This month flew by so fast! Here are a few highlights from this month, specifically between evangelism at the Huntington Beach Pier and discipleship engagements that we’ve been involved with this month. This certainly won’t do the month justice, but it will hopefully give you some insight and better direction for joining us in prayer! For more frequent updates, feel free to read my blog posts aquí, which are typically added weekly!

The Huntington Beach Pier is one of the most interesting places I’ve been so far in regard to demographic diversity, and you honestly could engage with anyone while you’re out there! We’ve talked to Catholics, Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Atheists, Agnostics, Jews, Buddhists, and many more! We’ve met people from all over the world and in dramatically different stages of life! Huntington Beach Pier is a peculiar place, but it seems to be a great place for our whiteboard evangelism! This month, we also welcomed more people to join us for evangelism at the Pier. In the past, it’s been just a few of us with a whiteboard, engaging people in spiritual conversations on the Pier. Still, this month, several others came out—some from the disciple-making communities (DMCs) we help facilitate, and others from local churches who were interested in observing and participating in whiteboard evangelism. It was encouraging to see people step into something that might feel uncomfortable at first and be willing to learn through doing so. While evangelistic efforts aren’t always comfortable or easy, becoming like Jesus as his disciple was never supposed to be advertised that way.

This month, we’ve seen a couple of students take clear next steps forward in following Jesus. *Henry, a student we originally met at CSUF during the school year, has been in ongoing conversations with us about the Gospel and what it really means to follow Jesus. After more conversations this month—and ensuring he understood that following Jesus isn’t always easy but is absolutely worth it—Henry expressed his desire to become a disciple of Jesus and asked to make a public testimony of baptism. After explaining what it is y isn’t, we did this in a nearby fountain and will continue meeting to support him in his discipleship and formation to Jesus.

We’ve also continued meeting with *Levi, another student from CSUF. Though he made the decision to follow Jesus earlier this year, this month we’ve seen significant signs of growth. He has taken the initiative to study the life and teachings of Jesus on his own, and we’ve seen an increased desire for scripture as he has referenced Jesus’ words—not just repeating them, but applying them in ways that show he’s genuinely trying to understand them. It’s been exciting to see that kind of maturity and desire beginning to take shape in him!

If you’d like to pray with us, here are a few things you can join us in asking God for:

• That the two DMCs we’re facilitating would continue to grow in their desire to actually apply what Jesus taught us—not just learn it.
• For wisdom and clarity in our ongoing meetings with non-believers who are genuinely seeking but have honest questions and concerns about Christianity.
• For the upcoming Archways conversational evangelism workshop, that it would equip people well to have meaningful, gospel-centered conversations in their everyday lives, and that those attending would walk away more confident and faithful in their witness.

Thank you so much for your continued prayer and support in this ministry!

With love and peace,

Ivan Penrose

The post Ivan Penrose | July 2025 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

The Liddell Family | Preparing to Serve in The Balkans

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Hebrew 10:23-24

In June, we moved out of our house and left for Idaho, visiting several churches there in July and enjoying sweet fellowship with individuals. Then we headed east and were encouraged by our time at the yearly meeting sessions for Evangelical Friends Church-Eastern Region. As we were driving east for those sessions, our house went on the market, we accepted an offer, and we are now under contract. The next few weeks will be spent visiting seven churches and several loved ones around the East Coast. It is easy to get caught up in the busy, but we opened with this passage and close our presentations with it for a reason.

First, we pray this for each church and person we visit; that you would both hold fast and hold out your confession of hope without wavering, holding to and introducing your neighbors to the faithful one who promised. Known locally for the way you love and the way you live out that love.

Second, we need that prayer. As we visit churches and as we go to the Balkans, we want to live this. Local pastors and missionaries reported that many workers come into this region and leave within two years due to discouragement, but that doors of opportunity open if you stay past that point. We need prayer to hold fast to our confession of hope, holding out the faithful one, living love.

But most of all, we pray this for the people in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, that they will gain a confession of hope and will hold it fast, that they will know the faithful one who promised. That a place known for bloodshed and deep ethnic hatred will be known for the way its people love one another.

“And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” May this be true in our churches, here and around the world!

Alabado sea el Señor In the chaos of moving, I (Jonelle) was feeling quite stressed. Driving a load of stuff somewhere, we passed a field and Alex got excited and insistent until I looked, “Look, Mommy, it’s soft green grass in a meadow by a little stream! Just like Jesus gives! He makes our hearts quiet!” He was referencing a children’s version of Psalm 23 and has applied it a few times, in a few places. Praise God that this little disciple is seeing God’s gifts around him. For the body of Christ with which we have been privileged to fellowship. They are not just loving us well, but we are getting glimpses of the ways that God is using each local body to shine where they are and make his name great. It is a delight to see! For two potential teammates, who are praying about their role in the Balkans and are taking steps to go! Por favor, oren... We are driving hundreds of miles around the East Coast, then back to San Diego, where we will base with Fred’s parents, then to Colorado for a month of training, then back to San Diego. Pray for safety on the road. For those potential teammates as they continue to discern God’s leading. And if God does continue to lead them to this field, pray for unity as a team. “Jesus, I miss (grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, my house, my cats). I’m sad. Jesus, you stay with me?” We are hearing that prayer regularly from the backseat, as Alex processes goodbyes. Usually followed by “mommy, I prayed, and Jesus is with me, now I’m happy!” Please pray with us, as our kids navigate this season of change and goodbyes, that even when they aren’t happy, they will know Jesus is with them. May we all be so quick to cast our burdens on the Lord.

Download this month’s prayer letter here…

The post August 2025 Prayer Letter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

The post Carta de Oración Julio 2025 first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

By November 2024 EFM had made a commitment to launch seven of the nine fields that were under exploration. Those seven fields are now moving on to the prayer and pre-launch planning phases. See more information aquí.

A 10:2 Prayer Trip is an annual trip to the mission fields where EFM has committed to sending missionaries. Teams are asked to pray for the soil (Matthew 13:1-23) and pray for the workers (Luke 10:2). Teams are sent or guided by sponsoring regions/yearly meetings of the new EFM fields that have been leading exploration. 10:2 Prayer Trips will target appropriate communities for prayer walking and interceding that “the Kingdom come, and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven” in those places.

The next 10:2 Prayer Trip is taking place in Northeast Brazil from July 14 to 23. The team is comprised of members from three yearly meetings (RMYM, IYM, and NWYM) and includes Christy Neifert, Phil Burgi, Jacob Stooke, Ryan Barber, Calen Nockels, Shawn Wilson, Jan Cammack, and Sherry Schoening.

The Sertão region of Northeast Brazil is one of the driest and most underserved areas in the country, both physically and spritually. With scarce access to clean water, limited sanitation, and some of the lowest life expectancy rates in Brazil, the people there live in harsh conditions. Despite these challenges, communities like the Quilombola, Atikum tribal people, and the Cigano are open and receptive to the gospel and are asking, “When can you come?” EFM and RMYM are seeking followers of Jesus to join the great adventure of sharing the love of Christ and bringing hope to these unreached and underresourced communities.

The team is going to the field to pray for God’s purposes to be accomplished in the country, in the hearts of the partners in Brazil, and amongst the people they will interact with.

The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to cast out more workers into his fields.

To learn more about how you can join these trips or if you are interested in exploring missionary service, visit here.

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Currently, they are spending a week at a Missionary training school in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Our family is traveling there on Friday, July 11, to join them and explore what it might look like for Evangelical Friends to send future missionaries there for training. Please pray for wisdom for us, the interns, and the leaders of the school in Dar as we discern the possibility of students from EFC going there in the future.

On July 16, we will all travel to Burundi to join the EFC-MAYM Saltshaker team, a youth and young adult group that is coming to visit the Evangelical Friends Church of Burundi. Please pray with us for various church visits, meetings, and a youth camp with Burundi youth. Pray that we can be a blessing and also that our group will be attentive to learn from the Lord through our Burundi Friends and the special ways God is using them in their communities.

On July 31, our family will travel to Kenya for a few days of vacation before we travel back to Rwanda for the last few weeks of the summer.

Please pray…

1. For Brad’s health, as his acid reflux symptoms are not yet resolved, and can cause lost sleep and other issues
2. For our whole family, but especially our children, as they deal with unknowns, differences, and discomforts on this trip. Pray that they will turn to God for help, and that they see him and his glory in new and special ways
3. For all of us (family, interns, and the U.S. team) to be willing to listen and be used by the Lord, to surrender to his will and his Kingdom over our own
4. For the safety and health of everyone during flights, drives, and all of our stays.

We are really excited to see new things during this trip, to help in all the ways that we can, and to experience everything as a family. Thank you so much for praying for us and walking alongside us.

Love in Him,

Brad & Chelsea

Sarai, Gideon, and Ian

The post The Carpenter Family | Upcoming Trips first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

I’m grateful for your continued support and prayers as I engage in disciple-making ministry and training, helping cultivate growth in obedience and formation to Christ, some of which is achieved through equipping others in evangelical ministry. Below are a few highlights from ministry efforts this month. If you’d like to stay connected with weekly updates and stories, you can follow along on the blog aquí.

Disciple-Making Communities (DMCs)

This month, we launched two new DMCs! One consists of students from Cal State Fullerton (CSUF), and the other with a few Christian young adults that we are connected to. Both groups have hit the ground running—engaging in Bible-dialogues through the Sermon on the Mount, reflecting deeply on Jesus’ words, and learning to articulate their faith through personal three-minute testimonies. They’re also beginning to prepare short, clear gospel summaries to share in everyday conversations. It’s been exciting to see the eagerness and spiritual hunger within these groups as they step into intentional discipleship and evangelism.

Beach Evangelism

We’ve recently begun weekly outreach at Huntington Beach using two approaches: our original spiritual survey method and whiteboard method with thought-provoking questions. These have opened doors to deeper conversations on the pier as the whiteboard approach has been received extremely well by this specific demographic and setting! We were especially encouraged to unexpectedly meet Sebastian and Brayden—two young Christian men who are boldly stepping into evangelism on their own. It has also been fruitful engaging with Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs); our conversations seem to be growing in effectiveness as we refine our approach. Recently, we have aimed to help them think critically about the Watchtower’s authority and the reliability of their New World Translation (NWT). Please pray for continued wisdom and open hearts.

Irvine Spectrum Center

We’ve started exploring evangelism at the Irvine Spectrum Center, a major shopping center with lots of foot traffic and spiritual diversity. We’ve had several meaningful conversations—some encouraging, some more challenging—including multiple interactions with JWs. These experiences are sharpening our approach and helping us learn how to be both bold and gentle as we present truth in love.

Archways Evangelism Training

We held our first Archways Training Workshop at East Whittier Friends Church! This event brought together people from East Whittier and Friends Church Fullerton to begin learning our conversational evangelism model. The training focuses on identifying and entering “natural archways” in conversation—moments that organically open the door to talk about Jesus and the Gospel. The workshop appeared to be well-received, and we’re looking forward to continuing to refine the training as we gain more feedback and experience.

Thank you so much for your continued prayer and support for this ministry that I am privileged to participate in and the training and experience that I am blessed to be able to receive! May God likewise bless you in the ministry that he has prepared for you wherever you may currently be!

With love and peace,

Ivan Penrose

The post Ivan Penrose | June 2025 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

The question I’ve gotten the most is “When exactly are you going?” The simple answer is, when I am fully funded! As of right now, I am 27% toward the goal I need to meet before EFM can send me to Mexico. If you haven’t already, would you prayerfully consider giving toward my missions fund? And if you have, thank you so much for partnering with me in this missionary work! If you are so inclined, I particularly need monthly recurring gifts in order to meet monthly expenses, including food, housing, and travel.

In the meantime, EFM and I have been preparing the further training I will need on the field. Last month, I had a meeting with Carol Lewis, who will be my language coach over Zoom. While I currently display some proficiency in the Spanish language (“nerd Spanish,” as Marco Martinez of Haviland Friends has termed it), Carol will work with me to refine my language skills to communicate effectively as a minister of the gospel and the deep, nuanced, and intimate personal conversations that will entail.

As I continue to wait and prepare to be sent to Zacatecas, I have been attending the Spanish-language service at my home church, called Amigos Rose Drive. The congregation and Pastor Javier Marin have warmly welcomed and received me and my dad, who is also regularly attending with me. Javier, who is from Mexico City himself, has repeatedly expressed his excitement that I’ve been called to preach the gospel in his home country.

For me, it has been very touching to watch my dad enjoy immersing himself with me in a new culture while we continue to learn and practice the language. While the content of the songs and sermons aren’t that different from that in the English service, my dad has said that the Amigos service has been more engaging for him, since he has to concentrate more to listen and understand. During my first trip to Zacatecas earlier this year, my dad attended Amigos by himself every week, and he told me that the congregation would always eagerly ask him for updates about me.

I am very grateful for Amigos Rose Drive for how they are preparing me for life and ministry in Mexico, but I am especially happy to see my dad’s spirit reinvigorated by the same cross-cultural connections.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

(Psalm 57:9-10, NIV)

Dutifully yours,

Erik

I am currently looking for supporters to partner with me in my next steps with EFM. You can support me through prayer and financial giving. I need and appreciate both so that I can reach 100% in both areas at this stage of my journey with EFM. I currently have 239 prayer partners and my goal is to have 250. If you know anyone who would like to sign up to be a prayer partner, you can send them this link. 

 Would you pray and consider supporting me financially in this endeavor? There are four ways to partner with me:

•  Online. Donate online aquí. Make sure to select “Field Intern | Erik Nilsen” at check out. 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 aquí and email it to 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 “Erik Nilsen Field Internship Support” and note if you will be giving on a recurring basis (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Pay to the order of “EFM.”

The post Erik Nilsen July 2025 Fundraising Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

The post July 2025 Prayer Letter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Right now, life feels like a whirlwind, and there is too much to describe it all here. Our time with Rocky Mountain Yearly Meeting was a lot of fun, making new friends and getting to know some friends better.  This continued with the Future Missionary Retreat, and we are so excited to see how God leads these others who are seeking his direction! We had good fellowship and prayer time throughout this week, extending into the EFM spring board meetings. Then a too brief visit with some of my childhood friends, and a fun morning at Denver Friends Church. Each night, I expected all of us to be exhausted and drained in the morning. Each morning, we woke up with increased energy and excitement. This busy respite was so needed! We topped the trip off with a drive home through western Colorado, a visit to Arches National Park, a night with my brother’s family, and so much beauty throughout the drive that we were amazed.

Now we’re in the last stretch, preparing to list our house and head out on the road. June 27 is our departure date, it’s coming quicker than we’re ready for, but we’re excited too! It has been amazing to see how God is meeting needs through local believers whom we don’t even know, and to receive the help of so many family and friends with various aspects of the process.

One highlight of our time in Colorado was a visit to the Dinosaur Museum with some of the future missionaries. Alex is still telling people about it and can’t wait for the next one we find. He is a good encourager, “Mommy, look at Jael, she climbed the ladder! Good job, Jael!” Jael has finally started answering when people ask, “What is your name?” and has begun asking the question herself, multiple times a day, to everyone around her.  “Mommy, what’s your name? What’s his name (pointing to Alex)? …”. They are both loving warmer weather, with barefoot play in the front yard.

• For God to provide the right buyer quickly.
• For physical and mental energy as we finish the move-out/cleanup phase.
• For peace and protection as we begin this extended period of travel. Pray that we will be encouragers and that God will use us to build up the congregations/believers that we meet.

The post Liddell Family: June 2025 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Joel 2:25, “I will repay you for the years … the locust have eaten.”

A good friend has repeated this verse to me several times in the past eighteen months. Following several years of COVID-19, deputation, open-heart surgery and recovery, knee surgery and recovery, it felt like all the things I had worked for in Ireland had stopped, and I did not see how I could, or even if I should, try to start them again. Yet, one by one, these activities and connections have been restored. They do not look exactly the same, but I am so thankful today for God’s faithfulness and for the opportunity to serve the community here.

The past year (my groups run on the school year, so the year is coming to a close) has looked very like the years before COVID-19. I have had the opportunity to co-lead a weekly Bible Study for young mums, in partnership with the Nazarene Church. I have completed a full year running the Little Friends Parent and Baby Group and the Little Friends Baby Graduate Group. I am part of a home group through the Nazarene Church, that I sometimes lead. And I continue to be part of the preaching team at the Nazarene Church.

In July, I will again be at the Friends camp in N. Ireland. The Young Friends leaders are now a new group of adults who were young campers eight years ago. It is a pleasure and a privilege to support them however I can. The relationships formed in my 16 years of attending camp are precious to me, and it is a joy to be invited into their lives as the previous “Young Friends Leaders” marry and have children.

Three years ago, looking at how my years of work seemed to have died, I felt like Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones, where God asked him, (37:3-5), “Human one, can these bones live again?” My reply was the same as Ezekiel’s, “Lord God, only you know… He said to me… “I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again.”

And here we are. Thank you for your faithful prayers, your financial support, and your love that extends to the Irish people through the work I get to do every day. I am so thankful.

Kathi Perry

The post Perry June 2025 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.