Prayer Mail Update

Dear Friends,

This is an update/prayer mail combination. 

1) Update: I am in Belize on my 13th trip in about 4 years. The trip this time is focusing on moving people forward in the ordination process, and I seem to be playing a central part in enabling that to happen, as Examining Chaplain and as a team member alongside the Bishop and the Commission on Ministry.

Though we have a full week ahead of us that may reveal important matters: as a result of my visit, I am anticipating ordinations to be scheduled during the summer, and I have been invited down for that event (specific date not established at this writing). 

As an advocate of people in the ordination process, I have also enabled the next phase of the next tier of people for the ordination process to move forward. It is not over til it's over, so please keep everyone and all the matters at hand in prayer.

These are small daily steps that make a big strategic difference, the compounded impact being in part because of the repeated visits over time. 

2) The seminary library on the ground in Belmopan that has been reorganized by volunteers is poised to make a difference as a resource for at least one of the people in the process. 

3) I have been planning with the Bishop, the next phase of the strategic focus in my ministry here. More to come on this in the fullness of time. 

4) Prayers: 

that this trip continue to be fruitful, and for all the plans we are making and for all the people involved.

For Belizeans, the weather has been hot and humid. Prayer for those of us walking in a perpetual very warm shower of humidity, especially regarding dehydration.

God bless you,

Fr. Shaw

Belize City, Belize, Central America.

Prayer Mail

Dear Friends,

This is our public prayer mail of Sunday, 24 April 2016. 

This week:

The Diocese of Albany retreat was good.

The distance learning Christian Ethics/Moral Theology course has begun, and I continue to plan for the trip that begins on Wednesday.

Your prayers are requested for the following:

1) For my upcoming mission trip to Belize. It is becoming more and more apparent that my mission work and accommodations for this trip will be revealed in the fullness of time.

2) I ask your prayers for the distance learning course.

3) Strategic prayer: I am in the process of putting together a financial plan that further bridges the gap between our missionary income and our current annual budget deficit. With education expenses and other matters being what they are, the potential gap is wider than I would like. Please pray that we would be open to what God has in mind. 

4) For a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in all that we do, especially with all that will be going on in the next year and a half to two years in our lives as a family. And, pray for spiritual protection. 

5) For safe and timely travel. 

6) For relatives and friends who face challenges and/or opportunities, in particular for my mother's application for her next step in life, for Julie's endeavors as a hospital chaplain, and for Lydia's summer plans which are beginning to take shape, and for her next summer's plans, as she may need to work on them in due course. Progress. One step at a time.

Thank you for praying. I pray for you every day.  

God bless you. 

Shaw, and on behalf of Julie.

Currently in Manchester, CT.

April Newsletter

                                         Missionary in the River Missions area, Belize. 

                                         Photo copyright Fr. Shaw Mudge, 2015-16.

Seventh Year Anniversary!

This month marks our seventh year as missionaries with SAMS. There have been quite a few adventures in Peru, in East Africa, and for a majority of our time, in Belize.

Our missionary journey continues, greater than we had envisioned when we started out. 

For example, this week the Archbishop of the Province of the West Indies has completed his Forward to the Spanish version of the 1995 Book of Common Prayer for the Province of the West Indies. We move one step closer to printing. Initially, at the request of the Secretary of the Diocese of the Church in Belize, I found a translator, Fr. John Park, a fellow SAMS missionary, formerly in Lima. Our combined efforts were such that we were asked to have our biographies printed in the BCP.

And that is just one story. I had originally thought that Julie, Lydia, and I would continue our days in Peru. Wow. A lot has happened since then, but Peru was an important step on our path to Belize. It was in Peru that I began to develop distant learning techniques, and we inherited the apartment of Fr. Juan Marentes in Lima, a SAMS missionary priest who, for a while, became Chair of the Commission on Ministry in Belize. Fr. Juan was the person who asked me to develop a distance learning program for Belize. Bishop Philip took matters from there, and so today, much as been accomplished in Belize, in my capacity as Examining Chaplain of the Diocese, and otherwise.

And we Mudges continue, down the pathway of the unexpected, as the Holy Spirit leads. Thank you for traveling on this path with us as we look towards God’s vision for the future, and helping people to enter eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

God bless you all, and thank you for your support, in Jesus’ Name,

Fr. Shaw, and on behalf of Mtr. Julie.

Examining Chaplain, Diocese of Belize.

SAMS missionaries.

Your financial partnership with us and your prayer partnership with us have been important in making a difference. Your continued investment is very important for the ongoing ministry.

Support.

Please pray and continue to make checks out to: "SAMS". Put "Shaw and Julie Mudge" in the memo, to support what we are doing.

Mailing address: 

SAMS, 

P. O. Box 399,

Ambridge, PA 15003-0399. 

Or on-line, at http://goo.gl/nll8ut  

Prayer Mail

Dear Friends,

This is our public prayer mail of Sunday, 17 April 2016. 

This week:

Today I have been writing emails and our April newsletter.  I am attaching the newsletter.

This week, the Archbishop of the Province of the Church in the West Indies has completed his Forward to the Spanish Book of Common Prayer for the Church of the West Indies, and the forward has been translated. We are on the cusp of sending it to the printer. There was a request that the two of us SAMS missionaries who enabled the project to happen (Fr. John Park and myself) have our biographies included. That has been done.

Your prayers are requested for the following:

1) For my upcoming mission trip to Belize, in about a week and a half. Despite the challenges in the preparation phase at the Belize end, all is set to go. As usual, my mission work for this trip will be revealed in the fullness of time, but not necessarily on a North American time table.

2) In the meantime, I ask your prayers for the next distance learning course that begins this coming Saturday. There are potential conflicts between the course and other events in the diocese, so we ask that all we be sorted out with God's priorities in mind.

3) Meanwhile, St. Peter's in South Windsor has been very gracious to allow me to serve on Sunday mornings when I am in the area. The Holy Spirit is doing a mighty work there. They attribute it in part to a visiting missionary. I attribute it to a great congregation. Regardless, God is doing what he wants, and we are all pleased. Please pray for us all and what God is doing there.

4) For our next steps in mission and ministry, and for a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in all that we do. Also, pray for spiritual protection. 

5) For safe and timely travel. 

6) For relatives and friends who face challenges and/or opportunities, particular for my mother's application for her next step in life is in the works, for Julie's endeavors as a hospital chaplain, and for Lydia's summer plans. In the meantime, Lydia has registered for her next college semester. Progress. One step at a time.

Thank you for praying. I pray for you every day, for particular matters that have come to my attention and that you would be filled with the Holy Spirit.  

God bless you. 

Shaw, and on behalf of Julie.

Currently in Manchester, CT; later, will be at the clergy retreat in the Diocese of Albany

Prayer Mail

Dear Friends,

This is our public prayer mail of Sunday, 10 April 2016. 

This week:

Today I am finishing up the SAMS retreat/New Wineskins Missionary Conference in North Carolina. Today also marks Julie and my 7th anniversary with SAMS.

In light of all that has happened this week, I am praying that you all would be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Your prayers are requested for the following:

A) For our next steps in mission and ministry, and for a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in all that we do. Also, pray for spiritual protection. 

B) For safe and timely travel. 

C) For relatives and friends who face challenges and/or opportunities.  

Thank you for praying. I pray for you every day.  

God bless you. 

Shaw, and on behalf of Julie.

At New Wineskins in North Carolina.

Anouncement of Next Belize Trip

Dear Friends,

My 13th trip to Belize has been scheduled from April 27 to May 6. 

Distance learning, ordination matters, and other matters pertaining to Belize, continue year-round from the U.S. and in Belize. 

Hopefully, the Spanish Prayer Book version of the 1995 CPWI BCP will include the Archbishop's introduction, shortly.

God bless you,

Fr. Shaw Mudge

Currently in Manchester, CT