PERSPECTIVES No. 2 | Summer 2019 | www.francemission.org Registered Charity 1176433 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Evangelism in rural Picardy • Planting a church in Strasbourg International student outreach in Nantes www.francemission.org 1 PAUL’S PAGE NEEDS IN PARIS Material and spiritual needs in Paris By Thomas Bresson — Travail personnel under Trainee Hannah Prior reflects on recent events Creative Commons BY 4.0 ot long ago “ Many people from the local area I received a Paul’s page: A real revolution N card through came to the sale.” my door showing There are numerous organizations in Paris Reflections by Paul Cooke, France Mission’s Director Notre-Dame. On that work to help those in need, including the other side was a La Mission Evangélique Parmi les Sans- n this second President Macron has responded via some message about the Logis (MEPSL: Evangelical Mission to the “new-look” economic reforms aimed at increasing April 2019 fire with Homeless). Their slogan is La Parole et le I issue of FM purchasing power and by launching a Hannah Prior a brief explanation pain (“The Word and bread”), underlining Perspectives you’ll Big National Debate in which French of the Christian their concern for both spiritual and find articles from people were able to air their grievances in message, including an invitation to write material needs. They offer meals and Paul & Marjorie response to certain questions. Although to find out more. I don’t know how many other help (e.g. showers, haircuts, French Dowling and from the Saturday protests continue, they’re people took up this offer but it’s certainly classes), and maintain an openly Christian Chris & Joanna dwindling in intensity and, even though true that what happened to Notre-Dame has Paul Cooke position. There are also Bible studies and Frizelle that reprise President Macron’s party (La République en been a big talking point. Personally, I’ve been regular services. the main points Marche) came second to Marine Le Pen’s struck by the capacity of human beings to from their excellent talks at this year’s Rassemblement National in the recent construct such impressive buildings but also Several people from France Day (hosted wonderfully well European elections, the results could have by the fragility of these projects – it is God the Perspectives by Brook Lane Community Church in been a lot worse. who is our refuge and our rock. church in Paris- Bromley). If you’d be interested in helping Télégraphe are Fifty years after the événements of May ’68, I’ve also seen and heard quite a few to host this event in 2020, do please let involved with France appears to have survived another comments where people criticized the me know; it makes all the difference when a the MEPSL. The potentially destabilizing mass protest sums of money being so readily given to local supporter arranges practicalities (thanks, proceeds from the Jumble Sale movement. But we know that there is only repair a building when there is so much Brian Ayrton, for all you did this year!). church’s annual one truly radical response to injustice and human need in Paris. The problem of jumble sale on 8th June were donated My own talk at the France Day was focused despair: “The kingdom of God has come poverty and homelessness is something I to the mission. Many people from the on the gilets jaunes protests which have near. Repent and believe the good news!” encounter whenever I take the metro. had such an impact since they started (Mark 1:15). I hope the articles in this issue local area came to the sale and it offered last November. The ensuing explosion of will enable you to see how this Good News a great chance to pick up useful items frustration and anger demonstrated the is being shared across France. for the year ahead (e.g. clothes for their profound divisions between the privileged children). Please pray for the efforts of Every blessing in Christ (la France d’en haut) and those struggling all those in France seeking to live out the to make ends meet (la France d’en bas). truth of James 2:17: “faith by itself, if it is not The fact that the movement remained accompanied by action, is dead.” leaderless revealed a distrust of traditional political approaches. Social media provided Front page photo: the main means of organisation. And the CPLM evening in the Nantes church By Wandrille de Préville - Own work, under You can contact Hannah at violence that marred some of the weekly Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 [email protected] Saturday protests provided a sad spectacle. 2 Perspectives | Summer 2019 www.francemission.org 3 THE GOSPEL IN FRANCE THE GOSPEL IN FRANCE What place for the Gospel in France? Missionaries Paul & Marjorie Dowling see real opportunities amid the challenges In April we had What place can there be in all this for the privilege of the gospel? speaking at FM’s We used as an illustration the Forum des France Day, this Associations, a voluntary bodies’ fair that year in Bromley, takes place every two years in Châteauroux. Kent. Paul Cooke France Day attendees There are over 200 stands and you can find had invited us to everything from sports clubs to Alcoholics reflect on our eight Anonymous, from the Friends of Israel to Paul & Marjorie years to date in completely unexpected and not at all the the Free-thinkers. A real marketplace of “ We’ve simply made friends, real Châteauroux. It result of our own ideas or planning. Like ideas and philosophies. And yet our church was very thought-provoking preparing friends and, in some cases (not the time when Paul got to address a crowd was there in the middle of it all, with a stand the talk and reflecting on the undoubted all) that has borne spiritual fruit.” of 11,000 people in the town square after for our association culturelle, the vehicle for challenges of ministry in France but also the Charlie Hebdo attack. Or the email all the church’s activities other than worship. on the many ways in which we’ve seen gone to choir practices with a Bible under that arrived out of the blue from Brazil And, as part of our stand, an artwork God at work. our arms or seeking to quote Scripture at and which led not only to our amazingly showing the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, people. We’ve simply made friends, real valuable link with Yeovil Community We started by talking about the immense peace etc. – there for all to see. friends and, in some cases (not all) that has Church (it’s a long story!) but also to Marcio spiritual needs in France, about how there We’ve discovered that you have to work borne spiritual fruit, with four of our friends Rodrigues (and, perhaps, others in due time) is so much anger, conflict and relationship hard at it, but it’s possible to find a place from the choir having made big spiritual coming as a missionary to France! breakdown in French society, epitomised for evangelical witness in France – not so strides and starting to participate in the life by the gilets jaunes movement, and about God really does make flowers bloom in the much using traditional methods such as of the church. the bizarre mixture of scepticism and desert. Our job is to plant the seeds faithfully markets and door-to-door, but by building superstition that we encounter. France We also talked about the surprises – the and then water them with our prayers. So, relationships, both with individuals and with really is a spiritual desert, not least the numerous times when God did something a big thank you to those of you who pray organisations such as the local council. Centre, where we live and minister. faithfully for our work here. Your prayers And in both cases seeking to build genuine really do make a difference. reciprocal relationships, not just looking for Please continue to pray, especially that what we can get out of them. the Lord will raise up someone to continue So, Paul has got involved in the conseils du the ministry here in Châteauroux when we quartier (neighbourhood councils) – not retire in less than a year’s time. The needs always the most rewarding of experiences are great, the opportunities are real, but the but one that opens doors, enabling our workers are few. Thank you. church’s participation in the local fête du quartier, for example. And, on a personal level, we’re involved in a local choir Paul unexpectedly addressing 11,000 You can contact the Dowlings at France Day talk because we enjoy singing. We’ve never people in Châteauroux! [email protected] 4 Perspectives | Summer 2019 www.francemission.org 5 LIVING IN THE UNEXPECTED LIVING IN THE UNEXPECTED Living in the unexpected... Missionaries Chris & Joanna Frizelle share about their work in northern France ome years ago, at the end of a holiday in France, Chris said to Joanna: S “France is a nice place for a holiday, but I don’t think I’d want to live here.” God Eglise la Source, Clermont, which currently meets in a weight-training gym had other plans... In 2013 we were both in our fifties and our pastor if we could help him with his us despite, and sometimes even because involved in the work of our local church in work in the villages and small towns in this of, our hesitant communication. Bromley, south-east London (where this area.