SEPTEMBER 2025
Dear prayer companions,
According to Hartmut Rosa, our age is characterized by “alienation and acceleration”. Life is faster and faster, and relentless. The ever-new technologies' controlling power has produced the feeling that we are always late, running out of time. And such a rapid pace of life is a significant obstacle to our growth in grace because this state of things in our world affects us and our Christian walk. I recently received comfort in reading the following meditation: “The kingdom [of God] spreads slowly but persistently, one believer at a time. Every church is a new pocket of resistance, every baptism another pledge of allegiance to the Most High, every celebration of the Lord’s Supper a denial of fellowship with lesser masters and a proclamation of the success of Yahweh’s mysterious plan”. So, as you read our slow-and-non-spectacular newsletter, please pray with us that we may trust the unseen-but-unstoppable work of Christ’s Spirit in hallowing the Father’s name among us here in Perugia.
Summer visitors and preaching ministry
As usual, the summer has been very busy with a good number of visitors, especially from the Netherlands in August. Our church life has been characterized by our ordinary and unimpressive spiritual practices of gathering on the Lord’s Day and for the Wednesday Bible Study and Prayer Meeting, of family visitation, and efforts to build personal friendships with neighbors and with those we meet in our daily life. Regarding the Ministry of the Word, I stopped for a while the consecutive exposition of sermons on the Book of Psalms and I switched to catechetical preaching expounding the Nicene Creed on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Besides the spiritual edification of church members, the exposition of the Creed serves the purpose of preparing the ground for our Annual Reformation Conference at the end of October to be held in a public space in downtown Perugia. The themes we will explore this year are “The Reformers and the Reception of the Nicene Creed”, “The Symbol of Faith: Examples of 'Creed' in Sacred Music”, and “The Trinity and the Spiritual Life According to John Calvin”. Thankfully, MARS graduate Bryce Klassen is spending September with us, and he is helping with preaching, giving me a break during this month, as he continues to ponder and pray to discern God’s will in relation to his future call.
Sara Bolletta and the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation
During a visit to our son Simone’s family in Australia last March, I noticed that at the entrance of Christian churches of all denominations, there was often a framed poster featuring a woman from that congregation. The poster described her role as the designated person responsible for the well-being of women and children, making it clear that anyone in need could turn to her for help. When I returned home, I spoke with our long-time church member, Sara Bolletta, about the possibility of her serving in a similar role in our small congregation. I believe that, over time, having someone in this position will strengthen our evangelistic outreach within the neighborhood. On September 15, Sara began her first course with the School of Biblical Counseling, under the care of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation. She plans to complete six courses in order to earn her certificate in Biblical Counseling before officially taking on the role of caring for women and children in our congregation. The first course she has enrolled in is Dynamics of Biblical Change.
New profession of faith
On September 15, we were blessed by the profession of faith of Maria Baiocco. Maria has been attending the church for roughly a year and a half, often with her husband, Antonio, and her two daughters, Beatrice and Sofia. We greatly rejoiced with Maria and her family, and we look forward to other people, who for now are only visitors, to join our church in the future…
Please, pray with us for the following prayer requests:
that the Lord may bless the sermons on the Council of Nicaea and the preparation for the conference in October;
that the Lord may bless Sara’s studies and future engagement with women and children in and through our church;
that the Lord may strengthen Maria Baiocco in her Christian walk and bless our evangelistic efforts, calling sinners efficaciously.
On behalf of all the members of the Chiesa Riformata of Perugia, I express a felt sense of gratitude for your faithful prayers and generous support.
Those of Italy greet you (Hebrews 13:24)!
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Andrea Ferrari