The new church year has brought lots of changes and challenges. Here are a few:
NEW JOB: From 1st September I officially became the Superintendent of the Utila/North Coast Circuit. One of the first joys of the new job was to welcome a NEW COLLEAGUE: Rev Antonio Trottman from Panama. Antonio arrived at the end of August and is very much an answer to prayer. He is the first (and only) minister in the MCCA to have done his training in Spanish rather than English – and so he is a great role model and mentor for our local lay pastors who would also like to train in Spanish. He has also been helping us by sharing the bi-lingual and Spanish resources developed by the Panama/

Costa Rica District of the MCCA.

In this picture you can see Rev Antonio speaking at the opening of a NEW CONGREGATION in La Ceiba. Pastor Carlos has been assigned to lead our new Spanish speaking congregation at Aposento Alto (The Upper Room). This church has been closed for 2 years and was formally a mainly Garifuna speaking congregation. Sandu, Sandu, Sandu is Garifuna for Holy, Holy, Holy. We pray for this new beginning for the church and for Pastor Carlos and his family.

In Utila we are excited to see the steady growth of our NEW ANNEX. We have continued to build relying mainly on donations and gifts from the local people – and the careful work of carpenter Ricky Bodden and his team. Pray for their safety on this high building.

I have been travelling often on the ferry to and from La Ceiba – for weekly staff meetings and all the usual church and circuit meetings. On a recent trip out of Utila one of the passengers gave birth! I was able to donate some wool to tie-off the umbilical cord and later I blessed the NEW BABY! Not quite as exciting – but very useful – is my NEW TRUCK – a bright red Nissan pick-up 1998 model. As well as helping me to get around the churches on the North Coast – the truck is also expanding my horizons for days-off. Recently I have been able to visit the Lanzatilla botanical gardens – and the thermal waters at Sambo Creek. Last week I travelled (not by truck) to Atlanta to meet old friends and make NEW FRIENDS and to visit the churches who so generously support the work of the Circuit all year round. I was most warmly welcomed and treated to real Southern hospitality (and fried green tomatoes). These churches will be sending 12 to 14 work teams to us in 2008.

Sorry it’s a short newsletter this – but I promise another one around Christmas time.

GRACE AND PEACE.... JANETxxx

Rev Janet Corlett
Mission Partner
Belize/Honduras District of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas

Address for Mail: Rev Janet Corlett,
Methodist Mission House,
Utila, Bay Islands, Republic of Honduras

janetcorlett@yahoo.co.uk.