Macedonia Update June 2026

Hi everyone, here is our June update from Macedonia.

Short Term Mission Teams

It has been a busy few months and it feels like a long time ago that we had a visit from a team from Connect Life Church in Caerphilly. In reality, it was about 6 weeks ago! We were really blessed by their input into the Church and into mission across the entire city. We particularly enjoyed the contributions they made to our children’s group!

At the end of May we also had a team from Ryedale Elim Church. We really enjoyed spending a few days with them. They participated in our evangelism, prayer meetings and bible studies, and they also led our children’s class. They joined in with street evangelism in our local community and in the city centre, where we were able to pray with people.  Scott and Pastor Steve were even invited for coffee by some students they had offered to pray with! We made some connections through this work that we plan to continue after the team has left.

Litter Picking

In recent months we have been working alongside Scott Jackson to litter pick in the area that he and his wife Hristina live. The purpose is to not only clear the litter off the street but to get to know people in the area, to pray for and share the gospel with them. We have had some good opportunities to talk with people and begin to build connections that we hope will give Scott and Hristina a springboard into reaching their community with the gospel. 

The Ryedale team joined in the litter pick with us. During their stay we learned that there are positive comments being made on community social media groups about a group of people coming out to clear litter and how much of a blessing it is! It is a reminder that we are always ‘being watched’ and that God is at work in people even when we cannot see it.

ELS & Romania

Thank you to those who prayed and supported us as we travelled to commitments in other countries during May. Ian was in the UK for the Elim Leaders Summit and was also made very welcome by two churches he was able to visit for Sunday services. Thank you to those who offered such a kind welcome and generous hospitality. Katie spent 5 days in Cluj-Napoca, Romania participating in a retreat for women on the mission field. It was wonderful for her to connect with other missionaries from across Europe, to speak into each other’s lives and to receive valuable investment. 

Leadership

Our heart is always to raise up others to take on leadership roles. In some ways the aim is to “do ourselves out of a job”, so that others can be empowered to see what God can do in and through them. Over the past few months, everyone who regularly participates in our adult bible studies has gained some experience of leadership in the group. We are also delighted that the parent of one of the children has been working with us in planning and leading our Children’s Bible study.

Prayer:

• Please give thanks for safe travels and all of the practical arrangements that have gone well during the month of May with both Katie and Ian being away.
• Please give thanks for the work of the visiting short-term teams, that what they sowed during their visit would be watered and grow in good soil!
• We are so grateful to God for his work in raising up others to lead. Please pray as we continue to support and work with our emerging leaders. 
• Ian will be in the UK (again!) in June for the MIT conference in Malvern. Please pray for safe traveling, and for Katie, Kristen and Josiah as they remain in Macedonia. 
• In the summer we hope for increased opportunities to share the gospel with others in our local community and around the city, please pray we can make the most of them.
• Please pray for fruit from the litter picking mission and that it will create opportunities for people to receive Jesus. 

Thank you so much for reading our news,

Ian, Katie, Kristen and Josiah.