Emmanuel and Maria Hartiel
Persevering ministry in Brittany
In the last week of December, a weekly newspaper featured an article listing 10 points of good news for Guingamp in 2015. The article mentioned building work at the railway station and a new business which will bring 95 jobs when it opens in June. Then there’s the historic football match in mid February for the only remaining French team, Guingamp, which is still in this year’s Europa League. People will be touched in differing degrees by such points, according to their personal needs and interests. As we look forward to 2015, our prayer is that many people will come to realise that the good news they most need, the best news of all, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 1:24- 25, “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And that word is the good news that was preached to you”.
In the contemporary religious and social climate in which we live, we are increasingly aware of the importance of sharing God’s Word by as many different means as possible. Practically speaking, that means using every opportunity to share the message of the Gospel even if the visible results are not as encouraging as we would like. One thing that can be frustrating is that often folk seem to take two steps forwards then three steps backwards, sometimes followed by a period of silence before contact can be renewed. In recent years, activities organized have included series of informal evangelistic meetings, concerts, conferences, children’s afternoons and public meetings, as well as personal witness and invitations to Sunday services. The church web site is regularly visited and has
led some to attend services.
“The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And that word is the good news that was preached to you”.
The market work alternates between Guingamp (fortnightly) and four other towns in the area. The Summer Teams that have joined with the church every two years since 2007 have been times of special blessing and encouragement. The recent visit of the Operation Centurion team that came to replace the damaged church roof was also a great encouragement. It was an opportunity to witness and to chat and build relationships with curious neighbours who were impressed by the efficiency of the team. Not forgetting that opportunities to take funeral services have provided openings to share the Gospel message with more unbelievers than any pre-planned event. A little time ago Emmanuel was approached by a man who told him that he had been present at a funeral service he’d led a few years ago and that he still clearly remembered the sermon. We pray that God’s Word will change lives.
Ministry in Brittany requires perseverance and tenacity. Emmanuel works at maintaining good, clear relationships with the local authorities and during the debate on same-sex marriage expressed the position of the evangelical church to the deputy mayor. A great part of the witness is based on relationships that are being built up over the years. It is within a climate of confidence that someone is most likely to accept an invitation to a meeting or a tract. We have seen this recently with the distribution of biblical calendars leading up to Christmas. Different church members were encouraged by how many calendars they were able to give out. For example, Magali, who is an art/mosaic teacher, was thrilled when 99% of her adult class accepted one. Another believer, Christiane, has been witnessing to a neighbour for some time. What a joy it was when, not only did she request a Bible, but also came to a Bible study and accepted that we pray for her.
