(a recent prayer letter received from Lance and Amy Auterson, France)

Finally! Recently a much needed meeting with Urban Planning and the Mayor took place. It was a vital meeting for two reasons. From our perspective we needed precise information regarding the reduction of the amount of land that was originally offered for our project. We needed the exact new dimensions for several obvious reasons. From the city’s point of view they needed to hear that we weren’t stuck financially, which has been our case for so long. Friends, the Holy Spirit was present during that meeting! We received the good news that “our” plot of land has not been reduced enough to make a big difference for our future. They received the surprisingly good news that thanks to your generous giving, we now have roughly 2/3 of what we’ll need to build. Despite rising construction costs, it looks like our original goal of around 300,000 euros is still attainable. We owe a big THANK YOU to those of you who’ve so graciously given. If the Lord lays our project on your heart, know we’re not yet across the finish line. But it was encouraging to walk out of the meeting seeing agnostics and atheists impressed by what God is doing through you and our growing community.

Speaking of our community. Chantal recently approached me and said “Pastor, I would like to get baptized when it’s convenient for the church.” I was slightly taken aback because a few months ago she told me that while she understood and wanted to accept Jesus Christ as her Savior, she explained her heart was dead and cold to the Gospel. “I’m unable to be saved!” she said with frustration. We gave her some practical Biblical counseling, and insisted that she needed to plug into our sound Biblical doctrine classes. Today she proudly says that Christ is her Savior and that she wants to follow Him as a disciple; both in baptism and in life.

We thank God for you and your faithfulness to Him and to us!