From: "The Rev'd Robert Wurst (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: CLIMB: Update 2 - Britain Mission Society Date: Friday, November 02, 2001 12:27 PM Subject: CLIMB: Update 2 - Britain Mission Society Sent: 10/17/20 12:43 PM Received: 10/21/00 9:02 PM From: The Rev'd Robert Wurst, loehe@mail.com To: Confessional Lutherans in Missionary Boldness, CLiMB@CAT41.org Britain Mission Society -- Second Update on Trip to Great Britain Dear Lutheran brothers and sisters, Greetings to you from England in the name of our precious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Well, another week has sped past. :) I have less than a week left with our fellow Lutherans in England. It is such a joy to visit our Lutheran brothers and sisters here. Last week I preached at Holy Trinity, Tottenham. The congregation there is made up of people of Caribbean, African, and South American descent. Such a loving congregation! I was able to tell of Godís love for them in Christ and we ate and drank the holy Supper together. It was a bit like the scenes in Revelation where people of every tribe, nation, and language were gathered together to sing the praises of the Lamb who once was slain but is risen never to die again. The saints of Holy Trinity send their Christian love and thanks to you who have helped support them. This past Monday, I visited the Lutherans at Petts Wood (south of London). I had lunch with their pastor, the Rev'd John Ehlers, and with a retired ELCE pastor, the Rev'd Arnold Rakow. After that delightful visit, I went to a meeting held in Christ Church. I met many ladies from the congregation as well as some non-members who come. I was their speaker for the day. I had a lovely time and returned to Tottenham for dinner. Tuesday, I left Tottenham and took the train to a town called Fareham. There I met with the pastor, the Rev'd Dr. Karl Fry, who is also the chairman of the ELCE. We had a nice chat about the work of the Britain Mission Society and I then caught the train to Plymouth. Pastor Brockwell of St. Peter Lutheran Church met me at the train station. As you know St. Peter and Our Saviour are special 'sister congregations'. We support each other and pray for each other regularly. (If you are interested in developing this sort of relationship with a British Lutheran church, let me know). It was with great joy that I greeted Pastor Brockwell again. Since coming to Plymouth, I have attended two Bible classes; one on the proper distinction between the Law and the Gospel and the other on the Revelation to St. John. On Thursday, we went to an English primary school where Pastor Brockwell spoke to the children about the blessings of attending church. Most children seldom (or never) enter a church. Many are unbaptized! After he spoke and the head teacher thanked him, the children sang a song about how it was all up to them to provide the creatures of nature . Well, they heard of Christ and we trust the Holy Spirit to do His work through the Word. On Friday, we went with some members of St. Peter up the coast to Dartmouth. What a positively lovely city! It has been a long time since I have been near the sea. How good it was to smell its freshness and feel the breeze on my face. We also visited a site where preparations for D-Day took place and where 700+ men lost their lives. It was quite special to visit that place. Today, besides preparing for Sunday, St. Peter had one of their monthly international meals. This month we all ate Middle Eastern foods. It was all very delicious. I also had an opportunity to speak of the love that their fellow Lutherans had for them and to encourage them in their work. There were several non-members present at the meal. It is 'funny' how God works sometimes. Pastor Brockwell related that my little talk on Christian love moved one elderly woman to inquire about joining the church. Thanks be to God! Please remember this dear lady in your prayers that Pastor's visits would now lead her to true faith in Christ. The things I have found in my visits here are our fellow Lutherans sense of isolation and loneliness. These are great temptations to despair. The saints of God have all related that they feel that no one knows of them or of their struggles. They have little money. In fact, the Missouri Synod Board for Mission Services is ending its support of the ELCE this year. While this is, I think, a good thing, it will be quite difficult here for some time. Here, your support of the Britain Mission Society is very important. The books that we have provided are so very much appreciated here. But there is so much more to do! Hymnals need to be replaced. Catechism materials and VBS materials need to be provided. Your letters and cards would also be greatly appreciated by the congregations here. When I get back, I will be mailing a newsletter to give you names and addresses of the congregations here. Rise up, dear brethren! Rise up to help your fellow Lutherans in England. It is well and good that we help the more exotic missions but we should not let the established churches fail from lack of love and aid. Implore the God of all grace and mercy to shed His Holy Spirit upon this land that the wiles and deceit of the devil would be overcome. There is much work to do in Britain and there are few hands to do it. Pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would send workers into His harvest fields. Pray, too, that God would provide for these pastors so that they can give their full attention to preaching and the congregation and not worry unduly about their physical needs. Well, I must preach tomorrow to the saints of St. Peter, Plymouth so it is to bed for me. On Monday, I will go to Cardiff, Wales to visit the congregation there. Tuesday will see me return to London until my departure for the US on Thursday. The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Pastor Wurst + Our Saviour Lutheran Church Evansville, Indiana Home of the Britain Mission Society + + + Confessional Lutherans in Missionary Boldness + + + The CLIMB e-letter brings you unedited, uncut reports directly from the mission field, whether in South America, Africa, Europe, inner-city, rural, or collegiate America, or military installations and battle sites around the world. 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