Praise and Prayer for April 3, 2009

Praise the Lord for the good participation and fellowship at the Soirée Crêpe on Saturday evening. Sunday was a busy day, but God blessed in the services as Jonathan preached both in the morning French service as well as in the afternoon Sango service. Cherith was home with a sinus infection and kept Caleb home in the morning and both kids home in the afternoon, but we were glad for all those who came out for services. We recognized all of the children that have been coming to Sunday school in the morning service and publically thanked the teachers…and the parents for bringing the children! Mike and Emily (Farrells’ daughter) were also home sick, but it was good to have Elva back in church after their US trip.

Our Annual French Field Conference is coming up April 20 – 23 and will be held about five hours from Reims. Pray for us as we organize the music for the conference as well as prepare our ministry report. We are thrilled this year to have as our guest speaker, Pastor Ken and Rose Young, our dear friends and the pastor of Wealthy Park Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, MI. Please pray for their preparations and for travelling mercies, as they will be adjusting to jet lag while jumping into action the day after they arrive.

Praise for:
- God’s help for Jonathan as he preached on Sunday and for our Algrange trip and ministry on Wednesday.
- healing for Caleb, Mike, and Cherith.
- the encouraging visit of our good friend Marc, who is staying with us until Tuesday.
- the arrival of the first copies of the newly printed Sango hymnal “Bia ti Sepala Nzapa” this week.

Pray for:
- Adrianna as she had to stay home from school and the School parade today because of a fever and upset stomach.
- time to complete some necessary correspondence and reports.
- the details to be worked out for the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR.

Praise and Prayer for March 27, 2009

The Scrapbooking outreach on Saturday went very well. There were two unsaved guests who came, and Cherith had the opportunity to share the Gospel. The ladies were eager to meet again, so Lord willing, we will continue this outreach in the months to come. Thank you for praying that the Lord will use this to draw believers together and unbelievers to Himself.

Wednesday, Jonathan made the trip to the Institute alone as Cherith has been battling a flu and head cold. He had a productive afternoon with the students though he missed his helpmeet. Thursday, Jonathan drove to the Paris airport to meet the Farrells as they returned from the USA. Pray for Mike, who was sick with the flu during the trip, to recover quickly. Also, Caleb has had more trouble with his asthma this week and needs prayer.

Jonathan will be preaching twice on Sunday, once in French and once in Sango. Pray that the Lord will help him to communicate clearly and that the Holy Spirit will speak to the hearts of those present.

Praise for:
- the Scrapbooking outreach and for those who heard the Gospel.
- the safe return of the Farrell family, our co-workers.
- safety on the road for Jonathan as he traveled to the Institute and to the Paris airport.

Pray for:
- the all church crepe social this Saturday evening.
- the Lord to bless His Word as Jonathan preaches this Sunday.
- good health for Caleb, Cherith and Mike Farrell.
- our financial needs with the weak dollar and our low support level.

Praise and Prayer for March 20, 2009

Thank you for praying for us this week. On Sunday we had very good attendance in church and were thankful for the 16 children in our three Sunday school classes. Three members taught the classes this week, which was a joy to see and a great answer to prayer. This enabled both of us to be downstairs as Jonathan preached in the French service. Praise God with us, as there were a number of people who said they had been challenged by the preaching of the Word.

Please pray for the Scrapbooking outreach that Cherith will be having with some ladies in our church this Saturday morning. We are anticipating some unsaved guests. Pray for Cherith as she gives a devotional and presents the Gospel during the time together. Pray for clear communication and an encouraging time together.

Praise for:
- good attendance in Sunday School, choir practice, as well as both the French and Sango services.
- a new family that visited the Sango service on Sunday.
- another opportunity we had this week to build relationships further with the family of one of Adrianna’s girlfriends from school.

Pray for:
- the Scrapbooking outreach Saturday morning, March 21st.
- safety for the Farrell family, our co-workers, who will be taking the plane back to Reims this coming Wednesday.
- the spiritual needs and future contact we will have with the Central African family who we met last Sunday.

Praise and Prayer for March 13, 2009

We praise the Lord for sending better health to our household. Several regulars were absent for the Sunday service, but the Lord brought us quite a few visitors, including some that have recently moved to Reims. We had record attendance in Sunday school with 16 children in our three classes. This was actually the first time we have run out of little chairs and were one short. Praise the Lord for providing two members to teach two of the classes. Choir practice was not very well attended. The Lord blessed as Jonathan gave the Bible study Tuesday evening, and there was some good interaction as we studied three of the Names of God. Our trip to Algrange on Wednesday this week was blessed with sunshine and dry roads for the first time in several weeks. There was excellent participation and effort from the students and good progress was made with the three vocal groups.

We’d appreciate special prayers during this time for Jonathan’s family as this week marks one year since his Dad went to be with the Lord. Yesterday was also his Birthday, and Jonathan posted some memories of his Dad on a blog dedicated to his memory (donteachoutsr.blogspot.com) where all are invited to participate.

Praise for:
- giving Cherith some good opportunities to counsel and pray with a friend.
- good attendance at Sunday School and church.
- good weather for the trip and good classes on Wednesday.

Pray for:
- Jonathan as he preaches Sunday and Tuesday in the French services and for both of us as we prepare messages and devotionals.
- preparations for the Scrapbooking outreach in the morning and an all-church “Crèpe social” in the evening on March 21.
- Jonathan’s Mother as she continues to have nosebleeds and gets treatment for pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Praise and Prayer for March 6, 2009

Our flowers are blooming! These bulbs and seeds were sown last year, and with warmth, water, sunshine and the Lord’s perfect timing, they are opening and serving the purpose for which they were created. Each week as the Lord gives opportunities to sow seeds of witness, encouragement, and service, though we often can’t see the final result, we trust that with warmth, nourishment, Son-shine and the Lord’s perfect timing, these seeds will also one day blossom.

Jonathan has been working on sermon preparations, as he will be speaking in the French services and the French Tuesday night Bible Study four times this month. This is in addition to the Sango messages he will be preaching in the Sango services. Pray for quality time to study, God’s leading in what will be said and finally, for wisdom as Jonathan strives to clearly and accurately communicate in both the French and Sango languages. Please pray for strength for him, as he is still not feeling well.

Praise for:
- improved health the Lord has brought to our household.
- good attendance at the services last week, especially the Sango service.
- several members who are helping with teaching S.S. classes.
- profitable trip to the Institute and the progress made with the ensemble groups.

Pray for:
- Jonathan’s preparation for Bible studies and messages.
- an all-church “Crèpe social” March 14.
- time to accomplish reports and paperwork that need done.
- Jonathan’s Mother as she has follow-up for a heart catheterization.
- a Ladies’ Scrapbooking outreach Cherith will be hosting on March 21 and for the preparation that needs to be done beforehand.

Praise and Prayer for February 27, 2009

This week has been challenging for us with our health. Adrianna caught the stomach flu on Saturday and though Caleb is pretty much all better, Adrianna is still weak and having some stomach trouble. Jonathan also came down with something that has put him out of commission for the last couple days. Although we had to cancel our trip to Algrange on Wednesday, we were able to send the accompaniment and voice parts on CD so that the students will hopefully still get some good practice in before next Wednesday.

Our teammates, the Farrells, leave for the US tomorrow for a month with their family, including a brand new grandson. Along with the Sango service, Jonathan will also be taking turns with Emmanuel for preaching and leading the French Bible Studies this month. This week we sent the Sango Hymnal back to the printer for final printing. We also sent out a special mailing to those who’ve been at the Sango service.

Praise for:
- the Lord’s help and healing from sickness and that thus far Cherith hasn’t caught the “bug”.
- the Singspiration service which was well-attended and an excellent encouragement to many.
- an opportunity for the Farrells to spend some time with family.

Pray for:
- good health to return to our household.
- Jonathan’s preparation for Bible studies and messages.
- good attendance at the Sango and French services this Sunday and for decisions that need to be made.
- a time of refreshment for the Farrells while they are away this month.
- the Lord’s provision of work for the Fischers.

Praise and Prayer for February 20, 2009

We appreciate so much your prayers. This week we need prayer for good health for each one of us. Yesterday, Caleb came down with some kind of bug and during the night he awoke with a high fever and vomiting. The Bible Institute was off this week, but is back next week. Cherith recorded accompaniment and voice parts for the songs that Institute groups are learning. The corrections to the Sango hymnal blues are finished. Jonathan has a helper for his SS class this Sunday who will be teaching the class for the first time with coaching.

Emmanuel and Sylvie moved to Reims after Emmanuel’s graduation from the Bible Institute, in response to the church inviting him to do a one and a half year pastoral internship here. Along with giving Emmanuel local church ministry experiences, a further goal in having them here for this period is to give them and the church time to determine the Lord’s will concerning calling them as their first national pastor. Pray for a fruitful internship that brings glory to God and for guidance for each step. They are experiencing special needs at this time since Sylvie lost her job in January. Pray that the church would be a help and encouragement to them at this time and that they will see God’s provision for work.

Praise for:
- the progress for the Sango Hymnal.
- the Fischers’ presence and ministry here in Reims.
- Mom Teachout qualifying for a type of oxygen that is breath activated.

Pray for:
- Salvation for P.W. and for several who are attending church who have not made decisions yet.
- Jonathan as he studies and prepares for several French and Sango messages and Bible studies coming up.
- a special Singspiration service that will take place at church on Saturday with participation from several sister churches in northern France.
- healing for Caleb and for the rest of us not to catch this “bug”.