La Chapelle des Fougeretz, March 22, 2018

Dear friends and partners, Looking back at two events of the last weeks… Thank you for your prayers for the women's weekend retreat Avec Z'Elles, February 16-18 in Saint-Malo. Once again, we saw God work beyond our expectations. From 50 signed up little time before, we reached 91 women present, not only from Brittany but from all over France, of all ages and types of churches. In the smallest details, we were blessed. For example, we filled all the beds but one that we had committed to pay for; we had a magnificent sunny afternoon to walk on the beach for our only big free time (and rain all day the next day); and as we were setting up the meeting room, during a quick errand we found three bouquets of tulips for only €1 to cheer up the room! Like last year, the women arrived with an open attitude, ready to share, available to encourage one another. The small groups which were mixed up on purpose, were somewhat challenging at first but allowed deep exchanges and discoveries for the women and turned out to be a highlight in their evaluations. The topic of the metamorphosis of the butterfly touched on important spiritual truths such as the new identity that God gives us, grace, the value that we have in God's eyes, the gifts He has given us to use. A Panel evening of different women's creative initiatives and tools Agape proposes brought out how each one of us is unique and that God wants to use our uniqueness in His plan to show His love to others. During the last worship time, the women spontaneously chimed in with “my heart is all yours, completely yours…” Two women who had attended last year and came back this year wanted to testify to how their lives are transformed and how they share it in a women's group at home. One woman told that during the weekend she had discovered that the “beating of her wings can bring about changes in people around her, who can in turn touch others.” Pray with us for all these women back home, that they continue to discover how to spread God's love using their gifts, where they are. The creative soirée Éveil de Sens (Awakening of Sense, with a play on words for “sense” which conveys in French both “meaning” and “senses”), around a photo exhibit on the vine by Didier Heslon, drew about 70 people, Christians from different Rennes churches and their friends, neighbors or colleagues. It is a good format to invite people with whom we have had an opportunity to discuss, but for whom coming into a church still represents too big of a step. The beautiful photos, the funny or thought provoking movie excerpts, the magnificent piece of music interpreted

by two boys, the testimony of the photographer, the reading of John 15:1-17 followed by some insight into the passage allowed beautiful and meaningful sharing in small groups of six people around the prettily decorated tables, savoring succulent wines and good cheeses. The comments on the cards are very positive on how people experienced the soirée. Eleven people (mainly with no connection to a church) said they want to know about future events, and six indicated that they want to participate in a discovery group, which Laurie and I will lead starting April 7. Please pray for a good attendance at this first meeting, for wisdom in the preparation and animation for a very motley group of people, and above all for quality sharing which will bless everyone. Other thankfulness topics: – A beautiful day of fraternal fellowship for the meeting of the Brittany churches of the French Protestant Federation that I led February 16 in Pontivy. It was an opportunity for the participating pastors to hear about the Annual General Assembly of the FPF, to pray together, to grow in their knowledge of the other denominations and to benefit from experience feedback on welcoming refugees and the prison chaplain ministry… – A very refreshing time at our annual staff conference in Ardèche, Feb 26-March 3, on the topic of love and interpersonal relationships in our teams. – Two trips to Paris January 27-28 (FPF General Assembly) and March 15 (FPF meeting for presidents of regional poles), which allowed the meeting of new people, sharing experience, working on the improvement of interchurch collaboration, and to make known some of our evangelism tools designed for churches, like the photo exhibits and the creative soirées. Thank you so much for your faithfulness at our sides. With you to make Jesus-Christ known,

Yannick

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Yannick et Laurie CHIRON * 11 rue du Clos Robert * 35520 La Chapelle des Fougeretz * FRANCE * [email protected] Gifts can be sent to: Campus Crusade for Christ Intl. * P.O. Box 628222 * Orlando FL 32862-9841 (specify acct # 2728140) Questions about donations? 1-888-278-7233, [email protected] or visit http://ylchiron.free.fr/newsletters-for-partners.html.