The Brethren Church

Dear Friends of Hope,

Our summer season is heating up (and we’re certainly not talking about the weather!). Summers are very busy times for us at Hope, and this one is no exception. We will be traveling to the States this summer for several weeks to visit churches, speak at the Brethren General Conference in Ashland (OH), and spend some much needed time with family and friends. Our speaking itinerary is shaping up nicely. You can access our summer schedule by going to our blog at http://hopeofireland.blogspot.com.

Even before we set foot on a jet bound for America, the month of June will be quite busy. Here are some of the plans that we are anticipating:

• 17-24 June, St. James (Maryland) Brethren Church mission team — They will be involved in a number of community projects, some youth work, and work projects. We will also be sharing with them our heart for ministry in Ireland and be discussing what evangelism looks like in the context of relationship. There are 12 members on the team.
• 28 June-6 July, youth team from the Goshen (Indiana) First Brethren Church — This trip is designated as a discipleship trip, and the members of this team will be discovering more about the plans and purposes of God for their lives. They will also be involved in a few local projects.

We have two youth weekends planned for Galway Christian Fellowship in the month of June. We are continuing to discuss with the Galway youth what the point of the Christian faith is, separating truth from myth. We will have other visitors from the Czech Republic, Canada, and the United States as well.

Our greatest challenge in June will be in saying farewell to Ben Purner who has served with us as an intern since June 2005. He has been such an integral part of the Hope team and our family for two years. Saying goodbye to our interns is always difficult, but this one will be especially challenging. He has, heart and soul, been a key part of who we are in Ireland. He will be missed not only by our fellowship and our team, but by our community, neighbors, and youth. Please pray for Ben as he makes his future plans and returns to New Jersey. Ben is being “replaced” by his younger brother Jonathan who will join us in September.

You can catch up on all that’s happening with Hope Community by checking out our website/blog on a regular basis. We update the blog a couple times each week, so the material you find there is always fresh. As for us personally, we are doing well. Our health has been good, and we continue to trust God for those things which are beyond our control. We are continuing to move ahead in our adoption plans as well. Brenda commits a lot of her personal time to completing the paperwork for the adoption.

As always, we appreciate those of you who “have our backs” in prayer. Here are a few items for your agenda of prayer for Hope:

• Pray for the transitions in our Internship (Hope Immersions). Our interns are an essential part of life and ministry in Ireland, and having the right interns is a core part of our life and work in Ireland.
• Pray for our little church as we continue to discover more and more the unique role of who God has called us to be as His in this community. Pray for Irish young people who we can raise up into leadership in the church.
• Pray for our on-going financial needs and our adoption process.

We love and appreciate you all. If we are anywhere near you this summer, we hope to be able to see you face to face. Until then, we remain yours and His.

Mark & Brenda Ray