Sep 16: After 14 hours drive from Switzerland to Hamburg, we arrived finally at the apartment where is home for the next few nights.

Sep 17: Satifactorily connected to Compuserve thanks to missionary friend, Gisela Huyssen, who purchased a German phone connecting line for me last July while she was here. Without it I would have been unable to connect; phone system in Germany differs from rest of Europe. Seminar this afternoon at a lovely conference center. Taught on meaning of the Convergence Movement, church history and the Consensus Government of Charismatic Episcopal Church. Eucharist following in a lovely chapel with full liturgy - procession, incense, singing, chanting.

Sep 18: Began teaching at 10 a.m. and with only half hour lunch and dinner breaks didn't end until 9:30 tonight. This included evening Eucharist. Long day. Many good questions.

Sep 19: A repeat of yesterday with more Convergence teaching and late afternoon we moved into Hamburg proper to where the church has its worship. We had Eucharist tonight with a packed church; people I had not seen for the seminar. Much prayer ministry afterwards.

Sep 20: To Calle this morning, a town near Hanover and seminar all day ending with Eucharist tonight.

While in Austria and Switzerland the Charismatic Episcopal Church is like an embryo in the womb; in Germany it has been birthed. Fr. Georg's ministry is a very different style. The prophetic ministry is BIG in Austria and Switzerland, but in Germany I saw it more as a regular part of the overall ministry but not over emphasized. It was like the prayer and healing ministry we often do in the Philippines or the United States.

I believe he uses the prophetic blessing ministry to plant the church, and then when Eucharist becomes the center of activity and worship, the prophetic ministry takes a normal place in the overall ministry of the Church. The German church has ordained clergy [deacons and priests] and small but viable congregations.

Last night I received a new man as postulant. He is from [East] Germany 50 km from Berlin and has started a house church. Though the division is technically not there, many of the Christians still refer to that part of Germany as "the dark area" because of lingering spiritual oppression.

I praise God for this opportunity to work with Fr. Georg and his people and look forward to a return sometime next year when I hope to visit each of the clergy and the churches. The sacrifices these priests are making merit pastoral support and our prayers.

Our MANUAL FOR CONVERGENCE MOVEMENT SEMINARS, prepared first as an outline for teaching in the Philippines, has been expanded into a 77 page book, putting the manual into story form so those in need of the teaching can read it and "teach" themselves.

Archbishop Howard had expressed desire that it be translated into German and provided the Church in Europe. With Hugh Kaiser's help by sending Modules already prepared via e-mail attachments, I was able to complete it. The first printing was left with Canon Bernd Niemeyer for duplication and future translation into German.

My thanks to all of you for your prayer support. God answered my request by giving me wisdom and discernment as we sought to encourage this young body of Christ. We are on our way home.

Sep 9: We drove today through Austria to Sevn, Switzerland where we stayed the night with a lovely family. The nice thing about this outreach is I have no planning to do; just go wherever Fr. Georg says.

Sep 10: We drove to Rienoch for what was suppose to be a meeting at 4 p.m. A few hours before our leaving, the lady who was to host the meeting canceled out. Quickly the venue was switched to a hotel but word was slow in getting passed. Another one of the enemy's attempts to prevent, but at 5 p.m. the first man arrived, followed by others and at 5:40 we began with questions.

We took a break to eat some sandwiches, and resumed at 7:20 p.m. with what we would call in USA "ante-communion" during which time we blessed three people who had informed Fr. Georg they would join him in the beginning of Good Shepherd CEC, and I preached. Afterward we had a prayer ministry time, ending about 10 p.m. and drove one and a half hours to a home in Schattdorf, near Luzern, for the night.

The enemy is busy. A USA missionary offered to join Fr. Georg to help him, got the names and addresses of his constituents, and stole them for himself. Can one be "too loving?" This man blesses all, even his enemies. Incorrect stories are told against CEC throughout Switzerland. The prejudice from the Free Church in Europe is like the prejudice from the charismatic church against the Roman Catholics in the Philippines. It is amazing that Jesus still lets us use His Name and build His Church when we Christians act so unChristian against other Christians.

Sep 11: Met with a man this morning whom Fr. Georg expected to work with him, but due to pressures from family and friends, he backed out. Disappointing! Drove one hour to Luzern for afternoon and evening meetings. First Eucharist celebrated in Luzern tonight. Very positive response.

Sep 12: Snowed last night in the mountains. Morning is free. Afternoon back to Luzern for meeting and evening Eucharist. Good attendance and the people seem more relaxed today with my teaching. The language is really a barrier, but thank God for translators. I believe we are making some progress in Luzern.

Sep 13: More of the same in Luzern today. Taught on Symbols in the afternoon and Tithing as the homily for the Eucharist. Anointed new Postulant with Oil that Archbishop Howard left Dean Georg for that purpose. Following EVERY meeting there is ministry time. People come for his prophesying ministry.

I don't understand a thing he is saying - sometimes "tongues", sometimes German, sometimes his Estland Estonian dialect, but the people enjoy it and seem to be blessed. He asks me to share in it but our ministries are vastly different. He is loud; I am quiet. Often when I pray the anointing causes the person to fall; he holds them up. Sometimes it gets funny, but we are having a wonderful time.

I feel very positive about the future of the Luzern work. It is in embryo stage presently, but has great potential. The doctor of medicine who was with us in Salzburg last week informed Fr. Georg he can't accept Liturgy, and will not be working with him any longer. Another disappointment for him.

The Free Church has really poisoned the minds of people against many of those things that are part of historical Christianity. We bless the young doctor and sorry to see him go. His music ministry and interpreting for me were great helps.

Sep 14: Went to Italy this morning. Fr. Georg rented a flat where he plans to live in order to establish the Church in Italy. He is very happy. It is only about 300 sq ft, but he is as joyful as if it were the Taj Mahal. From there he is also able to develop Lugano and is only 2 hours from Luzern. We returned for evening meeting in Schattdorf with very small group, but the Spirit was very present.

Sep 15: Packed up this morning. Visited man who has made commitment to CEC in Luzern's Church of Hope and closing meeting tonight. In the sermon I gave a step-by-step walk through the Liturgy so they would better understand why each thing is done. Reaction on some faces assured me they were understanding for the first time how Liturgy is a procession from the world to the Kingdom of God.

Afterward we drove to where we started our sojourn in Switzerland and stayed the night, arriving shortly before midnight. The family had gone to bed but left June and I a plate of chocolates and some grapes.

Sep 16: It is goodbye to Switzerland and hello to Germany. We had a very long drive today and arrived in Hamburg late tonight. The mission has been very positive. Fr. Georg said my being with him has given greater creditability to his ministry. The people say now they know the Church is behind him.I am the first CEC person to visit the Austrian and Swiss groups.

He is like St Paul; I am his "Barnabas." He is a true "apostle" following the pattern Jesus gave in Matthew 10: 7-14. In both countries they received offerings for me, but the Lord has already told me to give Fr. Georg all I receive plus extra US$ when we leave next Monday. He is a gem!

He is pleased by the simpliest things. It takes so little to stir up his joy. His style of church planting is totally different, but then he is not working with organized congregations entering CEC but beginning with individuals much akin to St Paul's missionary outreaches where he started the church in the home of a willing person. In Africa, the Philippines and Estonia, CEC work is with already existing congregations, but here it is real pioneering, and this is much harder, and sometimes discouraging because growth is not fast.

I praise God for the wisdom and discernment He has given in answer to YOUR prayers. There have been times in the questions I have really needed these gifts of the Holy Spirit. One day I told June I may have missed my calling. I sound like a diplomat and surprise myself by the things I say to the questioners. I know it is from Holy Spirit giving me His help.

Sep 6: I stepped up to the checkin counter at DELTA in Atlanta to verify our seat assignment. The agent took my boarding passes given me in Orlando, and said, "we are changing your seats. We are moving you to FIRST CLASS. Is that alright?" Praise God! First Class seating across the Atlantic was not even in my dreams. I didn't ask "WHY?"

Perhaps because I am a Flying Colonel, a Million Miler, or a Gold Medallion, and they needed our seats for a more "ordinary" passenger? I returned to June smiling. "What's so funny?" she asked. "Oh, God did it again. We are upgraded to First Class."

She didn't believe it until I showed her the new boarding passes:- 1A and 1B. A few days ago, when I was leaving Narita Tokyo for Manila on Aug 31, I was moved from the very last seat in the B747 to Business Class and don't know why. I don't question God's unexpected blessings anymore. Here, He did it again. Anytime, Lord!

Sep 7: We were met at the Munich airport by Fr. Georg Lillimae, Dean of the European work of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, and Christian, a doctor of medicine who is one of Fr. Georg's helpers. We drove to Salzburg, met several more of his Austrian people, and went to the apartment that will be home for the next few days.

Lunch was at a restaurant where we sat outside in the wonderfully mild temperature, warmed by the afternoon sun, with the beauty of the Alps in the background. This evening we met with the core group of this congregation. One lady drove more than one and a half hours to attend.

Our praise singing was led by Christian on the guitar, and Christopher, a former New Yorker married to a German and violinist with the Hamburg Symphony, on the violin. Christopher will soon be relocating to Salzburg to lead this congregation. I spent almost two hours in a very informal setting answering questions about the CEC: - Vision of the Bishops for the Church [which I had to surmise - trust I spoke correctly, my bishops]; why CEC and how it differs from other churches; Apostolic Succession; difference between CEC and Roman Catholic and Free Church belief regarding the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharistic feast.

Fr. Georg has unbelievable opposition. They meet in a basement room set up as their chapel in the home of a lady Doctor of Medicine. Last Sunday, as a example of the opposition, people stood outside the house and told approaching worshippers that Fr. Georg did not come and for them to go home. All the time he was in the chapel waiting their arrival for Eucharist.

He has had an effective ministry in Europe as a "charismatic" with people coming for prophecy, blessing and healing, but when he turned to Liturgy, they turned against him. More than half his group left.

Sep 8: At 10:30 this morning we gathered for one and a half hours of prayer time. In the afternoon we had another question time, but people Fr. Georg expected did not come. Then he learned that a man from Switzerland who is fighting the CEC found on Internet a bad report regarding the Episcopal Church in the USA and used this report to falsely accuse CEC as being the same denomination.

One of those who had left Fr. Georg started phoning people telling them Fr. Georg was promoting a church that ordained homosexuals and had bishops who didn't believe in Jesus as the Son of God. The people accepted her report, and stayed away. In the afternoon session the matter got corrected, and now the caller has promised to re-phone her people and correct the story. We pray it will restore those who have been deceived.

Tonight we had a glorious Eucharist with much praise and many manifestations of the Spirit. Fr. Georg has set a very strong postulant from Hamburg in place to build this work. Using oil specially blessed by the Archbishop, I anointed the man for his new ministry and his entrance into postulancy that will eventually lead to ordination. Fr. Georg has given the congregation the name of GOOD NEWS CEC. The chapel was nearly filled.

Following the 2 1/2 hour Eucharistic celebration, many of the people remained for another hour for prayer ministry, and the well-known prophetic utterances of Fr. Georg over the people. This man is so full of God's Love that he never tires in ministering to people. I watched him tonight, and learned from him. It is pathetic that such a viable ministry should undergo such persecution through false reports and lies by another who calls himself a Christian.

The Austrians were so happy for us to come. Archbishop Dale F. Howard, who oversees the International Development Agency, which is in charge of this European mission field, visited Hamburg earlier this year. The thinking of the people is very catholic, in that they hold to the belief that where the bishop is there is the Church.

I am the first CEC priest to make an official visit to Salzburg. I am honored to "represent the Archbishop" - the way in which I am introduced. When I greeted them in the Archbishop's name, they applauded. And tonight when I gave my blessing I prefaced it as "on behalf of Archbishop Howard." The words electrified them. Our presence has encouraged them tremendously, and in their own expressions, they are happy that the Archbishop cares enough about them to send someone to them.

Sep 9: After breakfast this morning six of us headed to Luzern, Switzerland by car.

I arrived back home from the Philippines last Monday night - August 31. Northwest Airlines' pilots strike put a very slight wrinkle in the return, but I arrived home on schedule. Thanks for your prayers to overcome jet lag quickly. They worked!

I leave tomorrow [Sunday, September 6] for Munich, Germany. I will be met by Dean Georg Lillimae in Munich. He is the Charismatic Episcopal Church Dean for European work. We will drive to Salzburg, Austria where I will begin two weeks of meetings and teachings with CEC seminarians and pastors who are interested in CEC. These meetings are under the direction of the International Development Agency.

From Austria we drive to Switzerland. The remainder of the time will be in Hanover and Hamburg, Germany. I return to America on Monday, September 21. My wife June is accompanying me. There will be no one in the Barnabas Ministries office [actually the garage of our home] so if you have need to reach me, try e-mail or call me after September 21. As I am able I will be on e-mail. This of course depends on my ability to connect in Europe. And contingent upon my ability to connect, I will send you reports on the meetings.

Please pray for the Holy Spirit to give me discernment, wisdom and knowledge for these two weeks of meetings. Many of these men have questions regarding the CEC, and will be looking to me for answers. The COUNSELOR must be our Teacher, and I pray to have an ear with which to clearly hear Him, and His words to speak.

New doors are opening. Cn Nicholas, Director of IDA, is talking about my going to Estonia next spring, and Archbishop Dale Howard has given the green light to set up a TRAINING OF TRAINERS program in Kenya sometime in 1999, where selected clergy would be trained to do their own orientation of new congregations entering CEC.

While there in November I will see how the Lord may lead for such a program. This, of course, is in addition to my scheduled Philippine trips in January and August 1999, and any USA invitations for Teaching Weekends that may be forthcoming.