Prayer Letter

Ukrainian Baptists in France

In a letter from two years ago, and in subsequent 'Home Assignment' presentations in UK churches we have visited, we have spoken about a congregation of about 30 Ukrainian Baptists who arrived together in Marseilles, direct from Kharkiv Baptist Church.

We were able to quickly arrange for our local French congregation to lend them their buildings (on Sunday afternoons) for Ukrainian-language services. At a national level, we were also able to provide a legal framework for their ministry and some financial help.

Since that first experience, we have discovered more Ukrainian Baptists who, in fleeing the war, have resettled in France. Last month, we got together with a dozen of them on Zoom - Ukrainian Baptist pastors and elders - to explore ways in which the others could all benefit from the kind of support that the Marseilles congregation has been receiving.

The next step is to get together in person later this month, to set everything in motion. Between our own French Baptist congregations (about 120 of them) and the networks to which we belong, we feel confident of being able to provide help all across France – and quickly.

CNEF: National Council of French Evangelicals

Talking of the networks to which the French Baptists belong, Philip recently spent a couple of days (as he does each year) with fellow-leaders of 34 unions of French Evangelical churches. Between them, they represent around 2,500 congregations across France.

This structure (the CNEF) was created 15 years ago and, with the exception of one short interim presidency, has consistently been led by a Baptist pastor. The CNEF's missions are to connect, inspire, inform, and represent French Evangelicals.

The gathering that Philip took part in provided an opportunity to take stock of the situation that French Evangelicals find themselves in today, as well as to discern direction and 'vision-cast' together for the future.

'The Chosen'

In our church-plant, we have begun a home-group to watch episodes of 'The Chosen' and – in good French style 😉 – to discuss them afterwards.

For those of you who may not know it, 'The Chosen' has imaginary storylines and characterisation that are set in New Testament times… a portrayal of what might have happened in addition to and alongside what the Bible recounts.

It is an easily accessible (for friends and neighbours) work of fiction, then, but one that points the viewers towards Scripture, and it is certainly the Bible that we discuss after viewing each episode.

Family News

Philip recently celebrated a 'round figure' birthday, as the French call it, arriving at the end of his sixth decade. There was cake aplenty, as he celebrated with the church-plant (his birthday being on a Sunday) and later with the family.

Although Philip now qualifies for free bus travel in Scotland 😉, retirement for our generation is not until sixty-seven, at the earliest. Accordingly, all being well, we are hopeful of having a good number of years of ministry still ahead of us.

Prayer Points

- Ask for God's blessing on the lives and ministries of the Ukrainian Baptists who have re-settled in France.

- Give thanks for the CNEF: connecting, inspiring, informing, and representing French Evangelicals.

- Pray that 'The Chosen' might prove to be a helpful resource for our church-plant.

- Give thanks for God's goodness to Philip through the decades.

With our warm good wishes and our thanks for your ongoing support,

Philip & Rosemary.