Mark 16:6 (ESV) And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. We have reached the end of the Gospel of Mark in Sunday Services. As a congregation, we have been blessed and encouraged to hear the risen Lord Jesus preached. We clearly saw the evidence the bible gives us of the resurrection being true and trustworthy.It has been great to see new people from the community come and be taken through the life of Christ. We have even seen some of them come to faith and grow in their understanding and love for Jesus.  We have had two new professions of faith this month. One from a man who started coming to church after his daughter started attending the kids’ club. He came in saying he was an atheist and nothing will ever change that. The lord has moved in his heart, though. He has been convicted of his sin, has repented, and now believes and trusts in Christ. The second is from a lady who moved to Orkney a couple of months ago, having left a troubled life behind. After meeting one-on-one to study and ask questions, she attended Sunday services and has bowed the knee to Christ. Now she is seeking to know Him more and walk His path.There has been a lot of one-to-one discipleship happening with new people who have started coming along. There are many complex issues to deal with, and while their ultimate need is Jesus, they need to chat and talk through what has happened. Once a month we hold a Sunday service for the residents of a care home in Stromness called Hamnavoe House. It is both a blessing and a challenge to take these services. Some of the residents are in the final stages of dementia which can be heartbreaking to see, yet we know the Lord can and does work in any situation and His word never returns empty. We are thankful to get the opportunity to meet the residents and staff and be able to sing with them, pray for them and preach the word to them.  Kid’s Club has been going well. We have a good core of regular children coming. They enjoy the time together playing games, making crafts, eating, singing and dancing and learning about Jesus. We are praying more from the community will come. We are also looking forward to the week long holiday club starting on the 10th August. Also, we have a Family Fun Day on the 15th August. We have been out in the community handing out leaflets and chatting to people at the town’s annual “shopping week” festival. This is a week of events in town for the community to come together and get involved in. During the day there are things for kids to join in like the sandcastle competition and the fancy dress race. In the evening events for the adults involve drinking alcohol and doing daft things such as a three-legged race or climbing along a greasy pole out over the harbour. While a lot of fun is had, it’s also a reminder of the drinking culture and alcohol problem there is here.   Matt and Cee Please stand with us in prayer. Matt and Cee still need funding to continue the ministry work here at Grace Church, Orkney. Please pray that the Lord provides. If you can support them in the work, please select them from the drop-down box at the top of the links below. GIVE From the USA https://app.aplos.com/aws/give/20schemesInc/CHURCHES GIVE From the UK https://20schemes.infoodle.com/f/OnlineDonationsFormBritishWorkers PRAYER POINTS Pray for us as a congregation that we grow in our spiritual life and that we show our community Jesus. Pray for their two new believers that they remain genuine in their love for Christ and stay close to Him. Pray for their spiritual growth. Pray that we support them well as a church. Pray for the staff and residents of Hamnavoe House that they come to know the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. Pray for the holiday club and family fun day that lots of people from the community come and, in doing so, they get to know us as a church and, more importantly, Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If you’d like to take a next step in supporting the ministry: PRAY | Join us in praying that the Lord blesses the work here and enables us to spread the Gospel in Stromness, Orkney, and that souls are saved for His glory. GIVE | Financially support this work so the least, last, and lost will hear the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. To give to the ministry as a financial offering from the U.K., please follow this link and select “Orkney” 20schemes.info/orkneyukgive Or follow this link if you are in the USA and select “Orkney” https://app.aplos.com/aws/give/20schemesInc/CHURCHES COME | Visit us in the UK to see firsthand the work God is doing on the ground, serving Christ in Scotland’s schemes and rural places. |