This past year in Rome we celebrated our fifth year as a God’s Missionary Church. Faithfully, God’s unseen hand has blessed spiritually, numerically, and financially. We have had the privilege of co-laboring with Christ as He has “added to the Church daily” while raising up laborers from within and blessing us with protection in each of our ministries. The average attendance this past year was 29, and our high was 112! Our people’s giving reached an all-time high this year reflecting their growth in Christ and commitment to His Church.
We praise God for each of the “new births” in Christ this year! Jonathan Onn was born in Boston, MA, and raised in Rochester, NY, by his Buddhist mother. Jon lived his first 33 years as an inner-city drug dealer while spending too many years in state prisons. God providentially crossed our paths approximately six months ago now. After faithful testimony, divine love, and the work of the Holy Spirit, Jonathan has surrendered his heart and life to God. It has been a privilege to disciple and mentor Bro. Jon. He has grown tremendously as he learns to walk with God and build God’s Kingdom!
This past fall in one of our Wednesday night Bible studies, Jon’s brother James was wonderfully saved by grace as he surrendered his heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Finally, last spring, God led us to Valerie, a drug dealer and avowed atheist for all of her adult life. After meeting her in a drug house, my wife and I began to pray that God would rescue her. After months of our praying and living Christ before her, Valerie started attending church (something she vowed she would never do). We watched God work miracles in her life as He drew her to Himself. Finally, the Sunday came when she stood in church, announcing she would like to come forward for prayer. Kneeling at the altar, she trusted Jesus Christ as her Savior!
Many more pages could be written about the tears and triumphs of this last year. We praise God for HIS faithfulness, and we also praise God for YOUR faithfulness to pray for and sup- port your Church in Rome, NY. Please help us pray that God would call others to join us in winning souls here in Rome! Maybe God would call you? It is your prayers and giving that en- able us to continue to be a lighthouse for truth and holiness in Rome, NY.
Yours for God and souls, Matt Kilgore