August update 2014

Dear Friends,

I have been asking you to pray for the City Mentoring Program phase one group.  In May the 8-month training that I co-led came to an end. There were 10 participants - most of them students at the Bibleseminar Bonn (http://www.bsb-online.de). It is always encouraging for me to see how God works in the hearts of these young potential church planters as they wrestle with their calling. Here are a few of their comments at the final session.

 

Arthur: I'm leaving the course with double-courage. I want to ask unbelievers questions about their faith and to listen to them, get to know them deeper. I want to dare things for Jesus. 

 

Simon: I can see how the spiritual life of a church planter needs to find its source in Jesus. I want to be much more consistent in following Jesus and see His kingdom as the goal, in which he can use me.

 

Emilius: The course has opened my eyes to the subject of church planting. The practical examples of the missionaries were very valuable. I want to conduct demographic studies of my home country, Lithuania, and share what I have learned about church planting there.

 

Stefan: The course helped me to see what the church should be and how I can best serve God.

 

Fabiana: The course has challenged me to reach out to my neighbors.

 

Raphael: I am looking forward to my contact with non-Christians.

 

Pray for these young participants as they continue on their spiritual and ministry journey, that the Spirit would move and enable them for God's kingdom.

 

In mid July I was contacted by a friend of a friend who is working on a post-doctoral project that she is hoping will eventually be presented in several churches and museums in Cologne. The Pentateuch Project is a series of photo compositions inspired from scenes and events from the first 5 books of the Bible. She wanted to do a power point presentation of the project in order to garner more support. She asked if she could do it at my atelier and I agreed. The presentation was interesting. However, even more interesting was that the local catholic priest also attended with whom I have recently had contact in regard to renting a small church building in the area that is no longer used regularly for services for our church plant - Cologne Project. We had a very pleasant conversation after the presentation. Please pray that they would make the decision to rent to us. It would be a great location for our church plant to grow.

 

Please continue praying for the “Blue evening in Nippes”. Pray that we would be able to make many new contacts for the Gospel through this event on September 5th.

 

Thank your for your prayers for us in June as we spent three weeks visiting supporting churches and individuals in Ontario and Michigan.  Although the travel and schedule were exhausting, we were so encouraged by many of you; your hospitality, encouragement, support, genuine interest - for reminding us again of how much you share this ministry with us.

 

Yours for Germany,

Jason and Sue

May update

Dear friends,

Following are a couple of stories from the Pastor’s Atelier:

In the Tuesday morning men’s prayer group we recently agreed to limit our personal sharing time and jump right into our theme. M**** gave us copies of a chapter on prayer from a book titled Christianity for Beginners - I am looking forward to working through this chapter with these men. They have a longing to learn how to pray more in their every day lives.  The idea of freely and spontaneously communicating with God is still novel to them.

I recently had a chat with a father and his 20-something daughter in front of the atelier. They were admiring my work through the window. He was thinking of buying one of my paintings for his daughter to hang in her new apartment. As we chatted, he wanted to know what exactly I am doing here. After explaining it to him I told him, as I have told many others, that I just want to be a blessing for the neighborhood. He said he thought I already was and then as they were leaving he said that he hoped that a lot of blessings come right back to me. That made my day!

I have signed up to take part in an event called “Blue Evening in Nippes”. Nippes is the name of the district of Cologne we live in and where the atelier is. It is an evening where all the participating shops and businesses decorate their shops with blue streamers, balloons, etc. and offer specials, music and creative events - staying open much later than normal. Last year there were dozens of participants with hundreds, if not thousands of visitors wandering from shop to shop. I have invited a jazz musician to perform at the atelier. Please pray that I would be able to make many new contacts for the Gospel through this event on September 5th.

Oh the pain!
Although I was not up to it earlier, I would like to share about a medical condition I have been dealing with over the last month. In April I went to the skin doctor and was diagnosed with pre-cancerous spots on my forehead. The doctor recommended a special light treatment that has proven highly successful in eliminating the abnormal cells.  The procedure was executed two times over eight days.  The discomfort and pain after the first treatment was manageable but the pain after the second treatment was almost unbearable.  Fortunately it subsided considerably after six excruciating hours.  The next several days were spent dealing with a severely swollen forehead and eyes followed by severe scabbing.  Thankfully I was able to preach at the Easter service less than a week later - albeit with a hat pulled right down to my eyebrows to spare the congregation from having to look at the disaster underneath.  Amazingly the outer layer of skin has healed quite rapidly and I am thankful to the Lord for modern medicine and for how he carried me through this unpleasant ordeal.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Yours for Germany,
Jason and Sue

Dear friends,

MyLife

The first 3 Sunday afternoons in February, I (Jason) hosted and led an evangelistic workshop in the Pastor's Atelier entitled, MyLife.  The 8 participants were fully engaged and eager to return for the next session and the feedback was very positive.  Although I am not yet aware of any first-time decisions for Christ, it was clear that God was working in the hearts of several of the participants.  Please pray for the continued work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of these seekers.  I highly recommend this workshop.  For more information see:http://www.mylifeworkshop.org.

2014

We would like to give you a look at our ministry activity in 2014. It is often in our ongoing ministry that we see people taking steps and growing in their trust toward God. The day-to-day and week-to-week activities in which we serve are so important. Most of our time in ministry is devoted to: 

sermon/service preparation and celebration, counseling, street evangelism, friendship evangelism, pre-evangelism events, discipleship, prayer, small groups, leadership meetings, planning, administration 

Please pray that God would continue to use us for the advancement of His kingdom in our ongoing, everyday activities here in Germany.

In addition, these are the highlights to date that we are looking forward to this year.  More special opportunities and events will most likely be added as the year progresses. Please pray that God’s kingdom would come and that His will would be done in Germany as it is in heaven.

The Consultation for Church Planting - March 5-6

Currently we have a relatively small group of 22 who have registered for our annual 24-hour gathering. Many church planting leaders have full schedules and due to the speaker’s schedule (an expert on social milieus) we have moved the location to southern Germany in Schwaebish Gmuend - near Stuttgart - which makes it more difficult for those from northern Germany to attend. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to learning and working together toward more interdenominational collaboration. We decided as the leadership team to spend another half day in sharing and prayer, and brainstorming about long-term goals for the consultation.

German field retreat - 27-30 March

This is always an intimate time of sharing and prayer with our team here in Germany. The uplifting mixture of tears and laughter as we recount the ways that God is working in our personal lives and in our ministries is always encouraging. It was just a year ago that I resigned from leading the German field. I am thankful for the new leadership team and I am looking forward to attending this year as a supporting field missionary.

Home Ministry Assignment - May 30 - June 17 in Ontario and Michigan

We look forward to connecting with family, friends and the folks at 6 of our supporting churches in southern Ontario and the Detroit area. Albeit, trips like this are often a mix of exhaustion and encouragement for us.

Preaching at the amphibious vehicle rally worship service - August 3.

A man who heard me preach at one of the churches in the area has invited me to speak at an event he helps organize in the picturesque town of Traben Trarbach on the Mosel river.  It is an international weekend rally of amphibious vehicles, where about 50 vehicles and 150 people from all over Europe are expected. For years they have been working on a strategy to reach the participants with the Gospel. On Sunday morning they will be offering an open-air worship service. Traben Trarbach is of particular concern because the entire town is under the strong influence of a Buddhist who has placed his little statues in all the shop windows and has opened the largest Buddhist Museum in Germany. This event is a unique opportunity that I could have never thought up on my own.

GEM annual conference August 4-9 in Willingen, Germany

This annual gathering of the GEM family is a highlight for us because of the worship time and the fellowship with so many like-minded missionaries who have a heart for Europe. The speakers, training seminars and workshops also provide learning opportunities and are a source of encouragement.

New Reformation Tour - September 26 - October 5

I will be co-hosting this tour along with my colleague, Dr. Joel White. We will be visiting the sites of events that have had a powerful impact on the world: the conversion of the Germanic tribes, the Reformation, the Holocaust and more.  Professors from the Giessen School of Theology (GST), a GEM partner institution, who have extensive knowledge of Germany’s rich religious history, will be joining parts of the tour. Participants will gain a sense of Germany’s present spiritual need…and celebrate the beginnings of a new reformation in the heart of Europe, encountering exciting ministries that are working to fulfill GEM’s vision: “God expanding His kingdom through all the peoples of Europe to the world.” Click here to download a brochure with more information.

Cologne Project church retreat October 31-November 2

The mission statement of our church plant is: Creating space for Jesus Christ. The retreat helps us to do just that. The opportunity for close fellowship over an entire weekend allows for deepening relationships with one another and with the Lord.

kirche.neu (church.new) - November 26.

The Consultation for Church Planting is not the only network in Germany that is seeking to see God’s kingdom advanced and new churches planted. Kirche.neu has become significant due to its broad range of key leaders of church planting movements. This fall we are co-initiating a one-day inspirational conference that is pulling together 5 different networks with different emphasis but the same ultimate goal of seeing God’s kingdom advance in Germany. Pastor Oscar Muriu is the keynote speaker. He is the leader of Nairobi Chapel, where he was an intern 25 years ago when the church had just 20 members. In the mean time the church has grown and planted many daughter churches. Today 14,000 attend the 40 churches that have been planted. (www.nairobichapel.org) We are praying that God will use this day to foster even more unity and vision for church planting in Germany.

Thank you so much for your prayer and financial support.

In Christ,

Jason and Sue

December 2013 update

Dear Friends,

Along with many regular activities, including pastoring, counseling, weekly small group, street evangelism, etc., this past year was full of significant events and we are so grateful for all the Lord has done. Here are some of the highlights.

January
I attended the yearly GEM leadership meetings in Naples where God led me to resign from leading the German field staff, giving me much more capacity to pursue evangelism and church planting.

February

grand opening

We celebrated the grand opening of the Pastor’s Atelier. About 50 friends, neighbors and colleagues stopped by in the course of the evening. Many brought a gift of some kind.  I went from having zero to four plants in just one evening and I’m proud to say that they are all still living!

I participated as an assessor at the annual City Mentoring Program assessment meetings with about 20 young potential church planters, many of whom are already well into their internships in various church plants.

GEM field retreat

In my final responsibilities as GEM Germany field leader I was able to lead the field in an amazing Spirit-filled process of choosing and calling new leadership for the field at the annual retreat..

March

Sue started her Masters program in Intercultural Competencies at the Danube University in Krems, Austria and attended her first 4-day module. This is an exciting new chapter in our lives.

April

church retreat

Our church plant, Cologne Project, held a weekend retreat at which several former visitors stepped up to become active participants of the church.

I hosted my first mini-concert at the Pastor’s Atelier - a great way to meet new people and enjoy beautiful music as well.

20 year celebration

May

The Evangelical Free Church in Cologne-Porz (our first church plant) celebrated its 20-year anniversary. It was a wonderful day of seeing old friends, reminiscing and praising God for the many who have come to faith and been disciple in this ministry.

June

symposium

I co-led the Symposium for church planting in Germany in Stuttgart. It was a powerful 3 days with overwhelming positive feedback from the participants and speakers. We are beginning to see concrete evidence that God is working in new ways through some of the national church leaders who attended.


September

Most of the month I was in Colorado on Home Ministry Assignment visiting friends, family, supporters and our 5 supporting churches on the front range with a side trip to our supporting church in Missouri. It was an exhausting three weeks but it was a good time - especially getting to spend time with our son, Sam and Heidi.

November
I attended the annual City Mentoring Program conference in Frankfurt. With 50 participants, it was the largest group ever. All the church plants in the growing CMP network were represented. We heard reports from all of them and spent much time praying over each one. God is working!

The Consultation for Church Planting met for the first time since the Symposium. There was much enthusiasm among the participants as we reviewed the Symposium and began to get concrete about working together more across denominational lines in order to foster a church planting movement.

Whew! It was quite a year. Thank you for standing with us with your prayers, encouragement and financial support. It’s so good to know you are there for us.

As we enter the Advent season, we celebrate with you God’s indescribable gift - our Lord Jesus Christ! - the reason for our hope, joy, and dedicated ministry of church planting in Germany.

Your servants,

Jason and Sue

september update 2013

Dear Friends,
We have been silent for too long and much has happened since we last wrote.

The Cologne Project
We have been encouraged with a steady flow of new faces and a deeper commitment to the church among the regular attenders. A real highlight was our weekend retreat in April at which we had wonderful times of fellowship but also good discussions about what it means to be a church. We are in the process of disbanding the start team of 7 people and moving toward a preliminary leadership team that will guide the church through the next phases of growth and restructuring. We always have the best music and are slowly becoming known as the jazz church. It has been amazing to experience God speaking to us through the creativity of jazz music within a very simple, mostly unplugged, liturgical worship service.

Cologne Project retreat

The Pastor's Atelier
I continue to make new contacts and to see how God is using the Atelier to open new doors in people's lives. In May, June, July and August I hosted mini-concerts with young musicians who brought their friends. The beautiful music in the intimate ambiance of the Atelier lends itself to simple, relaxed encounters. The men's prayer group continues to be a highlight for my friends and me. As one of them recently commented: this is becoming a small church. Hallelujah!

Please pray about a new workshop that I will be conducting in Oct-Nov called My Life Workshop. (www.mylifeworkshop.org (http://www.mylifeworkshop.org) I am excited about this new tool that was developed by our friend and colleague Dietrich Schindler to reach post-moderns with the Gospel. Please pray as we begin to promote and invite people to the workshop. Pray that God would lead 12 people who are far from God to sign up.

The Symposium for Church Planting in Germany
As part of the ongoing work with the Consultation for Church Planting in Germany, we hosted our first major conference in June in Stuttgart - but for strategic reasons decided to call it a symposium. As part of the steering committee that initiated and led this gathering, I must admit we were somewhat nervous going into it. We have no official status or organization backing us so financially it was a personal risk for the four of us. We sought to recruit the best speakers but then told them we couldn't pay them and they would have to pay their own expenses.

We needed 80 participants to sign up in order to break even. In the end we had 120 participants and a program of speakers, discussion groups, workshops and debate that was thrilling to witness. The Christian press was there and their reporting was extremely positive. Never before has there been a conference like this that included almost the entire spectrum of evangelicals in Germany to talk about church planting and the need for Germany to be saturated with new churches. We are thankful to the Lord and for your prayers and support.

Sue's Masters program
Sue has been very diligent in her Masters study in Intercultural Competency.  This summer she successfully completed a very challenging internship at the University of Cologne - creating and teaching a two-day block course for students preparing for studying abroad.  Word has gotten out and she has already been asked to teach the course at additional venues including the European Institute for Church Planting. She loves it but is also being stretched and challenged. There is no end to our dinnertime discussions over the topics she is learning about. So much of it relates directly to our lives and ministry here.

Rocky Mountain High
I am going to be in Colorado Sept. 6-23 to visit family, friends and our 5 supporting churches on the Front Range. I would love to see as many of you in Colorado that I can. I will be staying in Denver, close to our son, Sam but have plenty of weekdays open to meet for a meal, coffee, etc. I'm also hoping to meet new folks who might be interested in joining our support team. If you would like to host an informal evening get-together - please let me know. The next trip we are planning is for early 2014 to Ontario and Michigan.

The Family
In May I took a spontaneous trip to visit Roy in New York. His job as building superintendent was eliminated meaning Roy was out of a job and out of an apartment. He has been staying with friends in the city looking for work and a new living situation. Please pray for him. He is open to moving if you know of anything in your area. In July Sue's mom, Elinor (87) and her sister, Connie, came to visit us for 2 weeks. We had a great time together. One night we had my men's prayer group with their wives over and at one point I asked mom to share her story. They are still talking about her strength, wit and fluent German and her story of God's grace in her life.

Thank you for standing with us!

Jason and Sue 

March Update

Dear Friends,

Here are some of the things happening in our lives:

The Pastor's Atelier

The grand opening on February 16 was a blessing. Over the course of the evening 50 guests stopped by. In addition to our ministry networks, several of our old and new neighbors came. The atmosphere was relaxed and there were lots of good conversations and new connections made. Thank you for praying for this. Please continue to pray as this new ministry context keeps growing.

 

In the last couple months 3 different prayer groups have been initiated at the Atelier. Our church plant has begun a monthly morning prayer gathering. Kristi has started an artists prayer group that I host. And just recently, I have started an early morning mens group with a few of my friends and neighbors - some of whom are not yet believers. It was so exciting to see them respond positively and indicate their desire to meet every week (Tuesdays at 7am). One of the men commented that although he was very suspicious of the Christian faith he could envision meeting regularly like this in the Atelier, i.e. but not a church.

We have discovered that people seldom make a decision for Christ in an instant. Usually it is a series of mini-decisions - in other words, a process. In the near future I hope to start a discovery bible study with some of our contacts who are interested to help them along in their process.

GEM German field leadership

After 6 years of being GEM Germany field leader, I felt that God wanted me to move on. With ca. 30 missionaries (pictured below at our recent yearly retreat) and a constant flow of people interested in possibly coming to serve, it was a lot of work in addition to our work in church planting and evangelism. We are grateful for having had the privilege of working with such an inspiring, talented group of people. God has already raised up a wonderful new leadership team from within our ranks. Please pray with us for a smooth transition and for even better things to come. Pray for me to be in step with the Spirit as to how to invest my time now that I have more capacity for church planting, evangelism and discipleship. 

 

CMP Assessments

From Feb. 20-23 I took part in the yearly City Mentoring Program church planter assessments. There were 20 German and international candidates including spouses and fiancés. I was one of 9 assessors responsible for observing and interacting with these promising young potential church planters as they went through preaching, team, evangelism and conflict resolution exercises as well as intensive interviews. The goal is to identify those who are gifted and called to either lead church plants (or even initiate church planting movements!) and those who are called to be a part of a team. We are so thankful for the present wave of interest among Bible school and seminary students for church planting. Please pray that this trend would continue and increase exponentially.

MA Intercultural Competencies

After much thought, prayer and research - Sue has decided to pursue a Masters degree. She applied and was accepted at the Donau University Krems (near Vienna). She attends her first of 10, fourday modules next week. She is excited about the program but nervous about returning to school after so long. The subject matter applies directly to our ministry in Germany but also to business English training. Please pray for her as she jumps into this. Pray for strength and for the adjustment to being back in school.

As Easter draws near we are reminded once again of the hope the resurrection gives us. We pray that God will bless you with a renewed sense of that power and hope!

Your missionaries,

Jason and Sue

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

January 2013 update

Dear Friends,

The pastors atelier is up and running. (www.facebook.com/pastorenatelier) I have even started painting again! Almost every day I am there I meet new people who walk by and are curious. A couple of days ago a young couple was looking through the window as I arrived. They asked if I was the pastor. We introduced ourselves and went straight to a first name, informal basis. I explained some of the things I want to do there and in the end I said that I simply want to be a blessing for the neighborhood. That captured their imagination and Irena looked at me and said very honestly - "Wow! that's awesome. We could always use more blessing in our lives."

 

Now that the renovations are over and I am starting to spend time there, I think that I will be able to begin to form relationships with folks from the neighborhood. I put a digital picture frame in the window with text that gives people an idea of how this is much more (or much different) than just an art studio. Here are some of the things I am hoping will happen there: inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, sack-lunch discussion groups, prayer meetings, mini-concerts, foundations of the faith courses, networking with other area artists, etc. I am praying that more and more contacts will grow from acquaintances to intentional discipleship relationships. Please pray for the grand opening planned for February 16. We're inviting neighbours, shopkeepers, fellow GEMers, church family and local Christian leaders. 

We continue to work with C & R who remain open and full of questions. C wrote us a very heartfelt new year's greeting expressing his gratitude for how God has used us and the church plant in his life this last year to help him draw closer to God. He closed his message by saying how much he is looking forward to this next year with God, the church family and us. This is encouraging to us, but at the same time we see how far he still has to grow.

We feel that the church plant is poised for growth this year. We came through a difficult year with increased unity, love and commitment to one another. In addition to our worship service and brunch, we have decided to offer a 3rd monthly gathering starting in January - a prayer service at the atelier. We are planning a weekend retreat in April with the goal of deepening our relationships to one another and the Lord.

We had a wonderful time with our kids here for the holidays. Lot's of long talks around the table. They are all doing well but continue to face the challenge of making ends meet, paying school loans, etc. Sam and Heidi are considering a move to New York where Sam wants to attend a sound design/DJ school and Heidi is hoping to get an internship with a fashion designer. A special prayer request is for funding for Roy to get new hearing aids - costing several thousand dollars. If you can help us with this special need, please let us know.

  

Gratefully yours,

Sue and Jason

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

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. 

prayermail September 2012

Dear Friends,

Recently I had an encounter with a woman while doing our street outreach that was so intense and bizarre, it actually left me feeling physically sick afterwards. This woman was obviously intelligent - speaking a mix of both perfect british English and perfect German. She was also insane - spewing  a disjointed tirade of humor, anger, praise, blasphemy, hurt, spite, hate and indignation. Sometimes she was in my face. Sometimes she was on her knees in front of me. At one point she started singing parts of church hymns then she would switch and start cursing Jesus.

She did almost all the talking. She was so disjointed I never really could follow her and didn't know what to say. I just looked her in the eye and tried to show her respect and Christ's love. A couple of times I told her that I wish her everything good that God wants for her. The rest of the time I prayed for her (and me!) This is a very busy shopping street and there were lot's of people observing this whole thing. Kristi was standing nearby praying for me and Jim was in a nearby restaurant supporting us in prayer as well. When she finally moved on (it was so intense that I really don't know how long it lasted - 10, 15, maybe 20 minutes) I felt completely drained and queezy and broke off the outreach and went home to lie down.

I know we are in a battle. We pray every time before we start the outreach that God would send us the people He wants us to connect with. Maybe time will tell why He sent me that lady. Please pray for Kristi, Tobi and I as we continue our street outreach - that God would protect us and also break through barriers in a mighty way.

My search for a storefront to rent continues and the process of looking has been a great encouragement to me as I interact with realtors and property owners about my vision. I intend to call the shop "Pastor's Atelier". Besides getting my office and painting out into view I also can envision offering various workshops and discussion evenings and inviting area musicians to do mini concerts and even inviting other visual artists to display their work there. As I mentioned in our last update, to begin with, I would like to have a trial period of a year to see what God does and if we think it is worth continuing. To that end we need to raise an additional $7,000 for the rent and utilities for one year. If you would like to help us with this project, please let us know. Here is a link to a gallery of some of the things I have painted in the last few years.

Please pray for us as we pursue the vision of God expanding His Kingdom through all the peoples of Europe to the world! Here is a short new visual prayer request for Cologne.

Thank you for praying and supporting us.

Your servants,

Jason and Sue

Prayermail July 19, 2012

Dear Friends,
We arrived back from vacation on June 27 and hit the ground running with a busy ministry weekend. Worship musicians from Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, GA put together a one-time Country and Blue Grass band to do outreach with us in Cologne. They were awesome. On the 29th they did a concert at our church location. Although we had advertised well, imagine how disappointed we were when only one guest showed up who was not a part of our church family. In spite of that, the band gave everything and we had a lot of fun with their music and line dancing.

On Sunday morning they played in our worship service after which I asked them if they would be willing to play at my impromptu birthday party that evening. We blew away our friends and neighbors with that. Here's a link to a short video of everyone singing "Country Roads" with them. (It is one of those quirks in the German culture that everyone seems to know that one!) At my request they also did a gospel song and got everyone singing along with "We worship you, hallelujah, hallelujah!" That was very cool. One of the band members gave a short but clear testimony. With 20+ people in our living room, it was truly a blessed evening.

Please pray for the upcoming outreach concert on August 4 in Cologne with Eurobrass: a Greater Europe Mission brass ensemble. The 12-member ensemble, whose members come from Germany and the United States, performs brass music at its highest level with impeccable technique and a beautiful sound. Brass music is not for everyone but is still very much loved by many Germans. Pray for good connections with the concert guests and that many would return the next day to the worship service where the group will also be playing.

I (Jason) have been thinking and praying about the possibility of renting a small office somewhere in our neighborhood where I can work and meet new people but also have more space to pursue my hobby of painting and see if  going public with it would open ministry doors for us. Hanging out a sign that "the Pastor-Painter is in" might provide us with new in-roads into the lives of the people in our neighborhood. To begin with, I would like to have a trial period of a year to see what God does and if we think it is worth continuing. To that end we need to raise an additional $7,000 for the rent and utilities for one year. If you would like to help us with this project, please let us know. Here is a link to a gallery of some of the things I have painted in the last few years.

In closing, we ask you to continue to pray for growth in our church plant. Pray that more and more people will come to faith and become disciples and fishers of men. Pray for creativity and boldness in reaching out to the people of Cologne and beyond. Pray for more workers to come and join in the harvest.

Thank you for your support and encouragement.

Jason and Sue

   

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

June Prayermail

Dear Friends,
Recently I met with a young German, Tim, at a restaurant and shared the Lord with him. He had been to a wedding in Iowa last year and had some discussions with an older cousin who is a believer. The cousin found me on the internet by googling Cologne/Christian/Church, etc. He wrote me last summer to ask me to contact Tim who he said was interested in spiritual things. I exchanged a few emails with Tim last summer but eventually he stopped responding. God has continued working in his heart and last month he contacted me again and said he would really like to meet. So we did. He is an art history major at the university and also involved in triathlon competition. His grandfather is a devout catholic and has had a spiritual impact on him. In fact, when I invited him to our church, he said he couldn't make it because he always picks up his grandfather and takes him to the catholic church. Tim has been reading the Bible and is full of questions. I have put him in touch with my intern, Tobi to follow up with him and get him involved in his new church plant. Pray for Tim to respond to the Spirit's tug on his life.

Last Sunday we had an official farewell and blessing for Tobi and Luci as they complete their one year internship with us this month. I choked up as I shared the words of Paul to the Collossians:  "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (Col. 1:9-12)

It has been a very good year working with Tobi. As I invested in him I also was challenged and encouraged by him. He has already gathered a vibrant group of young people around him and has begun holding informational meetings with a view toward beginning services in the fall. I will continue to mentor him through the early stages of the church plant. We will continue working side by side each week out on the streets as we do our "contact person" outreach. Please pray for Tobi and Luci as they serve the Lord in this needy city.

Your servants,
Jason and Sue

   

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

April 18 prayermail

Dear Friends,
Please be in prayer for us this weekend as we gather with our GEM colleagues for our annual field retreat near Bonn. It is always a highlight for us as we spend the bulk of our time sharing and praying for one another. We try to create an atmosphere of openness and encouragement where everyone feels supported by people who face similar issues and challenges. Especially pray for Jason as field leader as he stands in the gap between the mission leadership and the field missionaries who sometimes struggle with the changes that are being implemented in the mission.

Immediately following, on Monday, April 23, we are looking forward to having a team of five people coming from Meadowbrook Church in Milwaukee to prayerwalk with us for a week. Meadowbrook has been a solid supporting church over the years and sending us a team like this is so encouraging. It will be an intense week as we prayerwalk through the city and talk about the history of Cologne and what the spiritual landscape looks like today. We will also be meeting with some of our local staff and national partners to hear their stories and pray for them and bless them. Please pray for safety, unity and physical strength for the team.

Immediately following that, on May 1, we will be meeting all day (it's a national holiday here) with our Cologne Project start team to talk about the vision and direction of our church plant and to tackle a couple of issues that we are facing. One of those issues is the subject of homosexuality. Cologne, with a population of 1 million, is home to 100,000 gays and lesbians. Pray that we would be Spirit led and fully unified as we formulate our approach as to how we share the good news of the gospel with everyone in this multi-faceted culture we live in. Pray that we would be wise and courageous and worthy messengers of God's love.

With thankfulness, we are pleased to report that to date $5000 has come in for our car fund. Previously we had asked you to give to this need by April 15. In the mean time, our old honda continues to limp along on 3 cylinders and, to be honest, we simply have not had time to shop for a new car or see about selling or trading in our old one. Additionally, our ministry schedule for the rest of April is quite full so we are extending our car fund raising until May first. If you could help us out by then, that would be great. Any funds that come in after that will be directly applied to the principle of the amount that we have financed, once we buy something. Click here  for a payment card to print out and mail in with your check. This will ensure that your gift gets credited to our car fund.

Your grateful servants,

Jason and Sue 

March prayermail

Dear Friends,

It was a delight to preach in both of the churches we planted in Cologne-Porz and in Bergisch Gladbach in the last few months. Bergisch Gladbach has been without a pastor for over a year and is still not in a financial situation to be able to afford one. However, the spirit there is encouraging. The members have pulled together and committed to the church in a new way. People have stepped into new leadership roles and a general sense of ownership of the church. The church in Cologne-Porz is gearing up for their 20 year anniversary in May 2013 to which I have been invited to speak. When I preached there a few weeks ago the man that led the service is a miracle story himself. Back when I was pastor he had nothing to do with the church. His wife and in-laws attended faithfully but he was far from God and though I tried, I couldn't get close to him. After learning that he had had an affair, his wife considered leaving him with their pre-school children. Instead, she persevered and kept praying. At some point after Sue and I had moved on to our next church plant, he came to faith and now is a shining witness to God's grace in that community.

During the Karneval weekend I was able to talk with with several friends of friends about the gospel and our church plant. In the process I gave away all the church contact cards that I had in my wallet during the course of one evening. There was genuine interest for a new expression of church among this group of professionals with State Church backgrounds. This was especially interesting to me as I was dressed in a wedding dress! (Hey - everyone else was in costume as well. Sue was dressed as my groom and we had discussions with a variety of clowns, pirates, aliens, etc.)

Frau Vrooman's Hootnanny was our last big event in March to broaden our network and gather people from several different spheres together. It was a blast! Kristi (Frau Vrooman) organized and led an evening of sing-along with a variety of German and English pop songs. We also had a small group prepare three Gospel songs that ended up being the highlight of the night. The band was hot. Kristi was dynamic. And everyone sang themselves horse. We were especially glad to see a several people from my (and Kristi's) volleyball group turn out. Please pray that our network will be broadened and deepened through this and that people would move one step closer toward a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.                     

URGENT NEED! "It's not worth fixing." When your trusted car mechanic utters those words, the problem is very serious. After all, he could stand to make a huge profit from the repair. Fortunately he honestly informed us that the repair cost would be much more expensive than the worth of the car. We have been saving for several years for the day when we would need to replace our 10 year old Honda Fit and that day came sooner than we expected. We need to buy something within the next month and really do not want to go into debt to do it. Taking into account what we have saved, we need to raise at least $16,000 in order to buy a late model VW Golf or equivalent. Our church planting ministry is dependent on having a reliable car. Please let us know by April 15 if you can help us with this pressing need. Click here for a payment card to print out and mail in with your check. This will ensure that your gift gets credited to our car fund.

Yours for Germany,

Jason and Sue

   

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

Prayermail "20 Years in Germany!" January 2012

Dear Friends,

20 years ago, on January 8, 1992, we left for Germany to serve Christ with Greater Europe Mission.  Sam was eight years old, Roy was four and we were both thirty-three.

Holm Family 1992

What an adventure that was for us. And to tell you the truth - it continues to be! - Seeing people come to faith, be baptized and then grow in their faith and commitment to the Lord; churches planted; training and mentoring church planters and their teams; directly leading three church plants ourselves and coaching another seven church plants in our region; influencing pastors and church leaders; casting vision among denominational leaders; modeling front line evangelism; seeking creative ways to share the Gospel. In a country where only 3-5% of the population attend any kind of church service regularly, there is still much work to be done. But it has been a great privilege for us to be a part of what God is doing in Germany.

The verse we chose 20 years ago is still our banner. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, " made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4,5-7

Heidi, Sam, Roy Sue, Jason - Christmas 2011

We are humbled and so very grateful for God's provision through you as his people over the years. Without our faithful supporters, we would not be where we are today. We look forward to the next 20 years as we pray for and work toward seeing a second reformation and a church planting movement sweep through Germany and Europe.

Our heartfelt thanks for standing with us,


Jason and Sue


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