Evendays

I’m sure you’ve read some of the bulletin bloopers. They seem to always come as forwards from some of your best friends, and then you have to forward them on to some other of your best friends or something really bad will happen to you.

A Pentecostal group sent their bulletin to all of the Geneva area churches last week. Printed on colorful, pink paper, about half-way down the sheet, was the following information that caught our attention:

Healing room: Closed in July and August.

You do not want to get sick in Europe during Summer vacations.

The next paragraph started with a quotation of Acts 2.38, a fellowship favorite. “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Then God will send you his Holy Spirit.” Then the following:

We will be having our baptism service on October 21, 2007. Sign up with Pastor X.

It was followed up by this verse (no lie) quoted from Acts 22.16:

“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”

V. and his wife came over the other evening. I met him about 4 years ago. He had been crying. haunted by things done in the past, wondering if God would forgive him. He started bringing his two children to church though he understands nothing but Spanish, being unable to pick up French because of learning disabilities. He reads most of the Spanish literature in the church library.

The police finally caught up with the two and told them to leave the country They are “illegals”. They have not saved up any money in Switzerland because their boy needs special education. They often work and are not paid, since employers know these workers won’t complain to authorities. Life in Quito does not promise them much if they return.

We will accompany them through this time, legally helping anyway we can. It’s not much. There are thousands in their situation…

Also, R. finally contacted me after several weeks of attending without communicating. He’s going through a difficult period and thinking of pulling away from the Body here so he can just be “anonymous” elsewhere. It breaks my heart.

So we keep on praying even more. Thanks for joining us in that.

Greg’s got a post up at the Yancey blog: Prayer, does it make a difference. Please check it out. 

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The trip to Ternopil wasn’t planned. The servants there asked me to come and help them deal with a “power-play” made by one of the lay-preachers. He wanted to become “head” pastor and, with a group of 8 others, accusations and moves were made to take over the church.

To support the faction’s claims, they appealed to “dreams and revelations”. God had revealed certain information to this small group and this knowledge was presented to the church to the harm of the other party.

While thinking through their strategy, I ran across the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12.6: I refrain from [boasting of visions] so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me.

Paul would not bolster his authority by playing the vision card. In fact, he did not want people to think too highly of him at all. Rather, his authority rested on his actions and his words. On life and Gospel.

While visions cannot be verified and dreams cannot be experienced by third parties, actions and words can be clearly seen, and heard, by all. They become the calling card of veritable Christian servants.

We are having a weekend retreat with the Geneva church. It has been very encouraging. I would appreciate it if you’d keep “Mary” in your prayers. I have not heard from her. I informed the police in the part of the country where she lives so that they could contact her. After a couple of hours, they were able to get into her apartment but she was fast asleep. She was taken to the hospital and is “Okay” according to the police officer.

Haylina, one of your sisters from Marseilles, is in a hospital bed dieing from cancer. She has a boy who is 16 and another who is about 9. Their father is violent and has never taken care of them, so the Marseilles church has stepped in. They are caring for the boys now, and after, they will do all they can to “adopt” them so they aren’t split up. They will also be able to continue living with their spiritual family.

Even though we hate sickness and death, once again they bring out the best in God’s people and become opportunities for displaying grace and compassion.

On Friday and Saturday, I spent a little more than 24 hours near Macon, France with about 30 servants from the different assemblies of churches of Christ from France, Belgium and Switzerland. The Bible studies were encouraging and the 3 panels on different challenges facing churches in our part of the world were helpful. The one on the “sexual morals and evangelism” was very, very good. I’ll have to write up a resume of it for you some time.

Sunday morning was spent in prayer. Thanks to each one of you who prayed for the Lausanne church. (If you forgot and still wanted to pray, it’s never too late…) It was a good moment for me as we prayed as a church for sins, the future and about church ministry.

Later, I caught up on the Harry Potter books and I eagerly await his death in the 7th tome. In December I will try to finish every book I started in 2006 but haven’t quite finished. I count at least 5 of them.

Thanks for dropping by.

On Sunday, November 26, we will be spending time in prayer rather than working through the habitual sermon. We will be praying for the church here, our future, and for each one of the members. It’s been a rough year and several are feeling “beat up”, if you know what I mean, so a time of prayer and confession, adoration and thanksgiving is in order.

Why don’t you participate in this with us? If you are in the USA, late Saturday night is early morning here. Those of you and Europe could put us on your prayer list. We would appreciate your support and, of course, we desire God’s wisdom as we look for his will for the Body of Christ here in Lausanne.

Thanks for stopping by.

I gave the sister a call because she’d been absent on Sunday, and I’d missed her before that.

“I’m just calling to make sure you’re okay and not ill.” (And I want to encourage you in your walk with God…)

“Well, I just changed my medication and am having trouble getting used to it.”

“So it’s making it difficult to get out in the mornings?” (So your sickness IS keeping you home…)

“No, not really. I’ve decided to give myself my own religious education now. I stayed home on Sunday and watched a show about Armenian Christians and how they live their faith. Had I gone to church, I would have missed it.”

“Well, they’ve got these really neat machines now that record TV programs so you can watch them later. If you want, I’ll record next-week’s show so you can come to church.” (I really want to know why you’d choose a TV show over flesh-and-blood communion, 5 minutes away.)

“Actually, I’ve decided to come for worship every other week. I’ve already done the accounting for 2005 and 2006. I’d still be coming more than anyone else at church. I’ve already checked.”

“Sister, I’m having trouble believing the Spirit of God is leading you in this. What do you think?” (That’s what I meant.)

“I don’t see where my Bible says I’m obligated to take communion every Sunday.”

“Sure, sister, but is the Spirit leading this decision? Listen, I’m glad you’re not ill…”

Years ago, Eugene Peterson wrote that talking parishioners into coming to church was a losing situation. All you can do is ask them about it and pray. Yancey’s last book says, “I believe that life with God should seem more like friendship than duty.” I believe the same thing about communion within the family. So I’ll pray about it.

The young lady at the Geneva church handed me the envelope and said “sorry” for not having delivered it earlier. She didn’t know we’d be gone to the USA. She said it was to express their thanks…

As I drove home that night, I opened the envelope at the first red light. Inside was, surprise, a Thank You Card signed by 11 families simply thanking us for what we’ve been called to do, and even receive a salary for doing. Each family had written something like:

Thanks for all you do. We know it is for the glory of God, but we are touched by your love. May God keep you and may he bless you…

 
11 times I read words of appreciation. And I was filled with joy. (Still am…)

I’m not sure, but I think the funeral for the Thank You Card was held some time in the Spring of 2001. But these 11 families missed that ceremony and blessed our lives through a note of sincere appreciation.

What now? I’ll pin it up on my bulletin board next to the other Thank You Card I got in 1997. Then I’ll fill up my fountain pen. Without a doubt, there are a few people I need to thank.