Sunday, August 3, 2014

Dear Praying Friends,
It has been a chilly winter here in Melbourne.  Apparently it is the coldest it has been in seven years!  Even though it is a cold winter, we still remember the snowy days in the Midwest in America.  Shoveling snow, scraping ice off the windshield of the car, and bundling up.  Now if you ask my kids they remember snowball fights, snowmen, and hot chocolate.  Sorry but you're receiving a dad's perspective.
In June we had a small addition to the church.  A family at Grace had a little baby boy.  It was a pleasure visiting the hospital and praying with the family as they rejoiced over their new little guy.  Also in late June Sara's mom came to visit.  Deb stayed until the last week of July.  We had a wonderful time taking her to see special sites all around the Melbourne area.  Sara's mom and dad visited last June and we were able to show Deb all the new places we've discovered in the last year.  The Lord has created so much beauty in the state of Victoria.  We were able to take her to the mountains, to the ocean, and to the bush.  All of it reflected the glory of our God!
One of the most recent ministry opportunities has been Special Religious Instruction.  This is the new name for what was Christian Religious Education.  It is an opportunity to teach on the Christian faith in the public school system.  On Thursday of last week I taught for the first time.  The Lord has blessed me with twelve students.  My prayer is that God can greatly use this to allow us to get to know people in our community.  Please pray for SRI as it is under much pressure from those who would like to see it removed from the schools.
Please continue to pray for the growth of this ministry that God has called us to at Grace Baptist Church, and not only the ministry but for our growth as well.  May God continue to teach me and mold me.  Thank you for your prayers and for the time you have given to read this site.

In Christ,
Mark Pitts and Family
 Our bush walk at King Lake
Our trip to Philip Island