In September the plan was that I would return to the States for my deputation in June 2024. And now that plan has changed! There are many reasons for this, but the two most compelling reasons are 1) Molly Morton has had to delay her deputation, and if I were to go as planned, we would be in the U.S. at the same time, and 2) Ministry is going well and stability and continuity are important to the groups taking root and growing into something more. Stability and continuity have been difficult the past years, with COVID-19 (2020/21), my own deputation in 2021/22, discovering I needed open-heart surgery and recovery (2022/23), and so the groups faltered. However, 2024 has been a strong year, starting first with the Parent and Baby Group (January 2024), and in September, I added a toddler group. I also co-lead a Bible Study for young mums on Friday mornings. I feel confident that by delaying deputation to 2026 these groups will have the opportunity to grow deep roots that will weather a few months without me!

I continue to be part of the rotation for preaching at the Nazarene Church, and I am grateful for the opportunity. I am thankful for opportunities to interact with Irish Friends. And after the past weekend of study, I am halfway through Year 1 of “Training in the Ministry of Spiritual Companioning.”

Here are a few photos of the groups!  Thank you again.

Kathi Perry

The post Kathi Perry January 2025 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

The post October 2024 Prayer Letter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Summer has come, and in Ireland, that means long days, lighter schedules, the smell of barbecues, vacations, and spending time outside whenever the sun is shining. Groups that meet weekly throughout the school year go on hiatus as everyone wants to be outdoors during daylight hours. Here are some highlights from the past months!

Little Friends Parent and Baby Group met from February to J    une. This group had struggled to start up again after the lockdowns of COVID-19 (followed by deputation in 2021/2022, and surgeries and recoveries in 2023). It was wonderful to see this group take root, and in the last few weeks in June, we discussed the possibility of starting the “graduate” group again in the Fall. (We have to grow those babies into toddlers for that!)

I remain part of the preaching team at the Nazarene Church. This means I get to preach about every six weeks. I enjoy that very much. I co-lead a Bible Study for young mums on Friday mornings (which has now paused for the summer).

In April I completed a graduate level certificate course for Trauma Informed Care. I began this course as part of my effort to go back into Social Work, however, it will be valuable for a life of service in Ireland (and in our world) where so many experience displacement, war, famine, and racial injustice. Related to that, I have begun to volunteer teaching English twice a week, for men who are currently in Ireland under “protection” visas and living locally.

I applied for and was accepted into a “Training for the Ministry of Spiritual Companioning” which is more commonly called “Spiritual Direction”. This is a two-year commitment here in Ireland, starting in October 2024, and I am looking forward to it! I feel that it will be a valuable way to connect with people, and I think I will enjoy it too.

I’m leaving on Friday for camp! I will be in Northern Ireland July 5-12.  I am the “Camp Hostess/Auntie”, a seminar leader, and a panel participant (answering anonymous questions that are placed in a box throughout the week). I have loved being at camp for the last 15 years, in various capacities, working alongside Irish Young Friends/Leaders. I feel really privileged to be able to interact with them, encourage them, and be loved and encouraged by them, as well.

I’m in my 23^rd year in Ireland. That is more than a third of my life. I am so thankful for the faithful prayers and support that keep me here. It is your support that allows me to do this work that I love, for people I love, so that they would know that they are loved, known, and seen by God, who is more than we can imagine and cherishes us.

Kathi Perry

The post Kathi Perry July 2024 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Just a quick update! Little Friends Mum and Baby Group has started up again (after nearly a year)! While the group was small, the women were chatty and enthusiastic and promised to tell their friends to come next week, which was expected. I have a new helper, a woman named Katie.

It was good to be back, and setting up for the morning I could feel how much more energy and strength I have than I had the last few years. I didn’t know how unwell I was, and I am thankful for my new heart valve and new knee. It was good to be back, working again, greeting new mums, and getting to know Katie.

On Monday I met with some women who asked if I would “start a Bible study again” – one woman was part of the “Pre- COVID” study, and two women were not. We met to talk about when, where, and what. We made these decisions – 10:30 on Wednesdays, at one of their homes, and we will be studying Revelations! I also asked them to think about others who may want to and be available to join. This is exciting as well. I continue to co-lead a study for young mums on Fridays. They can bring their babies with them (called the “Friday Ba-ble Study”.  That was not my idea…).

I am thankful for the prayers that have carried me through the last few, difficult years of loss and isolation, weariness that I did not realize had a medical cause – and the recovery from major surgeries when that was discovered. It feels good to be moving forward again.

Please pray for these new gatherings and new relationships, for deep conversations and lighter moments of laughter. Pray that each one would know the love of God as real and personal.

Kathi Perry

The post Kathi Perry’s January 2024 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

• To express their deep gratitude to those who are partnering with them in prayer and financial support.
• To provide updates about their ministry in Ireland.
• To find others who the Lord might lead to partner with them in prayer and/or financial support so that they reach 100% in both areas before heading back to Ireland.

They will begin their deputation in the Northwest at the end of January through March. After, they will visit MAYM and RMYM during April and May.

If you would like to schedule an opportunity to see them while they are in your area, please email David at davidh@friendsmission.com.

There are two ways to support The Howells – through prayer and through financial giving. They need and appreciate both!

David and Tricia currently have 858 prayer partners and have a goal of raising it to 1,100. If you know anyone who would like to pray for their ministry, please forward this form to them.

David and Tricia are currently at 71% of their ongoing monthly need. If you are a current monthly supporter, thank you. It is important to let EFM know that you plan to continue or increase your giving. If you are not currently giving, please prayerfully consider supporting their ministry in Ireland.

There are four ways to partner with them financially:

• Online. Visit https://catalog.friendsmission.com/howell. You’ll be given the opportunity to indicate whether you are making a recurring or one-time gift.
• Credit Card. This may be given online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office (303-421-8100) to give your information to a live person.
• Automatic Bank Transfer. Download the form here and email it Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check. Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Make sure to mark your check “Howell Support” and note if you will be giving on a recurring basis (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Pay to the order of “EFM.”

The post The Howells are Coming on Deputation! first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Kathi Perry | Serving in Ireland

The last year was a tough one for me! It began with an aortic valve replacement on January 3rd. (My heart is completely healthy now!) In May I completed an M.A. in Practical Theology at Barclay College. My landlord gave me notice that he intended to sell the house I’d lived in for eight years, and on September 1st I moved into an apartment. In October I had my right knee replaced, and six weeks later (the day after I was cleared to drive) I got COVID-19 for the first time! My body is tired!

There is an old tradition in Ireland, on New Year’s Eve, you open the back door to let the old year out, and at midnight, open the front door to let the New Year in.  I like the symbolism of this. We have the chance to start again (honestly, we can start again any day, every day). I’m ready to put 2023 behind me and start again. Paul says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he (or she) is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17,18).

I have been overwhelmed by the care of the people around me, and so grateful. The “Little Friends” families and people from the Nazarene Church have driven me to appointments, brought meals and groceries, collected prescriptions, and taken me for walks. A friend from the North came and spent a weekend with me, which was very helpful. And every child who came by left a message on my bathroom mirror.

And I am thankful for each of you. Your prayers and support have carried me through 2023. And looking forward to 2024!

Kathi Perry

Download this month’s full prayer letter here…

The post January 2024 Prayer Letter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

In 2019, I visited Ireland and more specifically Greystones with the purpose of finding a partnering charity. To make a long story short, the Church of the Nazarene Greystones agreed to be my partnering charity for my Minister of Religion visa. Currently, I live and serve in Greystones, Ireland. This town was not on my radar at all in 2018, only as the town my teammate Kathi lived in. She had suggested asking the church she attended. But now I live here. Now I am blessed to serve a rapidly growing and diversifying church family at “the Naz” as it is locally known.

As I thought about how different the reality of my life in Ireland is to the one, I imagined, I was struck by the creativity of our Heavenly Father. I would have never imagined that I would live in County Wicklow because all my connections were further north in County Louth. I would have never imagined that I would be in a pastoral position in a church.  But now I serve as the administrative pastor at the Naz. But God knew. He had it planned this way all along. I am so incredibly blessed to serve in this community. The one God designed for me.

Some of the ways I’ve been able to serve in this community in the last few months have been so fun. In August, I was privileged to accompany residents from Peace Haven, a local charity that provides housing and support for adults with intellectual disabilities, on their vacation to Orlando, Florida. All three residents, Rachel, Beverley, and Clara attend our church. We got to go to all the Disney parks, ride a fan boat in the Everglades, visit Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village, and swim with dolphins. It was so much fun to help provide a safe and relaxing holiday for these ladies. It also was really nice to be within driving distance of a Target for two weeks!

Right before Florida, a team from my home church of Gateway Friends in Diamond Bar, California came to Greystones to help us provide a craft and cookery camp for over 50 children. I loved having some of my favorite people from Gateway here with me in Ireland. It was immensely gratifying to be able to show them our ministry here. They loved meeting all the people I’ve been talking about and getting to serve our church family.

We as a church family are looking forward to the Advent season as we journey towards Christmas morning and the gift of the Son of God. We have lots of plans to engage our community. We are excited to host a carol service, men’s and women’s dinners, ecumenical gatherings, and children’s programs.

Thank you so much for your intentional and generous prayer and support of what God is doing in and through my ministry in Greystones, Ireland with the Church of the Nazarene. I am so grateful that those visa regulations were changed all those years ago.

All my love and prayers,

Molly Morton

The post Molly Morton November 2023 Ministry Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Here are the latest updates on life and ministry in Ireland. Please continue to pray for God to be made known in a real way among our Irish friends.

Grace and Peace.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”

Life in Ireland Snippet

Driving around the lush, green, and picturesque scenery is one of the perks of living and serving in Ireland. We are still overwhelmed and amazed at the beauty around us after all these years. However, there are always two sides to the coin. These jaw-dropping views and scenic byways are usually only accessed by roads more suited to horse and carriage than motorized vehicles. It is a common occurrence for visiting guests to try and climb onto my side of the car for fear of the wall or brambles or buildings mere inches away, it seems, from their window. Added to this are the speeds that are more suited for the motorway and not these rough roads. It’s also common, in the countryside, to be driving on a two-way road that isn’t suited for one car. Yet that is a part of life that we are accustomed to. Even in big cities, the width of the roads is smaller than we were used to. This brings with it its own challenges. Living and driving in Ireland took a bit to get used to. But we did, and with that, every drive is a new adventure.

Ministry Glimpse

The relationships that we have made over the years are special. We got a call from a friend who had access to a surplus of food and asked if we could help distribute it to those in need. Tricia rang another one of our friends and set it up. Tricia spent the next two days sorting and preparing, packing, and loading and delivered 30 food hampers to help at-risk families in our communities.

Recently we were talking with a young man who comes from a home filled with addictive substance abuse. He was sharing with us how much our family has meant to him getting through school. We were always there for a chat or a word of encouragement. He especially appreciated the discussions with David on theological issues; books that he had read, questions about the Bible, and topics that he had no other person to wrestle through with. We were a solid foundation for him.

“You are like a beam of sunshine in human form.” Recently a friend was joking with me about the way I try and bring joy and peace into everything. I smiled and said I like to try and reflect the hope and joy that I have inside. They asked where that came from and I smiled and said, “My faith in a loving God.”

I was sharing with a friend in the States recently how I feel like I am still a pastor of a church; just my flock doesn’t meet in one place. As I am writing this, I’m sitting outside at a café and several of the local schools have let out. One of the teens that I have worked with over the years had attended the Alpha course we ran in the schools last year. After the initial hellos, they were excited to say that they went to CU that day. (CU stands for Christian Union and is a student-led school group). We chatted about this for a bit and then they were off. I love the way that God has given us opportunities to plant seeds, nurture them, and watch them grow.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for the presence of God living in us will shine bright and penetrate the darkness around us as we proclaim the good news.

Please pray for our funding. We will be traveling back to the States, starting in January, for deputation and meeting up with past, present, and future partners in ministry in Ireland. We would love to meet up and chat with you about what God has and is doing in Ireland.

Please pray for our family’s safety, both mentally and physically. We will be traveling a great deal over the coming months. Please pray for traveling protection as well as for the mental toll that these times take.

Grace and Peace,

The Howell Clan

The post Howellclan Connection: November 2023 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Recently we were asked to fill out our annual Fall Board report. One of the questions asked for a story of a “transformed life or community” and honestly, it feels like the life most transformed this year is mine. I wrote this:

This year is hard to summarize because I feel like I am the story. From unexpectedly finding myself in the hospital in November 2022 – when people had to scramble and get my car out of the parking lot, feed the cat, cover the baby group, bring me clothes and a toothbrush… Learning I needed open-heart surgery to replace my aortic valve (!)… Isolating through December when friends carried over every course of Christmas dinner… the friends who rearranged a Christmas trip to the UK so that my “emergency contact” friend could be present with me on surgery day in January. My sisters coming to look after me when I was released. Volunteers who drove me to the hospital each week so I could have blood drawn to determine my warfarin dosage in the first months following surgery… attending medical appointments when I wasn’t allowed to drive… Learning every day that incremental improvements are worth celebrating while waiting for my sternum to knit itself back together!

In March I began (again) working on my Capstone Project for Barclay College (which I had to defer in the Fall) and in May I completed my M.A. in Practical Theology. Also in May, my landlord gave me notice that he was selling my house. So, I investigated different options and finally had to find a new place to live.

While I was trying to work out my living situation, I also went to camp and taught a seminar I wrote for Fruit of the Vine. I preached, and the people at the Naz church have been supportive, helpful, and patient.

At the end of August, I moved house, and I paid for movers and packers to come – but still, friends came to help me fill holes in the walls and climb into the attic to make sure I hadn’t left anything behind. A neighbor came and helped me clear out the garden, and another took some of my potted plants to look after so I could make decisions about those later. I said “goodbye” to my garden, and cul de sac of lovely neighbors. Friends (some I didn’t expect) came to my new place to help me unpack.

I moved into an apartment and quickly discovered that there were many plumbing and heating problems, and then water started leaking through the ceiling from the balcony above me. So, this has been a month of plumbers, electricians, engineers, and a landlord who lives in Switzerland.

I re-started a course in Trauma Informed Care at University College Cork (which I had deferred the year before when I learned I needed heart surgery!) I have updated my Curriculum Vitae and I’ve had job interviews, as I explore bi-vocational ministry.

I started (and completed) six weeks of cardiac rehab at a local hospital. Intense. Hard work. It served the dual purpose of strengthening my heart and preparing me for my NEXT surgery – a right knee replacement on October 20.

So maybe the transformed life this year is mine.

Thank you for your prayers and faithful support! I have been held up this year by your prayers.

Blessings,

Kathi Perry

The post Kathi Perry October 2023 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Recently I was walking down Grafton Street in Dublin, a street that at one time held a top ten spot for most expensive rent in the world. A shopper’s delight filled with high-end stores and buskers (musicians and performers) dotted along the way. I walked along and it wasn’t the opulence that caught my eye, but something down a side street. Tucked away was a church that has stood since 1720. In the middle of this bustling city and across this island are reminders of a once prominent system. The beautiful stone and glass work on display. Some still standing regal and proud. Most in ruins dotting the landscape. In many ways, all of them in ruins.

When I speak to people about topics of faith or God or Jesus, I am often met with this same mentality. Comments along the line of “Oh, that thing from bygone past. The system that no longer has any place or is not wanted in our modern culture.” I remember one friend came up to me and said, “You’re that religious guy, right?” I said I was. He said, “You know you’re wrong, right?” I smiled and replied, “I know you think I am.” This conversation went on for over 30 minutes. Him walking away and coming back, over and over again. Sometimes a question of faith was added to that statement. But that statement was the foundation with which everything else was being built on. One of the core goals of EFM Ireland is to show a Jesus that is present and relevant in a culture that has moved past. A culture that has been wounded and betrayed by those they trusted with this precious gift. A people who are strong and passionate, yet timid and indifferent in matters of faith. In this, our hearts are heavy.

Matthew 9 says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.” This passage resonates with me. This is a people group that has been harassed and left helpless on matters of the greatest importance. It has been a hard row to hoe as the remnants and rubble try to trip us up and get us off track. But we move forward. And lives are being impacted and forever changed.

Would you continue to pray for us in this. Our partnership together has allowed our presence and words of life to be planted deep. To dig through the hard and fallow ground and see life spring forth. Pray that our friends will continue to be open to the hard conversations. That the Spirit of God will speak truth into their hearts. Please pray for our current financial situation as well. We are well below what is needed to be fully funded. We can’t thank you enough for your support throughout the years. I (David) will be returning to the States this autumn and would love to connect with as many of you as I can. As well as others who you may know who may want to come alongside us in this ministry.

When the conversation with my friend ended, he looked at me and said before walking away with a sly grin. “Your faith is different, huh.” May this be the sentiment shared by everyone we have the honor of coming into contact with.

Grace and Peace,

The Howell Clan

The post Howellclan Connection: August Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.