Archive for June, 2009

Summer prayers

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

It seems that this summer there are more people and situations to pray for than ever before. We keep our niece M. in our prayers every day. We continue to pray for Susan G. who was diagnosed with breast cancer just after leaving Pepperdine Lausanne, and we pray daily for Lynn A. (To check up on his progress, go here.)

About Lynn… He and Carolyn have made several trips to Lausanne. I was always amazed by their adventures. They managed to lose luggage, get on wrong trains, and there’s even a story that they once got on the wrong plane.

When I was an ACU student, my mom came out for a visit. I had recently started going to Highland church, so mom and I crowded into the sanctuary-auditorium-meeting place early one Sunday. When Lynn got up to preach, Mom said: Oh, Lynn preaches here? I quickly affirmed saying that Brother A. was indeed the preacher. Mom then informed me that they were great friends from college days. After service, mom dragged me up front to meet Brother A. I was scared to death, completely (and understandably) in awe of the man, totally sure that there was no way he was going to remember my mom and even more sure that he did not want to meet me. (My discomfort was somewhat like how I would feel when my mom would shop for women’s underwear and I found myself the lingerie section because I was pushing the cart. Still bothers me.) Anyway, I hung back, and over the crowd’s noise I heard Lynn shouting out: Sue? Sue? Is that you? What are you doing here? Hugs, introductions and the beginning of a good friendship followed… All reasons that we continue to pray.

Posted in Prayer | 2 Comments »

When churches change

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

I got a call about a week ago from a retired Spaniard who does most of the preaching for a small assembly here in Lausanne. He had heard of the preaching I’d done for a friend in a church that he’s just started. Wife and I invited the Spaniard and his wife over for a tea.

Years ago there was a huge Spanish immigrant population in Switzerland. They had come here during Franco’s time to do most of the service and construction jobs. Spanish speaking churches grew up in every town. But as families matured and retirement age approached, the parents headed back to Spain while many of the children were lost to the world. Those children who still had faith plugged into local French speaking churches. The Spanish churches shrunk, or died.

Years ago, they were about 60 meeting together. But now this couple meets with about 10 Christians every week, feeding the flock, encouraging members who are often poor or abused (several are illegal immigrants from South America), persevering in faith.

They are not sure what the future will bring. We prayed together. I promised to come and preach for them before the end of the year.

Posted in Ministry, Switzerland | 4 Comments »

Harding students

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

We had 7 Harding University students in our home, along with their French professor and his family. Total of 12, like the tribes or the apostles. Sons 1 and 2 welcomed the tribes, I mean the 12, because Wife and I were out of town. They all did the worship time at the nearby retirement home (and were invited back).

Early Monday morning we went to the nearby high school to visit English classes. Over two days 9 of the group participated in 5 classes, leading discussions and talking with the high school sophomores and juniors about life in Arkansas and life in Switzerland (really a lot alike, except we speak much more French). The teachers were thrilled and it was a great way for their Lausanne students to finish out the year. Next time they want to schedule an outing, BBQ, volleyball match and yodeling tournament. That’s how excited the profs were about the whole thing.

On Tuesday morning, 6 golden-aged women from the neighborhood came over and shared tea with the students, and later in the afternoon they visited the retirement home again, singing with the residents and spreading joy.

This kind of evangelism I really love.

Posted in Evangelism | 3 Comments »

Sunday

Monday, June 8th, 2009

Happy Birthday, Sister!

Last week we changed our Sunday worship time in Lausanne from morning to late afternoon, starting at 17:00. (That’s 5 PM to you non military types. To figure that out, take the first number, add twelve to it, divide that number in half, then multiply by the difference between your time zone and GMT. Unless it’s summer, of course.)

The first Sunday we had visitors down from the mountains (we hadn’t seen them in over a year) and friends from the Bern and Geneva churches. Yesterday, the couple from Bern was present again and 16 of us hung around for pancakes.

People paid a big price to come… Roger Federer was winning his first ever French Open (Roland Garros), but who said worship is easy, right?

Speaking of which, worship is a privilege. To enter into His presence… That He accepts our praise… That is privilege. That is indeed extraordinary. (Lord, help me not to forget it.)

So we are driving 50 minutes to Geneva on Sunday mornings to be with brothers and sisters there. It is not home. Lausanne is home. But it does the soul good.

Posted in Church life, Worship | 4 Comments »

God at work?

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

The days are longer, but are still flying by. I love this time of year. Achooo!

The challenge was to spend a week trying to see God at work. So I started listing the big events: A friend informed us she had breast cancer; A couple wants to come back to church; Another one pulled farther away; A family asked for prayers through struggles; A Christian couple married; 2 people want to read the Bible in English, a la Let’s Start Talking style; An estimate of over $3000 to repair the car’s AC; A discouraged relative; News of a baptism; Sharing the Gospel with a new friend; A party for a Christian turning 50; A new job for an unemployed executive…

Is God at work? Is it really just a question of perspective, of how you look at Life? (Like a glass that’s half full or a half empty?) Is He intervening, working his will through life… Through us?

If He is, then I do not want to miss Him. To miss it would be tragic.

Posted in Ministry | 1 Comment »