October Prayer Letter

Dear Friends,

Fall greetings from Hungary. Here is the news from this past month.

Bible Institute:

We launched a new four year cycle of our Bible Institute on September 9th. Our Bible Insitute meets one Saturday each month for six hours of classes in the areas of Systematic Theology, Bible Survey and Practical Theology. The three classes this semester are Bibliology, Old Testament Survey 1 and Personal Evangelism. I am teaching two of the classes and Gergo Szimon is teaching the OT Survey class. At our second meeting on October 7th we had 16 students present from five churches. Two of the students drive more than 2 hours to be here for the classes. I am excited about the opportunity to influence churches through this ministry. Our stated goal is to prepare effective workers and leaders for our churches. Please pray that the Lord would have His hand of blessing on this ministry.

Small Groups:

After our summer break we relaunched our small group ministry in September. We were excited to be able to start a new group with a focus on single adult ladies. We trust it will be a blessing. We also launched a group in our home as well. We are trying to focus on drawing new people into our small groups who have not really been involved. I have also been preaching a 7-part Sunday series called „Uncommon Community” preaching through the „one another” passages in the New Testament. It is our goal to see our church function as a strong, healthy community that is able to integrate new people into our church family and disciple them into becoming committed followers of Jesus Christ.

Preaching Engagements:

By turning the church in Tata over to Gergő, my Sunday mornings are now free. This has given me the opportunity to accept more out of town speaking engagements. In September I preached in churches in Felsopeteny, Sopron and Szekesfehervar. I had the opportunity to take the teens with me to Sopron, and they sang and provided special music. It is my goal to use these opportunities to stir the fires of missions, evangelism and healthy church life in these churches.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.

Marc Patton