Letter from Bryce and Phyllis Little
May 2003
PC(USA) Mission Co-workers Donna and Edgar Moros (left and right). They serve with the United Evangelical Theological Seminary in EI Escorial, Spain. Melanie Mitchell (center) is a Presbyterian pastoral candidate serving in Madrid Presbytery.
Dear Friends in Christ!
Greetings! Our retirement years continue to be full, as we serve the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as long-term mission volunteers in Spain and Portugal, work with Presbyterian new church developments within the United States, and keep up with our growing family.
We make two overseas mission trips a year serving as “bridge people” between the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and our sister churches in Spain and Portugal.
Spain
The Evangelical Church of Spain is both Presbyterian and Methodist in background. We work closely with the Reverend Alfredo Abad (see picture), general secretary. We also work with Presbyterian mission co-workers the Reverends Donna and Edgar Moros and Presbyterian pastoral candidate Ms. Melanie Mitchell.
One of our jobs is to help establish sister presbyteries between the PC(USA) and the eight presbyteries of the Evangelical Church of Spain. The Protestant church membership has grown from about 50,000 people at the close of the Franco dictatorship (1975) to over 350,000 people today!
Bryce and Phyllis meet with the Rev. Alfredo Abad, general secretary of the Evangelical Church of Spain (next to Bryce) and Rev. Mariano Blazquez Burgo, Executive Secretary of the Federation of Evangelical Religious Organizations of Spain.
Portugal
Presbyterian Church of Portugal is a faithful community of over 3,000 people. It’s developing a strong young adult leadership corps and has extensive evangelistic and social outreach in its congregations. There are four presbyteries. We work closely with the Reverend Andreas Ding, newly elected general secretary. He is part of the new younger leadership that is bringing new life to this church.
New church development
We are working as presbytery consultants under the auspices of the Presbyterian New Church Development Pastor-Spouse Network. As called upon, we help presbyteries respond to existing minority communities and new immigrant groups.
Little family news
We have moved to the Sacramento area in Northern California where we lived and worked for 15 years earlier in our ministry. We have two married children, four grandchildren and two more coming in the Sacramento area. Two married children and four grandchildren remain in Southern California, where we make frequent visits.
Prayer requests
- Pray for our next mission trip to Spain and Portugal in July. Pray that God may help us to establish at least two sister presbytery relationships in 2003.
- Pray for the Middle East post-Iraqi-war scene, that churches may be able to respond to the humanitarian needs coming out of the Middle East crisis.
- Pray that the Holy Spirit may open the hearts of the PC(USA) presbyteries to reach out to new people groups within their bounds.
Support to meet out-of-pocket costs
We are using our retirement income for personal support and we need individuals and churches to help meet $4,800, our out-of-pocket expenses. Please send gifts to PC(USA), Section 300, Louisville, KY 40289. (Littles' ECO#-074383)
Your may reach us at the above address and email or at telephone: (916) 714-1252; Bryce’s cell phone: (916) 690-1124; Phyllis’s cell: (916) 690-1127.
Let’s keep in touch. Thank you for your many letters and email messages.
Bryce and Phyllis Little
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 92
