Dear praying friends,

Thanks for praying last week for Elissa's participation in the Hallowas event with the Salvation Army and the Knight's guild she is a part of. The event went well, she had a great time, and the skit (and Elissa's role in it!) about Luther's Translation of the Bible also went well.

Yesterday our son called us and said, "Ringo's mostly ok, but..." As you know, no good conversation starts that way! He was taking our dog out for a walk, when he heard a woman yelling "Lulu, stop! Lulu!" right before a dog, who must have jumped out of a parked car, came out from between two cars and attacked Ringo. Caleb worked to separate the dogs as the owner ran out of her car to also intervene, but poor Ringo did not emerge unscathed. Everyone knows Ringo is much more of a lover than a fighter - and although the injuries are all just surface level, it seems that his easily injured back is causing him pain again, and he is very mopey today. A trip to the vet and some new pain medication will hopefully have him back on the right path again soon.

We are having an Art Sale Fundraiser for our new space next week! We put out an open call for artists, and had 22 artists respond! We have selected more than 70 works, and we will start to receive works tonight and through the weekend. Pray for us as we work hard to invest in the artist community. It is so exciting that we have the opportunity to meet so many new artists at the same time our new gallery is being worked on! Coincidence? We don't think so!

So - here are some prayer requests!

1. Tonight we are hosting our monthly Art O'Clock. We have 5 artists ready to share their works! This is such a special event for us as we look to build community with artists and creatives. We have a series of Wednesday night events, including a philosophical conversation evening, an English worship service, and a night of quiet prayer. Pray that those who attend tonight become curious about the other events, as well!
2. Our construction project is moving along. This is week 3, with about 3 weeks to go. Please pray for funds to keep coming in!
3. I have not really been healthy since our last short-term team left. It might be me getting my Berlin immunity back, but it seems like I never quite recover before I feel a little under the weather again. Please pray that I get healthy!
4. Our "baby" turns 20 today! Our last teenager is no longer a teenager. Pray for us as we continue to try to navigate the complexities of having adult children!

Thanks for yor prayers,

Mike