Departure Goal Extension

On September 24, I wrote about the state of our team's preparedness to go to the field. All of our team members are doing their best, and God is bringing in funds and prayer partners to partner with us in our mission. As of the first of October, we are officially extending our time in the states until the end of March 2009. About a month later, those team members that are ready to depart will join us and we will help them in the transition process. At the end of December we will examine our team's state to determine if we are proceeding with the end of March departure date or if we need to add another extension. We appreciate your prayers as our team raises monthly financial support, special one time financial support and prayer partners. Check out my previous post here:
http://gonorthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/time-between-times.html

If you would like to learn how to be a prayer partner or financial partner, just follow this link and you can learn how:
http://www.goverona.org/involvement.html

Thanks,
Matt & Angie Crosser

Time Between the Times

In Celtic history there is a concept known as the "Time Between the Times". When the sun is coming up, is it day or night? It's neither, it's dawn. The same is true for when the sun is setting. When you are standing on the shore, with the ocean tide coming back and forth over your feet, are you in the ocean or on the beach? While our team is in the states are we here or there? Neither. We are here waiting for there, which is markedly different than just being here, and definitely different than being just there. We are in the time between the times.

As Christians we experience this as well. We are citizens of heaven, but are stuck here on earth. Stuck with a glorious task of taking the message to those who have no hope. We live here while waiting for there.

So how do we proceed in our time in this transition. Much of it is spent raising awareness and seeking support, that is support in the form of prayer partners, one time financial gift givers and individuals and churches who commit a self determined amount of money to be given monthly to the work. Also, during this time in the states we continue following God in our daily lives. Looking for needs and opportunity around us. In about a week, we will determine if an extension is necessary. Currently, Angie and I are set to return to Italy by the end of the year and the team follows starting the following month. If an extension is necessary, our new return goal would be at the end of March 2009 and the team would begin to follow us in April.

What is the purpose of extension? Our team is working hard to raise awareness and support, sometimes that comes quickly, sometimes it seems slow, but when you are following God it always comes in His timing. Pray for the conviction of individuals/churches to partner with our team in finances and prayer. Pray that this would come quickly, if it is God's will.

If you are interested in getting involved in our team's ministry, follow this link:

http://www.goverona.org/involvement.html

And The Team Grows On...

So, in a week of news, we still have more to share. We would like to introduce you to our newest team members of the Go Verona team, John and Ann Blackburn. John and Ann have four kids and several years’ missions experience. We look forward to letting you know more about them and their family. As we move forward together you will have the opportunity to get to our entire team better. We are still looking for team members to excel in areas of music and youth, so please be praying for those holes to be filled with God’s choices.