Praise and Prayer for December 13, 2010

Warm wishes to your house from ours for a blessed Christmas and New Year. Thank you for your prayers for us. The Lord blessed the Bible study on Tuesday. We thank the Lord for safety as Reims (and much of France) was hit with a snowstorm Wednesday and Thursday, the worst they have seen in many, many years. One of the high school seniors in our church who lives out of town spent Wednesday night and Thursday with us as her train home (and all public transportation) was out of circulation. Her parents were happy that the roads allowed them to get into town Thursday afternoon to pick her up. Cherith surprised me with a surprise 40th Birthday party on Friday evening and we were joined by a number of friends from church.

In Sunday School we had 22 children present (including babies) for a special program with a film (L’enfant de la Mansarde/The child from the Attic). Some of the children had not been in Sunday School at all this school year. We were surprised and encouraged at how well the children sat and listened carefully and did well answering questions afterward. The Christmas program was Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. with a very full church. The Lord blessed in so many ways as many people took part. There were several first-time visitors present who heard the Gospel clearly presented in a variety of ways. The choir did a great job with the two songs they had prepared. Adrianna and Caleb did very well with their duet. It was the first time for me to speak for the Christmas program here, and I was so thankful for the Lord’s help. Several comments afterward encouraged me that the message was clear and appreciated. We pray that there will be eternal fruit.

Lord willing, we will be flying out of Paris tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. heading to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The trip will take more than 27 hours from our front door until we are met by Cherith’s parents at the PP airport. We are all looking forward to celebrating our first Christmas together with Grandma and Grandpa Broeckert since 2006! Thank you for praying for our health and safety, and that the Lord will use us to encourage and bless those we will be with. We look forward to the opportunities that we will have to minister: Cherith teaching a ladies’ SS class, me preaching, giving some help with music, etc. We plan to return to Reims December 29 and will try to get an update written soon after that. May God bless your Christmas season as you celebrate the greatest Gift of all, Jesus Christ, the Savior.

Praise for:
- God’s help for Jonathan as he led the Bible study Tuesday and spoke for the Christmas program. Praise for good attendance.
- the help and strength God gave us with all of our responsibilities for Sunday’s program in the morning and afternoon.
- God’s blessings so evident throughout the Christmas program and for the visitors that were present.
- safety throughout the snowstorm that hit Reims.

Pray for:
- those who have heard or will hear the Gospel this Christmas season to open their hearts to receive God’s gift of salvation.
- many around us whose hearts are cold to the Gospel.
- our trip to Cambodia and our time there with Cherith’s parents and the people they are working with. Pray for the ministry that we will have there.
- the family of Mr. Earl Dannenberg (formerly in the CAR and missions professor at FBBC) who was promoted to Heaven on December 9. Son John and his wife are currently serving in the CAR.

Praise and Prayer for December 6, 2010

The Holiday season is here with all the color, the glitter and the lights shining above the streets, in the stores and from the windows and porches of homes and apartments across the city of Reims. Reminders of the Reason for the Season can be seen everywhere if people have heard and take time to remember. Angels and stars help us remember the announcements God gave to Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men of old when “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us”. How many people in Reims will see these symbols of the God’s Gift to a lost world and miss the meaning because they have never given a second thought to the greatest Gift of all. Our prayer is that here and around the world, hearts would be opened to hearing and receiving this Gift, and that believers would be faithful to share the news this Christmas season and in whatever time that remains before our Lord’s return.

Since we moved to Reims in the Spring of 2007, the winters have seen very little snow. This past week has given us our fill of snow and slippery roads, and we were happy to see the last of the snow disappear today. The Lord has given safety on the roads. There were six at our English Encounter on Thursday evening. The church counsel met Saturday evening and had a profitable time working together and planning. On Sunday, the choir met early for practice and presented one of the songs they have been working on in the morning service. There was a good group out for Sunday school, though there was a bit of distraction from kids whose attendance has been very irregular. The GBS (Sango group) met Sunday evening for a special Christmas Bible study and celebration. Cherith had prepared quiche and goodies to pass that everyone enjoyed. There were 12 of us present including children. The church has its Christmas program this Sunday (December 12) and many will be participating through song, skit and Scripture. I have the special privilege and challenge of giving the message this time. We are praying that there will be visitors who will come with open hearts. I will also be speaking at prayer meeting tomorrow evening (Tuesday).

Praise for:
- the Reason for the Season and the blessing of celebrating CHRISTmas.
- God’s protection over slippery roads this past week.
- the meetings and outreaches that we were involved in last week.
- the good health the Lord has given us, though Josiah has a runny nose.

Pray for:
- extra opportunities this Christmas season to share the Good News with those around us.
- the Christmas program at church this Sunday afternoon, for each one participating and for the visitors.
- me as I lead the Bible Study Tuesday evening and speak for the Christmas program Sunday.
- preparations for our trip to Cambodia to visit Cherith’s parents (Hubert and Dr. Mary Broeckert) December 14-28. We are excited about some of the opportunities we will have to minister to the church there as Cherith will be teaching the ladies’ Sunday school class and I will be preaching on one of the two Sundays we are there.