ITALIAN CHRISTIAN

pDOO

MISSION

e mail cphipps@janics.com
home --164 Friendship Circle
Joplin MO 64801-8432

^-gefrt-r Ray bownen

telephone 417/782-0814
Financial gifts should be sent to

telephone 417/624-6914

ICM

PO Box 717

Joplin MO 64802-0717
EDITORIAL OFFICE
MISSION SERVICES
P 0 BOX 13111

KNOXVL TN

37920 0111

A notefrom the new Mrs,

Charles Phipps
JULY 2000 - There really should be a large sign
in front of our house proclaiming "GOD AT

WORK." Some wonderful, inexplicable, and incredi

ble things have been happening in our lives lately,
and they have God's fingerprints all over them!
This is my first letter as Charles' wife. To
many of you who are his friends and supporters, I am
still a stranger, although I hope that will not be true
for long. Most of you who are already my hriends have

yet to meet Charles and come to know and love him

as I do. Both of us hope to change this situation with
a great many of you before long, for we will shortly
begin a "report" tour around the eastern part of the
country to visit churches, family and friends.
Charles and I had known one another for

over fifty years, but it was a casual friendship, and we

had not seen one another since we lost our former .

mates within a few days of each other back in 1995.

Getting together again was definitely the Lord's do
ing; we have no other explanation for it. That we
would find ourselves falling in love and contemplat
ing marriage was an astonishment to both of us. We
still find ourselves shaking our heads in amazement
that we haven't dreamed the whole thing!
Our wedding on June 24th was lovely, as we

had hoped. It was Charles' third trip to the altar, but

the first in church. At my previous wedding, I had
not been able to have a reception, so this time we
wanted to have "the whole nine yards." Our children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren were there to
take part and help us celebrate our joyous occasion.
The ceremony was beautiful, romantic, and reverent,
but not without its moments of humor. When it

came time for that final kiss, since I am several inches

taller than Charles, one of his groomsmen produced

a small footstool for him to stand on, whereupon

he gave me "a good one" to the cheers and ap

plause of the admiring audience! The preacher
then introduced us as "the aggressive Mr. Mrs.
Charles Phipps!"
After returning from our stateside trip, we
will begin planning for a trip to Mexico, to visit

and encourage the work Charles is involved in,

and to explore other areas of need. A granddaugh
ter of mine, Sarah Beth, has spent a year in Mex
ico in mission work and with her new husband

(who is Hispanic by race) hopes to return there for

further evangelistic efforts in the future. Another
granddaughter, Sarah's older sister, Tanya, is mar
ried to a Brazilian evangelist, who pastors churches
in Araguaina. Their parents were missionaries for
thirteen years in Brazil.
Charles and I share a love for missions,
and that love has been a motivating force in our
lives. Ahhuugh my furmxjH'iusbanu Dorr Fream

and I were only a decade in Jamaica while Charles

was thirty-seven years in Italy, we were subse
quently involved in Christian education and en
couraging and training others for the mission
field. The Lord willing, Charles and I plan to join
with a church building group early in 2001 to
work in Jamaica with a church Don and I helped
to start. As long as the Lord grants us health and
strength, we want to be of service to Him. We ask
you to pray with us that "those who come behind
us find us faithful."

Yours in the love of Christ, as together we

serve Him,

Maxine - and Charles, too

ITALIAN CHRISTIAN
MISSION

e-mail cmfphipps@4stQte.com
k

tRA

AgBfltl Ray^ Downen

r\rM^

telephope 417/782-0814

^oplin MO 64801-8432 Financial gifts should be sent to

telephone 417/624-6914

PC Box 717

ICM

Joplin MO 64802-0717
EDITORIAL OFFICE
MISSION SERVICES
P 0 BOX 13111
KNOXVL TN

37920-0111

From: Charles and Maxine Phipps

<cmfphipps@4state.com>
To: "Ray Downen"
<outreach@sofnet.com>
Subject: Missions Fall Newsletter11/1/00

Date sent: Wed,UJSov 2000

'This is the Loral's doin^'it is marvelous

in our eyes''
118:23.
We have just celebrated our fourth
"monthiversary" and are still regarding
each other with wonder that the Lord

has brought us together! Our travels

throughout the eastern states during
July and August were a fruitful and re
warding time of bonding with family
and friends and supporting churches.
True wealth is where your friends are,
and we were blessed with riches all

along the way!

La Bella Italia

The news from Italy has been

mixed. Vito Gentile was called home to
be with the Lord whom he had served

faithfully for many years. Vito was one

of the earliest fruits of the Italian Mis

sion during my ministry there, and I

feel the loss deeply. His influence will

continue to live on through his farmly

and his converts. Son Andrea and wife

Heather are studying at Lincoln Christian

Seminary; daughter Patrizia is married to
Ron x*.lorse, a son of Eugene Morse.
Vito's wife. Franca,is a sister of Gi

useppe Italiano, our preacher in Terracina. This sad event brought all seven
brothers and sisters together. Vito passed
away in the same hospital to which he
had taken Giuseppe's mother fifteen
years ago. I have a vivid memory of her
funeral. Thoroughly Christian, both she
and Vito are witness to us of the certain

hope awaiting the faithful, (over)

Giuseppe writes:"0 this sad occasion we

were moved to reflect on that which is the hope ofthose

who believe in Christ This hope tranformed our

Js^malca or bust
Reservations have been made for our travels to

sorrow intojoy as we remembered the exhortation of

Jairiaica early next year to assist in an evangelistic

mjeeting. Seven acres ofland have been purchased

Paul to rejoice in affliction because W are not

by Mission Jamaica in a location called "Four

as those who have no hopel*"

Roads"

Several of the members of the church in

Terracina attended a rally in nearby Fondi

and had the pleasure of being with Lorenzo
and his family who live in that area. They
have been faithful to the Lord through the
years.

The "agape"-love feast- had brought

together five hundred people who love the
Lord. Giuseppe commented: "Compared to the
whole crowdf we were a smallgroup, but actually the

crowd was composed ofmany smallgroups. Wefelt

the warmth ofbrotherlj/ love. The Lord loves allpeo
ple, but notjust as a mass; he loves those who are in
small^ups as well as each individual"

a new building will be erected by

te^tns going down ahead of us. We'll be there for

thf preaching and teaching part!
We are happy as school kids about being able to

haye a share in the work. Maxine wiU be illustrating

themes with her chalk art, accompanied by me
(Charles) on a keyboard. The keyboard is a gift of
Cli tries and Emma Parker to the work in Jamaica
apci win be left with the churches there.
Back at the ranch

That is, home on Friendship Circle, where we

are busy in several areas. At the College Heights
Christian Church we are active members of the

Missions Ministry Team (naturally!) and also head

up y prayer support group for the preaching ministry

brought a message emphasizing the evidential

purpose of miracles in the Bible in contrast

and staff. I (Charles) sing in the 85 voice choir. We

are participants (and hosts) of a home group which
meets each Sunday night.. Both of us vol\anteer for

to the false miracles to which some appeal to

var ous services here at the retirement home, work

prove their position to be correct. Giuseppe

ing with residents of the congregate building.

Maxine is a great help in the dining room and I
often keep the piano busy with a little luncheon mu
sic. Sunday afternoons we participate in a Hispanic

A noted Bible scholar,Paolo Moretti,

remarks, *T)nce more we discover that it takes the

Word ofGod to unite Hispeople."

Harold & Enid Fowler,fellow workers

and long time missionaries to Italy, have been

in the States on furlough and we were happy
to be able to see and visit with them again.

They spent an afternoon with us once while

in our area, then again before they flew back
to Italy, we were all privileged to be dinner
guests at Chris & Carol DeWelt's home. I
was able to purchase a new keyboard for

Harold to t^e back to Italy with him,and he

was delighted with the gift.
Roofs on; let it rain!

Our plans for a trip to Mexico have had

to be put on hold because of some changing
conditions there; however,the church at

Cinco de Mayo does now have its roof com

pleted and the work is continuing.

church service, where I have the pleasure of speak

ing at times. God continues to bless us with rea

sonably good health, and we praise Him for His
mercies! Thank you for your support which helps to
make all this possible.

Love in Jesus as together we serve Him,

Charley r
Charles and Maxine Phipps

164 Friendship Circle

Joplin MO 64801 Tel: 417.624.6914

emlall: cmfDhipps@4state.com
I'd rather die than live without you! God

Charles/Maxine Phipps
e-ma// cmfpbipps@4state.com
.

ITALIAN CHRISTIAN
MISSION

Ag6nt! Ray Downan

telephone 417/782-0814

iCMr

^oplin MO 6480^8432 Financial gifts should be sent to

telephone 417/624-6914

p Q BOX 717

Joplin MO 64802-0717 Wl
EDITORIAL OFFICE

churches, missionaries, and

MISSION SERVICES

other Christians in the cities

and towns where Charles la

P 0 BOX 13111

KNOXVL TN

37920-0111

December,2000
And so the traditional "Old

Man with the Scythe" is about to

exit ...

One thing we have noticed is

that his robe has no pockets. He
cannot carry away with him the
memories we have stored, the expe
riences that have been our teachers,

the beauties we have seen, the joys

we have known, the sorrows that
have caused us to grow, the rela

tionships that have enriched our

lives, the challenges we have met
and those which we allowed to de

feat us, the blessing of God's guid

ance and grace. Let us make no
mistake these are not merely the
residue of time's passing. They are

bored for 37 years. It will be my

(Maxine) first trip to Italy. I'm
taking a crash course in Italian

group from the States, and the first

soI can at least learn a few

time to have the privilege of working phrases beforehand! I am per

with Ruth VanHorn, a fellow-student sonally acquainted with several
of the CBS of60 and more years ago. of the missionaries, but know
the Italians only through corre

High in the mountains above

Ocho Rios on the north shore ofJa
maica, in a region called "Four
Roads," a church building is even
now under way. The evangelistic team
we will be working with is scheduled
to arrive there for a campaign the last
ofJanuary. It is an outreach of the
church in Gaylc, which has been
functioning since the 1950s when
Don and I (Maxine) were there and
purchased property for the church.
Upon our return from Jamaica,
we will be completing our plans for a
six-week trip to Italy to visit the

spondence. What a blessing it

will be to meet them in person!
God is so good to allow us
to make these journeys, to wit
ness for Him, and to fellowship
with the saints of other lands.

Pray that we will travel safely

and that all we do will be to

bring glory to His name.

Love in Jesus, as together
we serve Him, CAatScs
MaxtM,

the stuff of Hfe in Christ ours to

be used as we step through the time

barrier into the new year.
OUR first big step in 2001 will
actually be a flight, overflying Cuba
on our way to take part in an evan
gelistic campaign in Jamaica. For
me (Charles) this will be a "first."

Not the first missionary journey,

but the first into the Caribbean

area, the first to the island ofJa

maica, the first guided by a mission
ary veteran of many years there
(Maxine), the first taking part in a
church building project with a

To the right is Ruth Van-

Horn with children of the

Gayle church. Only a few of
the children of Gayle church

can be pictured here.

Bj

I^S
M The Gayle school building
S dates from when Don and

Ifront (not yet finished). Roof

IMaxine were in Jamaica. A

H class room is being added in

is on. Floor needs to be fin

ished, (walls, also). Plus win

dows and doors.