Remember two weeks ago when I told you that we were heading up to preach in Melun and the Headquarters Church? Well from there we took a few days off and headed up to Liz’s parents’ in Belgium for a bit of rest & relaxation. We were there when we heard of last week’s attack in Nice.
Transparency alert:
Do not read ANY of this post,
unless you commit to read ALL of this post… No skimming! Continue reading
For the first time since coming here… we’ve had someone pay us a visit as a result of finding our church’s web page.
* Feeling Elated * Continue reading
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you about the amazing floral designs of France’s Chenonceau Castle. Wait. On second thought, I’d go one better and I’d show you… Continue reading
See this picture? It shows a new preaching point in Western France, and you were praying for us while we were there last Saturday! Continue reading
“The sun had set, the last few sips of coffee had long since grown cold and there was nothing left to do but stroll… almost, but not quite …aimlessly. For that is what one must do in Paris if one is to truly appreciate this intoxicating place. Continue reading
After two weeks of solo-parenting two boys, the sun rose on a new day: A day of hope and expectation, a day where 3 would once again become 5, a day where order would be restored to the home… am I being too melodramatic?
I think it’s fair to say that, with the exception of taking down the Christmas Tree… this was the week that we officially “wrapped up” the holidays. Today I’m teaching at Bible School but here’s the rest of our week.
On Monday morning, we packed up the car and headed north. The first 3.5hrs got us as far as Melun where we dropped off Jacques, our “over-the-holidays Collie-dog“, after which we drove another 4hrs or so to Belgium where we spent a night with friends before surprising Liz’s parents – who did not know we were coming. Liz had prearranged it with her brother. They were well & truly surprised!
While there, the kids got to eat “mitraillettes” which they love! Why are they called mitraillettes (which means “machine guns”)? Lemme explain how they’re made & you’ll understand why:
– take 1/2 baguette
– insert sausage / meat of choice
– fill to overflowing with french fries
(or bullets)
Voilà! …another Belgian treat.
(besides the more commonly known waffle)
On our way home from Belgium, we took a 30-min side trip to see the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge, commemorating the 60,000 lives lost during WWI. It’s one of those places that I think every Canadian should see at least once.
More often than not, Canadians are seen as understated on the world stage, but this sprawling monument of grand proportion defies that stereotype.
6,000 tons of glistening white limestone tower 27 meters above the highest point of Vimy Ridge, overlooking the Douai plain.
It was Canada’s victory on this critical battlefront that established Canada’s nationhood on the world stage… it was no longer just another British Colony.
The last photo above is one of Liz and the kids in some of the trenches at Vimy Ridge. It’s a fitting image of how we see ourselves here… in the trenches & on the front lines. We see the fighting in the spiritual realm around us, we stand just as much chance at seeing shrapnel fly by as we do to take new ground.
We, just like you, are in a battle… Lord help us to maintain the ground that has been won and to follow your direction to take new ground as well.
The UPC of France is joining with UPCI churches all around the globe in making the month of January a month of prayer and fasting in an attempt to refocus our attention on the Lord and on the building up of his kingdom. The theme of the month is: Follow… for if we will follow the Lord Jesus, growth with result: personal growth and church growth alike.
New monthly partners needed in 2016
As I mentioned last week, we need to renew and expand our financial base as we look forward to the Brochu’s return in March.
Will you support us financially in 2016? … Click here.
Also… if you’d like to receive our two special eBooklets (Top 15 in 2015 & Building Engaged Youth, Building Missionaries, through Short Term Missions), Click Here. I’ll send them to you immediately when you subscribe to our monthly newsletters.
Thanks for stopping by today. Let all that you read inform your prayers for us and for the work in France.
As you’re sitting down with your morning coffee, I’m serving you up a few pics of our time away last week along with a few bullet points of the week that was:
Before France was ever in the picture, we began exploring Timeshare ownership. It was fairly onerous and a bit unfamiliar at first, but it paid off last week because we had a two bedroom apartment that cost only the gas to drive there + any visits & groceries on site.
We drove through 115 tunnels to get there… we counted. The shortest was 40m (120′) and the longest over 11.6km (7.2 miles)… hence today’s title.
Though within 45 min of Pisa & Florence and a bit more to Rome by train, we spent most of our time in the apartment relaxing, with the exception of a day in Pisa and two afternoons exploring nearby hill-top villages. Liz & the kids were ready for their first break from school and I did virtually nothing on the computer. What a great break. Monday morning we left for home, stopped on the Italian side of Mont Blanc for a ride up the mountain then made a final push, arriving home at 2am Tuesday.
We are hosting the National Sunday School director and her family for an afternoon of kids & youth activities at the church followed by a Holy Ghost rally tomorrow (Sunday). Pray for the youth that will be present! Because of your prayers & support, you are part of every victory here!
God bless you as you prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus with friends and families this week!
Here are some pictures from the other side of 115 tunnels!
(click for larger versions)
Downtown Paris was eerily quiet…
Although I shared some photos with you, earlier in the week, I didn’t talk too much about the day.
I caught a 6:41am train in order to be in Paris for morning service. Arriving around 8:30, I took advantage of the beautiful sunny morning to walk to church. As I walked, I prayed: Prayed for the service that would soon begin and prayed for this city… recently brought to its knees and still recovering.
Service went well. There were probably about 60 people and though they said that there were a lot missing, when you’re used to a “home-missions-sized” crowd… 60 is a full house!
I spoke on the apostle Paul as an ambassador. God said of Paul that he was a “chosen vessel”, chosen to bear the name of Jesus (Ac.9). Just like Paul, each born again Christian, is a chosen vessel… chosen to bear the name of Jesus to the world around us. If ever a city was in need of such ambassadors… Paris, in November 2015, is such a place. Lord help us to appropriately bear your name… bringing hope.
Following service I had lunch onsite, had coffee & dessert downtown with one of the church families then spent 4-5 hours walking. I wanted to pick up a few things for Christmas and I wanted to continue to spend time praying in the city… connecting, feeling…
Five things I learned or noted:
1. Downtown hotels are eerily empty (with some at 35-40% capacity).
2. Streets are pretty empty
3. Security personnel are EVERYWHERE… and heavily armed.
4. There were crowds at Paris’ Christmas Market, otherwise…
5. Pre-Christmas retail sales were down 30% last week & 17% this week
People have been affected by the attacks! I’m glad we know the peace-giver.
.
While many of you celebrated US Thanksgiving this week, here it’s beginning to look like Christmas (The Thanksgiving holiday isn’t celebrated here).
City crews in Châtellerault have been putting up lights for weeks already, but this was the first week that we saw them lit up. Here you can see some located just on the far end of the Henry IVth bridge.
We picked up our Christmas Tree this week.
It’s the first time in a long while that we’ve gone out and bought one, having caved in a few years ago and gotten a fake one back home. We’d actually gone out to pick up a few trays of pansies (a common source of colour in winter gardens here) when I saw that trees had arrived at the local Jardiland.
Timo & decided compromised between cost and eco-friendliness: for the first time ever, we have a living Christmas tree (it’s in a pot and can be planted outside after Christmas… how cool is that!?).
Reality Check: I think a good church fundraiser might be to plant Christmas trees on our huge property, then in 10 years or so, we can sell ’em! A 6-foot tree like we’d typically get back home runs for 75 euros ($105 CAD or $79USD)… this little guy was no where near that amount. Good heavens!
Our printed cards arrived this week which means that we’ll be able to begin handing them out in the next couple of days. The idea is to “strike while the iron is hot” so to speak… to get these into people’s hands while everything is still fresh.
The cards simply give people 3 verses to contemplate as they mourn the attacks and question the uncertainty of the days in which we live. It also gives them the church’s Facebook and web pages should any want to connect with us afterwards: This is the goal. Pray with us that these make their way to people who need a touch from God and are hungry for Him.
If you missed the gallery of pictures that I posted earlier this week, you can see it here.
Thank you for praying and giving financially… your support is causing growth in France.
If you’re in the Atlantic District… look for an article written by Sophie, Dominic & Timo for the November issue of the Pentecostal Messenger (for those not in the Atlantic District, I’ll be posting it here in the next few weeks).
If you’re in need of Christmas gift ideas and are reading from Saint John… our home church, Mission Point (130 Mark Drive), is having their annual Christmas Craft Fair: 28 tables of crafts, home baking, preserves, etc….
God bless you today, now go be an Ambassador!
AIM Long 