Praise and Prayer December 31, 2015

Our hearts are filled with awe and delight as we contemplate once again the priceless Gift of a Savior for mankind.  Sharing homemade Christmas treats and Scripture calendars with neighbors, teachers and other friends that we have been reaching out to has again been an opportunity to share the news of the greatest Gift with others.  

God has given us some special opportunities this year, including being able to share with a few new contacts that we have made this year.  We have been encouraged by the friendly response we have had.  One couple, who had come to the Christmas cantata, indicated that they had enjoyed it very much and invited us to for coffee after the holidays. 

We received word yesterday that Cherith’s Grandma Hovingh entered her heavenly Home.  Knowing Grandma is with the Lord is a comfort, but not being near the family at this time is hard, especially for Cherith.  We are so thankful for the opportunities that we had to visit with Grandma this last summer while we were home.

This last week a new challenge surfaced at our church, which will necessitate another move as soon as the Lord makes it possible.  Without notification, we found our meeting room cut smaller, with a new wall running across the room.  The 538 sq. feet we had has been reduced to around 350 sq. feet.  

Our Sunday service on December 20, 2015

Praise the Lord that this did not come before the Cantata when we had 101 people into our meeting room.  Now we can barely fit 30 (we are averaging about 20), which leaves us very little room to grow.  This came as a surprise to everyone after moving to this location just in August.  Finding meeting places in Saint Medard (or France in general) has proven to be quite a challenge in the past.  But we are confident that this is God’s work and it is His church.  He is able to open the right door for His work to continue in this town that is finally seeing glimmers of His light after hundreds of years of darkness.

Our meeting room at prayer meeting on December 30

Praise for:

- the Good News of a Savior that we can share at Christmas and throughout the year.

- the great attendance at the Cantata presentations and for God’s hand upon all involved as His Good News was shared with many unsaved.

- the building that we have to meet in at present, and that the new wall did not go up until after the Cantata.  Praise for the knowledge God is in control and can provide for our building needs

- the life of Cherith’s Grandma whose love for the Lord and for others was evident to all.  We are personally thankful for a Grandma who was supportive to our ministry from the very beginning (our marriage).

Pray for:

- God’s working in the hearts of those who have heard the Gospel, and that He would use the Scripture calendars that have and are being shared. Pray for many opportunities to witness.

- comfort and healing for all of Grandma Hovingh’s family, and for those of us who are unable to be with the family at this time..

- our church building needs.  Pray that God will lead us and open doors for us to have a permanent place to meet that will be adequate for our needs and give space to grow.

- the God’s guidance and blessing of His church in Saint Medard in the New Year, and that His light would continue to shine brighter and brighter through His people.

Praise the Lord for answered prayer!

Thanks for praying for us this past weekend. God answered prayer for the three presentations of the Christmas Cantata/Concert Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Although there were some empty seats on Friday and Saturday, we were in awe as God filled up the tiny little auditorium of our new church plant here in Saint Medard yesterday afternoon. More than 100 people including the choir filled the 538 sq. feet.  

While some of those in attendance were from the other three churches accompanying unsaved guests of theirs, there were many from our town and the neighboring suburbs. Many of those who had assured us they would be coming did not show up, but among those who attended were two of our neighbors: a couple that we have had some good contact with and the retired school teacher that has been helping Adrianna with French on Fridays. We look forward to having more opportunities to witness to these people and pray that God will convict them of their need for His salvation.  

And though we were disappointed that others did not respond, there truly would not have been room for anyone else. We asked the Lord to fill the seats, and He did. Several people took Bibles, Scripture calendars and flyers telling of the evangelistic Bible study we will be starting in January. The choir and the actors did a great job, despite fatigue. Thank you so much for praying -- please praise the Lord with us and continue to pray for fruit!

Pray for the Christmas Cantata Outreach

The Christmas season is upon us bringing extra opportunities for outreach.  We have been inviting friends and neighbors to the evangelistic Christmas outreach that people from four sister churches in Bordeaux have been working on since September: the Cantata “The Lost Star”.  The children’s choir, made up of 14 children from three of the churches, has also been preparing a couple songs to sing.  Last Tuesday, a team from our church began hand-delivering invitations to mailboxes in Saint Medard.

On Friday evening, we had a record attendance for our English club outreach, including a guest brought by one of the girls.  That was the first time someone has brought a friend that we had not invited.  We were also encouraged that the two boys from a Jewish home that have now been to three of our meetings brought filled-out registration forms, indicating they want to keep coming.  As we continue through Jesus’ parables, the kids are hearing the Gospel, and we pray that its truth would penetrate their hearts and they would believe it.  The club also gave us good opportunities to invite the families to the Christmas Cantata/Concert that we have been preparing.

Following the English club, we had the dress rehearsal for the Cantata at 8:15 p.m. in Pessac, complete with the play that is interspersed with the songs.  

The next evening was our first presentation of the Cantata at the Pessac church.  God helped everyone do well, including the kids.  

The three actors did very well with the play, which gives the Gospel very clearly as it tells the story of Christmas with emphasis on the Cross.

Another answer to prayer was the very full room, without any spare seats.  More than 100 people were present.  In fact small kids were on laps, and some of those from the church stood in the hall.  

We were encouraged to see among those present the family of one of Caleb’s friends from school who has other engagements this weekend when we have the Cantata here in Saint Medard.  This was the first church event they have come to, and drove a distance to be there.

Adrianna and Caleb sang one of the children’s choir numbers as a duet Sunday morning, “Thou whom shepherds worshipped” in French.

Praise for:

- God’s working Saturday to fill the church at Pessac for the Cantata, including many unsaved people.

- God’s blessing of the effort, organization and teamwork going into the Cantata, including director, pianist, children, singers and actors from four different churches.

- the 1000-plus flyers that have been shared and distributed here in Saint Medard (2500 total by the four churches) inviting people to the Christmas Cantata outreach.

- the good attendance at our last couple English club outreaches, including the new visitor at the last one.

Pray for:

- God’s provision of health and strength for each person involved in the Cantata as we present it three more times this weekend.

- all who attend the Cantata, for believers to be strengthened in their faith and for unbelievers to come to Christ.

- God’s guidance in the extra opportunities He gives us to witness during this Christmas season.

- God’s working in the hearts of the children that are coming to our English club outreach.

- the remaining sessions of the evangelistic Bible study we are doing Sunday mornings with our church people, and for plans being made for a special outreach in the New Year.  Pray as church members will be inviting unsaved friends.