Pastoral couple Jonathan & Rachel Vaughan share news from Paris Cardinet
At the end of last year, we organized an Advent celebration in addition to our traditional Christmas service, giving us another opportunity to invite friends to church. The event included painting the windows, under the expert guidance of a friend who is an artist. We shared the Christmas message by explaining the symbolism of the candles on the Advent wreath: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace – themes that featured in the decorated windows. We were delighted that the windows caught the attention of passersby, especially children, as people often walk past church without noticing it. We're keen to repeat the experience again soon.
Our next art exhibition, called Reste (which can mean “remnant” or “remain”) will open in May, and run for a month. Please pray for a good number of visitors, good contacts with the people who live above the church building, and for artists and visitors to think about the meaning of our existence in the light of the Bible.
Seven people are preparing for baptism this year: a new record! We’ve held group sessions to discuss the meaning of baptism, the heart of the gospel message, and how to give our testimony. Some have grown up going to church, others have come to faith later in life. The baptism services will probably take place in June and September. Please pray that these Christians would continue to grow in their faith and would be bold in inviting their friends and family to their baptism.
In February, Jean-Claude Lienhard, 96, went to be with the Lord Jesus. After taking early retirement in 1985, he was involved in the Billy Graham campaign and joined L’Églisede la Terrasse (now Cardinet church) where he served as an elder for two decades. He and his wife Roselyne remained faithful members of the congregation in their old age. Praise God for his example and encouragement to generations of Christians.
