Three auxiliary bishops have been authorised to support Bishop Bill Godfrey and to serve as missionary bishops in new and established areas. Pray for this step in the growth of the diocese and for Bill and Judith in pastoral oversight.

Dear Praying Friends,

Thanks for praying over the last couple of months. Much has happened and we feel we have been blessed in lots of our work. Please keep praying – it makes a big difference! Read more ….

The latest SAMS GB prayer line:

Let’s give praise for answered prayer in response to the Youth Encounter weekend last month in Salta, Northern Argentina. At least 4 young people made a profession of faith in Christ, others expressed real interest to consider the implications and others made renewed commitments. Pray for them.

Praise God too for answers to prayer at the two women´s retreats held recently in Lima and Arequipa, Peru. Penny Marcés asks us to pray that the challenge to serve isn´t forgotten back in the normal routine of life.

Still in Peru, please continue to pray for the health of Bishop Bill Godfrey. Bill has been undergoing surgery in Florida to try to resolve the wound sinus from last year’s operation. Pray that this will resolve this aspect of the problem; and keep Bill and his wife Judith in prayer.

Sue Woodcock is encouraged by good worship and a growing congregation in Sabadell, northeast Spain. One result is a new monthly meeting for folk between 20 and 35 years of age starting this Saturday (15th). Sue asks us to pray for this group to gel and for deep fellowship as they get to know one another and share together.?
Sue also requests prayer for a conference address she is giving in one of the Barcelona universities on Friday (14th), with a repeat in a different context on Wednesday 19th. It’s an opportunity to proclaim good news with sensitivity, so please pray.

Finally, end-of-year exams for 1st and 2nd years at FEISA teacher training college in Asunción, Paraguay, begin next Monday (17th), continuing for three weeks. Please keep students and staff in your prayers.

The latest prayer line from SAMS GB.

Pupils in the Primary Department of St Andrew’s School in Asunción, Paraguay, are beginning their end-of-year exams this week. Please pray for them and their teachers.

Associate Mission Partners Stuart & Kathryn Broughton are seeking new working visas to continue their ministry among Portuguese speakers in Sydney, Australia. They expected to be notified by the end of October, but are yet to hear a response to their application, so please pray.

On Friday (7th) the annual distribution of wheelchairs begins in Lima, Peru, in conjunction with the Peruvian charity Corazones Unidos. Pat Blanchard, whose Shalom ministry to the disabled has grown encouragingly, will be involved. Please pray.

And three events in northeast Brazil for our prayers:

Ruth Hollingdale Vilella asks us to pray for a big thanksgiving service and party on Thursday (6th) for all ex-participants of the pregnancy group at the House of Hope project in Recife, together with their babies
a youth conference this weekend on the theme of celibacy before marriage, with ten young people from Siméa & Ian Meldrum’s church of Living Waters in Olinda attending
Siméa herself is speaking at a diocesan conference for women on Saturday in João Pessoa on the subject, ‘Breaking the poverty cycle’.

Latest prayerline from SAMS GB

Praise God for rain at last in the Paraguayan Chaco! This includes the area of El Estribo where the third year students from FEISA Teacher Training College are going tomorrow and Wednesday as part of their teaching practice commitments. They will give the 9 schools some resources they have made, paint a classroom and do some games. Please pray for this visit to be a blessing as much for the students as for the community.

Then on Friday and Saturday a workshop is held there for primary and Sunday school teachers on the use of the children’s Bible resources recently produced by FEISA in the Enxet language.

On Thursday Terry and Pancha Barratt fly out for the first SEAN graduation in mainland China; the programme is growing and students number in the thousands. Terry and Pancha return on 1st November; pray for them and all involved in this special event.

This coming weekend the Diocese of Peru holds a women’s retreat in Lima, followed by another in Arequipa the following weekend. The theme is ‘Healed to serve’, and Penny Marcés is one of the organisers and speakers. Remember Penny and all the women gathered over these weekends.
Looking ahead to next week, Thanksgiving Services for Bob Drayson and Derek Hawksbee take place on Tuesday (28th) and Wednesday (29th) in Sandhurst and Tunbridge Wells respectively (see website for details). Please remember their families over this period.

The latest prayer letters from SAMS Mission Partners:

The Rowes in Spain.
Esperanza Foster home in Asuncion.
The Marcés in Lima Peru.
The Metcalfes in Asuncion Paraguay.
The Meldrums in Olinda, Brazil.
Andy Roberts in Olinda, Brazil.

Among the many parts of the world enduring extreme weather conditions is southern Chile, where floods have caused considerable suffering and loss. Please pray for the people of that area, and include in your prayers Bishop Abelino & Paty Apeleo, the Anglican churches and the two schools – William Wilson School in Chol-Chol and the School for the Deaf in Temuco. (Photos may be viewed on the diocesan website www.iach.cl.)

In Olinda, northeast Brazil, Ian & Siméa Meldrum have put their house on the market and want to move to a smaller place which will meet their needs and be safe. Pray for them in this, alongside their very busy ministries among the poor.

Praise God for answered prayer for Alejandro Mesco’s visa which arrived in time for him to travel to the UK, where he’s now visiting churches and telling of his pioneer ministry in Peru’s Colca Canyon. Please continue to uphold him.

Finally, three prayer points from Paraguay:

On Thursday (11th) the third Alpha Course begins in the centre of Asunción, involving the folk of St Andrew’s Church and the San Andrés morning and evening congregations. Pray for all involved, including pastors Agustín Maidana and Patrick Butler.

This weekend FEISA’s final indigenous nursery project visit to Yatnata, in the Paraguayan Chaco, takes place. Pray for Samantha Parsons and all participants.

Next week (15th -) is Youth Week at St Andrew’s School with a number of special activities. Pray for everyone involved.

Recent prayer letters from SAMS mission partners:

• The Soria’s in Uruguay.
• The Kirks in Chile.
• The Montoyas in Lima, Peru.
• The Meldrums in Olinda, Brazil.
• The Rowes in Spain.

The latest prayer line from SAMS GB:

SAMS Latin Partner Alejandro Mesco is due to arrive on Friday from Peru to spend much of September in the UK visiting his link churches. Pray for his visa, yet to arrive, for his time here, and for Doris and the family back home in Arequipa.

In João Pessoa in northeast Brazil Archdeacon Souza is suffering from an infection in the ureter which may necessitate the removal of a kidney. His colleague Marcus Throup asks us to pray for his recovery, and also for Marcus himself with extra preaching responsibilities each Sunday.

Meantime in Asunción, Paraguay, Linn Tedman is recovering from a broken toe. Uphold Linn in prayer in this and in her teacher-librarian work at St Andrew’s School.

Linn highlights again the need for more teachers at the school, particularly for the Secondary section. Please pray for this, and keep Head Gwen Carlisle, Deputy Mags Southern and all the staff in your prayers.

Here is the latest prayer line from SAMS GB.

On Friday SAMS Latin Partners Josias & Dani de Souza arrive in the UK from Recife, Brazil, for a visit to supporting churches. Josias will be here for 6 weeks while Dani returns in mid-September. Pray God will bless their journey and their time here; remember too their UK friend and link-person Graham Lowcock as he oversees their visit.

At the same time please uphold SAMS Latin Partner Coordinator Mary Rollin as she finalises the plans for the visit in September of Alejandro Mesco from Peru.

This Sunday will be Peter Jordan’s final one as chaplain of St George’s, Barcelona. Pray for this special day and for Peter and Barbara as during retirement they continue to work with Spanish- and English-speaking groups.