So the time has come around again to update
you all on the latest happenings in the Spencer household.
We have as usual been very busy and sometimes
I wonder how we manage to do all of the things that get done but, as always,
God is faithful.
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I am writing this as the television
keeps talking about the 2012 Olympic games have been awarded to London.
The UK has just taken presidency of the EU. These things accentuate the
fact that we are living in a foreign land, and that land, namely France,
at the moment is very much against things from the UK and England in particular…..
But here we are living as pilgrims and strangers in the land, ambassadors
of our God… |
In general life continues… like we read in
Acts about the life of Paul.. “and he spent two years in Ephesus…” nothing
specific to report but important things are going on even so.
| Our Two groups of Masterlife, discipleship
teaching course, are continuing well. It is hard sometimes to go
week after week and lead these meetings when we see no change and then
like a flower bursting through the soil in spring we suddenly see something
move and before you know it a little green shoot has become a beautiful
flower. Yes those of you reading this will realise its Donna writing
at this point. But to be honest this is how we are feeling.
We are starting to see things really change in the lives of the people.
A new confidence and boldness that just was not there before, an assurance
that they do in fact know what they are talking about and can show you
where it is in the Bible. They can smile when someone quotes a verse
during the sermon because they know where it is. It’s a joy to behold
and it encourages us to push on with the work the Lord has given us to
do here in Albertville. |
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Finally, after 18months of this course, the
end is in sight.. if another three months is “in sight”! Although we are
having a pause for the summer due to planned absences and holidays….
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Our fellowship has become closer and closer
in the last few months and we have a real expectancy, knowing that God
is moving and he is working amongst us. Thank you for your prayers,
they have laid good foundations and hopefully we will be able to share
more and more of the good things God is doing here with us over the next
few months. Your prayers make things happen; please continue. |
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We have had the privilege of having a baptismal
service for 3 people a couple of months ago, (two new Christians) and another
only last week for another two new Christians. We are seeing just the tip
of growth in the church, not only numerically – and not just people coming
from other churches – but in the spiritual life of the people as well.
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On the home front things have been a little
difficult, as we have shared before. Getting through depression is one
thing, then you need to deal with living after it. But OUR GOD is gracious
and we seem to have been given a new lease of life here in our family.
We have found that whilst the troubles and difficulties were (and are still
in some areas) hard to bear, at the end we are closer together as a family
and we seem to have come out strong and united for which we give God the
glory. We are now eagerly looking forward to what God has in store for
us next. |
The Bilingual services, which we largely organise,
are continuing and they seem to fill a need in the spiritual lives of the
students. Some have said that they see this as an essential part of the
life in the language school contributing not only to the lives of the students
but creating another place of worship in the town.
The worship on a Friday morning at the
language school has seen students leading in French and they have done
well this year we shall miss them when they leave in a few weeks have to
start again with a new bunch.
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We have been using our house a lot more
in the last year to entertain students and just recently we seem to have
had quite a few more of the singles come around and share or eat or just
generally hang out. They need space to be themselves sometimes and
its not always easy for them when you live in a language school. We have
been thrilled with having the chance to become a part of these missionaries’
lives and to just be a stop off point for them. Many of them will
be going off to Muslim countries so its good to be able to encourage and
help them both physically and spiritually. |
| A joint service with Catholic and protestant
churches had been planned for several months. Before this took place the
Catholics stated that they would not be continuing in this type of exchange
after the Easter meeting. |
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We (Donna and I) had agreed to provide
the music. To be honest we were not really looking forward to it as we
could envisage many things going “wrong” eg. Theological differences coming
to the fore leading to a very disunited front. Anyway, we had committed
to it, so we attended and “served” as best we could. The service had a
time where we split up into groups (and all the denominations were purposefully
mixed) to discuss and share around some Easter texts and related passages.
This was the part we really were not looking forward to … and yet this
is where we were able to give voice to our belief in a God who is concerned
about us and cares for us and wants us to live with an assurance of salvation
– something which some of those present freely admitted they did not have.
We came away feeling encouraged by the service and what we were able to
share. I guess from now on we’ll need to look for other ways to meet with
the Catholics of the town!! |
| Jonathan has got involved in the Albertville
rugby team and is in fact now also in the Savoie (department/County) under
14 team. This has involved training on Wednesday nights and often games
or more training on Saturdays…. And occasional early mornings taking him
somewhere to catch the team bus to go off to a tournament is all part of
it and that’s Jonathan for you as well. |
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| Luke has now completed his first year
in Lycée. He has three months summer holiday this year so we are
dreaming up some small projects for him so he won’t get too bored. |
| Mike has spent a lot of time the past
year working in local junior schools teaching English. Whilst this was
only teaching for 12hours a week, the preparation took him far more time
than envisaged. |
After a few weeks he was given a syllabus
to follow but other than that he had to prepare everything from scratch
or from gleaning it from other teachers.
This job has also provided welcome financial
input. |
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Our support from the UK has declined due
to financial pressures on those supporting us. The job however, finished
at the end of June, which gives us more time to give input into the church
etc. but please pray for our financial situation. |
| On the other side he has got to know a
lot of children around the town and several teachers in the schools. And
this was part of the motivation – to get known in the community to be able
to, in due course, share the gospel. |
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The work on the Christian virtual bookshop
( www.lechretien.com ) continues.
Why not pay us a visit (for French Christian books… and if you’re after
something that’s not on the site drop us an e-mail lechretien@club-internet.fr
and we’ll see what we can do!!) |
We thank the Lord continually for the
blessing of our large car. Time and again we have been able to do things
that we would not have been able to do with a smaller car. With our instruments
and the people we ferry around it is essential.
Over the last few months however she has
proved to be costly in terms of repairs….-Steering, Clutch, Gear box, flywheel,
in addition to the regular and less regular maintenance – timing belts,
oil change, filters…. etc. But a friend mechanic in our church has confirmed
that she should continue to run for quite a while yet and that it was worthwhile
doing the repairs! |
(This is not our car!!)
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(Nor is this!!)
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And then we’ve been promised another little
car… for Donna… which was becoming a necessity with the boys needing to
get about more and more if one of us was out the rest were stuck at the
house or wherever. Donna has had use of this car for several months now
and it has proved very useful, not least in getting Luke from Lycée
when he finishes early. The other option is to let him hang around for
hours before catching the evening coach home. We did not see this as an
ideal option for a teenager with little to do! |
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
weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12: 1-3
Points for praise:
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Growth in our church, numerical and spiritual
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Blessing of car for Donna
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Coming through the depression and out the
other side – new energy
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A year of English teaching well-received in
the local schools
Looking forward:
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Resume teaching English in the autumn? – will
it be offered, do we take it?
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Housing situation – we are still in our apartment,
but this seems to be the best place at the moment….
Points for prayer
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That the Lord will continue to equip us physically
and spiritually for the tasks he sets before us
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That the Lord will continue to build his church
here in Albertville
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Continued financial provision
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And as always for wisdom to encourage our
boys as they grow to become the men God wants them to be.
Yours in his
service,
God Bless,
Love ‘N’ Stuff,
Mike
and Donna
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