Dear Friends and Loved Ones,
As 2015 comes to an end we would like to say thank you to
all of you who have stood beside us in
the past year. 2015 brought us the joy
of having a church building for the first time in our seven years here in
Padova. With that, we have been able to
host events, English movie nights, Teas, meals, English get-togethers, and of
course our church services.
We were blessed with a couple of new students, Emily, from England and Jessie from Germany . They are both here studying at Padova University
We also have a few people stationed in Vicenza who have joined the fellowship. They are such an encouragement and so much
fun to have around. Jim really enjoys
his ‘war talks’ with Anton and Tim and it’s nice to see God bring us some
seasoned Christian men.
We look forward in the coming year to more outreach with the
university students and the people of Padova in general. One thing we are blessed by is seeing God
bring a couple of new people who have also been inviting their friends to come
to church. Do they stay or come back an
other time? To be honest, no, most don’t. But they have heard the Gospel now and that
is what our calling is. We pray that
they would return and the Lord would soften their hearts, but as we have
learned in the past, it’s our work to give the message, we can’t force them to
accept it.
There are some needs we have-one that is something we have
been praying for and asking pray for for many years and that is for a team to
join us. Even if were a couple of people
who could lead worship, lead a bible study and have a heart for the unsaved. We need those who are motivated to go out
and hit the streets, led by the Holy Spirit to talk to people, get to know them
and share the Lord with them. The land
needs to be plowed and we find there are not many interested in plowing the
fields any more. We do our best in our
small fellowship to reach out and invite, but we are few and we know the Lord
loves the people here in Padova and we want to see more and more get saved.
Our friend Ed from Santa Barbara playing keys for Sunday service
Marla and Jessie
Jim’s right hand man Franco has been such a blessing
throughout the year. He has taught the
bible studies when Jim is not there and he and his wife Rosa are our
evangelists. They are always praying and
inviting those they know to come and hear about Jesus. They pray always that God would break the
chains of so many of the people here. They
themselves have only been saved about 2 years and they know what it is like to
be stuck in your traditions and unable to believe in the finished work on the
cross. Please pray for them to
continuously be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit as they share the love
of Christ to those they come in contact
with.
Jim is finishing up Romans in the next month and will begin
teaching the Parables of Jesus on Sunday mornings. We are excited about this
study and the practical teaching and application of each of the parables. Some who have come to visit actually asked
Jim if he would teach some of the ‘stories’.
After praying and seeking the Lord,
we will take a break from verse by verse for a time to see how the Lord
teaches us through His parables.
Jim is looking forward to the Pastor’s conference in Austria later
in January. He will bring Franco again
this year and perhaps if the schedules work out, some of the other guys from
Padova. We are also praying that perhaps
early summer or Fall of 2016 to have a weekend church retreat at the Castle.
We thank you for all of your prayers, your encouragement and
support in the past year. We know that
we are just a speck in the big picture, but nonetheless, where two or more are
gathered, God is in their midst. God has
given us a tremendous amount of love for the people of Padova and though there
have been times of discouragement and even despair at times throughout the past
year, we have been overjoyed at every work of the Holy Spirit, though small to
some, an answer to prayer for us.
We ask for your continued prayers for CC Padova, for our
fellowship and the people in our city. Sometimes
I am sitting on the train or just walking around and I look at the faces of the
hundreds of people around me and weep
inside because though they may look good on the outside, inside there is
emptiness-a life without Jesus Christ. Please
pray for an outpouring of the Spirit in our lives so that we can communicate
His Truth with the people here.
On the personal side, I need prayer for my health. It hasn’t been very good as far as my back is
concerned-I have for the moment decided not to have the disc surgery. I researched a lot about it and the results
seem to be 50-50. Those are with healthy
people and being that I have pretty bad osteoporosis, the odds of me being able
to grow strong bone is not in my favor. I have peace about it even though the pain can
be crippling at times, but I sense the Lord guiding me to this decision-at
least for the time being. They also
discovered I have a lot of gallstones in
me. How, I have no clue but I will have
more blood work done in the next week and who knows what after that. I think they have to come out but again, I am
not sure what the doctor will do.
Many of you know that my brother was diagnosed with cancer a
couple of months ago. He is set to have
surgery January 15 and I was so blessed to get a ticket to go to CA to be with
him and my family during this time. The prognosis
is very promising which is, I believe, an answer to all who were praying for
him. God is a God of miracles and we continue to
put our trust in Him for a complete healing. Steven will have to have some reconstructive
surgery on his face simultaneously as the one surgeon is extracting the cancer.
It’s amazing what they can do these
days. I will actually miss the surgery
by a couple of days because they moved it up after I had already purchased my ticket. Thankfully I will still be there to help out
in any way I can. Looking forward to saying hello to as many of you as time permits!
Our vision for CC Padova in 2016
To strengthen those who are already in the fellowship, to equip them to do the work of the ministry and see them use the gifts God has given them not only in the church but in the community.
That we as a fellowship would be united in the things of the
Lord, attentive to the voice of the Spirit, overflowing in our love for one
another and sharing that love with others.
To reach out to our community through God’s Word, music,
meals and other events with the love and truth of the Gospel.
To be a place of refuge for those without hope, those looking for answers and those who have nowhere to turn.
Our prayer requests
as we enter 2016
Laborers…Pray the Lord of the harvest that He would send
workers-young and not so young-those willing to plough the field.
Wisdom in decision making, fresh filling of the Spirit. Walking in step with the leading of the Lord
and seeking His direction and guidance in our outreaches and various
ministries.
For the marriages in our fellowship-that we would yield our
wills, have grace and unconditional love
for one another. To encourage an build
up each other.
Continued financial provision to enable us to do the things
we do in the church and also to enable us to have more outreach events.
Teams from different places to come over for short-term
mission trips and help evangelize our city.
Our health, perhaps if anyone knows of a dentist in CA who
would donate his/her time to do extensive dentist work on our teeth.
To trust God for the future and not to be afraid.
Jim’s prayer for us as a church -
“My prayer for Calvary Chapel Padova
is that each of us knows, teaches and demonstrates the love and truth of the
Word of God to our community. I pray that we would reach out to others in
accordance to God's Word in love, grace and mercy."
Again, we thank you so very much for your commitment to stand in the gap with us. Without you we would not be able to continue the work that God has sent us to do. I believe in Heaven you will see, that we could not put in pictures or words, the effect your perseverance had on the lives of many.
May the Lord bless you in the coming year and fill your lives with His grace, mercy and love.
Much love
Jim and Margie
For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. Philemon 1:7
If you would like to be a part of supporting us financially there are a couple ways you can do so:
Send a check to with a memo stating it's for Jim Stewart CC Padova to:
Calvary Chapel Vista
885 E Vista Way
Vista, CA 92084
OR you can give via online donations at either of the two websites. Just be sure to scroll to designate for Missions/Jim Stewart
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