May update 2023

 Dear friends,

We have shared with you from time to time about our friend Kalle, neighbor to the pastorenatelier. For years, he was addicted to drugs and alcohol and was a drug dealer. About 12 years ago he met Jesus in Berlin and was miraculously saved. He has been clean ever since. He moved back to Cologne and right into our lives. Kalle is not shy about his faith. He talks to anyone and everyone about Jesus. Hardly a day goes by without the words “Jesus lives” coming out of his mouth. In his winsome, disarming way he doesn’t seem to have ever met a stranger.

With all that Jesus has done in his life, unfortunately he was never able to stop smoking. Recently, he was having some heart issues which were causing dizziness. While getting that checked out, they found a large tumor in his lung. It wasn’t a surprise as he has smoked his whole life - but the news is still difficult to hear. The tumor is inoperable. They could remove the entire lung, but he is already missing half a lung on the other side - so that is not an option for him. He is hesitant to do chemo but is checking into alternative medicine.

Please pray for Kalle. Pray that in His sovereignty, the Lord will show his power and strength in and through Kalle.

I recently invited the new parish priest for a cup of coffee and had a delightful visit with him. Michele  is from Rome so we share the fact that we are both foreign pastors in Germany. But that’s not all. He told me about how he heard the call to be a priest in Denver while on a catholic youth pilgrimage to the USA when he was 16!  We both chuckled as I told him that I went to Denver Seminary. Although we don’t share the same theology, as we chatted, his love for Jesus and for people became apparent to me. One more thing in common that we discovered: we both loath administrative work!  Pray for Michele in his work and that we would be a mutual encouragement to each other.  

We had a great weekend at our annual GEM Germany field retreat in March with almost 90 adults plus kids! Lots of great fellowship. I had the privilege and joy to work with a team of volunteers to plan the Sunday worship service with one of the GEM core values as our theme: “PASSION - GEM workers are passionate about seeing the lost saved and disciples multiplied.” As part of the service I delivered a monologue which captures the dream that we have for Germany. If you have a few minutes, check it out here.

In May we went on our annual church retreat. We chose the theme of wisdom: God’s vast wisdom and the wisdom that He wants to impart to us. Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Gratefully,
Jason and Sue

 Dear friends,

Here are a few things to report on and for you to pray for:

Alpha Course Visit
Our dear friends, Phillip and Jules Kunhardt, have invited Jason to participate in and Alpha course they are currently leading for 20-30 friends of their 4 children. The whole thing is taking place online as their kids are scattered and all their friends even more so. They are approaching the part of Alpha where many people commit their lives to Christ. Along with 2 other “experts” they want us to come to 2 sessions. The first one will just introduce us and let us take part in the session with them as normal participants. The following week, there will be the opportunity for us to meet with participants one-on-one. We are thankful and honored for this ministry opportunity. Please pray.

A Torchbearer Connection
Through a friend, Jason was contacted by a young engaged couple with an unusual request: they met last year at the Torchbearer Bible School in New Zealand. He is American and studying now at Liberty University. She is German and currently finishing up her studies in Germany. Her pastor in Germany did not feel up to the task of doing bi-lingual, cross-cultural, long distance, online premarital counselling and so they were wondering if I would do it. Because of our common Torchbearer background, I have agreed. We will be meeting several times over the coming months.  Pray for me as I invest in these young people’s lives.

Cologne Area Leadership
After serving a number of years as the GEM German Field Leader and then the Cologne Area Leader, Jason felt led to step out of this leadership position and turn over the responsibility to a younger leader. We are pleased that the Lord has provided just the right person who also came to the same conclusion. We are co-leading over a 2-month transition period before Jason steps out. We will still be involved with our younger colleagues as the senior missionaries in the area and look forward to our continued input of experience and guidance in the lives of our team in Cologne.

Giessen School of Theology
The next board meeting will take place later this month. As you may recall, we dedicated a large addition to the campus last fall, expanding the capacity to train up to 250 students. The building turned out to be beautiful and creates an awesome vibe for the students. Jason was honored when the chairwoman of the building committee asked if he would be willing to loan a piece of his artwork. While on campus for the dedication, we looked at some of the walls that could come into question, and he was inspired to create a new piece to donate. It is the biggest canvas that Jason has transformed - 180cm X 180cm (almost 6 feet square!). Now we are facing the challenge of transporting it to Giessen 100 miles away.
 

Training in Bucharest
Next week we are flying to Bucharest for the annual GEM Leader Meetings. Sue has been asked along with a colleague to do a Multi-Cultural Leadership Training as the training portion of the conference. As GEM has become intentionally international, the need for this kind of training has become acute. Please pray that the training would be inspiring, effective, and well received.

Financial Update
As you may recall, last fall we were in need of some additional funding. We are thankful and pleased to say that our need for special gifts has, for the time being, been eliminated. Also, we are grateful to report that our monthly support shortfall has been reduced by $1000. Praise the Lord. However, we still are in need of $1600/month. If this isn’t reduced significantly, we will soon begin to slip back into a deficit situation. Please pray that the Lord would provide through His people.

Health
Our second bout with covid, just before Christmas, has apparently weakened our immune systems - especially Jason, who has had a series of short unrelated illnesses since then. Please pray for our health, especially as we have ministry travels coming up this month.

Gratefully,
Jason and Sue

 Dear friends,

Thanks for your prayers in September as we visited our friends, supporters and supporting churches in Michigan and Ontario. It was a very busy and God-blessed time.  We are thankful for God’s protection and provision.  Two of our supporting churches are in the process of planting daughter churches. It was great to meet with those young church planters to talk about this special ministry and encourage them. One Sunday morning we were at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Cobourg and their church plant in Port Hope. Here is the link for the recording of one of the services. At 38:14 minutes you can hear our report and Jason‘s sermon from Ephesians about reconciliation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkhHk958Ehk

On October 8, shortly after we returned, it was a great joy and privilege to be at the dedication of the new campus of the Giessen School of Theology. After years of wrestling with the plans and financing, we have seen the Lord provide in amazing ways. The board and school leadership worked well together through the whole process and God provided donations that almost completely covered the cost of 9+ million Euros. The new students are in the thick of the fall semester. These young men and women are all part of God's plan for Germany and beyond.
 

October 17-23 we had an intense but blessed time with a wonderful prayer team from Calvary Church in Longmont, Colorado. Jason was on staff at Calvary many years ago when he was studying at Denver seminary. We prayed through the streets of Cologne and met with ministry partners to hear their stories and pray with them. We are so thankful for the support and encouragement of these folks and this church family.
 

We recently had our first concert in  2+ years in the pastorenatelier with Lisa, Ian and Martin. It was so wonderful. They did beautiful interpretations of covers from the last few decades. All 3 of them are incredible artists. There were about 20 guests - several of them new to us. Please pray that God would bless the seeds that were planted.
 

In our last update we spoke of our financial need.  Due to rising costs, some donor attrition and a long overdue support adjustment, we are in need of additional funding in order to continue building on the foundations we have laid.  Praise God that we have made some significant progress in this need (see the graphic below).  Please pray that God would move more people to partner with us, for increase in existing support or a special gift. Perhaps God is calling you to be a part of the answer to this prayer!

Gratefully,
Jason and Sue
 

september support update

Due to rising costs, some donor attrition and a long overdue support adjustment, we are in need of additional funding in order to continue building on the foundations we have laid. Pray for us as we travel in Michigan and Ontario this month to visit friends and supporters, seeking new and increased support.

August Update

 We got the word from her daughter while we were on vacation. Christine, one of our extra-grace church members had died alone in her apartment. It wasn’t a big surprise. She had been in and out of the hospital more times than we could count. For most of us, her passing left us with a confusing mix of relief and sadness. She constantly challenged the limits of our love and patience. She loved Jesus but sadly died without being reconciled with her own family. And Jason was her pastor for over 20 years - not always an easy job.

It turns out, being a long term pastor opens many doors to speak the Gospel into people’s lives. Many have no connection to a church, but they do have a connection to us. The idea of going to church is foreign to them, but dropping by the Pastorenatelier is no problem. The trust that has been built over time makes Jason the go-to guy when they need a pastor - as the recent weddings and funerals attest to. Although weddings and funerals might not be considered classic evangelism events, it has allowed us to speak hope and the good news of the Gospel into hundreds of people’s lives in the last few months.

Jason’s platform of “pastor at large” (not large pastor ;-) has taken time to develop. Building trust is a process that bears more and more fruit as we pastor more people outside the church than inside.  

Please pray for us as we continue to share the Gospel and seek to make disciples who make disciples. Pray for wisdom and creativity as we lead and encourage others in their lives and ministries.  We are in critical need of a youth “pastor” for the growing number of teens in our church.  Please pray with us for God’s provision.

Due to rising costs, some donor attrition and a long overdue support adjustment, we are in need of additional funding in order to continue building on the foundations we have laid. Pray for us as we travel to Michigan and Ontario next month to visit friends and supporters, seeking new and increased support.

Over the years Sue has developed a number of training seminars on the topic of intercultural communication and competency for various ministry contexts.  On Wednesday, September 21, at 7:00, she will present the seminar "Unity with Diversity".  The Seminar will take place at Calvary Baptist Church in Oshawa (300 Rossland Road East, L1G 2X1).  You are welcome to participate, if you are in the area. Feel free to contact us if you would like more information.

Gratefully,

Jason and Sue

July update

 Dear Friends,

In our last update in March (oh my, how time flies!) we asked you to pray for the refugees flooding in from the Ukraine. In the mean time the flood has become a smaller but steady stream, most of whom are able to find housing themselves or through German government agencies. Many of our missionary colleagues are helping directly in serving these people and sharing the gospel. Please continue to pray that God would bring peace to the Ukraine.

A heartfelt thank you for praying for our church retreat April 9-10. We had a good group including a refugee family from central Asia that we have been working with for the last 5 years. God was present and blessed us. We talked about peace and what that means to us and what God has to say about it in his word. Please continue praying - for God's peace to dig deeper into the hearts of us who have been following Him for a while, and into the hearts of those who don't yet know Him.

Many prayed for me as I did a funeral in April for the mother of a friend of ours. I spoke words of comfort and shared the gospel clearly for all those in attendance. Shortly after, a dear neighbor’s mother passed away and she asked me to do the burial as well. Pray for God’s continuing comfort and that He would draw the family and friends to Himself.

I recently read that "Something does not need to be perfect to be wonderful, especially weddings.” That was a good reminder for me and for the 2 happy couples that I have recently pronounced man and wife. Starting with the pre-marital counselling, weddings are very personal, and the expectations can be high. But they are also an opportunity to share the gospel and Christ’s love.
 

We had a wonderful weekend with all of our colleagues at our annual GEM Germany field retreat in April. We are grateful for how the Lord continues to send new workers to Germany. We have grown. In fact, half of those there, were at there very first field retreat. Here is the report I gave from our Cologne area: https://youtu.be/c2kDDcBaE6k

We asked you to pray for our Alpha course that started in April. We almost cancelled it because we were having trouble recruiting participants - but then we suddenly had 5 who joined us for our first evening in the pastorenatelier. We ate together, had everyone introduce themselves, and then watched the input video which gives a clear presentation of the Gospel through people who share their own journeys to Christ.

The philosophy of the Alpha course is that, after the lesson, you allow people to say what they thought and how they felt about it in an open and inviting atmosphere, allowing the Holy Spirit to work. There were many different opinions shared. We marvelled to see the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion. By the end of the evening, they were talking about other friends that they wanted to invite!

However, the next week there were four instead of more. The week after that, unfortunately 2 of the participants got into a tiff during the discussion and it got personal. One of them decided to stop coming. After week four, 2 more participants dropped out, leaving us with just one and so we ended the course prematurely. Fortunately, he has remained connected with us and even spent a whole day with our church on our bike trip recently. Pray for D as we continue to speak into his life. I also have continued contact with one of the other participants.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support on which we are so dependant.

Blessings,

Jason and Sue

March Update

 Dear Friends,

The war is definitely being felt here. In our talks with neighbors and friends, there is a lot of fear and very little hope. We pray constantly that God would intervene so that any further death and suffering will stop. The refugees are pouring into Germany. Through my extended network, I have been able to connect several women and children with christians in Cologne willing to take them in. One of our colleagues and his church have taken in a family;  Another one spent a week on the Polish border with Ukraine helping refugees.

There is a large tent welcome center set up right in front of the main train station in Cologne where hundreds of people a day are being welcomed, given immediate necessities including SIM cards and being assigned to temporary housing around the city. I ride by there on my bike almost every day and pray.

I saw a report on the German news about a 12 year old Ukrainian girl who had to choose what to bring with when her mom said that they were fleeing. She decided on bringing her violin and her pet ferret. She is a talented musician and was immediately given a spot in a music school for talented kids in Berlin. It moved me to see just a snippet of her giftedness and see this little bright spot that comes out of such a dark place. Please pray with us for Ukraine and for God's intervention. Pray for us and many others as we respond with Christ's love to the traumatised refugees showing up here. Pray for wisdom in how to help them beyond their immediate needs.

Also, please pray for me as I do a funeral for the mother of a friend of ours on Friday. Pray that I would be able to speak comforting words but also share the gospel clearly for all of the not-yet-believers who will be present.

Please pray for our church retreat April 9-10. We are thankful and excited for the many who will be attending, including a refugee family from central Asia that we have been working with for the last 5 years. The theme for our weekend is peace.

And finally, check out this 2 minute video from GEM’s president Jon Burns about “Why Europe, Why Now?" There you will find a further link on the page that shows exactly what GEM is doing in response to the war.

Thankful for you,
Jason and Sue

November update

 The Unplanned Adventure – An Exercise in Thankfulness  

Thursday, September 9: we flew to beautiful, sunny Colorado, one mile higher than where we live (huff huff, puff puff).

Sunday, September 12: We visited Calvary Church in Longmont, where I was once on staff while studying at Denver Seminary. We shared briefly in their two morning services and more at length in one of their most dynamic Sunday School groups called “Rounding Third”! That afternoon, friends of ours hosted a little open house for us. Had supper with our kids in Denver on our way back to Colorado Springs.

Saturday & Sunday, September 18-19: preached twice at 1st Evangelical Free Church in Colorado Springs and met with their missions committee. We are so thankful for this church and their support. They made their wonderful “hospitality house” available to us for our entire stay.

Tuesday, September 21: started coming down with cold symptoms.

Wednesday, September 22: the drains backed up at the hospitality house. It took the plumbers and the angel from 1st  E. Free church (you know who you are ;-) all day and over 100 feet of “snake” to free them.

Thursday, September 23: despite persisting cold symptoms we drove up to Longmont to have lunch out in a park with dear friends (we are only here for a few weeks every few years…). It was a special time. We would have loved to had coffee with another dear friend (you know who you are ;-) but we cancelled because of health concerns. Then we had supper outdoors with, other super cool friends before heading back to the springs.

Saturday, September 25: shared a tasty pot-luck lunch with the folks at Grace Community Bible Church in Pueblo and then shared about our ministry. They have been with us from the start, and we are so thankful for them.

Unfortunately, my cold symptoms just kept getting worse which led to the following:

Sunday, September 26: I stayed home because I was too sick, so that Sue went alone to share about our lives and ministry at Faith Evangelical Free Church in the Springs. She came home and during the course of the afternoon, started to get sick.  By late evening felt like she had been run over by train.

Monday, September 27: We both tested positive for Covid.  

Covid week.  Isolation.  A practice in thankfulness:  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

jason's corona ipad art

Saturday, October 2: We both tested positive again for Covid.

Sunday, October 3: We had to cancel our visit with our amazing supporters at Crossroads Bible Church.

Slowly recovering and no longer contagious, we were able to spend a few blessed days in the Rockies with our kids.

Sunday, October 10: Took yet another PCR Covid test; mandated by Lufthansa before permission to fly is granted. 

Monday, October 11: Test results - negative. Just in time to fly as scheduled.  Nothing but a miracle!

Tuesday, October 12: Flew back to Germany.

Wednesday, October 13: Arrived back home in Cologne. Whew!

Proverbs 16:9 - We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Our trip certainly did not go according to our plans. We are thankful to the Lord that we didn’t get hit harder (we are both vaccinated). We are also so grateful that we could hunker down at the hospitality house. What a blessing that was! We wanted so much to connect with all our friends and supporters in Colorado. We are sad that we couldn’t see many of you.

So now that we are back in Cologne, we are trying to understand what the Lord may have had in mind as we went through this. It certainly wasn’t the trip we had envisioned. We are also keeping our eyes open as to why we were able to test negative just one day before we were scheduled to fly back to Cologne. We want to be open to whatever the Lord is doing as we begin re-engaging with some of the refugees and anticipating new ones arriving from Afghanistan. Also, as we plan for ways to jump-start our little church plant which has lost some ground during Covid.

In the end though, we can definitely say that we are grateful. In this Thanksgiving season - we are so thankful for the Lord’s protection, provision, and mercy. We are thankful for so many of you who are a part of His provision for us - through your prayers and encouragement, practical help and financial support.

As you begin to plan your own year-end giving, would you please consider directing a portion to our ministry. Currently, our monthly shortfall is $385. We are also in need of appr. $15,000 in special gifts to cover a deficit due to some fallout from Covid and a generally weak dollar the last couple of years.

Gratefully,
Jason and Sue

September update

 Dear Friends,

The Corona restrictions for worship services were rather strict in the spring, so when the weather started to get nice, we began meeting outside in the spacious garden that our colleagues, Dan and Elly, had recently leased. Most of our services are interactive and unplugged and don’t rely on technology - so it worked out just fine. One of the themes we chose for this year is creation, so that when we met, the garden surrounded us in techno-color and surround sound as we dug into God’s word: birds, bugs, warm breeze, sunshine, clouds, fruit trees, flowers, veggies… You get the idea! This solution to one of issues of the pandemic has been a gift from our amazing Creator.
 

The Gießen School of Theology, which was founded by GEM missionaries in 1974, is one of the largest evangelical theological seminaries in Germany today. Currently, about 180 students from many countries of the world are taught by sixteen full-time faculty members and various excellent guest teachers. More than 1000 alumni are serving as pastors, teachers, or missionaries around the world, in over 40 countries. The FTH is an exciting place for people who love the Lord and his word. I currently serve as the GEM representative on the Board of Directors. Check out my recent interview with Stephan Holthaus, the president here. Please pray for the students, staff and leadership of the school.

Thanks to those who have been praying for E who finally got a good job with the German Train company in the spring. Many of you have prayed for him in the past, and this was truly an answer to prayer.  Because of his immigrant background, past failures, and struggles with depression, it has been many years since he was able to obtain a solid job. Unfortunately, he now has to deal with a very serious and challenging problem regarding his youngest son.  Please continue to pray for E and for his family. 

In light of the recent heartbreaking events in Afghanistan, we are expecting more traumatised refugees in Cologne. The mayor has let it be known that the city is ready to take in hundreds more. Please pray for God’s mercy and that He would use us and the other churches and ministries here to care for these people and share Christ’s love with them.

Please pray for Alex, who arrived recently from Canada to join our team here in Cologne.  He has a heart for refugees and has ministered in Lesvos several times. He is staying with one of our colleagues until he finds his own place. Pray especially that he would find just the right apartment soon. It's a challenge these days in Cologne. Also, the bureaucratic hurdles for registering and getting a visa are much higher because of corona.

We are coming for a visit! We will be in Colorado from September 9 to October 12. Here is our schedule of the church gatherings we will be at: 

September 12: Calvary Church, Longmont
September 18-19: First Evangelical Free Church, Colorado Springs
September 26 (am): Faith Evangelical Free Church, Colorado Springs
September 25 (11:00): Grace Community Bible Church, Pueblo
October 3: Crossroads Bible Church, Aurora

Blessings!
Jason and Sue

Download our new prayer card here!

June Update

 Dear Friends,

I’ve had some little visitors at the Pastorenatelier lately. I’ve noticed that one of the barbers next door has recently been bringing his kids to work with him. They play in the shop, in the car and out on the sidewalk. So I invited them in to color and play. Awiwan (8) said that their mother hasn't left them, she just wanted to take their baby brother and live in another house. They are very cute and well behaved. Schirach (4) doesn’t speak German very well but that doesn’t keep him from babbling on and on to me. Please pray for this immigrant family in crisis. They fled Aleppo, Syria 5 years ago and have suffered so much loss already in their lives. May the Lord have mercy on them and draw them to Himself. 

What a joy it is to celebrate Pentecost at the end of  the Easter season - the coming of the Holy Spirit (Emanuel, God with us, 2.0) and the birth of the Church.  This is the underlying theme of the diversity training and workshops that Sue leads.  Through the Spirit we are united, although not the same, and through the Spirit our differences our reconciled.

When the day of Pentecost came they were all together in one place … All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.  Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under Heaven … each one heard them [the Apostles] speaking in his own language.  Utterly amazed, they asked:  “how is it that each of us hears them in his native language?  Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the part of Libya near Cyrene; victors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”  Acts 2: 5 - 11.  

Many thanks to those who prayed for the Intercultural Team Building workshop in May.  As Greater Europe Mission staff, not only do we work interculturally, but we are increasingly becoming intercultural in our membership.  Within the Frankfurt staff there are about 8 broad cultures represented.  It was an intense, lively, and constructive conversation.  Please continue to pray for Sue’s involvement in these workshops.  Pray that as GEM staff we would be models of the  Spirit’s unifying and reconciling work.

Considering diversity, we want to share a video interview with our close colleagues, Dan and Elly. They have been working alongside of us and also within our church, primarily with refugees.  Please pray for their many contacts, relationships and conversations.  They will be returning to their sending country for a one-year home ministry assignment.  We will sorely miss them.  Pray that they would be refreshed and blessed during this time. Video interview link.

Praise God with us that E. has begun a solid long-term job.   Many of you have prayed for him in the past, and this is truly an answer to prayer.  Because of his immigrant background, past failures, and struggles with depression, it has been many years since he was able to obtain a solid job.  Pray that God would grant him success and draw E. ever more closely to himself. 

Blessings!
Jason and Sue

April Update

 Dear Friends,

As we face another and possibly more severe lockdown here in Germany due to the pandemic, I thought of the phrase, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross.”  This phrase is imbedded in a grand theme of endurance stretching from the saints of old all the way to the glorification of Christ.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of Witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow wear and lose heart.    Hebrews 12:1-3

Who could have known the race of endurance that had been marked out for us even a year ago.  It is indeed tempting to lose heart.  The writer’s admonishment is to continuing running with joy (!) as we steadily gaze into the face of Christ.  

As we take another deep breath and start the next lap, we are grateful for God’s reminder to us of the work that he has authored and perfected through the ministry in Germany, that we have been privileged to be a part of the last 30 years.  Take a look and listen to the interview with a cherished colleague, Sasha Ritzenhof.  Here's the link.

We wish you the persevering hope and joy of our crucified and risen Savior for the race yet to come.

Jason and Sue

november update

 Dear Friends,

If you live in Germany Thanksgiving was celebrated on October 4 this year.  If you live in Canada Thanksgiving was celebrated on October 12.  And if you live in the USA you will be celebrating on November 26!  Over the years our Thanksgiving observance has evolved from a day of celebration to a SEASON OF CELEBRATION, which is probably more in line with the biblical mandate of “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything”. (Eph. 5:20)  ALWAYS.  REALLY!  “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (2 Thess. 5:16-18)  Most of us are probably struggling with that this year – 2020 - marked by the ongoing threat of a dangerous pandemic, political unrest, and all the various ways we have been personally affected by current events.  As difficult as it may be, giving thanks is one of the most effective practices we can exercise in the face of fear, uncertainty and hardship.

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most
High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you
and you will honor me…He who sacrifices thank offerings
honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show
him the salvation of God.  Psalm 50:14,15,23 

Practicing mindful and willful thanksgiving takes our eyes off of the fear, uncertainty and  hardship that consume our minds and hearts, to focus on our abundance, blessings and hope – and the One who is the faithful source of all that we are and have.

We asked you to pray for an exciting location possibility for our church in Cologne.  As promising as it looked, it didn’t work out.  However, we are thankful for the ongoing use of the location we presently meet in.  We are thankful for our wonderful church family during this ongoing time of uncertainty and restrictions – for their faithfulness, encouragement and fellowship.  We are thankful for God’s protection from harm and sickness as we traveled extensively, internationally and domestically.  We are thankful for precious time with family that we haven’t seen for years.  We are thankful for encouraging meetings with supporters and churches in New Jersey, Illinois and Wisconsin.

We are thankful for three people who put their trust in Christ.  While in Chicago visiting dear German friends, we took part in a Thursday evening Alpha course that they were hosting on Zoom. It was a joyful and exciting experience. We prayed for them as they met on the following Saturday over an extended time, where participants were challenged to put their trust in Christ. What a joy it was for us to hear later that 3 people accepted the Lord.  We are thankful that God continues to work, undertake and provide.

And so, we are thankful for you, dear friends – for your witness, your example, your encouragement in word and deed, for your prayers of petition, and for your financial support.  Let us know what sacrifices of thanksgiving you are offering up to the Lord!

Thankfully,
Jason and Sue

PS: SAVE THE DATE! December 5, 2020 at 12:00 EST (11 central, 10 mountain, 9 pacific) live zoom with Jason and Sue! All our supporters and friends are invited to hear what God is up to in our lives and ministry in Germany. We'll have some short interviews with those we minister to/with. Q&A, prayer requests and points of praise. Please join us! Here is the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81916449657

September Update

Dear Friends,

There is something to be said about having an ongoing presence and testimony in one area. I am in my 8th year in the Pastorenatelier. There are so many people that I greet every day as they pass by on their way to the market or post office. I don’t know most of their names, but there is a connection there. Two elderly women who come by every day with their walkers always take a little break here - one sits on my bench and the other on her walker. I’ll often go out and chat with them and have made some minor adjustments for them on their walkers. They are a bright spot for me each day. They crack me up on the days when they dress the same or both wear the same cool shades. I often wish them God’s blessing when we part ways.

Then there is the little old lady who lives across the street and keeps an eye on things along with her husband through their front window. She comes over every couple of weeks and slips me a 5er or 10er for my “candy fund” and I wish her God’s blessing as well.

The Turkish locksmith on the corner never charges me when I need a key or have a lock issue. He just asks me to pray for him. I assure him that I not only pray for him but for the whole neighborhood. All our work with refugees hasn’t escaped his notice. A few weeks ago he came over with an immigrant friend of his who was having visa issues asking me to help. I was able to offer some advice, respect and compassion.

The North African barber next door (Uncle Georges Hair Generation!) sent me one of his immigrant customers the other day who was also having visa issues. Unfortunately, I really wasn’t able to help him very much, but I was encouraged by the fact that George thought to send him to me.

The other night, as our Bible study group was praying with the front door wide open, one of the refugees who was walking by noticed our posture and stopped at the door just to say “As salaamu Alaikum” (Peace be upon you).

Granted, I may never get to actually share the gospel in words with many of these people but I think that God uses our ongoing presence as a testimony and a beacon of light and hope. It also can pave the way to future gospel conversations.

MEETING SPACE

Please pray about a possibility that has come up for an amazing new space to rent for our church and refugee ministries. It is a long shot and we really can't afford it but we think God may be opening a door. The openness of the owner for what we are doing is especially heartening. We have to wait until next week for an answer from him concerning how the space is zoned. This could be a deal-breaker. Please pray that whatever is on file with the city will allow for us to use the space for ministry, specifically for gatherings of people. May His will be done.

COVID-19 CONCERNS

After months of online church services, we have decided to start meeting in person again. It is not optimal with distancing and masks. Also, some people do not feel safe enough to join us yet. Before Covid-19 we would also share a meal together twice a month but have decided that for the time being we will not be doing that in order to be sure we are in compliance. Please pray for our little church, which has gotten even smaller. Pray for wisdom and courage. Pray that God will continue to work and build His church.

We are thankful for God's provision through many of you over the years. We are so dependent on Him and on you to be able to continue in this ministry. Unfortunately the economic fallout from COVID-19 is beginning to catch up to us. If you are in a position to increase your support or to give an extra gift, we would be grateful. See the GIVE links below.

TRAVEL PLANS

We had to cancel a trip we had been planning in May to Colorado to visit supporters and family, which was a disappointment for us. We haven't seen our kids for over 2 years. We thank the Lord for skype, but we need to be able to hug them! To that end, we are risking a trip in October to spend some time with them, other family and friends and also 2 of our supporting churches in NJ and WI. Please pray for safe travels and God's protection.

Thankfully,

Jason and Sue

june update

Dear Friends,
Our corona experiences and emotions in Germany are probably similar to those of you in North America.  We find the opening-up period just as stressful as the lock-down because it is very complicated and it is hard to know if you are following the rules.  We actually met physically as a church on Sunday and it was great to be together, despite keeping distancing rules, masks, no singing (but great music!), etc.  We plan to meet this way again on the first Sunday of July.  On the Sunday’s in-between we will continue to meet virtually on Zoom.  Step by step.

Although some ministry activities have been suspended (German tutoring for immigrants, etc.), some activities have continued and increased in intensity.  Our co-worker moved the therapy art class on line and has had the opportunity for long spiritual discussions with the participants.  PRAY for wisdom and discernment in these discussions.  Our Zoom services have also generated deep sharing and prayer.  A foreign exchange student from Argentina, who visited our church while he was attending the University of Cologne, has joined us every Sunday from Argentina!  PRAY for wisdom as we work out the next steps for our gatherings.  Also, our location need has become more acute because of social distancing regulations.  PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY for a more suitable location for our services and also to be able to continue ministry events that now require more space.

After my knee replacement surgery in mid April I was able to get a spot for a 3-week out-patient rehab starting just a week after my hospital stay at the University Klinik. The rehab was beneficial and the progress I made was encouraging. Our German health insurance (mostly) paid for it all  - including being picked up and dropped off every day. Despite the barrier of face masks, a camaraderie quickly developed with the other patients in the van during the 30-minute drive every morning and afternoon. Ursula (name changed) was very engaging and curious about me and what I do. She is a fiery red haired high school art teacher who is recovering from a bike accident. I liked her sense of humour and quick tongue. She is into eastern religions and esoteric stuff.

One morning she asked me what I thought about a certain eastern religion and I had to admit that I had never heard of it. She was surprised. I said that there is much more in this world that I don't know about than what I do know. But I do know this - I don't like religion because most religions are just a set of rules. (By now, the other 2 patients and the driver were all ears as well.) For me, my faith is about having a relationship with God. Jesus himself was very critical of religion and all about relationship with God and with each other. That's one of the things that fascinates me about Him and why I seek to follow him every day.

She didn't have a come-back or any kind of a humorous deflection so I just let that hang in the air for a few minutes and there was basically silence in the van until we arrived at the clinic. Please pray for Ursula. We have had some contact since rehab and she said that she would very much like to drop by my atelier sometime after she is mobile again.

THANKS FOR PRAYING for my knee.  I am doing amazingly well and am grateful, but there are still months of recovery ahead.  CONTINUE TO PRAY for a full recovery.

PRAY that each of us would be reflective and mindful with regard to the racism that is a part of the daily social environment we live in.  PRAY for open hearts and the Spirit to transform our lives.

Blessings,

Sue and Jason

march update

Dear Friends,
I'm sure many of you have Corona stories to share. Here is ours. In light of the acute and constantly changing situation in Germany, we decided last week to cancel our church services effective immediately until further notice. The very next day, the mayor of Cologne prohibited all non-essential public gatherings - including church services. We quickly arranged to have an online gathering which went really well. I was also scheduled to preach at another church that same Sunday and they asked me to send them a video of my sermon so they could incorporate it in their online service, which I gladly did: Genesis 12:1-4a. A very appropriate look at the totally new and uncertain future that God asked Abram to enter into in faith and obedience. The sermon is of course in German, but if you’re interested you can see it here. My sermon starts at 3.55 minutes.

We have all entered into a totally new and uncertain future. In my shop window I currently have these words: “the corona-break is a chance to reflect and search for God. He promised to let us find Him.” Many of the folks who pass by and read this may not be believers, and I hope that the earnestness of the situation will cause them to really seek the Lord. But I think that many believers are finding themselves looking to the Lord in a whole new way as we try to make sense of things and look for what God is up to in the midst of the fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

Each day brings new restrictions on public life and stories of illness and hardship. The streets of Cologne are extremely quiet. The tourists are gone. Shops and restaurants are closed down. Sue and I are staying home or in my case, hunkering down at the Atelier and avoiding physical human contact with anyone but each other. But we are staying in close touch with our church family and our missionary colleagues and of course, our own family. At the time of writing, we are both still corona symptom free. The number of infected continues to grow exponentially, but we feel safe and confident in the excellent German health system.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

In Christ alone,
Jason and Sue

New Color: Corona Green 😊

November update

https://mailchi.mp/7e1a1b27af54/4z9cwme5mw-2644953

July update

Dear Friends,
Last year we threw a typical German 60th birthday party bash for Jason, inviting friends, neighbors, colleagues, our church family and volunteers who help us teach German to the refugees. Instead of gifts he asked everyone to donate toward a special outing with the refugees. Having postponed because of bad weather, we finally were able to take them all to the zoo for the day. We had a wonderful day admiring God’s creation, meeting new people and deepening relationships with our refugees.

Baaaaaah! The sound of bleating sheep was heard many times over the course of our annual church retreat where our theme was SHEEP! There are hundreds of references to sheep and shepherds in the Bible, so that we had plenty to talk about. We played sheep games, made little sheep out of clothespins, cardboard and yarn, sang sheep songs and dug into the scriptures to learn more about how we are like sheep and what a great shepherd we have in Jesus.

We are indeed sheep in need of our Shepherd  Our church family recently went through two difficult challenges as two of our members were considering ending their lives. C has been in poor health for a long time as a result of decades of smoking. Her lungs were already in bad shape when she came down with a bad case of pneumonia - leaving her gasping for every breath. It finally got so bad that she called us, and we immediately called for an ambulance. After days in intensive care - with little improvement - she decided she wanted to end her life and refused all further medical care, food and water. She removed the tubes, monitors and oxygen mask. She didn’t want anyone to visit her - including her own daughter. She finally agreed to let Jason see her. It was one of the most difficult hospital visits he has ever made. While he was there the church family was praying for the Lord to intervene. He pleaded with her to not end her life this way (without medical care). As he was leaving, he thought it would be the last time he would see her and that she probably had just hours to live. Our time is truly in God’s hands, so that we are now rejoicing that God did intervene and C turned the corner. We are thankful to the Lord for his mercy and grace.

Discipling E has been a roller coaster. He has many problems that are a challenge and easily drag him down.  When we see him, we know immediately by his face and demeanor if he is up or down.  He was extremely down a few weeks ago and started to talk about taking his own life. We spent hours counseling and praying with him, trying to persuade him to check into a local hospital for professional help. He refused but finally agreed to see a psychologist that he has met with before and is now in an out-patient therapy close to his home. In the meantime, he is doing much better.

We are thankful for how the Lord in His mercy intervened in these two lives. It was also gratifying to see our little church family rally together in prayer for their sister and brother. We are reminded of Paul’s encouragement for the believers in Ephesus: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Peace,

Jason and Sue

April update

Dear Friends,
Sue and I recently had the joy of attending the installation service of Gerd Dyck, the new pastor of the Evangelical Free Church in Cologne-Porz, the first church that we were privileged to be a part of starting 26 years ago. After years of good shepherding, Hermann Fritz, my successor felt that God was leading him to move on last year. The Lord then led Gerd and the church together. God has blessed that church so much over the years and it was a joy for us to be there for this special service. In recent years some of their growth has been through refugees who have trusted Christ and been baptized. Integration is a challenge, but Jesus unites and there is a lot of joy in  their fellowship. Please pray for Gerd. He is very young but has an awesome grace-based posture and a desire to be a part of advancing the kingdom of God in Porz and Cologne.

Last Sunday we celebrated our monthly interactive worship service which includes brunch and hands on learning together. This time we did a bibliologue - where the participants assume the role of one of the characters in a bible story.  They are interviewed by the director but also interact with each other in their roles, talking about what they saw, heard, felt and experienced as the story unfolds. We read the Easter account from Luke 24 and then entered into the role of four characters at four different locations:

1.    The women at Jesus’ gravesite, early in the morning; location – a dark street corner under the train tracks just down from the church, which is a memorial site commemorating the execution of teenagers who led a resistance movement against the Nazis.
2.    Two disciples on the road to Emmaus who are joined by Jesus; location – the road to Venlo, i.e. Venloerstrasse, also around the corner from the church.
3.    The two disciples and Jesus in the house in Emmaus:  location – around the laden brunch buffet table in our church.
4.    Peter recalling his denial, running to the grave and finding it empty; location – around the painting of the cross at the front of the meeting room in our church.

Each scene, reflection and discussion were marked by a sadness, hopelessness, remorse and confusion which slowly turned into hope, light, understanding and joy.  No matter who you are or where you are this is the story of Easter, the power of the crucifixion and resurrection.

We had a new guest among us who remained quiet but witnessed our interaction with scripture and with each other. K is a Kurdish Yazidi refugee from Iraq. He is a kind, gentle man who has been attending our German and English classes at the Pastorenatelier. Please pray that what he witnesses will move him toward the Lord. Please pray for the rest of the refugees and German helpers who we see every week. We took time this last week to explain the events and significance of Easter to them.

May you be filled with the joy and hope of Easter!

Jason and Sue

January Update

Dear Friends,
In December we asked you to pray with us about a place that we were hoping to rent for our church. Unfortunately, the landlord decided to rent to someone else. We’re very disappointed but are accepting it as God’s will and trusting that He has some place even better for us in mind. And so we continue to search. Please keep praying for us in this regard.

Thanks for praying for our Christmas Eve celebration.  The two young refugee men we invited had the courage to come, enter our home and celebrate with us.  We had a wonderful time of dining and sharing, with much conversation about the significance of the Christmas holiday.  They even attended a late Christmas Eve service with us.  Pray for openness to the Spirit’s work in their minds and hearts.
 

Meanwhile, our ministry to refugees in the Pastorenatelier continues to hearten us. Their stories are stirring and their determination to make a new life for themselves here inspires us. On Wednesday afternoons we offer German lessons followed by English instruction. Jeff Imperial, one of our newer GEM colleagues, helps to head up the English group. Last week he posted this to Facebook:

Tonight I had a great opportunity to help a 16 year old young lady from Afghanistan. She is studying English presently and I was able to assist her with a project at our weekly Deutsch/English Nachhilfe session. In our work here, we have come across many types of personalities, good and bad. It's just like you would find anywhere else. This particular young lady moved here with her family in 2015/16. She immediately was plugged into school and began learning German (including the alphabet), and then 6 months later she was learning English. By the way, her spoken English is good enough to live in an English speaking country. She was not allowed to go to school in Afghanistan. She was of course very polite, and seemingly very smart.

But as a teacher, I saw something. She had an excitement and drive to learn. I was really moved by it. It was one of my favourite moments since we have been here. Her project was about serving others because she wants other people to have the opportunities that she has had here. As we work with different people from different cultures, I am regularly moved by their experiences. Many of the people that are here from other countries are driven to succeed and thrive. They understand that there are no guarantees, and want to make the most of the opportunities they have been given. I was thoroughly impressed with this student. It is difficult for them to consider other spiritual paths, because theirs is so engrained culturally, so we work to be the light, we share what we believe, and we pray that the Holy Spirit moves.

This month we celebrate 27 years in Germany. More about that in our next update. Stay tuned!

Gratefully,
Jason and Sue

December Update

Dear Friends,

ROOM

The vision statement for our church is, “Raum schaffen für Jesus Christus” (Creating room for Jesus Christ).  This  photo is of the entry way to a possible permanent location for the church.  We have been longing for our own “room” – a space where we could expand our ministries with immigrants, children, women, discipleship, etc.  A space where we could meet during the week or in the evening.  A space where we won’t have to sound the clean-up alarm because the next group is coming in at 2:00 – just as the fellowship is sweet around the long row of tables where we are enjoying a bowl of hot soup, coffee and cake.  We are probably not the ideal renters for this landlord, but the leadership has had a strong sense of God leading us to this location.  Would you pray for God’s provision and this possibility, that has us so excited about room.

“Room” also seems to be an issue over the ages – and of the Christmas season.

“So Joseph also went up … to Bethlehem …
He went there to register with Mary,
who was pledged to be married to him
and was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
and she gave birth to her firstborn,
a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manager,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:4-7

We are praying that you will be able to pause and take time to reflect, opening up space in your busy life for the Savior this Christmas season.

With the Joy and Peace of Jesus,

Jason and Sue