Well, it’s Christmas day, Donna is preparing lunch, the presents have been opened and at last I find I have a few minutes to, once again, try and get our newsletter written. In fact I’ll just continue with what we had already written already some weeks ago... So MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR, and here goes...

At last I hear you cry... The Spencer's have written a newsletter Well, we know it has been a very long time since we last wrote and for that we are sorry. We are on the other hand in contact with many of you on a regular basis and so most of you know what's been going on in our lives here in the Maurienne. For those of you who aren't I am sorry so here it is...

As you know, we have started a Church here in Saint Jean and that is ticking along in its fashion.  It is not always easy to encourage people to get out of their comfort zones to touch the local community.  But we feel as if progress is being made.  As a group we are still finding our feet in some areas but that is to be expected when you have people from different traditions and ways of doing things  

In January we are hoping to have a stall at the local market which should help us to become better known in the community.

St Jean de Maurienne

Luke has had a bit of a hard time the last few months he failed the second term of his first year at university and has decided rather than just carrying on into the second year and catching up he will retake his first year. In signing up for his first year again he was informed that as he passed his first term, he couldn't retake it, he would have to wait to resume his studies until the start of the second term, after Christmas. This means he has been at home. He was offered work as a painter on a new house a friend of ours is building. While this in itself is good, it is pretty cold up in the mountains and he has not had any heat until just recently. So you can imagine it wasn't easy for him, staying warm and motivated for a large task when on your own. So he's done as much as he can there for now and has signed up for his second term... only to find out, once again that he can only take those subjects in which he didn't get a pass mark - this means then, only 7 hours of lectures per week plus sport. So he's job hunting again, in Grenoble this time. He's also got a new room to stay in with his own shower and toilet, and internet connection which should make his stay far nicer as well. Having Luke at home has been a good time for us to reconnect with him especially as Jonathan is away at school during the week. We have really enjoyed Luke being around. But then that will not surprise most of you as you know how much we enjoy our lads.

Jonathan hurt his wrist early in the year playing rugby. After visits to the doctor and subsequent x-rays we were told that he just needed to strap it up and stop rugby for a month. He resumed playing after that but the wrist still gave him discomfort. A further visit to the doctor got him referred to a specialist who, within the space of 2 minutes declared his wrist to be broken! Surgery was required. So, Jonathan had a bit of a troubling summer... He had to have an operation the first week of the holidays and was in plaster for two months after that. Not an enjoyable experience for the young man. Then two months after he had the plaster off he had another accident which required another plaster for another month... NOT a happy chap

Still all is well now and he is getting back to his normal self. This year he has decided to play rugby here in Saint Jean rather than at Chambery as it will involve less travelling and needing to drive him around. And of course it means he can concentrate more on his BAC which he has at the end of this academic year. And his part in the local team sees him training the under elevens team.

... YWAM France national conference

We were also asked this year to lead the worship for the YWAM national conference and this was again a real blessing. We renewed old friendships and made new ones and were complemented on how well we had integrated into the French language and culture. We also made contact with some YWAMers who have had a big impact on house churches here in France and they will be coming to meet and minister to the church in St Jean in January. This relationship is really encouraging for us on a personal level too as this couple have a real heart for us and the work we are doing here in Saint Jean.

Donna

So what else can we say for the year? Donna has continued swimming on a regular basis and one of the women she met there now comes along to the womens' prayer meeting and sometimes to our services. Donna has also made more contacts having taken up weaving (with wicker), and she continues to make banners, the last one for a couple in Paris.

Mike

Mike has been working with an architect. Officially this is on a two-days-a-week basis but when there is a lot of work on, ie since summer this has been more a full-time basis plus evenings and weekends. This has been a mixed blessing. The money he earns has taken off some of our financial pressures but he finds he is not having enough time to spend on preparing and organizing church/mission things and this has caused its own stresses. Mike also went and did the grape picking this year in the Champagne region, another opportunity to meet new people from a different sphere of life here in France and to renew old friendships.

Church Market Stall

Last week we had our first stall in the weekend market. This is an excellent way to make ourselves known in the town and it offers some evangelism opportunities. We have a small table with a selection of Bibles and other literature on view to sell or give away.

We are also supported in this project by the small Baptist church in the nearby town of St Rémy which is again good for the two congregations and shows a united front to the town and valley. The last couple of days we helped another of our members to move house - hard work but good for building relationships... and it puts us in the right frame of mind for our next move...

Moving house

Next year

So, there it is, our news - for the year almost. Next year doesn't look any less busy but we are excited about what the Lord is beginning to do here. Yes, at times it is stressful, at times we can't cope but we get through it with God's help and your prayers and then we can face even bigger challenges.

Prayer subjects

So here are a few prayer subjects for the coming months...

• Our move to a new house
• Luke's resumption of studies and search for employment
• Jonathan on the run up to his final BAC exams
• New projects for our small church here and the enthusiasm and energy of everyone to participate in these projects
• Mike's work - that it won't demand so much of his time so as to limit the time he can spend on "church / mission" work... and yet still have the finance to do what we believe God is wanting us to do. (Well, obviously He will provide but sometimes it's nice not to have to 'worry' about it!)
• For a revelation of God in this valley
  
  

the future...

Finally, we have both enrolled onto an online Bible college course with Spurgeons Bible College and are looking to work towards getting degrees in theology. This is something we have been wanting to do for ourselves for sometime and would reinforce the teaching we've already had and further equip us for guiding the small new church here in St Jean. We would also welcome your prayers for this.

So, there you have it. Although you might not have heard from us for a while God's work is continuing in this little corner of France. Little by little the gospel is advancing here. Our work continues thanks to your support and prayers and thanks to the mighty guiding hand of God. May God's work go from strength to strength in the next months and years.

May God bless you in this New Year of 2009 in which he has already prepared the good works for us to do.. and may we be willing and obedient to his call and purpose.

Thank you 

for your continued prayers and support….