Category Archives: Ministry

Trip to the Usa

We fly to the USA on June 25th! Here’s an outline of where we’ll be so far:

  • June 25- July 8  Western NY
  • July 9-16 Nashville TN area
  • August 2-12- New England area
  • August 13-20 New York
  • August 21-Return to Ireland

Please get in touch soon if you would like to try to catch up with us this summer, whether that’s a chat on the back porch or speaking in your church. Even if you don’t see your area mentioned above, it still might be possible to fit something in!

This will be our first trip back since joining Communitas International last year. We would love an opportunity to talk with you about this change and about the changing Ireland we are living in and the challenges this presents to sharing the gospel and planting churches.

Speaking of Changes…

Life is always full of change but don’t some stages feel like there is a lot more than others? This stage for us has brought many changes. On both of our last two summer trips to the US, we have had one of our children getting married! This time we will be leaving Brian behind in Ireland, and Colm and Scott will be spending most of the summer in Tennessee with Julia and Hunter and working Summer jobs. So for much of the summer, we will only have Sarah with us, which will be very different!

There are always lots of changes to catch up with when we return to the US too. Since our last visit, Mom Nesbitt has moved into Martha’s brother Andy’s home, and her care needs have increased.  We’ll be staying there when we are in NY.  With a big family, there is always lots going on- weddings, new babies, graduations, etc. Over the Fourth of July weekend, the Nesbitt Clan all gather at Pine Hill for an extended family reunion. This year marks the 90th year we have held the reunion so even more than the usual hundred plus are expected to attend.  We are looking forward to reconnecting with cousins and aunts and uncles, as well as to some time with most of Martha’s siblings in town at the same time- which doesn’t happen often anymore!

I’m sure you find that society as a whole is changing so rapidly it’s hard to keep up. In Ireland for a number of reasons this pace is super-accelerated, and as mentioned this poses many challenges to how we live, work and share Jesus here. Please do continue to pray for wisdom and boldness. Our last few weeks are always filled with meeting up with people one more time before we leave for two months. Pray for grace and wisdom in all we say.

Scott is in the midst of his Leaving Certificate, the state exams here that determine colleges placements. In total, he will have sat over 24 hours of exams in 7 subjects over two weeks, being tested on the entire curriculum of the last two years of school. It’s a very stressful time for students here. Please keep him in your prayers. His last exam is on the 19th.

Thank you so much for your prayer and support

Thank you for a wonderful Summer

Martha and I want thank all our family and friends for an amazing summer. We had such a wonderful time catching up with old friends and making new friends. We have so many highlights (Patrick and Haley’s Wedding). You have opened your homes and your hearts to us, you have encouraged us in so many ways. We hope to catch up next time with those we didn’t get to see this time. Back in Ireland looking forward to serving God and seeing the great things he will do.

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Four weeks to go

The weeks are flying by and our furlough/home assignment is fast approaching, and of course the wedding! Excitement is building as the time draws closer. We are looking forward to the wedding and to getting to know Haley’s family, whom we have not met yet. (Hopefully after meeting us they will still let her marry Paddy!) As you can imagine we are busy finalizing plans and getting things sorted this end. We have been to the US embassy to renew passports, getting doctor and dentist and orthodontist visits in, and a myriad of other details, as well as preparing for visiting churches and groups.

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Our itinerary is taking shape, though there are still dates to be scheduled/confirmed.

Please do get in touch if your church/group would like us to come, or if you would like to host an event in your home. Or if you live near any of the places we are visiting and would simply like to meet up, we would love to see you!

We are really looking forward to being there and seeing many of you. We long to hear what God has been teaching you and revealing to you of Himself, and what you are struggling with. Our hope and prayer is that we can encourage your hearts, and be encouraged by you. As we share together we hope that you will be re-envisioned in your own mission to those around you, and that we will return to Ireland in September with renewed enthusiasm for the new things God is leading us into.

Thank you for being a part of this journey, for your thoughts, prayers and support.