JULY NEWSLETTER: FREEDOM...I'm FINALLY HERE!

Jesus is the true source of FREEDOM...

He loved us by writing love on our hearts, written in His blood, with His very own nail-pierced hands and Body broken with love for us...

This photo of a moving monument to a time before we were ALL free reminds me why I am so grateful today for all the people, soldiers, pilgrims, abolitionists, civil rights activists, soldiers, brothers and sisters who had a hand in fighting for and insisting on that freedom.

But most of all I am grateful that no matter my physical state...I, WE, can always be FREE in Christ!

I'm just southeast of Paris. In the suburbs but an easy 30-45 minute drive to downtown.

French Flag

I have arrived, attended my first staff meeting, attended the official purchase of our new church home, bonded with my new Brie Church family, helped begin the massive face-lift the building will receive, driven in France for the first time and maybe found an apartment!!!
This last is the biggest prayer request: France is a little different...it takes a lot of guarantees and documentation to rent if your salary if received from a foreign country (mine is).
The owner of the rental property and the agent have to both be very confident in the guarantees and documentation of salary and employment provided by me and by UWM and thru France Mission, the sending agency for Lorenzo and Marie-Alice. Pray for favor, peace, confidence and trust on the part of the owner and all other business parties linked to this rental.
I LOVED the apartment and it would be perfectly placed for me to inaugurate Brie-Comte-Robert as the next town occupied by a member of Brie Church! Our strategy is to sow a church member in each town, develop a small group by loving your neighbors and loving God, and Him drawing them to Himself.

France is a quick drive to almost every other country in Europe!

BRIE CHURCH

Drumroll please...

Lorenzo, Eric Furter future elder, and I right after it became official...

NEW BUILDING!!!

I got to watch Lorenzo sign the papers 2 days after I arrived!!!

The Building is long with a beautiful piece of land behind!

Entering the front doors.

 

The main hallway has restrooms and a kitchen on the left.

Stairs on the left lead to a private apartment the church rents to a family.

Same hallway but on the right will be 4 environments for kids and youth.
Christ United folks think Backyard!

 At the end of that same hallway is the Office.

Here are staff and volunteers planning for the arrival of a team from Northpoint Community Church in Alpharetta, GA.

A young church volunteer trying to look busy : )

The church's REAL "backyard"

The next few pics are the area that connects the back of the building to the huge backyard.

Pastor's bro and nephews playing with Pastor's daughter

Davide and his daughter.

Pastor Lorenzo standing, and his bro and niece seated.

They still "can't jump"...

The next few are what the country side looks like in between where we all live in separate towns. Several church members in each town but I will be the first in Brie-Comte-Robert 77170..Google map it!

Photos from my last night in Texas before I had a week or so left in Myrtle beach.

PHOTOS FROM MY SEVERAL GOING AWAY GATHERINGS

It was hard to say Au-Revoir-4-Now

Me and most of my Babies...

They will miss their Bluncle.

He will miss them more.

They may not see this so it is safe to Thank Ray and Rebecca Antonino for prolly the biggest support over the last 3 years. Cheap cheap rent and abundant friendship for this certain single guy while he pushed thru support-raising and waited on God to provide in His timing!

I love love love them and words can never sound the depths of my gratitude.

 Ray being himself above, then the real photo below.

I've been in a men's group that met weekly for most of the last 6 or 7 years. We also volunteered every month at Conway manor, which we chose because residents there have the greatest need to be loved and un-forgotten. Men and their spouses all had dinner to send me off. My little Kate even came...she's in the videos calling numbers and playing piano with me at Conway Manor.

My next to last day in the States was spent packing and loading a container.

I didn't get a group pic but thank you to 

My Pastor,Jeff Dunn (1st to sign-up to help)

David Spires, Director of Outreach (2nd to sign-up to help)

Rob Edwards

Karen Parker

Cullen and Angus,her sons

Todd Doane

Maverick, his son

AC Muller (for the loan of his truck)

Amos Lee (who provided storage, for free, until it was time to ship)

Final minutes before going thru the checkpoint to leave Charlotte, Myrtle Beach and the US behind...

Wayne and I met at Christ United when I volunteered to mentor the leader of a group for young men. He came to hang with me until it was time to go thru security and helped me check in 2 extra bags plus my keyboard! Thanx Wayne.

A Big Thank you to all my supporters but a special Merci to my several men's groups...almost every man and his family has partnered with prayer and monthly support! What an honor and a blessing.

First few hours in France. Lunch and then a team meeting with Lorenzo and Marie-Alice, staff and volunteers of Brie Church. I was awake 35 hours or so. I didn't sleep on the plane. So the next day, unbeknownst to me, they let me sleep uninterrupted 15 or so hours!

The next day Lorenzo, Marie-Alice and their 2 boys and 2.5 girls (one due in August) showed me around a nearby town and castle.

Robin and Xabi posing in the archer area

By Saturday I had seen so much already and then I got to meet a large chunk of the church family at a special Fete/party Saturday night. 

VIDEO: Pendaison Cremaillere
Housewarming or Beloved Brie Church Team-mates
David et Sophie KLEIN
When he speaks, Dadou (David) blatantly thanks God for the miraculous gift this house is to their family.
In front of his friends, many from the church, but more who would have nothing to do with the Church

SUNSET AT THE KLEIN HOUSEWARMING