Praise and Prayer for April 23, 2010

It has been good to be back home this week, though we are so thankful for the refreshing time the Lord gave us away. As always, there continues to be a lot going on with church activities. Jonathan met with Emmanuel on Tuesday morning for prayer and planning. We do miss Mike and Elva! There are a number of end of the year activities coming up that we are preparing for. Tomorrow, Cherith and Jessica (and Josiah) will be driving to Laon (an hour away) with 6 or so other ladies for a special Ladies Meeting with women from a few sister churches. They are looking forward to good fellowship and the Bible study led by Mrs. Margaret Stauffacher. Our Sango Outreach group is gearing up for a special picnic on May 1, French Labor Day. The youth group and young singles group also have activities coming up.

Emmanuel, who had Jonathan’s class on Church Music and Worship while at the Bible Institute, asked Jonathan to do a workshop with the church leaders on May 15. Jonathan has been preparing for the workshop as well as for a number of preaching opportunities coming up. He will be preaching Sunday morning in our French service on God’s remedy for discouragement, and then again in our Sango service Sunday evening and in prayer meeting on Tuesday.

Praise for:
- the 15 who were at our Sango service Sunday night.
- the good appointment on Thursday and that our documents were all in order and accepted.
- the time that we have remaining to work in the Evangelical Baptist Church of Reims.
- the good health that we are each enjoying at this time, that Caleb hasn’t had an asthma attack in four weeks!
- all of Jessica’s help for Cherith and the kids, especially with Jonathan’s extra heavy program this week.

Pray for:
- the Ladies’ Meeting tomorrow in Laon, and for each of the ladies who attends to be challenged to a closer walk with the Lord.
- Jonathan as he prepares messages and the Church Music workshop, that the Lord will use him to faithfully communicate truths from His Word.
- the services this Sunday and for plans for the Sango Outreach May 1 picnic.
- that the Lord will bring our important documents to light in the mail system wherever they are and that they would still be delivered safely.

Praise and Prayer for April 20, 2010

The past two weeks have been very busy and off of normal routine. Thank you for praying for our Team conference in Mainz, Germany. It was a week of refreshing fellowship and enriching teaching. Jessica was a blessing to the children as she led them through a DVBS program. During the free time that week, it was a treat to visit the Gutenberg Museum and see a few of the original Bibles (under high security and in a large vault) that Gutenberg printed. Another visit was to the town of Worms where Martin Luther defended his thesis before the Diet of Worms.

After the conference, our family was able to take a few days away in Holland for some R & R. During the time there, we made several day trips out to visit sights, including a replica of Noah’s Ark, which offered a tour inside telling of various Bible stories and scientific facts concerning the flood and creation. Another visit was to the Corrie Ten Boom house where many Jews were hid during WWII. A highlight of our time was when we were able to visit the ocean town where Cherith’s Grandmother was born and raised.

This week the kids are back in school and we are back to normal routine. Saturday night Jonathan participated in the deacon’s meeting. Pray for Jonathan as he has a very heavy schedule this week and next.

Praise for:
- safety on the road over the many miles we drove these past two weeks.
- a refreshing and enriching conference with fellow ministry team partners.
- the safe return of the Farrells back to Michigan and their settling into Stateside life for this next year.
- Jessica’s being with us and for her great servant’s heart.

Pray for:
- friends in ministry who have been stranded in France due to the volcanic ash cloud.
- Jonathan as he prepares for three messages and a church music seminar.
- an important appointment we have on Thursday in town.
- a regional Ladies’ meeting Cherith and Jessica will be attending on Saturday with several ladies from our church.
- that the Lord will bring our important documents to light in the mail system wherever they are and that they would still be delivered safely.

Praise and Prayer for April 5, 2010

Thank you for praying for us during these days. They have been very full and we have seen God’s blessings. The services went well on Palm Sunday and the Lord blessed Jonathan as he preached and there was a good response to the message. While attendance was down some, practice and preparation for the Easter program went well. We were disappointed in the attendance for the Sango group’s Easter outreach Sunday evening as many of the regular attendees were away or absent (one mother gave birth to little Sarah the day before). There was one first time visitor that we hope will come back.


Our special Easter program went very well yesterday as the church celebrated together our Savior’s resurrection from the dead. As the Spring vacation began Saturday, we missed several that had already left town. However, there were still over 80 people in attendance, with the majority of them participating in special presentations of song, Scripture and skits. The message of a Savior who came, died and rose again to save sinners was clear and the fellowship was good. The Lord blessed the choir’s two songs, the Sango group and the SS children. The kids did quite well with their verses and we were pleased with the efforts that many of them (and their parents) put into preparation. The 2 and 3s quoted John 3:16, the 4 to 6s quoted the Lord’s prayer and the 7 to 11s said Matthew 28:1-6. They all sang “He is Lord” (Jesus Christ est Seigneur).


There were tearful goodbyes as this was the Farrells’ last Sunday before leaving today for a year of home ministry. They will certainly be missed. We too are leaving today for the Spring Bible Conference for our France and Germany teams, held in Mainz, Germany. After conference ends Friday, we will be continuing on to spend a few days in Holland near Amsterdam. We will be staying in the home of one of our friends and ministry partners who has graciously opened her home to us for a few days of R & R. As I type, last minute preparations are taking place and we will be on the road within a couple hours.

Praise for:
- the good services on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday and for the good participation by many people.
- a first time visitor in our Sango group and for the save delivery of little Sarah.
- visitors that have been present in the church services.
- Jessica’s being with us and for her great servant’s heart.

Pray for:
- visitors to return and that decisions will be made.
- each of those travelling to conference this week, for refreshment and guidance in our meetings, and for the much needed time of R&R for our family.
- the Farrels as they travel to the States and begin their time of Home Ministry.
- the church here as life goes on and everyone adjusts to a church without the physical presence of Mike, Elva and Emily Farrell.
- that the Lord will bring our important documents to light in the mail system wherever they are and that they would still be delivered safely.

Note: There will be no update next week while we are away.