Praise and Prayer for May 22, 2009

The Lord blessed the Sunday services. There were a good number of children in Sunday school, though a few regulars were out. Church attendance was also pretty good, with a few visitors. We had choir practice with those that stayed for it. We’d made contact with every family in our Sango group last week regarding Sunday’s Sango service. There were 14 that came, including J.F. who we had met once before while we were visiting one of the families. This was his first time to attend, and it was obvious that he struggles with alcohol addiction. Another who has come quite often and also struggles with alcohol was also there, and very with it. How desperately many of them need God’s hand in their lives. We covet your prayers for grace and wisdom.

Pray especially for Jonathan’s Mom (Betty Teachout) back home in PA. She has had further health complications and continues to undergo testing. This week she had an ultrasound to check out a possible growth in her stomach. We have decided to make a trip to the States in July to spend some time with her. The Lord has provided us with tickets for an excellent price and funds to cover them through Jonathan’s Aunt Ellie’s legacy.

Praise for:
- healing for Jonathan’s wrist. The cast is due to come off this Thursday.
- good services on Sunday.
- the visit of Adrianna and Caleb’s cousin Lea this weekend.
- God’s provision for us to make a trip to the States this summer to visit family.

Pray for:
- our final classes at Algrange Wednesday and for graduation Sunday.
- the renewal of our French residency cards.
- Jessica Lundy, FOFer, as she visits and helps in the work here in Reims this next week.

Praise and Prayer for May 15, 2009

God continues to accomplish His purposes, due in part to the faithfulness and prayer support of His people. Thank YOU for having an important part in our lives and ministry! We have experienced God’s help this week as we faced each of our regular responsibilities with my (Jonathan’s) left arm still in a cast. While the pain is now mostly gone and I’ve learned to do many things one-handed (though more slowly, for sure!), there is much more for Cherith to do. She now does ALL of our driving, including our roundtrip to Algrange. To each added task, she gives attention with love and care and God is giving her strength for the extra load. God has truly blessed our children with a wonderful Mother, for whom we are very grateful. Also, this week we honor our own Mothers who have loved us, sacrificed for us and shown us what a life consecrated to God and their family looks like. Thank God for Mothers!

There were 15 kids present for Sunday school on Sunday, five in each class! We are encouraged by the kids’ good attention and some have asked some very good questions. We were missing some of our students at the Institute this week, though God gave us profitable classes. Only two more weeks before the choir sings for the Graduation ceremony. Last evening, I was picked up and taken to the Council meeting at church. This Sunday we will have our Sango Service and share a segment of “The Hope”.

Praise for:
- the healing to Jonathan’s wrist, the decrease in swelling, and for the strength He is giving to Cherith.
- good progress made with projects and reports.
- steps forward in finding shipment for the Sango Hymnal
- Mothers!

Pray for:
- a good end to the school year at the Institute, for the ensembles as they prepare for graduation.
- the renewal of our French residency cards.
- God’s working in hearts through the Sango service and the Sunday School.
- the Ladies’ Scrapbooking Outreach this Saturday, May 16th.

Praise and Prayer for May 8, 2009

This week has been very interesting, to say the least. On Friday afternoon, Jonathan fell on his wrist, resulting in a visit to the emergency room and a cast for at least four weeks. It never occurred to us how very much we use two hands to function throughout the day! God’s grace is evident in that it was the left wrist (Jonathan’s right handed) and it was after our busy two weeks of conference preparation, conference and hosting of our pastor and his wife. Jonathan did still manage to teach his Sunday School class and preach on Sunday, then direct choir and teach his theory and piano classes on Wednesday.

Please continue to pray for the Reims Baptist Church. There are some spiritual battles being fought but we know God can overrule. The need for a larger building is still crucial. Pray for wisdom as we encourage the church to call their first French pastor this coming January.

Praise for:
- the healing God is giving to Jonathan’s broken wrist.
- the profitable ministry God has given to Emmanuel and Sylvie Fischer during their Pastoral internship here in the Reims Baptist Church.
- the good attendance in S.S., despite the holiday weekend.
- the opportunities to point others to Christ as a result of Jonathan’s wrist.

Pray for:
- wisdom in prioritizing as we finish some projects and reports.
- complete healing in Jonathan’s wrist and for the swelling to diminish.
- strength and energy needed and learning to sleep well with a cast.
- the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR.
- the Ladies’ Scrapbooking Outreach on May 16th.

Praise and Prayer for May 1, 2009

We didn’t get an update posted last week with everything going on. Thank you for praying, nonetheless! God richly blessed the Youngs’ visit and ministry in our midst here in Reims and then at our Team France conference in St. Albain. There was good attendance at both the French and Sango services on April 19. Pastor Young’s messages were well-received and he and Rose had some good opportunities to visit with people before and after the services. We had a good number of children in SS as well.

The Lord strengthened Elva Farrell so that their family was able to make the trip to the conference. The theme of the conference was God’s faithfulness, and throughout the conference we heard testimonies of several of the missionaries, some retired, who served in France during some of the earlier years. We all enjoyed good messages and good music. Pastor and Rose also shared in music ministry at each of the services, and spent some special times with the teens at the conference. The Lord blessed them with health and strength, and even helped them to quickly get over jetlag. On Friday after the conference, we showed them some of the historical sites around Reims, some dating to the Roman era. They helped us and some friends celebrate Caleb’s third Birthday on Saturday, the 25th.

Praise for:
- good attendance in the Sunday services and in Sunday school
- God’s blessings of the Youngs’ ministry in Reims, at our conference, and for safety in all of the traveling.
- the spiritual refreshment and good fellowship that we had at conference.

Pray for:
- Jonathan as he broke his left wrist today and will be in a cast for at least four weeks.
- wisdom in prioritizing as we finish some projects and reports.
- the Institute students as we present some songs at a conference on May 8.
- comfort for D., a Central African whose sister died last week in Bangui.
- the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR – so far there is no shipping container space available!

Praise and Prayer for April 17, 2009

The Easter morning brunch at church was well attended. There were 112 people counted including a number of visitors. It was uncomfortably crowded in our small meeting room, reminding us of the urgency in finding a new building in which to meet. A number of groups presented either a song or a skit during the morning, and we had the children from S.S. sing a couple songs that they have been working on. A young Chinese man, who was recently saved, gave a clear salvation testimony and was baptized. It was encouraging to see many Central Africans among those visiting. Pray that those who were unsaved might reflect on what they saw and heard Sunday morning relating to Christ’s death and resurrection, and that those who do not normally attend church would want to come back, despite the lack of space.

Tomorrow, Jonathan will be meeting Pastor and Mrs. Ken Young at the airport in Paris. Sunday will be a full day, as Pastor will be preaching with the help of a translator in both the French and Sango services. Monday morning we will make the five-hour drive down to St. Albain where our team conference will be held and the Youngs will be ministering to both the adults and the teens. Thursday morning the conference finishes up and we will return to Reims. Thank you for your prayers concerning the conference as well as safe travel to the airport and to the conference.

Praise for:
- the Easter breakfast on Sunday and for the visitors who came.
- the salvation, baptism and testimony of the young Chinese man.
- Elva Farrell’s recovery as she is home and doing well.

Pray for:
- Sunday’s ministries and good attendance in each of the services.
- the Field Conference and for the Youngs’ ministry among us.
- safety as we will be travelling nearly 1,000 miles this week.
- good health for each of us, as we struggle with coughs and sinus infections.
- the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR – so far there is no shipping container space available!

Praise and Prayer for April 10, 2009

Although the Sunday morning service started with many people still absent, the number present swelled to 94, including the most children that we have ever had present for our Sunday school ministry since we arrived two years ago. There were 20 children in classes plus three babies present. There were several first time visitors, including some Central Africans that are connected to one of the other families that attends. Our theme was Christ’s death for sin and resurrection, so it was great to have visitors for that lesson especially. We said goodbye to a family that has been very active in the church for several years, including their two children who have been regulars in Sunday School. They moved this week to the south of France due to work.

The Easter season gives special opportunities to remind people what the real celebration is. This week, Jonathan was able to join E. and R. for tract distribution in mailboxes door to door. We had a few personal contacts. Pray that the 600 tracts will be read and that people will come to Christ through this outreach. On Sunday, our church will celebrate Christ’s resurrection with a special Easter Brunch and program. Included in the program this year will be song presentations by our choir, the Sango group, the Sunday school children, and Adrianna and Caleb. We anticipate a full program and a full building so appreciate your prayers that God will use this special celebration to bring people to Himself.

Praise for:
- for a Savior Who lives! He is risen!
- good attendance Sunday with many visitors, who heard the Gospel.
- safety in travel and for good classes at Algrange.

Pray for:
- Elva Farrell in the hospital since Tuesday, recovering now from surgery.
- preparations for Field Conference and for the Youngs’ ministry among us.
- the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR – so far there is no shipping container space available!

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.