Great News from the Kyra Karr Foundation!
We are excited to share a couple exciting developments from Rome, Italy.
1) This past weekend the churches Breccia di Roma and Breccia di Roma San Paolo (with a few members from other churches attending as well) met together for its first retreat since 2019. The churches met at an evangelical retreat center in the mountainous region of Abruzzo, which borders Lazio (the region Rome is in) to the east. The retreat center enjoys a beautiful view of the highest mountain in the Apennine Mountain range, called Corno Grande (Big Horn). The summit is just below 10,000 feet (you can see it in one of the photos below).
The retreat was a great time to reflect on what the Lord has done since Breccia di Roma was planted in January 2010, and Breccia di Roma San Paolo in September 2018. It was also a time to reflect on the Breccia 2030 vision that was shared in late 2019, a vision that includes church plants and theological education and training, to name only a couple aspects of the vision.
A central part of the retreat was the recognition and commissioning of the newest church plant project in Trionfale/Prati, neighborhoods that are near the Vatican (Past updates have highlighted this). The Karr family and the Costagliola family gave a presentation on the neighborhood where the church will be planted, providing a brief history, key statistics and demographics, a current snapshot of the current reality, and challenges the church plant will face. The churches prayed over the families and presented them with a beautiful and symbolic gift to celebrate the occasion (hand made and painted communion plates for serving the Lord's supper). The church plant won't begin its first services until after the summer, but it was a very special and significant retreat. Any time a new evangelical church is planted in Rome it is a momentous occasion and one that deserves attention and recognition for what God is doing. He of course deservers all glory and honor.
Please continue to pray for the Karr and Costagliola family, and for this new church plant project. Continue to pray for Breccia di Roma and Breccia di Roma S. Paolo and other churches in Rome and throughout Italy who faithfully preach and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
2) Our churches are very grateful to two of our members that today (April 6th) begin a series of biblical counseling courses. Steppie Karr (Breccia di Roma S. Paolo) and Valeria Marzano (Breccia di Roma) have enrolled in courses with the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF - https://www.ccef.org) in order to serve our churches (and the churches of the network we are a part of - CERBI - Reformed Evangelical Baptist Churches in Italy) in an area where we lack specialization. The first course is called "Biblical dynamics of change" and will last 10 weeks. It is one of 6 courses they will be required to complete to earn the first degree offered by CCEF. There will then be the possibility to continue. Please pray for Steppie and Valeria, that the Lord will bless their efforts and that they will be used to better equip the churches to serve its members and the communities in which they are present.
As always, thank you for your continued support and generosity. It deserves to always be said that the Lord is at work and your support is far from in vain. It is being used to serve and build up the local church and see new churches planted. Please continue to give! Thank you very much!
To God be all the glory.
The Kyra Karr Foundation
