David & Rebecca Pater: Updates from France - December 2020
The Lockdown is Over, Germany, and 2021 Projects
Dear praying friends and family,
Praise the Lord, Public Services Were Able to Resume!
We received a welcome early Christmas present here in France as the second nation-wide lockdown ended on December 15th! This means that we are again allowed to leave our homes without filling out a form and to meet with small groupes of people. However, we were thankful to be able to resume our public worship services a little bit earlier than that, on November 29th. That was a crazy Sunday on which we proposed 5 services at 3 different sites! Why so many services? Because the government had imposed a 30-person limit on all religious gatherings, regardless of the size of the building. So in order to welcome everyone who wanted to come, we had no other choice but to put in place 5 services. Thankfully for us and our church's volunteers(!), this was only for one Sunday as the government decided to review its decision. We still have strong limitations on our gatherings, but now they are based on the building's size. So we have been back to 3 services once again with the capacity to welcome around 200 people.
We Had a Wonderful Weihnachten in Germany
Thank you for praying for our possible trip to Germany. We were able to go there and be with Rebecca's family for Christmas, "Weihnachten" in German. It's really hard to put into words how much this trip blessed us. We were simply exhausted after all the uncertainty of this year with its extra work and last-minute organisation in addition to the lack of time with family. It was so nice to leave our small apartment behind and be in a house filled with splendid home-cooked meals, the laughter of our two-year-old nephew, and many games of darts (a new craze that has David hooked ). We were also able to attend a nice Christmas Eve service held outside in freezing temperatures (Germans are tough people!). We hope that all of you were also able to spend Christmas with your families and in contemplation of the greatest gift humanity could ever receive, the fact that God would become man in order to provide us with everlasting peace between Himself and our fellow men!
Tentatively Planning for the Year Ahead
If we have learned a lesson from 2020, I believe it is to say as James encourages us in verse 15 of chapter 4 of his book, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." After all, how many of our plans for this year have fallen by the wayside only to be replaced by whatever God sovereignly decided?! With this reflection in mind, here are some of our projects for the coming year which we commit into God's hands:
- Maintaining our third worship service at a third location, a situation that was rather forced upon us because of COVID restrictions. In order to make this a permanent change, we will have to establish a core-team in which Rebecca and David will be heavily implicated.
- Continuing our formation of future French pastors. Please be praying that the Lord would lead us towards several possible candidates to be formed next year in addition to two of our current interns who will be returning for their second year.
- Continuing to expand the leadership training program in order to form as many people as possible in how to conduct effective Bible studies and 1-on-1 discipleship.
- Renewing our vision for evangelism, something that has been rather difficult this year as we have spent most of it confined to our homes and behind masks.
At the end of each year, we also like to give you all an update on our giving situation. Our support has been affected by the COVID crisis and the recent strengthening of the euro, but God has continued to provide for our needs. However, if you would like to contribute to our ministry, perhaps during these last two days of 2020, you can do so by clicking here. As always, we thank you for your prayers and financial support that allow us to remain in Toulouse, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ!
Wishing you all a belated "Merry Christmas!" and an early "Happy New Year!",
David and Rebecca
Praises
For the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!
For a return to public worship services during the last month. Despite all the logistical headaches, these have been a source of great joy for us and for many!
For a restful trip to Germany, filled with time with family!
For a good final sermon of 2020 for David. You can listen to that here. Sorry no video this time, but it's good news because that means that I was able to preach in-person!
Prayer Requests
For the establishment of a solid core-team which we will be leading to solidify a third and permanent gathering in the heart of downtown Toulouse.
For our other projects for 2021, especially concerning the training of French believers. Multiplication is the best and only way to reach the vast numbers of non-Christians in this country.
Pray that God would raise up a generation of French believers who love Him more than anything else.
For a return to "normal" in 2021, so that we can resume our evangelism efforts for the good, both physical and spiritual, of the people of Toulouse.
