David & Rebecca Pater: Updates from France - June 2020
Taking Baby Steps Back to a New "Normal"
Dear praying friends and family,
COVID-19 and Restarting In-person Services
We are thankful to report that God has continued to be gracious to France and that overall cases and deaths related to the Coronavirus remain low. We know this is not the case for many of our American friends, and we hope and pray for a swift end to this pandemic there and elsewhere! As things have improved, the French government has continued to lessen certain restrictions for gatherings of 10 or more people. Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to host our first Sunday service since early March. Some of our Catholic friends allowed us to use their seminary's courtyard for this event. (As there are so few believers in France, relations between Protestants and Catholics are rather good.) See the video below for some scenes from that joyous day. Last week, we resumed services at the biggest of our sites opting to do a morning and evening service in order to welcome as many people as possible while still maintaining a 1-meter distance between families. It was quite a logistical task to get everything set up, but again by God's grace and thanks to GoogleForms and Spreadsheets things went well. Praise the Lord for His grace towards our church!
Training Leaders as a Priority
Despite the COVID pandemic, we were still able to maintain our church's leadership training program via Zoom. And although it was a less than ideal setting for group theological discussion, we had the pleasure of finishing our study of Exodus with the 20 leaders currently in the program. Last week, we finally had the joy to meet together for an end-of-year BBQ and diploma ceremony celebrating the fact that 10 more leaders have now completed this two-year course, which includes an intensive study of Mark, Ephesians, and Exodus, other reading and training, and also first-hand discipling of others with what they themselves have learned. Over 30 people have now finished this program over the last three years, and we have invited for the first time 20 new people to start this program next year. Why all this time and energy training people? Because we know that any future growth that we hope to have depends entirely on the Spirit of God using the Word of God to save and transform. If we keep this ministry to ourselves, we may see growth, but if we train others the possibilities are truly endless. Please pray that the Lord would continue to raise up more and more workers for His harvest!
Reflections on this Unusual Time
All throughout the world at the moment I believe many of us are wondering where the last 3-4 months have gone. Because of the lock downs, stay-at-home orders, quarantines, YouTube services, and the like it seems like only yesterday that Spring was arriving and that Summer was a long way off. But here we are already 10 days into July and life still doesn't seemed to have returned to "normal." In my Bible reading this morning, Jesus' words in Matthew 24:12-14 challenged and encouraged me. "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom swill be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Jesus foresaw our troubled times and warned us about them. He knew before the creation of the world of the COVID pandemic and of the civil unrest and difficult economic times that we are experiencing. But through it all, He has a perfect plan and His instructions to us are clear: to not let our love grow cold, to endure in the faith until the end, and to know that despite everything the gospel will be proclaimed to the whole world. Let us hear the words of our Lord and Savior and keep loving our neighbors, keep persevering in the faith, and keep proclaiming the glorious gospel until the blessed day of His return!
With the joy to proclaim the good news here in Toulouse thanks to your partnership,
David and Rebecca
Praises
For God's grace to us throughout the months of online gathering, discipling, training etc. His Kingdom has grown despite all of the craziness.For the return of in-person Sunday services!For a good end to our training program, for the 10 who completed the course and for the 20 who will soon be beginning!
Prayer Requests
For safety and security for those who will be attending our Sunday services throughout the summer.
For ourselves and other leaders who are working more than usual during the summer to keep ministry going under COVID guidelines.
For good times of rest for David and Rebecca who hope to take some vacation in mid-August to see Rebecca's family in Germany. We hope to visit the USA in November, but we will have to see if the borders will be reopened by then.
