Final field experience trip

Thank you for your prayers. The translation course went well. Classes are going well. We have also had great conversations with students and staff recently about how we can proclaim Christ more faithfully in Vanuatu.

This weekend (21st-23rd) is our final field experience in Avunatari, the largest village on Malo. We will lead studies on grace and justification by faith (not using those words!). Then Api will preach on Sunday on Romans 6, showing how we died with Christ and now live new lives in him. Please pray that we will teach clearly and faithfully. Pray that God will work powerfully by his Spirit so that people may appreciate the wonderful salvation we have by his grace and will give themselves wholeheartedly in obedience to him.

We then have two more weeks of class. Glen will be teaching:
– diploma students about judgement, heaven and hell.
– foundation year students on prayer.
– BMin students on New Testament letters, especially Galatians.

Please continue to pray for both of us as we teach and for the students in these last few weeks before exams.

SIL course

Each year SIL workers come to Talua to lead a 1 or 2 week training workshop on Bible translation. It teaches students the importance of people having God's Word in their own language and leads some students to Bible translation work after college. Please pray for the workshop next week.

Give thanks that the reconciliation ceremony went well on Wednesday. There seemed to be genuine repentance at wrongdoing and a desire for forgiveness and moving forward. Pray that there will be forgiveness and unity in Christ within the Talua community.

Please continue to pray for our regular teaching and as we prepare for our final field experience on 21st-23rd October.

Connor weekly prayer points (Wednesday 28th September)

Prayer brief: Pray for Rachael who is teaching the women to write and lead Bible studies, a very new idea for most of them.

Hello everyone,

It is a normal week this week – nothing special. Please keep praying for our preparation and teaching, and for mentoring each week.

We give thanks that the staff member on strike has now resumed teaching. The meeting to discuss the issue is tomorrow (Thursday 29th) so please keep praying if you receive this email in time.

Glen was a little sick and didn't go on field. We haven't heard how it went, but will let you know next week.

Yours in Christ,
Glen, Rachael, Sophie, Bethany, Matthew & Lachlan

Pastor's retreat on the decline of the Presbyterian Church

We had a very encouraging field experience last weekend at Malo. It was our first time visiting the village, and we found the people to be full of praise and thanksgiving to God through Christ. The students worked hard and we are all very thankful to God for the weekend.

Tomorrow (Friday) the director of the Ministry Training Program in Australia will be visiting Talua. Please pray that Ben will say many helpful things to the students and staff, and that it will help us to see the importance of training people in ministry and give us ideas for how to do this better.

Next week (29th August - 2nd September) many pastors and elders will meet in Luganville to address the problem of the decline in the Presbyterian church. Ps Tony Wan will lead some of the sessions and call people back to preaching, teaching and discipleship. This is a wonderful opportunity. Please pray that those attending will see the importance of focusing on the Gospel of Christ and be filled with greater passion to preach Christ and teach the Word of God.

The following week is the Presbyterian Church Assembly. There are many administrative matters to deal with, but please pray that in all that we discuss we will remember Christ and be making decisions that help people throughout the nation know him and grow to maturity.

There are many exciting things happening and also many challenges. Thank you again for your prayers.

Connor prayer points for 5th August

Hello everyone,

We hope this email finds you standing firm and growing in the Lord. There was a lot of tiredness and minor sickness in our family last month, but we are all back to full health now. Students at Talua have been studying this week and will sit their exams on Monday and Tuesday. This has been less demanding on us and Glen has been doing more marking and preparation. We also had very helpful staff inservice training for two mornings.

The calendar is very different this year because of the date of the church Assembly. Students will have 5 days rest after exams and then term 3 will begin on 15th August. This will be very demanding on staff and students.

• Give thanks for good health, for the encouragement from recent visitors, and for the training Talua staff received.
• Pray that staff will work together, united in a common desire to see Christ proclaimed and glorified through our lives and work and through the students we are training.
• Pray for students doing exams next week, especially those who have little formal schooling and are very nervous.
• Pray that God will give strength to both staff and students as we begin term 3 after a very short break.
• Give thanks for Emily's time with us, and pray for her safe return to Australia in about two weeks time.
• Give thanks that Talua has decided to increase mentoring time to one hour each week beginning next term, a wonderful answer to prayer!

Yours in Christ,
Glen, Rachael, Sophie, Bethany, Matthew & Lachlan

Connor prayer points

Hello everyone,

Last Sunday we had a visiting Korean missionary come to Talua and preach on the importance of the preaching of the Word and prayer. He showed very clearly that the Presbyterian church of Vanuatu is in decline and that we need urgent change. We need to stop being distracted by administration and money, and start focusing on preaching and discipleship. Many people were challenged by what he said and the Principal asked students to meet in Presbytery groups to discuss how we need to change.

We have had the same burden for a long time but have found it hard to put clear preaching and prayer on the agenda. God has been clearly working here over the last week to call the church back to its true foundation. Please pray for what is happening.

This week (11th-15th April) Campus Crusade will run an evangelistic training week for the whole college. This is wonderful timing in God's plan and could lead many people back to building on the only foundation, which is Christ.

Please pray that there will be deep change at Talua, so that we will focus on praying and preaching Christ and his Word. Pray for our family as we try to encourage this change. Pray that we will take initiative to take up opportunities to preach and teach, and that we will provide resources and support for others. And give thanks to God!

(The landline phones were repaired this week (+678 37005) and we have also been reconnected to the internet. This will make it much easier for us to keep in touch with you again.)

Yours in Christ,
Glen, Rachael, Sophie, Bethany, Matthew & Lachlan