Dear Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving week! Yes, for us Thanksgiving is such a big deal that we tend to make a whole week out of it! Preparations began some time ago for Joanna as she hunted down difficult-to-find cranberries for chutney and special ordered four turkeys from one of the few butchers willing to source whole birds. This week we’ll move some of our furniture to the basement and set up long banquet style tables in our living room as we prepare to welcome 60+ guests over two Thanksgiving meals (one Thursday night and one on Sunday). Why such a big deal?
Thanksgiving 2019
We loved Thanksgiving in the States. It’s always so great to be with extended family and close friends – and we miss you! Yet, here in France we find this holiday to be even more meaningful. We are so grateful for the welcome and care we have received living as strangers in a foreign land. Moreover, Thanksgiving is an event for us that exemplifies an important part of our reason for being here: to create welcoming spaces in which believers and not-yet believers can connect. We’ve seen God at work in these sorts of events both as we intentionally speak about Gratitude to Jesus with the whole group, and even more in the conversations around the tables. This year, as in past years, we have about an even mix of our church friends and our not-yet believing friends. Will you pray with us for God to move in the conversations and relationships that begin or build in our home this week? We’ll be inviting those who come to further church services over the Christmas season, please pray for some to find community with us. Even more, please pray that those who do not walk with God would take this opportunity to respond in some way to His invitation into perfect love.
Life in Caen
It is an exciting time here in Caen. It feels like since the summer we’ve seen an increase in our ministry opportunities and an acceleration in the work here. This has looked like having more people in our home, more and deeper conversations with refugees about Jesus, growing enthusiasm and sense of direction in our church planting work, and new opportunities to lead and serve. Joanna has been elected to be on the leadership group for the parent teacher association at the kid’s school. Tom has been elected to serve as the Vice President of the Nashville Caen twinning association. Joanna has responded to a need for deeper discipleship in our church by starting a small group Bible study for young women. Joanna also finally is able to access our local church which is a block away (pictured above). A process that began with the local “résponsable d’église” just before Covid hit and has finally come to pass! We prayed in our local church together as a family for the first time last week. We are thankful for new relationships and chances to serve our community.
Gratitude
In all of this, we are so grateful for you. It is not an exaggeration to say that we could not be doing what we are doing, seeking to join in God’s work here in France, without you.
We’ve been here in Caen for more than 3 years now, and we’ll have been in France for 5 years this coming April. We’re more convinced now than ever of the incredible opportunity and need among these wonderful people. God continues to grow our love for French people and our heart to see them walking in relationship with Him. Thank you so much for your support for us. We need your prayer, and we appreciate it so much! We are also so very grateful those of you who are able to support us in financial giving, which is essential to sustaining our work here.
It's amazing the way the Lord has been providing so well for us through your giving these several years. Right now, we do have a financial need. Our monthly support is currently about 5% below our monthly needs. We are praying for an increase in monthly partnership and for some one time gifts to help make up this difference. Would you join us in praying for the Lord’s continued provision? If you have any questions about financial partnership, please connect with us by responding to this email. If you do feel lead to give – thank you! – here’s a place to do so:
GEM France Field Retreat
Speaking of being thankful, we asked you about a month ago to pray for our GEM France retreat. Thank you! We had a very good time gathering as a team who works across a large area in diverse ministries. We had two main goals for the retreat: 1. To rest and receive from the Lord together. 2. To establish a new framework for connecting in small “peer-groups” on a monthly basis for encouragement, support and sharpening in our work. Both of these goals were met and the feedback after the event was overwhelming encouraging. For Tom, the experience of planning and leading this event with two other field leaders was rewarding and exhausting!
Prayer Points
Here are few other points for prayer if you’ve made it this far (you can probably tell that this is one of those newsletters Tom is writing as it is not marked by brevity).
Our kids are doing well in their new school. Please pray for friendships for them and for French language for Elodie in particular.
In all this opportunity and with Tom’s still fairly new leadership role with GEM, we are tired and feeling stretched thin. Please pray for wisdom in our pace and rhythms.
Please pray for our refugee friends as the weather turns much colder and many of them are camping.
Please pray for our church plant as we are beginning to search for a place to rent on Sundays that will better accommodate families and enable us to grow.
So very thankful for each of you,
Love,
The Appels
Christmas Cards
PS - We are preparing the elves to send out christmas cards, if you have moved or have not received a card from us in the past and would like to, please send us your mailing address!
