november prayermail update

Dear Friends,

As we look back at the events of our small church plant over the last 13 months, we are once again reminded of how difficult this year has been.  The start team is made up of seven people:  Ralf and Julia, Bjoern and Andrea, Kristi, and Sue and me.  Just over a year ago, Julia and Ralf were expecting their second child.  Little Louis was tragically stillborn at the end of September 2011.  In the months that followed Julia's father (age 60) and two other immediately family members also passed away.  When Julia and Ralf and then, Andrea and Bjoern, announced that they were expecting - the same due date in October! - we quietly rejoiced and were cautiously optimistic.  In July tiny Jonas was born very premature to Ralf and Julia and we all found ourselves praying earnestly for God's mercy to intervene in his fragile existence.  On September 30 Andrea and Bjoern were informed that their baby had suddenly died in the womb for unexplained reasons.  After 24 hours of very hard labor, Rebecca was still born.  She was full-term, 8 lbs, and looked beautiful. 

We have mourned as a church family with Ralf and Julia and Andrea and Bjoern.  With a start team of 7 and a church family core of only a dozen, you can imagine what an impact these things have had on us.  This has been a time testing for us veterans in the faith, not to mention those among us who are new in their faith or still seeking.  We realized that the hope of the Gospel is all we have in the end.  We have shared the Gospel with each other and with relatives, friends, neighbors and work associates as we have gone through this dark time together.  Many tears have been shed, but the hope of the Gospel and the resurrection are what we cling to and were the themes that were preached at both memorial services - ironically, some of our most well attended services.  Please pray with us that God would continue to comfort both families, filling them with hope, and that God would use the pain and loss we have shared to draw us closer to himself and to each other.

The Pastor's Atelier is really beginning to take shape. The last several weeks I have been very busy renovating. The dropped ceiling, insulation and 3+ layers of wallpaper are gone. The electrical system has been entirely replaced and paid for by the landlord and the walls and ceiling newly plastered and painted.  I am overwhelmed with the generosity of so many friends (many of them not yet believers) who have come and helped or are donating toward the cause. One friend, a lighting consultant in the hotel/restaurant market, recommended a professional commercial track lighting system which I never could have afforded but which he decided he would simply donate! Another neighbor has given me a high-end stereo system. Ralf, from our church plant and an architect, hasadvised me on how to design the space and has been able to get some of the materials for free or way below list price. Others have come to scrape wallpaper, clean, paint or make trips to the dump. I have already met many of my new neighbors. Even the Turkish locksmith across the street, who made a key for me, waved me off when I went to pay and said that I could just say an extra prayer for him. The conversations have started!

Please pray about the funding ($6000) still needed for the first year. Perhaps there are those who would like to make a year-end gift to support this project.

We are very excited to tell you that Roy, Sam and Heidi were finally able to clarify their schedules so that we could arrange for family time between Christmas and New Years.  The last time we were all in Cologne together was three years ago.

As we reflect on the year gone by and look ahead to the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, we are keenly aware of our dependence on God's mercy and grace and his of goodness in all that we do and are.

"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23

Thank you so much for faithfully standing with us.

Gratefully,

Sue and Jason

 

 

PS: Click here to see our current financial support needs.