Prayer Mail

Dear Friends,

This has been another eventful week.

A) Have a blessed All Saints Day, and may your time change be minimally disruptive. We do not change time here. Our temporal equivalency with the United States shifts from US Mountain Time to US Central Time. 

B) I am attaching our November newsletter which focuses on the Cursillo weekend.

C) Our English visitors and I met with the Bishop and Commission on Ministry yesterday. I am pleased with the outcome. There was a lot that happened. Interesting dynamic: I was representing the Diocese of Belize along with a few of my colleagues on the Commission on Ministry in discussions with the English companion diocese. That rocks. 

And in the evening, there was a reception for our English visitors in the evening, and I enjoyed that, mingling with folks, and networking. It is part of the relational culture and deepening ties with people in the Diocese of Belize.

D) We traveled to the north Thursday, to St. Peter's in Orange Walk, then to St. Paul's by the Sea in Corozal, and since we were close to the Mexican border, we drove near it and caught a glimpse of the other side.

D) Wednesday, the English team met with Diocesan clergy and myself, and this was followed by a visit to Mission churches along the Belize River as I have mentioned earlier. As per the previous report, various matters were attended to in the early part of the week.

E) Today, I had the initial interactive distance learning session of the preaching class. Then, Belizean Lay Ministers, Clergy, and I attended the workshop on How to be a Welcoming Church, presented by two members of the English team. Very good one.  

As a result of networking with the English team (and as of today), I am now using my Twitter account. It has been dormant for about 3.5 years ever since I created it. Much to my surprise, apparently, I have had 60+ followers who have watched me do absolutely nothing with the account for 3.5 years. Why Twitter? That is because it is the English route of preference for me to be able to communicate with my 50-something English counterpart.

F) Tomorrow, I travel with Bishop Philip perhaps to two parishes for All Saints Day, one of which is the parish of All Saints, so it is its patronal feast day, and then to Good Shepherd in Lord's Bank, near Ladyville, out by the airport. I believe confirmations are the order of the day, and while I have not heard anything directly, based on what I have heard indirectly, I suspect I will have a role to play at Good Shepherd.

G) Working in Belize: the path may not be what we expect at any moment in time (and may change many times without warning in the course of a day), but in the end, the Holy Spirit does great things. The way to think this through is to walk expectantly into the future, and not try to hold on to the present. What may initially appear as annoying detours to some are in fact the main event. So, I have started to look at detours here as the next step or as a main event.

Chart it out this way. You have a plan. It moves from point A to point B, but what God does in Belize is take you by way of points C, D, E, and F, and in fact you accomplish much if not all of B, long before you get to B. I can sense your prayers in this amazing and very rewarding process. The Holy Spirit is at work here in a wondrous fashion that leaves me in awe. It is truly amazing.

Your prayers are requested for the following:

A) This is election week. US elections on Tuesday, and national Belizean elections on Wednesday. Pray that God's will be done.

B) For my remaining time in Belize, for safe and timely travel home on Monday.

C) For a meeting in Connecticut on Tuesday morning, the ability to get out and vote on Tuesday, and for the Diocese of Albany clergy retreat from Tuesday evening through Friday lunch.

D) For what Jesus would like me to do as follow-up to this trip.

E) Family members continue to face major decisions, and your prayers for all of us are always welcome.

F) For Lydia and Julie in their studies.

G) For God's provision for all our needs.

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

God bless you. 

Shaw, and on behalf of Julie.