Every good tree bears good fruit.  Matthew 7:17

The tree above is the one right outside the window where I have been staying.   There are so many apples on it that the branches are bended down, nearly touching the ground.   For the past week now.... as you walk around the grounds, you hear people say "what is going on... I have never seen so much fruit in all the years I've lived here".   There berry bushes, fruit trees, all of it is in a season of unbelievable abundance.   

As I prepare to leave England in 2 days, I am overwhelmed in gratitude for the spiritual fruitfulness of my time here... and for the many seeds sown that I trust will one day bear even more abundant fruit.   I have witnessed the Lord heal, proclaim His truth, and bless His people here in tremendous ways.   Clearly, there is a movement of grace in this place and much is being prepared within the Church here.

Please continue to pray that God would nurture and bless all that He began this summer here.   And please pray for this Diocese and community.   In particular, I ask for your prayers for Archbishop Vincent Nichols and for Fr. Digby Samuels, the chaplain for youth and young adults.  

Fr. Digby has been very touched that there are people back home praying and concerned with what God is doing here this summer.   He has felt the support of the entire community back home through your love and prayer...he wanted me to pass along this message to all of you praying::

Please do pass on my grateful thanks to your whole team who pray for you and your mission here. The Lord is so clearly blessing you and all your ministry, not least showing us the gift of prayer ! 

All that you shared with us was inspiring because of your own relationship with the Lord in prayer and because of the intercession of your team. Thank you for showing us and modelling for us that if we really put our trust in Him His fruit will be born in us and in the parish amongst all of us and not only the teens. It's that way of prayer that allows the Lord to act rather than us acting first and praying a blessing later that is amongst your most important reminders for us. So thank you again. I really appreciate what the Lord is doing through you. Please ask your team to continue to pray for this small parish of St.Patrick's that we may indeed grow in holiness and witness to the Lord and His Church.

Be sure of our prayers for you and the community.   

Fr. Digby Samuels

Blessings,

Kristin