Pastoral couple Jonathan & Rachel Vaughan provide an update from Paris Cardinet
At the end of March, we held a joint service with the Perspectives churches of Clichy and Asnières, the first time such a gathering has been organised. Although the three churches are located relatively close to each other on the northwest edge of Paris, and the pastors already know each other well, it was a real joy for the members of our congregations to spend time together in both worship and fellowship. We plan to make this a regular feature in the yearly calendar.
On Sunday mornings, we’ve been exploring the book of Amos, reflecting on God’s greatness and holiness, as well as His call for social justice to flow from genuine faith. This theme of practical discipleship is also at the heart of our current series on James.
In May and June, we held four different baptism services, for Leslie, Marie-Anne, Girelle, Matthieu and Edward. We were very encouraged by their testimonies of God’s work in their lives. Please pray that their friends and family who attended would think about what they heard from the Bible and be motivated to learn more about Jesus. Pray also that those baptised would shine brightly for Christ in their schools and workplaces.
The opening evening of our art exhibition coincided with the annual Fête des Voisins, when residents of the flats above the church have a small party in the courtyard. This providential timing made it easy to invite them in to view the artworks and get to know our neighbours better. We were also delighted that the deputy mayor and a local councillor found time in their busy schedules to attend. It was a great opportunity to share the vision behind the exhibition and introduce them to some of the artists. We thank God for the positive relationship we enjoy with the local council, who value the events we host and are keen to help promote them in the future.
Please pray that those who came to the exhibition would read and reflect on the Bible verses in the brochure they received, and that, in time, they would want to return and discover more about the hope we have in Christ.
