memorizing the catechism, and we are regularly blessed with visitors and inquirers.

In Italy, there is a common saying to describe the amount of time and patience it takes to accomplish something important: “Pian piano.” Literally, it translates as “slowly, slowly.” But the expression is used to mean something more along the lines of, “Slowly but surely” or “In due time.” I remember how my Italian teachers would use this expression whenever I lamented how I wanted to learn the language more quickly. They would usually smile with some appreciation for my zeal and simply say, “Pian piano.” In other words, “Just keep at it, and it will come. You can’t rush the process.”

On Sunday, January 6, 2019, I had the honor of being installed by the Consistory of Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia (the Reformed church in Milan, Italy) as minister of the Word and sacraments. Using an Italian version of the URCNA form for installation, elder Vittorio Calderaro read the form and delivered the charge to me and the congregation. I felt the weight of responsibility for this awesome task as I publicly affirmed my sense of call and gave my promise to labor as diligent workman: “Io credo and lo prometto, con l’aiuto di Dio” (“I believe and do promise, with the help of God”).