A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from

Dear Friends-

With disappointment, I share with you the news that the planned pilgrimage of our tripartite partners from Malawi and South Sudan, scheduled for this coming May, has been postponed until the fall.

The International Partnership Ministry team has been working tirelessly to prepare for the pilgrimage, arranging special events, lunches, and more.  However, the economic and procedural realities of travel from Malawi and South Sudan proved to be too challenging to proceed with the pilgrimage this spring. This week, representatives from all three bodies made the difficult but necessary decision to postpone the trip this May.

However, I am pleased to share that the pilgrimage has not been canceled, but rather, rescheduled for a more opportune time. It is now set to take place from September 27th through October 7th, offering new and exciting possibilities for our engagement with our partners and friends.

Since the beginning of the partnership, the focus has been drawn from Paul’s letter to the Romans (1:12): “… so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”  As the partnership has evolved over time, that focus has remained at the center. It is my hope that this delay is only that—a delay. I trust that in God’s providence, the fall time frame will be better.  I would also ask us not just to hope and to trust but to pray.  I would ask you to pray that doors that are closed would be opened, opportunities and possibilities would be revealed, and the way would be made clear for us to receive our friends and partners this fall, in order that we might be mutually encouraged by our time together.

In Christ,

PS – If you are unfamiliar with the International Partnership of Pittsburgh Presbytery, I would encourage you to visit the Ministry Teams’ website and find out more.