October-November 2023

October 2023

Dear Friends,

The theme for my recent trip: CP (church planting) Progress!

I was in Europe from Oct. 9-24, with stops in Madrid, Athens, Rome, Athens again, and Belfast.

City to City Europe Catalyst Team.

Highlights:

1. Madrid- I was in Madrid for 2 days for our Church Planter Intensive training, to observe, and visit with church planter candidates from a few of my cities. One  evening we hosted 18 interested Madrid pastors to discuss the possibilities of a new church planting network in Madrid. Madrid has been a difficult city to break into with evangelical church plants, but this was encouraging.

2. Athens - This was a City to City Balkans gathering, the 2nd such gathering since its inception in 2022. I met - for the first time - pastors from Bulgaria, Serbia, and North Macedonia, and  will plan to visit them in 2024, in their cities, to pursue church planting development and training.

3. Rome - I was in Rome to strengthen partnerships between 2 U.S. churches and 2 churches newly-planted in Rome.  I also met with the Rome Church Planting Network, speaking to them about church planting activity across Europe, and that they are a part of a wider movement of the gospel in the cities of Europe.

4. I returned to Athens for 2 days for a meeting of the City to City Catalysts, of whom I am the longest tenured, so to speak. It was actually the first ever meeting of a Catalyst Team for Europe. We catalysts seek to work with church planters, develop CP networks in cities in our regions, and encourage the development of planters through internships and Intensive training. We are led by Tim Coomar who is a long-time and also  Associate Director for City to City Europe.

5. From Athens I made the long east-to-west flight to Belfast, Northern Ireland to attend a Church Planting "Taster," sponsored by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. I was invited by several PCI pastors and their Mission in Ireland Director, to hear their strategy for a new emphasis on church planting across the island. There is great interest in our CP Training, and in forming a CP Network in Belfast. My hope is that in 2024 we can see an emergence of a cross denominational CP network started there.

So, I was much encouraged with the progress of the gospel in all these cities. Though in a distinct minority in Europe, the evangelical church is growing. God is doing some great things in the lives of pastors and their churches: 10 planters trained in Madrid, 2 new plants and partnerships in Rome, a new network for the Balkans, and a new strategy and emphasis on church planting in Ireland.

Jesus' Great Commission (Matt. 28) was about making disciples in all nations, which translates into making new churches who will make new disciples. That's why Paul planted churches all across Europe, and why we continue that divinely sanctioned work. It's exciting to walk in the steps of Paul in Athens and Rome, and see revival of the work he started there long ago. Jesus said "I will build my Church,"  and He is.

Warmly,

Walter

Madrid Church Planting Intensive

November 2023 Update

Dear Friends,

My last trip for 2023 concluded just before Thanksgiving. I was in Zagreb, Belgrade, Tirana, and London. The cities of the Balkans, outside Athens, are emerging cities for church planting and church planting network activity.

Belgrade Evangelical Pastors

Backdrop: My goals in these cities are twofold: 1. To recruit church planting candidates to our Church Planting Intensive Training, a 2 week learning cohort that  gives them gospel-centered theology, philosophy of ministry, and practical tools to be successful church planters. 2. To help form church planting networks in their cities. A Church Planting Network is a group of like minded pastors who love the gospel, love their city, and want to see more churches planted in their cities. They meet regularly to pray, learn, share best practices, and encourage one another. Church planting in Europe is challenging and lonely work, and a network provides great encouragement and resources to these church planters.

Highlights:

1. Zagreb, Croatia - I met with pastor Mihal, whose church is planting a daughter church in West Zagreb, a city of over 1 million. Mihal is desirous of attending our church planting training intensive. My hope is that we can see 2 Croat church planters at our training next year. Mihal is an exprienced church planter who could lead a network inZagreb.

2. Belgrade, Serbia  - A city of 3 million with 15 evangelical (protestant) churches, and approximately 1000 evangelical believers. I met with a small group of pastors who are interested in learning more about City to City and  Europe City Partners. I hope to see 2 Serbian pastors also attend our Intensive training next year.

3. Tirana, Albania - The Evangelical Church of Tirana hosted a conference for City to City network leaders from across Europe. There  were about 50 men and women, sharing best practices and how the gospel is making  progress in their cities. There is a growing network of church planters in Tirana and throughout Albania, a country that is largely Muslim, with evangelicals comprising .3 % of the population.

4. London - I attended the U.K. Partnership gathering, a group of U.S. churches supporting church planting in the United Kingdom. Church planters from several U.K. cities presented plans for new churches, in hopes that the U.S. churches represented would decide to get behind their new works. With Belfast being one of my cities, I'm seeking to facilitate partnerships with new churches in Belfast and U.S. church leaders involved in the U.K. partnership.

City to City Conference in Tirana for City Network Leaders.

It's been a good year of travel, health, and observing the progress of the gospel in the cities of Europe. I am encouraged with potential of new churches and new leaders in several cities across my area of Europe, from Belfast to the Balkans.

I'm grateful for your prayers and support. I could not do what I do, and see what I'm seeing without your partnership in the gospel. I'm looking forward to building on these developments in 2024. My next trip will be in January.

I hope you have a wonderful advent and Christmas season , as we celebrate the coming of the One whose name was Jesus, for "he shall save his people from their sins." Matt. 5:21

February 2023 Update

Dear Friends,

Just a quick update in between trips.

1. Feb. 8-20 - Had good visits in Dublin, Madrid, Barcelona, and Vienna.

• The Dublin Collective (church planting network) continues to be strong and healthy.

• I met with a group of 12 Madrid pastors who were very interested in coming together to make an impact for Christ in Madrid, and to consider our church planting training as a vehicle to build a larger network (really significant for Madrid, historically a challenging city for the gospel).

• The Barcelona church planting network, which dissolved during the pandemic, will take a significant step toward re-booting with a gathering to pray and re-visit our training materials in September.

• I worshipped at 2 church plants in Vienna, both above average in size (over 100), healthy, and planning to plant daughter churches in the next 2 years.

2. After the trip I had the opportunity to speak at 2 Missions Conferences, and give snapshots of the church planting movement in Europe as whole and my work with Europe City Partners in particular.

3. March 2-10. It's back to back trips. Normally there's a longer break between trips, but sometimes the work over there dictates my travels. On Thursday I'll be taking off for Croatia, to speak at a Missions Conference and do some recruiting to church planting training, and then to Tirana Albania, to check in with Altin Zefi, pastor and network leader there. Joining me in Tirana will be Tim Coomar, who is new with City to City Europe, and who will begin assisting me in catalytic work in Europe.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support of the work of the gospel in Europe. God is building His church.

Sincerely in Christ,

Walter

September- October 2022

Dear Friends,

I had an unusual back-to-back pair of trips in September and October, dictated by a Europe Team meeting in late September and a long-planned trip to Croatia in mid-October with some of my ECP Board members.

Here's a snapshot of September 18-28:

Tirana, Albania- Had good visits with Altin, church planting leader there, and also with Tony, a new church planter. Altin squeezed in a visit to neighboring Kosovo for us to meet with another CP there. Tirana is developing into a church planting hub for Albania and Kosovo.

Lisbon- Our anchor church there is doing remarkably well, post-pandemic. Services are packed at the Lapa Church, they planted a church last year that is now self-sustaining, and have an intern who will launch a new plant in January.

Dublin- The Dublin Collective ( church planting network) is thriving. Several new plants are in the works. Enjoyed worshipping with 2 of them on Sunday, one in the city center, the other in north Dublin.

David Martin, church planter at Christ Church North Dublin.

Edinburgh - It was good to be here with CTC Europe team, reconnecting, revisiting goals for Europe wide (25 cities to be developed into CP hubs), and strategizing for the next few years. Our ECP 3-year plan fits in nicely to those of City to City Europe.

Bonus: I had a free afternoon, and snuck out to play a round of golf with a fellow pastor in Edinburgh. Great fun. When in Scotland...

City to City Europe Team meeting in Edinburgh.

October 8-22

The October trip was arranged so that a few of my ECP Board members could see first hand the challenges and opportunities in three cities in which I work.

Madrid - We worshipped with a new plant in the north of Madrid, and next day met with another planter at Plaza Major, hearing how his new church (Raices Madrid, or "Rooted" in Madrid), was faring post -pandemic. His church is doing well, and actually grew some, and has about 40 solid members now.

ECP Board members with Esteban, church planter in Madrid.

Barcelona - The Ciutat Nova (New City) church likewise got through the pandemic in good shape, even thriving during a recent pastoral transition. Founding pastor Xavi Memba retired, and leadership is now in the hands of men Xavi had trained and prepared. We met with their leadership, along with David Oliver, pastor in Sant Cugat neighborhood, to discuss how we might re-start the Barcelona church planting network, and introduce church plant training as a way of developing planters and accelerating the gospel.

Steve, Becky, and me with David Oliver, pastor and City to City leader in Barcelona

Croatia - Our last stop was Cakovec, Croatia, where we met with our long-time friends to celebrate and give thanks for their new building. A new building there works like a new building in the U.S., enabling higher visibility and new growth for the church. They have grown by about 30% since the building opened, pretty good for a dominant catholic country. Praise God.

Lunch after church outside new facility in Mackovec, Croatia.

My travel companions, friends, and ECP supporters: Steve, Laura, Ben, Anita, Becky and me, Jodean, Anne, Mark, and Donna.

Challenges, Frustrations, and Thanks

God greatly blessed the trips. There are always challenges and frustrations in the travel (delays, waiting, middle seats, airport security checks, finding meeting locations...) and day to day life management (finding healthy food, remembering to get bottled water, jet lag, different climates, language barriers, a good bed for a good night's sleep...). I am a bit tired at the end of each trip, and now at the end of a year of 6 two-week trips, I'm ready for some down time.

But in the midst, God is always faithful and good. I love what I do, and thank God for the opportunity. I count it a privilege to serve in this ministry and am immensely grateful for your partnership in the gospel with me.

Grace and peace,

Walter

March 2022 Update

Dear Friends,

Just got back from my most unusual trip to Europe yet. Here's a brief timeline:

March 14-15 - Arrived in Frankfurt for a City to City team meeting. Our colleague in Ukraine, Ben Morrison (below, left), was with us via video both days. 

We all agreed to pray for Ukraine at 2:24 (invasion day) every day. Ben, located in Svitlovodsk,  is pastoring his church, shepherding a number of church planters, and ministering to hundreds of refugees fleeing from East Ukraine to the West. 

March 16- Wednesday - 2 of our team tested positive for COVID 19. I departed for Croatia, where I was scheduled to speak at a conference and a church. 

I spoke at the Mackovec Baptist Church Wednesday evening from John 4 on Jesus's  encounter with the woman at the well.

March 17 - Thursday - We drove to Crikvenica on the Croatian coast, for a conference for 130 missionaries and church planters from all over the Balkans. 

I started having symptoms, like I was coming down with a cold. 

March 18 - Friday - Day 2 of the conference. I enjoyed talking with conferees. Was not scheduled to speak until Saturday. 

March 19 - Saturday - I was the last speaker on the docket, speaking in the morning on 3 Keys to a Healthy Church: 1. Good Worship, 2. Good Small Groups, 3. Good Leadership.  That afternoon we drove back to Mackovec, near Zagreb, where I was staying with long time Croatian friends Nenad and Silvana Kovacevic.  That night a doctor, one of the elders of the church, gave me a home test and I was positive. Still felt like I had a cold. 

March 20 - Sunday - I preached on John 4, on Being on Mission in the Middle of the Day. I wore a mask before and after preaching. My voice, which tends to weaken and (often disappear) when I have a cold, held up well. 

March 21 - Monday - Day of rest in Cakovec.  Still feel like I've got a cold: head stopped up, sinus drainage, sore throat.

March 22 - Tuesday - Went to Cakovec medical clinic - tested positive. This was the official testing site that would clear me to travel home. 

March 23 - 24- Wednesday Thursday - Feeling OK. Resting, reading, praying, struggling to be patient. Was supposed to be in Belgrade, Budapest and Vienna the 21st through the 30th.  All canceled.  Waiting to test negative. Becky encouraged me to come home as soon as I tested negative. I agreed. 

March 25 - Friday - I tested negative at a Cakovec medical clinic, received my COVID 19 passport and was cleared to leave the country. I was able to rebook with Delta and return home Saturday from Zagreb instead of Wednesday 3/30 from Vienna.  Still felt like I was on the back end of a cold, but much relieved being past the coronavirus. God blessed with and uneventful flight home. 

So, this is part of the job. I chalk it up to an occupational hazard. Though disappointing, God was in control and most gracious. I could not have been in a better place: in Croatia, with longtime friends, under a doctor's care. Lessons learned: patience, trust, waiting on the Lord, thanks that I was where I was and not seriously ill. 

Thank you for your prayers. I am grateful for your support of the church planting movement in Europe. I am eager to get back to it. 

Next up:

May 18-31 - I'll be in Rome with Eric Shrimpton, NCCC Missions Director, to explore the possibility of a new partnership between North Cincinnati Community Church and newly planned Rome church plant. We'll go on to Croatia, so Eric can meet the leaders of the NCCC- Mackovec Baptist partnership for the first time. Then on to Vienna, to check up on the development of a new Vienna church planting network. I'll go on to Athens, where I'll be speaking at a conference for Balkan church planting leaders, to discuss the possibility of forming a Balkan Church Planting Network.  

Sincerely in Christ,

Walter

First Trip Back since the Pandemic.

I returned on July 6 from a 2 week trip to Europe, the first trip back since February 2020.  I am grateful to God for his mercy, to travel without incident and to have some great meetings with pastors and church planters I haven't seen in over 16 months. 

Breccia Di Roma pastors and interns.

Here are the HIGHLIGHTS:

TRAVEL

Mostly uneventful!  Italy dropped their testing requirement just before I left Atlanta and I could get in with my vaccination card. Albania and Croatia presented no restrictions for entering, but I did have to have a negative COVID test before returning to the U.S. I got my test in Croatia and returned as scheduled.

ROME

Meetings were very profitable. Met with a number of pastors and church planters in person at Breccia DiRoma church, led by Leonardo DeChirico. It was encouraging to hear of their plans to plant 2 new churches in the next 3 years. It was also encouraging to hear that they had survived the pandemic well, and indeed, some of the churches in Rome had increased in number. I was three days in Rome, catching up with Leonardo and Rene Breuel (Hopera Church).

PERUGIA

Ancient walled city, university city, the capital of  Umbria, pop. 168,000.  Giacomo Sardone planted Il Perugino Church 7 years ago. It has grown, become established, and is now launching their  first daughter church in Spoleto, a few miles away. 

Leadership Team of Il Perugino Church in Perugia.

I met with church leadership, helped them develop a ministry plan for outreach and church multiplication, and preached on Sunday. 

ALBANIA

60% Muslim, 20% Orthodox, Protestant Evangelicals less than 1%.

Altin Zefi, with 2 of 130 Cru Staff in Albania, many of whom are planting churches.

City Leader: Altin Zefi, pastor and former Cru Director for Albania, now focused full-time on his  church and the planting of new churches in Tirana.  Altin is cooperating with other pastors to see 3-4 new churches planted in Tirana next year.  Altin will be accompany 3 men from Tirana to attend our European Church Planting Intensive Training in Athens in October, where Altin will be delivering one of the training sessions. There is an emerging movement of church planting in Tirana with great potential. 

CROATIA

BCM - Baptist Church Mackovec, Pastor Nenad Kovacevic. Celebrating 100 years of ministry.

My Croatian friends opened a new building on June 6 and I was there to bring greetings and celebrate with them. In addition to serving their own church and community with a 300 person capacity space, with spacious lobby, classrooms, kitchen, etc., they will use this new facility to host pastors' conferences and church planting training in the future. It's a great story of faith, patience, sacrifice, and God doing a great work in their midst - to enable them to build and complete without debt, and to be poised for a new era of ministry in their region. 

NEXT TRIPS

September 7-16 - I'm scheduled to meet with the City to City Europe Team in London Sept. 7-9.  From there I hope to visit Lisbon and Dublin. Travel may be opening up in those cities, so I am hopeful to be able to get in and out without  difficulty. Please pray with me for that. 

October 11-25 - There will be a Church Planting Training Intensive in Athens Oct. 4-14. I will be there for the last few days to meet up with several church planter contacts. From there I am hoping to visit Tirana, Vienna, and Prague. 

As you pray, please pray:

1. For Giacomo Sardone in Perugia, for wisdom and grace as he leads his church and gives oversight to the new church in Spoleto. 

2. That the church plant in Spoleto, Italy would reach new people and grow. 

3. For Leonardo DeChirico and Rene Breuel as they shepherd their respective churches in Rome and seek to prepare young men to plant new churches.

4. For Altin Zefi in Tirana, for wisdom and grace as he seeks to  develop a church planting network in his city. 

5. For open travel to London, Lisbon, and Dublin in September. 

I am grateful for your prayers and support. Thanks for your investment in the movement of church planting in the cities of Europe. 

October Update

October, 2021

Europe City Partners "Reconnect Tour"

Dear Friends,

I just returned from a trip to Athens, Prague, Tirana, and Vienna, over Oct. 11-23.  It was a productive trip, reconnecting with several men I have not seen in over 18 months. It was a good time for catching up and looking ahead - and exciting to get back to in-person interactions. Here are the highlights: 

Athens: Intensive Training - I was there for the last 3 days of our Church Planting Intensive for new church planters. Fifteen church planters were there from all over Europe, plus several trainers who led the sessions.  I was able to kill several birds with this one stone, reconnecting with planters from Dublin, Belfast, Barcelona, Athens, Istanbul, and Tirana. 

Prague: A Difficult Situation - From Athens I traveled to Prague, for an unusual visit,  not with the positive outcome that we are used to seeing in Europe. A church was planted in the heart of the city in 2010. It has since gone through two pastoral transitions, and in the process has lost numbers and leadership, and with just a few families left is faced with the potential of closing her doors. We pray that does not happen. I will work with the remaining families to seek to find a new pastor and rebuild strength and momentum. Please join me in praying to that end. How do these things happen? It's been rare in Europe, but it can be attributed to a number of factors, including the gift mix of the pastor, the lack of a good "fit," unresolved conflict among church members, financial struggles, and always there's the work of the evil one taking advantage of all such cracks in the building. The devil is the enemy and is seeking to destroy the work of church planting around the world. 

Tirana: An Emerging Network - There is an emerging church planting network and momentum in Tirana and in the surrounding cities. Four church planters and a trainer were at the Intensive in Athens.  I met a number of pastors who are interested in joining with ECP and CTC to make an impact for Christ in their cities.

Vienna: Celebrating a New Facility - My final stop was Vienna, where there is also an emerging church planting network, but most of the men I wanted to meet with were out of town. I was able to meet with good friend Brad Hunter, pastor of New City Wien, who is  involved in the ongoing network discussions. Most exciting for Brad now is his new facility. They just moved in this summer, and it provides them at least 3 times the space they formerly had. New City Wien is poised to become a resource church for Austria, to support the church planting movement in Vienna and other Austrian cities. His facility will host the City to City DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland church planters) in March. 

With this trip and my trip in June, I have been able to reconnect with a high percentage of the men I have been working with over the last several years. It has been encouraging. 

Next Trip: I am planning a short trip to Dublin, Belfast and Barcelona Nov. 2-9 after which the "reconnect" tour will be just about complete for 2021. 

COVID Booster: I got my booster shot before I left on this last trip and had no health or travel issues during the 11 days. I tested negative before my flight, so thankfully I could return to the U.S. 

Thanks for your prayers and support. 

Many blessings,

Walter

November Update

Trinity Church Belfast with church planter Lee Eagleson.

Dear Friends,

I made visits to Dublin, Belfast, and Barcelona during the week of Nov. 2-9.  Once travel became possible this summer my goal was to try and get into every city in my areas of Europe before the end of the year, for face- to-face re-connecting after 18+ months.  All the Zoom calls have been nice, but it's no substitute for in -person interaction. With trips completed in June, October, and now November, I was able to get into every city except Lisbon, which I plan to visit in January. And with each visit to Europe, there is the slightly nerve-wracking COVID test that I have to take and produce a negative result to be able to come home. Grateful to God for his mercy,  being able to come home each time as planned.

Quick Highlights:

Dublin - The Dublin Collective has formed over the last year, which is a group of pastors and church planters praying, learning, and strategizing for new plants across Dublin. I was able to meet with them as a group and with several of them individually. Much to be encouraged about, with many new churches in the works, across denominational lines. 

Dublin Collective and Church Planters Forum

Belfast - I met with 7 pastors and denominational leaders about the possibility of forming a Belfast church planting network. There was great interest and good chemistry among the men there.  They have scheduled their next meeting for January. 

Belfast pastors in prayer for their churches and city.

Barcelona - Two of our leading pastors there have left their churches. One due to burnout and the other due to financial difficulty, because of a significant loss of giving to his church as a result of the pandemic. Their churches continue on, which is a tribute to their leadership development, but both were city network leaders and there is now a significant leadership loss in the city.  My hope is that we can see a revitalized church planting network  re-emerge in Barcelona in 2022. Spiritual warfare, or counter-attack, is a real thing, and I would ask your prayers for Barcelona, as well as for all the cities of Europe, as we are seeing some significant push back from the evil one. Most of the reports I have given are very positive, but Barcelona is an example of some opposition we are seeing in a few places.

My next planned trip is for January. But I'm thrilled to have been able to make personal contact with nearly all my "clients," who are in reality friends and co-laborers in the gospel.

Personal Stuff:

Our kids and grandkids are doing well. Daughter Elisabeth and Stephen live 10 minutes away and we enjoy seeing grandkids Garrett, 9, and Peyton, 7 on a regular basis. Son Walter III and Stephanie live in Birmingham, from where we just returned from Grandparents Day at Walter IV's school. Walter IV is 7, and Oliver is 3.

Becky's health is overall pretty good. She still has some residual COVID effects in her lungs, with reduced capacity. Docs think it will eventually get better. She has good energy and outworks me on most days.

My health is good, energy level good, and it was exciting to be back in Europe this summer and fall, back to work, reconnecting with the guys I've been serving for nearly 10 years. I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to continue coaching and encouraging these men, and for you who help make it possible.

I continue to pray for you all, and Becky and I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

We have much to be grateful for.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good;  his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:4,5

Sincerely in Christ,

Walter

Greetings from Barcelona in November.

January 2022 Update

January 28, 2022

Pantheon. Symbol of Rome’s ancient pagan and current Catholic milieu.

Dear Friends,

Warm Greetings from Woodstock.

Here is the update from my Jan. 5-19 trip:

1. It was stressful. Testing is now required in most places. My vaccination card was not very helpful. Most airports and hotels now require a negative COVID test for entry. The vax card was helpful for getting into restaurants. The stress lay in the possible random false positive, that would require a 10 day quarantine at my own expense. But God was gracious and I tested negative throughout.

2. Dublin: One Day Only - Omicron was rampant in Dublin, so I met with the network from my hotel room in Dublin. It was a good meeting and I was able to give input to a couple of church planters. Only one day in Dublin, then on to

3. Lisbon: On the Move - I spent the weekend in Aveiro, with Jonatas Duarte. Jonatas has a vision for church planting in several smaller towns between Lisbon and Porto. In Lisbon, I was much encouraged by the vision of Tiago Cavaco, pastor of the church in Lapa neighborhood. He and associate Mark want to see their church become a church planting church, developing interns, and assisting other churches in becoming revitalized. They planted a church earlier in 2021 in Lisbon, and remarkably, it is already self- sustaining and self governing.

4. Madrid: A New Initiative - Madrid has historically been a challenging city for missionaries and church planters. They come and they go. CTC had a church planter cease operations after 2 years of trying to get off the ground. One who has been there a long time is Ron Anderson (Lausanne Movement), who leads a network of churches called La Plaza. He and I met, and began making plans for a conference for Madrid pastors and planters to catalyze gospel ministry in the city, and encourage church planting.

5. Rome: Ongoing and Multiplying - The Rome Church Planting Network continues to thrive and grow. It has become a model city of sorts with a church planting church that is providing theological training, internships, and with a ten year plan for church planting and training. There are 2 plants in the works for launching in Rome in 2022. I had the privilege of speaking to their network meeting on Jan. 17, encouraging them to not rest on their laurels, to be aware of the counterattacks of the evil one, and to pray and seek the Lord daily.

Rome Network Meeting Jan. 17, 2022

All in all, it was a very profitable and productive trip. I was encouraged with the progress of the gospel in each city, despite setbacks in a few places. We know we're in a spiritual battle. But the gospel continues to bear fruit.

Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth...Col. 1:5,6

 Please Pray:

1. That travel would become a bit easier in the days to come. I continue to weigh the risks of travel with the needs, opportunities, and rewards of serving the gospel movement in Europe. Wisdom needed.

2. For good health and the ability to make the trips to Europe.

3. My next trip is scheduled for March 14-30, to Frankfurt, Croatia, Serbia, and Austria. (Nothing booked yet.)

4. For the funding goals of Europe City Partners; I am still in need of about $40,000 in regular annual or monthly contributions to enable the work to continue. I am grateful for all my team members, and trust the Lord will fill out our team of investors in the months to come.

With Tiago at St. Jerome’s Abbey, Lisbon.

 I thank God for you all.

Grace and peace,  

Walter