Merry Christmas!

² The people walking in Darkness

              Have seen a great light...
⁶ For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given,

             And the government will be upon His shoulders
 And He will be called

            Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7a niv

As Isaiah wrote those prophetic words, the people of God faced threats and challenges on every side.  Isaiah, more than anyone, knew the bleak reality of the immediate future.  But he also knew the promise of God!  He lived in the awareness and the assurance that God is sovereign over all the earth – and beyond.  May we live in that same confident knowledge this Christmas season – and all through the coming year!

Our Third Baptism Service!

On Sunday, 8 December, we celebrated our third baptism service of the year.  While all baptisms are a wonderful expression of God’s grace and the miracle of new life in Christ – this baptism was unique and special.  Aurelien, a student from Cameroon, was baptized by Venkat, a student from India!  Venkat has been mentoring and encouraging Aurelien, and when he felt compelled to be baptized, he asked if Venkat could do it!  What a blessing to hear Aurelien’s courageous and powerful testimony, and then to witness his public profession of faith and commitment!

Missions Trip to Sofia, Bulgaria

We received word in late October that there was a need for people to travel to Bulgaria to assist a missions organization there with their distribution of shoes and socks to orphans.  The Converge International Fellowship family jumped into action!  While only two were able to leave on such short notice, the rest of the church pulled together to fund their trip and send them.  Carol (USA) and Anok (India) cleared their schedules and joined a group from our sister church in Rome to assist with the mission to Sofia.  The team visited 9 orphanages in 5 days, distributing more than 700 pairs of shoes and new socks to needy people from pre-school age to young adult.  It was a blessing to all involved – the children, of course, but also the mission agency we assisted, the members of the team who travelled, and the “home church” that sent them!   

Christmas Devotional from Mel Lawrence

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David." (Luke 2:4)

It could have been called Anytown, because Bethlehem was like any town in the hills of Judea, except that the greatest king of Israel, David, was born there. And then, a thousand years later, the Messiah.

How does such honor come to the ordinary? Were the people of this town particularly worthy? Was there some great strategic advantage of where it lay? Were the people of Bethlehem politically savvy, having a long history of producing great leaders? Not at all. The little town of Bethlehem was in the shadow of great Jerusalem just six miles to the north. Even the meaning of Bethlehem, "house of bread," is unremarkable. What we know is that hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus the prophet Micah predicted the destiny of Anytown. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

The townspeople of Bethlehem were surely proud to be the "town of David" and the home of his famous grandmother, Ruth. They must have been glad, too, that the tomb of Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, was there. And they must have wondered what Micah's prophecy really meant. When would another prophet like Samuel come to town and anoint a new king just like he had done with the boy David?

But it didn't happen that way. On an ordinary day when men plied their trades and women baked bread and children played in the streets a traveling couple from Nazareth arrived looking for a room. They got no special treatment. No one offered their own room. Ordinary people were having an ordinary response to an ordinary looking couple.

Honor comes to the ordinary because of God's choice, whether it is God's choice to use a town, or a nation, or even a single man or woman, boy or girl. So if this is shaping up to be an ordinary day for you--be prepared. That's the stage on which the acts of God are played.

Prayer for Today: Dear God, it so easy for us to assume that nothing exciting will happen with the ordinary. Help us this Christmas to see the amazing things you do when you choose to use the ordinary.

 thebrookletter@me.com

Top Ten Reasons to Live in Germany

Check out this article.  The top 10 reasons for living in Germany...we share many of these as personal favorites....

#2 - Autobahn:  Put the pedal to the metal!  There is nothing like driving from one city to another at 130mph!


#5 - Closed on Sunday.  This took a little time to get used to (about two weeks), but we have come to love it.  We especially realized how nice it is when we were back in the US recently, and saw how hectic life is without any "down time".  It's like the entire nation of Germany takes a deep breath on Sunday - and relaxes.



Link to article:
http://www.thelocal.de/galleries/lifestyle/ten-reasons-to-live-in-germany

Pray for church in N. Korea

As many as 80 people were publicly executed in North Korea earlier this month, some for offenses as minor as watching South Korean movies or possessing a Bible.  

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/12/north-korea-publicly-executes-80-for-crimes-like-watching-films-owning-bible/

Krystallnacht - 75 years later

"An Ornament of our city"

Today is the 75th anniversary of Krystallnacht - "the night of the broken glass."  It was the outbreak of mass violence against Jews which was to end in their mass murder.  It is considered the official beginning of the holocaust.

The ruins of the synagogue, 1938

On the night of 9-10 November, 1938, in Darmstadt, the synagogue, which was proclaimed an "Ornament of the city" in 1886, was burned to the ground.  Darmstadt was the first city in Germany to force Jewish shops to close in early 1933, shortly after the Nazis took power in Germany.   In 1942, over 3,000 Jews from Darmstadt were first forced into a collection camp located in the Liebigschule, and later deported to concentration camps where most eventually died.In 1988, on the 50th anniversary of Krystallnacht, the city of Darmstadt presented a new synagogue to the Jewish community.  It stands as the only replacement synagogue in Germany that was paid for by the local citizens of the city.

In recent days in Darmstadt,  "Stolpersteine", or "stumbling blocks" have been dug up from sidewalks. Stolpersteinen are paving stones, which are used universally here for sidewalks, that are covered with a layer of brass upon which has been engraved the name and information about a person who was forced from their home during the holocaust.  They serve as poignant memorials to Jews from our neighborhood who were driven from the city and later killed in a camp.

The new synagogue, a few blocks from our flat.

Last night, some of those stolen stones were used to break windows in the city hall of Seeheim-Jungenheim,  a city just a few kilometers from Darmstadt.  The holocaust is, not surprisingly, still a source of deep pain for Germans and for Germany - but while there is deep regret, sorrow and shame for many, there is also ever-present evil.  Chancellor Angela Merkel called for police protection for every synagogue and Jewish center in the land on this day, to insure that those filled with hate would be hindered from violence, and the innocent would be safe.

Such is the legacy of unchecked evil.  This is the toll paid when the righteous and the moral do nothing in the face of the evil and the corrupt.

A Stolperstein a few meters from our flat.

Psalm 59:
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men. 3 See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD. 4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!
16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. 17 O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

Seven Ways Germany is Better in the Dark

This is a satirical photo-feature from The Local about some of the interesting peculiarities of life in Germany, especially in winter.  German friends, please don't be insulted, it's all in fun, and we actually love it here!

http://www.thelocal.de/galleries/news/seven-ways-germany-is-better-in-the-dark

Photo 1:

Darkness when walking to or from work means you can't see the disapproving looks that many Germans will shoot your way when crossing on red. This is a huge benefit to the gloomy part of the year - it can almost feel like being in a normal country where you can go about your business, even if it involves being hit by a bus, without people giving you the evil eye.

Click the link above to see the rest...

Number of Germans Leaving Church Sharply Increases

The number of people abandoning the church, both Catholic and Evangelical - (Lutheran).  Some of the fallout is due to the scandal of the "Bishop of Bling" in Germany, who was suspended by the Pope earlier this Autumn.  It is the continuation of a long trend, however.

http://www.echo-online.de/nachrichten/brennpunkte/Kirchen;art111,4444386

Maps to Change How You See The World

Interesting Maps from article http://www.goodnet.org/articles/9-maps-to-change-how-you-see-world.  Click on the link to get a larger view of the maps and read the article.

Classic Map of World

Coffee Consumption

Flags of the Nations

Attitude toward foreigners

Freedom of Press

National Average IQ

Maternity Leave 

Population Density

Vegetation on Earth

Darmstadt: God is up to something here!

When we first felt God’s prompting to go to Germany, it became clear that Darmstadt was the city He intended us to work in.  As we shared the vision for planting an international, English-language church, lots of people were excited about it, but many asked, “Why Darmstadt? Certainly there were and are larger and more influential cities in Germany…”

Well, God is definitely up to something here!  Check out these recent developments:

·         Hessen (the German state we are located in) has been identified as the fastest growing state in Germany, and Darmstadt as the fastest growing city in the state.

·         The European Union issued a report on the “Regional Competitive Index” of the entire European Continent, and Darmstadt was listed as number 7 – ahead of Paris and Copenhagen!

·         And, most exciting to us, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, when determining where in Europe to come and hold a campaign, has selected Darmstadt!  Preliminary work is being done to welcome Franklin Graham to the city in 2015!

We invite you to join us in this exciting mission to reach the world through the planting of international churches in this strategic city in Central Europe.  If the Lord moves you to partner with us, here’s what you can do:

Web-based support: Go to www.convergeworldwide.org/give/133261 to set up a one-time, or ongoing support.

USA:     By Check to: Converge Worldwide (in the memo line, note account # 133261).

     Address:  2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd. / Arlington Heights, IL 60005 

      Automatic Withdrawal is available.  Contact Jennifer at 800.323.4215

EUROPE:  Bank: Spar-und Kreditbank  BLZ: 50092100  Konto: 1162233  Note: “Darmstadt”

Prayer Focus

·         Pray for current outreach efforts:

o   30-second advertisement during English language films at the theater.

o   New brochures and flyers distributed at the Tech. Univ. student center, dormitories and classroom buildings.

o   Facebook advertising campaign.

·         Pray for leadership identification and development for the church:

o   Elders: spiritual leaders of the congregation

o   Ministry Leaders: effective, strong leadership of our ongoing efforts, particularly those to students and the international scientific and business communities.

o   Bob & Carol:  pray for our physical health, spiritual protection and emotional encouragement.

o   Constitution: pray as we complete and approve the constitution of the new church.

First Birthday Celebration!

A little rain can't stop our prayers for the city!

The week after we returned from our Home Assignment, we joined with our church family in celebrating our first anniversary of public ministry.  Our first birthday as a church!  Beginning with a time of prayer overlooking the city on Saturday the 5th, the celebration continued through the day on Sunday, with a special time of worship, communion (served by IBC General Secretary Dr. Jimmy Martin and Rev. Carsten Lotz, pastor of  ICF Oberursel), followed by a fellowship meal complete with birthday cake!  

Enjoying the Fellowship Feast

Our birthday week was filled with reconnecting with the church's LIFE Groups, distribution of new church brochures in hotels and at the University, and was capped with a special visit by Dr. Gene Selander, the director of Converge Worldwide's "A2:5" Ministry.  Gene visited with LIFE Groups, shared at a Men's breakfast and filled the pulpit on Sunday the 13th.  The highlight of the week was our second baptism service that evening! 

Baptism of Carin Haddad,
who returned from Lebanon for her baptism!.

  

Late Summer Recap

"YOU CROWN THE YEAR WITH YOUR BOUNTY; 
       YOUR WAGON TRACKS OVERFLOW WITH ABUNDANCE. 
THE PASTURES OF THE WILDERNESS OVERFLOW, 
       THE HILLS GIRD THEMSELVES WITH JOY, 
THE MEADOWS CLOTHE THEMSELVES WITH FLOCKS, 
      THE VALLEYS DECK THEMSELVES WITH GRAIN, 
           THEY SHOUT AND SING TOGETHER FOR JOY...” PSALM 65:11-13 ESV

Walls decorated by God with fall color.

 David obviously loved this time of year! He saw the Autumnal harvest season as the “crown of the year.” He saw the hills splashed with color, and described them as “clothed with joy.” In fact, the hills, fields and valleys “shout and sing together for joy.” It’s hard to believe that autumn is in full swing, but what David described in Psalm 65 has once again become a reality for us in Central Europe. The air has that crisp, cool feel; people have begun to bring out their sweaters and coats and families have returned from summer holidays. Schools have opened and University students have poured into the city – in record numbers for Darmstadt! “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few – pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:35&35 ESV)

Like many, this autumn season follows a very busy summer.  We spent August and September in the United States on “Home Assignment.”  During a nine week period, we traveled through 11 states, visited 11 churches, and friends from four other churches, logging over 6,000 miles on our car!  Along the way we were blessed to be able to visit with all of our children, both of our grandsons, our parents, and most extended family.  We were not able to visit all of our friends, or get to every church partner we have, though we would have loved to!  If we did not see you this time, we will surely put you on the top of our list for next time!

During those weeks, we were able to share the exciting story of God’s work in Darmstadt with dear friends, make new friends, and have special times of worship and celebration.  It is always exciting to share with people the new way that God is at work around the world through English-language international churches.  For many it is a whole new concept in fulfilling the Great Commission – as it was for us just a few years ago!  What a thrill it is to now be part of that work, and report to the church how God is drawing people from every nation under heaven, gathered in the city, to Himself (see Acts 2:5). 

Some of the Nations represented in the CIF family!

In our absence, the church in Darmstadt continued to meet and reach out to the Darmstadt community.  Pastors from neighboring IBC churches filled the pulpit on some Sundays, and men from the church brought the message on others.  So far, three of our men have shared a message from the Word of God at one of our services!  In addition, the LIFE Groups continued, each one led by members of the group, and new people were welcomed into the church.  It was a great joy to meet new people who had been coming to the church for weeks but had not yet met the pastor and his wife! We praise the Lord for providing such wonderful leaders and partners in this work!  Continue to pray for the church as we grow in size and depth!  Pray for leadership development and ministry effectiveness.  

Home Assignment

We will be in the US on August 1 for what is called “Home Assignment.”  Missions agencies used to call these times “furlough”, but that suggested “vacation”, which it definitely is not!  In most agencies, overseas workers are brought home for 1 year of Home Assignment each four years.  In the type of work we are doing, that is not practical, since International Churches tend to see up to 40% turnover each year in the congregation.  To take a full year off would simply be impractical, so we planned to have shorter periods of Home Assignment every two years.  The concept is found in Acts 14:26-27, when Paul and Barnabas returned from their first missionary journey and reported to the church at Antioch, that had sent them out, all that God had done over the previous two years.  We will be doing much the same.  Over the next 8 weeks, we will be sharing with partnering friends and congregations and with potential new partners what God is doing in Darmstadt and around the world through the planting of English-language churches in cities around the world.  We will be looking to close the final portion of our financial support, and giving individuals and churches the opportunity to support other church planters who are waiting to get to the cities God has called them.  Please pray for us as we will be driving to at least 8 states, and speaking in at least 8 churches, and meeting with current and potential partners in the ministry.  Our schedule is below.  If you are in the neighborhood, we would love to get together with you – send us an email to let us know!  If we are not getting to your area, please be assured that we would love to visit every one of our ministry partner friends, but it just isn't possible. 

Please pray for our church leadership in Darmstadt during our absence.  The church will continue to minister through the weeks we are gone with regular service and LIFE Groups meeting.  Visiting pastors and men from the church will be filling the pulpit, and there is much that must be done by our faithful leaders – who must juggle their church responsibilities with their career and family responsibilities.  Like Paul, we have been encouraged by the fact that the Lord “has many people in this city!”

We return in late September to prepare for the launch of a new year of ministry in the city of Darmstadt.  Our English-language movie theater ads are set to begin at the end of August.  We plan to do a prayer walk and Bible distribution to students at the University as part of our first birthday celebration weekend on October 5-6, and will be expanding and multiplying our LIFE Groups through the fall.  Pray for God’s blessing and leading on the plans, and pray that we will remain sensitive to His leading, and flexible to His sovereign timetable in all things!

Home Service Schedule

August 4 – New Cumberland, WV

August 18 – Danville, VA

August 25 – Epikos, Milwaukee, WI

September 1 – Oakbrook Curch, Green Bay, WI

September 7 – Open House & Reception – Mayville WI

September 8 – Gateway Community, Mayville, WI

September 15 – Wellspring Community, Hartford, WI

Special Visitors

Dr. Jerry & Dee Sheveland (L), President of Converge Worldwide
 Dr. Jimmy & Laurie Martin, (R) General Secretary of the
International Baptist Convention - worship together at CIF!

July has been a very busy month!  We began the month by welcoming Dr. Jerry Sheveland and his wife Dee to Germany.  Dr. Sheveland is the president of Converge Worldwide, our US-based sending agency.  What a joy it was so spend time with this godly couple as they came to witness firsthand what God is doing in Darmstadt and around the world through the planting of English-language International Churches.  Jerry and Dee accompanied us to the annual summer meeting of the International Baptist Convention (our European-based agency) in Interlaken, Switzerland.  It was a great experience as they taught seminars, met pastors and their wives, and students, church leaders and families from IBC churches around the world.  After the conference, we drove back from Interlaken to Darmstadt (you quickly learn that some sections of the Autobahn have no speed limit, but other sections suffer from chronic traffic jams!), where the Shevelands spent several days visiting and encouraging us, worshiping with us, and sharing at the worship service of CIF. 

Asher, Eric, Cayden & Nicole McCrorey in Darmstadt.

Four days after the Shevelands returned to the US, we welcomed our daughter, Nicole, her husband Eric, and our two grandsons, Asher and Cayden, to Germany.  We have had a wonderful visit with them.  What a blessing to have godly children!  Eric serves as youth pastor at Maranatha Alliance Church in Horseheads, NY, and Nicole is a great partner in that ministry.  Asher, who is three years old, amazed us with his reciting of his first Bible memory verse, Psalm 19:14 (see video here).  Cayden is simply delightful at 8 months.  We have spent a great 10 days together, and as I write this, we are beginning a day of packing and last minute preparations for our flight together to the US tomorrow morning.

Grandma & Grandpa with the boys near Dachau.

"Do not be afraid..."

“Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you..” Acts 18:9

In recent weeks at Converge International Fellowship, we have been focusing our study of God’s word in the book of Acts.  What a great place for a young new church to spend a few months!  It is so encouraging to read the history of God at work in the early days of the church – we see the early victories, the difficult challenges, the apparent setbacks turned to victory, and, ultimately, we see the sovereign hand of God at work in all situations.  Recently, as we studied chapter 18, we took note that when Paul arrived in Corinth, it was a difficult time for him.  He had recently split with his friend, mentor and partner in ministry, Barnabas.  He was alone, having left Silas and Timothy in Macedonia.  He was low on funds, and was working as a tent-maker in Corinth to support himself, so that apparently could devote himself to ministry on Sabbath days.  In that period, Jesus appeared to Paul and in dramatic fashion reassured him to keep up the work – he was not alone!  Christ was with him!  The Lord also promised Paul that He had many people in the city.  In our study, we noted that in that same chapter of Acts, we have more individuals identified by name as coming alongside Paul in his work than in any other single chapter.  When Christ knew Paul needed encouragement, He not only reassured him of HIS enduring presence (wonderful enough!), but supplemented that support with new and renewed partnership and friendships.  How encouraging that is!

Repentance Is Rare

There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents. Luke 15:10

Humans, deceived by the devil and charmed by their own pride and abilities, deny that our world is a rebel province in God’s universe. They deny that human society has willfully pulled loose from God’s rule and the rest of God’s domain.

In fact, they deny that men and women are the creation of God. They deny even that they owe any allegiance to God, their Creator!

The Bible is the record of how God deals with mankind, and we can draw but one conclusion: All people are morally obligated to repent and to ask forgiveness of God. Failing to do so, they will perish.

How rare it is in our day to hear of genuine repentance. We live amid a proud, selfish and self-sufficient people. Even in our Christian churches there are those who want nothing more than to be known as “respectable church members”! When repentance is real and faith is genuine, the atoning death of Jesus Christ is effective for pardon and forgiveness and regeneration.

Dear Lord, the idea of people perishing—being separated from God for eternity—is a frightening thought. Will you help today’s churches grasp this dreadful fact so that they will redouble their efforts to share the gospel with lost people?

From Mornings with Tozer, by A. W. Tozer.

Miraculous Financial Provision!

In a dramatic display of His provision, God has met our financial need in ways that can only be described as “breathtaking”.  

In February, we shared with you that we were facing a “Fiscal Cliff.”  Because much of our initial support was in the form of large donations spread over two years we were going to be below 50% of our required monthly support on August 1.  We were informed that we must return to the US at that time, and would not be permitted to return to Germany until we were once again at 100%.  The gap was nearly $6000 per month.  

We did not know how long it would take to raise that much support, but we were confident that God did – and that He is always faithful.  We asked you to pray that we would be able to return to Germany by October 1, in time for our one-year anniversary service.  We knew that it would take a huge work of God to accomplish such a goal!  But as our friend Darryl Evetts likes to say, “God was gettin’ ready to show off!”

Over the course of the next 10 weeks, God began to move in powerful ways.  People around the US and Europe began to respond with commitments to support the work in Darmstadt.  Then our sending agency informed us that they were decreasing our required support level by nearly $1000 per month based on our actual expenses over the past two years.  In addition, the CIF congregation has taken a great step of faith to get behind the mission – a step toward the day when the church will be completely self-funded. 

The miraculous bottom line is this – by the middle of May (in just three months!) God had provided, through His faithful people, enough support that we were given permission to purchase our return tickets to Germany!  It was so astounding that I had to keep going back to my spreadsheet and make sure I hadn’t added something incorrectly.  It was like when Peter was released from the Jerusalem jail, and stood at the door knocking – the church had been praying for his release, but when it happened, they couldn’t believe it! 

We will be back in plenty of time for our one year anniversary service, and we can add to that celebration this amazing demonstration of God’s hand upon this work.  We can’t begin to explain to you how amazing this is – it sometimes takes people years to raise the support God provided for Darmstadt in just weeks!

Please, PLEASE, join us in thanks to the Lord!  This was a powerful example of Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know I am God.”  In this case, God showed that it is not about us.  There are times we are called to act, and there are times when God wants us to “let go” and allow Him to “show off”.  

Our First Baptism!

On May 26, we had our first baptism!  It was such a joy to hear the testimony, and celebrate the powerful faith of Kevin Nickel.  Kevin has been a part of our faith community from the earliest days.  In spite of a busy school, work and sport schedule, he’s a regular at our LIFE Groups and serves faithfully in the church.  He is an inspiration and encouragement to us personally.  

Prior to his baptism, Kevin shared  his story of faith with the congregation and with visiting family and friends.  He also shared his favorite passage of Scripture with us:  Philippians 3:12-14

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

We were blessed as Kevin publicly proclaimed his faith in Jesus before family and friends!

Student Ministry Moving Forward!

Students Sophie (China), Eric (China) and Imants (Latvia)

Darmstadt is a city with a large student population, and that student body figures prominently in our ministry.  We’ve been blessed to welcome students from all over the world to the church.  Some come with a solid foundation in their faith, others have never been in a church before, and never heard the gospel. 

Anok (India) prepares some delicious food in our kitchen!

 Thanks to a solid core of committed students in recent weeks the university group has begun to sense its calling and gain momentum in fulfilling its mission.  We hosted a movie night at our flat with a group of friends with authentic, amazing Indian food cooked in our kitchen by one of the men.  It was a great evening, and we were planning another before the night was done!  

Phyliss (Kenya) enjoying a treat!

On a German holiday a couple of weeks later, as we were walking downtown, we came across a group of a dozen students who had spent the day together.  They had gone bowling, and were headed for some food when we saw them.  They introduced us to a new friend that had joined them for the day.  Later we learned that a couple of the students had spent much of the afternoon sharing the gospel with the young Vietnamese man.  They shared with us his excitement at hearing of God’s love for the first time!  The group has committed themselves to intentional evangelism and outreach as part of their ongoing activities. Pray for them!

Our First Visitors from “Home”!

A special blessing from the Lord over the last few weeks was the visit of some dear friends from our “home church” in Wisconsin.  Kevin and Deb Howard are still faithfully serving as leaders in the church, and their visit to us was a great lift to our spirits.  They were joined by their daughter, Angela and her husband Jake Magyar.  

To give them a taste of European living, we had them stay in our flat downtown, while we stayed with a family from the church for the 10 days they were here.  They got to experience walking to the local bakery in the morning, traveling at over 100mph on the Autobahn, and Schnitzel at Spargelfest!  They attended church at CIF, and participated in our Thursday night LIFE Group.  

Their vacation gave us a chance to take some R&R, too, and we enjoyed visits to Munich, Heidelberg, Frankfurt and Neuschwanstein (the castle Disney copied in his parks), as well as Innsbruck, Austria.  The newlyweds (Angela and Jake) made a quick drive to Paris for a day, too.  They may have needed a “vacation from vacation” when they got home! 

We love visitors!  Let us know if you are coming to Europe!

Excellent! Converge Mission Link: 7 June 2013

June 7, 2013 The International Team of Converge Worldwide (BGC) For Our Global Partners Working Around the World From David Jahnke   David Pierce of Steiger International preaches a clear and powerful telling of Jesus at work. Jesus is eating with bad people. People such as the drug lords of Juarez, used car salesmen, Packer fans—the kind of people that most everyone despises. Those around Jesus mutter, “This is proof Jesus is not from God, because if he was he would not be so intimate with them!” In this context Jesus tells a parable. You have 100 sheep; one keeps running away. What is this sheep like? If sheep could be vicious, this would be an attack sheep. If sheep could use guns, this one would have a gun. He would have outlandish hair, listen to bizarre music. He would always be taking a weaker sheep off to do bad sheep stuff. Now, I am a shepherd. I have 99 respectable sheep. One is rebellious, taking others off to do bad stuff. What’s the best thing I can do? LET HIM GO!! But what does the Good Shepherd do? If we are talking about me and not the Good Shepherd, during “lunch break” I might take a short look for the lost one. Ninety-nine are vulnerable, so I won’t be gone long. But the Good Shepherd does what? He looks, and looks and looks… until the lost is found! No time limit! Here’s an important concept: lost sheep are lost! Lost sheep go to lost sheep places. They live in lost sheep places. How have I typically responded to places that lost sheep go and live? “Thank you, God, that you’ll never see me there.” But if Jesus came to lost sheep places, he would know the names of bartenders, prostitutes, dealers, shamans, atheists… sinners. What do you do when you find the lost one? “You stupid sheep, I left behind 99 good ones to go into the cold and rain. What a pain you are!” Me, if I am really angry, I eat the sheep. This lost one is not our nice, fluffy white sheep we dream of petting. He has “matter” all over him, and Jesus picks him up and carries him home. God is the God of the lost. O God, the Desire of all nations, in the knowledge of whose love and power there is salvation for all the peoples of the earth, may the day come quickly when all people will acknowledge you as Lord of all. Hasten the day when your presence and the strong hand of your purpose shall be found not only in the hearts of a few wise and brave people, but throughout all lands, in courts and places of government, in workshops and the marketplace, in the city and in the fields. And whatever we ourselves can do, give us grace this day to begin. Amen.

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