Today, 4–5 September, our house group of 11 adults and 10 children will have our first overnight countryside excursion. Pray that we deepen our relationships, seek God’s guidance, study the Bible and enjoy time together. On 25 September, Pastor Samuel from Nigeria will arrive for a 10-day trip around Croatia, meeting pastors and other influential leaders and exploring opportunities for ministry together. Pray for many “God moments”, that we meet the people God wants us to meet, and for lasting friendships and partnerships.

This summer presents many more opportunities to connect with neighbours. In general, though, we sense that there is less interest in the Gospel at the moment – please pray.

Pray for Rob as he travels to Europe today, 2 September to 1 October. Pray for the office staff in this time of transition and growth. Thank God for workers being supported in prayer and donations. Please pray that God may continue to provide all that they need as they go into the busy start of the school year and church group activities after the summer in Europe.

We were asked to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a couple of our home church here in Italy. Please pray that we can be a blessing and that the guests who don’t know Jesus can be touched by him. At the end of September, we plan as church to do a seminary with a missionary couple about evangelism. Please pray for a good attendance and encouragement for the church.

Pray for our family as we have moved from Tauranga to Wellington to support our daughter, Rachel, while one of her family members faces health issues. Also pray for Murray’s continued recovery from sinus surgery and for my brother, Paul, as he recovers from multiple fractures sustained in a fall from a roof in Papua, Indonesia, and works towards walking again.

Praise God with us for a fantastic week of ministry through our baseball camp at the end of June! 43 children participated in the camp, and we had great opportunities to share Jesus' love through playing baseball, sharing morning devotional times with the kids (mostly non-Christians), water games and lots of hugs and high-fives. Please pray that the many seeds of the love, truth and beauty of Jesus and His Kingdom planted throughout the week would grow into the fruit of lives saved and transformed by Jesus!

Having arrived in Europe almost 4 months ago I want to praise God for being able to settle back well into life in Romania after 16 years away and receiving my temporary long-term visa which I needed to apply for in the UK. For His incredible provisions during my time both in Romania and in the UK when I needed to wait for my visa to be approved

Please join with us in praying for new students joining Wageningen University from all round the world, that the churches and CUs would provide a warm and generous welcome and good teaching and pastoral care, and that many would be attracted to and engage with the Christian communities here.

From today, 27–30 August, Al MacInnes will be attending the Bible Conference in northern Greece to connect with Christians from across the country. Please pray for encouraging and meaningful conversations, opportunities to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones, and for God's guidance and blessing throughout the conference. Pray that this time will be fruitful, encouraging, and will strengthen the work of the gospel in Greece.

Pray that the hearts of the Portuguese people will be touched by God's grace, leading them to repentance. Pray also for unity among the evangelical churches in Portugal, so that together they may advance God's Kingdom and reach more people with the Gospel.

We praise the Lord for Shalom House spiritual growth as well as for new people. At the end of July, I am taking a few people from a local church to run ‘Summer Fun Week’ for deprived families. Please pray for good connections, provide needed support to families, joy and a sense of God’s presence. Pray for volunteers to grow in their faith and missional living.

One girl from our youth group was taken out of the family. She now lives in another town and we do not have contact with her. Please pray that it would work for her father to find a place to live so that the girl would be able to come back.

We are grateful for the volunteers who served alongside us. We are also grateful for the summer camps. Pray for the children and teens, that the truths they heard would remain in their hearts, and that God will raise up young disciples who boldly follow Christ and influence their families and communities. As we prepare for a new school year, pray for wisdom as we help Roma families enrol their children in school and encourage them to remain in education.

In the last week of August, we have a week of sharing and DIY in the church building. Do pray that people in the church get to know each other better as they work alongside each other on the building.

Pray for freedom for young people in Portugal who are addicted to tobacco. Tobacco use has become a "silent epidemic" among pre-teens and teenagers, yet it is often overlooked by society. Also pray for Beatriz and Isabela as they prepare to attend the Word of Life Institute in Hungary at the beginning of September, asking God to guide, provide for, and protect them in this new chapter of their lives.

Please pray for me as I begin studying a Master of Divinity at Tyndale Theological Seminary in Amsterdam. Pray that in this time I will grow deeper in my love and knowledge of God and be greatly equipped for long term mission.

Give thanks for opportunities for Colin to visit and come alongside members in Gloucester, Glasgow and Belfast this summer. This allowed time for personal development conversations from which goals are identified for how people can take practical steps to grow. We also have an intentional focus on growing in discipleship as a cluster, and listened and learned from each other at an end of June video call. What a joy to see what the Lord is doing and to seek to grow in Him.

Pray for the summer camps, that children and young people, including many refugees and internally displaced children, will continue to grow in faith, join local churches and Sunday schools, and come to know Jesus as their Saviour. Pray also for God's protection and blessing over the remaining camps and for the upcoming baptisms, that many more lives will be transformed by the Gospel.

From today, 17-22 August, please pray for Bangor Worldwide Mission Conference; ECM Ireland will be trying to help people think afresh about mission in Europe at this historic missions gathering.

Please pray for Colin as he preaches at an International (primarily Filipino) church near Málaga today, August 16 and 30, that the messages from the book of Jonah will bring both encouragement and challenge to engage in God’s mission to the nations. Pray also for their regular pastor, currently raising additional support in the Philippines.

Please pray as we enter more deeply into the ministry life of the Church that we can be as salt and light both among the Church and among the community. We are seeing a great need to labour at building fellowship among the members of the Church and from there building towards a culture of mutual care, encouragement and discipleship.

We’re very grateful for the time spent on home assignment in July. Our home church has had 3 young people dying this year and many more personal life challenges. Pray for spiritual protection for the teenagers especially and God’s comfort and healing.

Please pray for the Foundations course in Germany which I will attend from the 10-15 August. Please pray for the next steps in the visa process to go well so I can receive a more permanent visa and identity card, and my language learning. While I remember a lot, I still have a long way to go to understand everything and to be understood all the time! Pray for me to get more used to the high temperatures that they have here over summer. The hot weather makes me very tired, and it is hard to concentrate especially for language learning and during conversations.

From today, 12-15 August, please pray for the Kinfire Mission Hub; Colin Holmes and Geoff Donaldson will be seeking to engage with people on the theme of mission in Europe at this event in Kilkenny, Ireland.

Please pray for our Creative Events for Kids in the City Park. That we can put some seeds of the Gospel in their hearts and for the right number of kids. For all the preachings in this month- For strength and health. For our neighbour, that he can have an encounter with Jesus since he is very ill. For encouragement for the church members who are passing difficult times.