Snowy Day in downtown Paris

Snow in France is not rare, but accumulating snow in downtown Paris is! Yesterday was one of those rare and beautiful days when the falling snow began to blanket the city. Here are a few pictures, all taken within a short walk of home. Enjoy!

Arts and Television

Over the past two months we have had three opportunities to interact with television crews and watch them at work. Pastoral work does not usually provide this kind of opportunity, especially in France. Apparently, things are different when the people you are pastoring are artists.

The first opportunity was for the filming of program, which will be broadcast via satellite and the Internet in both Europe and Africa. For this program I was interviewed about the arts, artists and ministry.

The second was for the filming of a one-hour concert. We did two takes of the same concert (same songs), which will be edited into 1 one-hour concert, which will be broadcast in North Africa.

The third was a French TV network, which did a 30 minute program in our arts space here in Paris. Their guest was Jean-Luc who is both a pastor and musician. It was part interview and part concert. Because Jean-Luc is a friend of ours, he asked if it could be done in our space.

I do not yet have the Internet links, but I will post them here as they become available.

Miki & Steve Thrall, Julien (son-in-law) & Rebecca,

Sarah and Jonathan

Its Thanksgiving Day, so we want to stop and reflect on God’s goodness and grace.

This year we are particularly thankful for:

· · Many opportunities to share our faith in Paris, particularly among artists

· Sarah’s 6-month ministry experience in Turkey, India and Nepal

· Opportunities to help develop creative worship and prayer experiences in Paris

· The privilege of meeting many extremely creative individuals and having a pastoral role in their lives

· Publications of two articles and two interviews on arts and ministry

· Julien’s completion of medical school and beginning his pediatric residency

· The monthly dinner meetings begun this year with Christian artists.

· The two months Julien and Rebecca spent working with children in a Hospital in Madagascar

· The opportunity to live and serve at the heart of one of the World’s great cities.

In a Still Small Voice

There is short, 22 minute film, which reflects on faith, art, and beauty. It is entitled "In A Still Small Voice". It will be screened next week at the Edmonton International Film Festival. Some of these questions are ones that we deal with regularly in our work among artists. We want to encourage you to take a moment and watch the short trailer.

Trailer: http://vimeo.com/6932613

Film blog : http://inastillsmallvoice.blogspot.com/
official film site: http://www.inastillsmallvoice.com/

A tale of two megacities

Paris, above, New York (Time Square) below

I have been in New York City this week for an urban ministry conference followed by a urban networking meeting with friends and colleagues from cities all over the world. It has caused me to think.

One of the speakers was Tim Keller, of Redeemer Presbyterian Church here in New York. http://www.redeemer.com/ Tim and His wife Kathy came to Manhattan in 1989 to plant a new church. Redeemer now has 5 Sunday services listed at various locations, with an average of 5000 people.

Miki and I were called by God in 1988 to another great city, Paris. Both church plants started within a few months of each other. Both churches were intentionally planted downtown. We both rented space, built teams and worked hard. Both the Kellers and the Thralls fell in love with their cities and raised their families in their cities. Both churches have 20 years of history. The church we planted in Paris 20 years ago, the CEP Republique (see July 4^th post below) has about 30 active members. After a rough period they are growing again.

We have not been involved with the CEP since 2001. Missionaries move on. That is how it is suppose to be. But twice this week in New York, I was reminded about what God did through our Paris church. I met up with a friend from Lebanon who was a member of our church during his years in Paris. He now has a family and calls New York home, but he reflected fondly on those special years. I also made a new friend, an urban ministry colleague from Denver. As we talked he told me I made him think of a good friend of his who is a French evangelist named Christophe. I was able to tell him that Christophe is also a good friend of mine. In fact, Christophe was a member of our Paris church, and got his start in ministry there. When he left he went on to the Middle East as a church planting missionary.

Redeemer in NYC and the Cep République have similar histories at their beginning, yet with very different outcomes. I am honestly not at all jealous. I see two very different cities, one of good soil and one of rocky soil. Yet, God reminded me that good fruit has grown in Paris too!! Thank you God!

Please continue to Pray for Paris, God loves this city deeply!

Art as Common Grace, calling us to God

Hong Kong by night - Photo by my friend, David Pavey

In my previous post this summer I referred to God's art in nature. It is easy to see God’s awesome design in a hummingbird. (I was pleased to get this photo myself!)

But the beauty which man creates in an urban environment is also a reflection of God. It is part of what French theologian, Jean Calvin, called “common grace”. It is common because everyone experiences it. It is grace because this beauty is an undeserved gift of God.

Seeing through the lens of human creative gifting sometimes seems to cloud our vision. It tends to distract our attention from the giver of all creative gifts. But that capacity to create such beauty, for everyone to enjoy, reveals that we are indeed created in the image of the Great Creator.

Many people with remarkable creative gifts do not want to even acknowledge God’s existence, yet the capacity for beauty in what they create undermines their stated belief. While acknowledging the wonderfully unique gifts of the artist(s), there is a deeper response of the heart to such beauty which draws us into God’s presence for those whose hearts are open and prepared. Learn to walk through a city and see God!

One of the windows of St. Germain Church, in Paris

God's Art in Vermont

 

I took this photo in Jericho, Vermont on Monday the 20th of July