This past weekend we traveled up to Haarlem (2.5 hours north) for a day of singing. The church there is wanting to learn more about singing and how to sing better together. Mostly they want to do this so that they as a congregation can learn new songs and sing well to the Lord on Sundays. But they are also looking at using this as a means of reaching out in the community with the gospel. They asked us to come and help with learning and it has been a great time of encouragement. Each time we have been, there are at least 10 members learning and singing together with us.
We have been doing the same thing in Eindhoven for several years, although we have had to miss the last few months. It is exciting and encouraging for us to be able to spend time with congregations in other cities and to see and show how God encourages and teaches us through song. But singing is not all that we are looking forward to in the coming months.
Before we leave for the US for two months (in May and June) we are looking at various ways of reaching out in the neighborhood in Maastricht. In the coming month we will be going around the neighborhood with a questionnaire about church and society in order to gauge where the neighborhood is and also to encourage people to think about the choices they are making. At the same time we hope to again let people know that we are active in the neighborhood.
We also hope to get downtown Maastricht at some point to engage with people on the street, asking them what questions they might have for God. We have been preparing for this during our Wednesday studies when we look at some of the questions that people ask and how we as Christians can answer them. We hope to be going into town as weather gets better and there are more people walking outside. We would love your prayers for these efforts.
In addition we of course are also working on plans for the summer camp weeks and training church members for leadership in those areas. The leadership training “Breathe” will be organized at the end of March. Shirley and I will also be leading the Benjamin week at the end of the summer when we return from our trip to the US. Camp opportunities are always a chance to encourage campers as well as the team that we work with during the week that we lead.
Before all of that comes, we are also looking at some growing time for ourselves and with church family members. Scott will go down to ABSS (Advanced Bible Study Series) at the middle of February with some brothers from Haarlem and Maastricht. Shirley will go to the Ladies Retreat in March with several sisters from Maastricht. It continues to amaze us how God can use so many opportunities to encourage us and others and to help us all grow in grace.
(Photo: the invitation for the camp leaders training session "Breathe")
