Os hoffech dderbyn copiau o'r e-bost yma yn Gymraeg yn y dyfodol cliciwch yma.

This Month:

	Dear friends
	Camps
	The Aber Conferences
	The Eisteddfod Mission
	Gifts of Bryntirion Press books to Assembly Members
	Join us in praying … as we take appropriate action with our finances
	Key figures for 2007-08
	The 2008-2009 financial position
	Actions planned for early 2009
	Other important developements to pray for:
	English Theological Training Course
	Welsh Theological Training Course
	Mission Wales: Lampeter (1-8 February, 2009)
	Developments on the Welsh side of the website

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Printable versions:

You can download a PDF copy of this prayer letter in English or Welsh - perfect for printing. Why not print a copy for your church prayer meeting, or to keep in your Bible?

Know that the Lord, he is God! ... Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100 vs 3,4 and 5

The summer of 2008 may seem a long time ago. Nevertheless we are still receiving feedback on the blessings God gave His people. We thought you might want to read them for yourselves. I trust the quotes bless you. I hope they will give you very good reason to praise God for His goodness.

Camps

‘Our team, with new officers and a new chaplain, all gelled and worked together...4 or 5 made professions, but the children did the work! One officer went to tell some campers to stop talking in their beds. Then he heard two of the boys who had become Christians telling the third one how to become a Christian – he let them continue talking.’ - Chaplain

‘Seeing God raising up leaders for the future is just amazing – they love the Lord and want to serve and to share him with others– they are moving to spiritual maturity.’ - Leader

‘Great trips, great activities, great friends, officers, Bible studies and services.’ - Camper 

‘I most enjoyed the fantastic sermons, encouraging and practical bible studies and a great dorm officer.’ Camper

‘The most important thing I’ve learned this year is that people can ask God into their lives whatever they’ve done.’ - Camper

‘Two Italian boys came. Both had little church background. They were brought over by a pastor who flew them over so that they could come to camp! What a joy to share the gospel with them.’ - Leader

‘If anyone thinks the camps are less spiritual I could provide them with evidence to refute this claim. We could mention the five campers who made humble professions of repentance at camp, and in the following week; those who were strengthened in faith and had their questions answered; the atmosphere of Christian care and dedication which the campers soaked up. We know the seed of God’s Word is being sowed in camps, which will mature in God’s time. - Chaplain

The Aber Conferences

An encouraging conference…inspired and blessed.’

‘Sincere thanks to all staff for an excellent Aber conference. We enjoy coming every year and it seems to get better and better. The conference singing was uplifting, the preaching of God’s word was challenging and heart warming, the fellowship was good and the prayer meetings too.’ 

‘These blessed days have fired us up for the Lord’s work in the coming months. We are very grateful and so are other members of our church. We are particularly thankful that those members who came to Aber for the first time returned home excited.’

Please pray for Joel Beeke and Martin Williams as they prepare to come and take the morning addresses in 2009.

The Eisteddfod Mission

‘We prepared over 1400 cups of tea and coffee. The people who visited the stall and had the tea appreciated the refreshments, the service and the fellowship.’

‘It is our privilege to bear witness to our Lord Jesus Christ. We acknowledge our weaknesses and failings, but we believe that God is able to bring honour to his name through the efforts of his children. We pray, and we urge you to pray, that God would have mercy on the people of Wales in these days.'

Gifts of Bryntirion Press books to Assembly Members

We have been encouraged by the responses of Assembly Members to a gift of books received from Bryntirion Press. During ‘National give a Book Week’ all AMs were sent copies of Upon High Places and Golau Gwlad. We received letters of thanks and promises that the books would be read. We are grateful to the person who proposed and paid for this scheme. It is a good reminder for us of our need to pray for our government.

Join us in praying … as we take appropriate action with our finances

Key figures for 2007-08

I have outlined our financial position in the Annual Report and throughout the summer and autumn in many meetings. I confess that this has not been easy, since the figures are not encouraging. However, we believe that our God works all things together for good. We are seeking to look on this period as an opportunity to take very important actions. We aim to ensure a more sustainable financial future. We are keen to demonstrate that we are being good stewards of the funding and resources God has given us. We aim to be more effective in our monitoring and communicating our financial position to you as our supporters and partners. The return of Trish Layton as our finance officer has improved our processes dramatically. However we have many more improvements to make before we can be satisfied that we have done all we need to do.

For some years EMW finances have been uncertain. Legacies and the sale of capital assets have provided injections of cash which have sustained the work until now. In addition, a recent focus on improving income helped bring about an operating surplus in the 2006-7 financial year (excluding capital expenditure on the improvements at Bryn-y-groes). However, performance in 2007-8 was not so encouraging.
The headlines are:
• Gift income dropped by around £30,000
• Bookshop sales rose £35,000, but costs rose more
• Income at the English conference fell by £21,000
• Accountancy and consultancy fees rose by £8,900
• Support staff salaries rose by £10,000
• Camps made substantial losses due to a temporary reduction in campers
• Investment income dropped by £8,300 following the use of funds to build the new hall in Bryn-y-groes.

The final audited figures showed the EMW with a £91,000 operating deficit 2007–8. This is totally unsustainable. I have stated previously that we need to take difficult decisions. None of them will be taken lightly. We believe that this is the Lord’s work. We want to do His will.

The 2008-2009 financial position

‘There are some encouragements. God’s people have given generously through gifts and through legacies. The number of children on camps increased significantly this year. We believe that the English conference, whilst numbers reduced slightly, maintained its overall income. Cuts have been made in staffing in Bryntirion office. We are seeking to increase income in our shops and reduce costs. We are making efforts to reduce camp costs and appropriately increase charges for 2009.

Actions planned for early 2009

The Management Board is making plans to ensure that we establish a stable financial position. For example, we need to make our bookshops as sustainable as possible. We want to involve local churches. If possible we want to keep our shops open. We are seeking economical ways of continuing to provide a service. This may lead to local churches establishing shops on a volunteer basis. Sadly, if there is no other option (and we cannot afford significant losses), this may result in significant reduction of costs in some shops, or even their closure. In particular we ask you to pray for the work of the shop in Llandrindod Wells. Churches are presently considering whether they can take over the service. There will be a series of meetings over the coming months with the Movement and with church leaders.

Please pray for Gill Davies, the manager, and Audrey, her assistant, as they come to terms with the shop ceasing to function in its present form at the end of January 2009.

Other important developements to pray for:

English Theological Training Course

At the EMW Day on 4 October, Rev. Stephen Clark re-launched the TTC . This is a very important development. A new brochure has been published. More details to be found in Update of the English magazine (Nov/Dec).

Welsh Theological Training Course

The Movement has started a new Welsh Theological Training Course. The course is aimed at Christians who are in full time secular work, but who take part in various
ministries (e.g. church elders, youth workers and Sunday school teachers). The course lasts for two years and aims to give a firm Biblical grounding whilst also providing practical ideas, training and support. Students will only have four Saturdays a year of lectures as most of the modules are taught from home, over the internet and through the post. Please pray for the students and lecturers as they prepare for the start of the course in November and also that the course will be well attended.

Mission Wales: Lampeter (1-8 February, 2009)

Please pray for Gareth Jones, Steff Job and myself as we meet to finalise details of the week’s programme. Our aim is to support and encourage Lampeter churches by sharing, preaching and gossiping the gospel around the town, and its environs. Lampeter is a university town with people from many countries around the world living and working there. Professor Andrew McIntosh (Leeds) is speaking at a special meeting on the first Saturday. We need a team! At present five people are booked in. We have reserved accommodation for many more team members. Will you join us? We are looking for English and Welsh speakers who will be willing to give out invitations, take gospel newspapers to houses around the area, and be involved in evangelistic opportunities. More details will be posted on the website.

Developments on the Welsh side of the website

Over the next months there will be a number of new developments on the Welsh side of the website. These include pages of resources for pastors; a new tracts webpage (providing a number of Welsh language and bi-lingual evangelistic literature for Christians to download); the Welsh Christianity Explored webpage; The ‘Cristnogaeth’ webpage (a webpage full of videos and literature of testimonies and answers to questions aimed at non-believers). Please pray that the website will become a tool to help Christians for the glory of God.

May the Lord bless you over the next few months.
In Christ alone,