September 2020 Update

Hello all! Here’s a quick update about what’s been going these past few months.

It’s been a strange time for all of us with COVID-19 and pressing on in ministry, usually through social media and online. Jon has done such a great job of doing all of our services online, he’s become quite the pro! We’ve had an amazing team helping him each week.

In June and July we started doing food bags for the church body and some of their family and friends. Such a blessing to have people step in and help even with all of the fear that has come with the pandemic. This was really encouraging for me (Allison) because being an extrovert, not seeing people was really discouraging. So to be able to see some familiar faces, under masks, was a huge blessing.

On June 23, there was a major earthquake centered off of the coast of Oaxaca. We were driving in the mountains heading to the coast with another family when it happened. Having lived in California all of our lives, we were used to earthquakes. But never had we ever felt one while driving. The Lord protected us big time. There were rockslides all over the place, including one right in front of us when we stopped our cars to see what was going on. Praise the Lord that none of us were hurt, our cars weren’t damaged, and the damage was minimal for the people in the church.

In August we took a trip up to the states and spent some time with family, celebrating my mom’s birthday with most of my family. It was our first time being with almost my entire side of the family since the end of 2018. Jon was also invited to share at a break-out session at the Church Planting Conference at Calvary Chapel Rosarito. It was a blessing to hear other church planters share their stories and wisdom with so many. And it was awesome to see so many of our CCR friends. We also got to spend some time at Calvary San Juan and see our amazing church family there! It was an all-around blessed trip.

We were FINALLY able to open the church on September 6, with many regulations. Our church building has plenty of space for social distancing, and we try to follow the rules as much as possible. There is still a fear of being out, so attendance has been down, but that’s something we totally understand. Many members of the church body have to take public transportation which isn’t the safest way for them to travel during this time. But let me tell you…it was so amazing to be together in the church building, worshiping the Lord, hearing the Word, and having some much needed fellowship.

We also started the Navigators course, with four men from the church leading two groups. The people really seem to be loving it, and it’s a blessing to have people that can lead these groups.

Jon has also been going to a men’s rehab center each week and going through the Navigators with them. He really loves going to be with the guys each week.

As we move forward, we aren’t sure if we’ll be able to STAY open or if we’ll have to close once again. We are back in a more restricted “color” and if we go up one more, we’ll have to shut down again.

Jonny and Noah have started 8th grade with a new online curriculum that seems to be a great fit for us. They plug away each day to get everything done, and after chores they are able to play online with friends from all over. It’s fun to hear them talking to their friends.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

  • Please pray that we will be able to stay open and have services in the church building. We will continue to have online options, but we know the importance of being together
  • Please pray for all of the things Jon has going on. That each one will be a blessing to those he is ministering to.
  • Pray for the boys’ school year to go well and for us to stay focused. And for me to be able to teach them and help them with love and patience.
  • Please keep the English classes in prayer. I have recently started them again for the first time since March and I’m really praying about starting a new one for beginners. Right now it’s my intermediate class. There’s an interest in a kid’s class too. Pray for wisdom on when to start these new classes, and that they’ll be a good tool for ministry in the community.

PRAISE REPORTS:

  • Praise the Lord that we’ve been able to open the church building after 5 months!
  • We just signed a new one-year lease on the church building. So grateful for the financial help we have gotten to help us monthly.
  • Praise the Lord for new opportunities in ways to do ministry in this new season of life with COVID.

Thank you to all of you who read these updates, and support us in prayer, encouragement, financially, and so much more. We love you all.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Jon, Allison, Jonny, and Noah Brechtel


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